Join hundreds of racers just like you! We love to help answer questions and race together.

Can I Change My Car in the Iracing Race

Can I change my car in the iRacing race? A quick guide for iRacing drivers: the rules, when you can switch, and fast, practical steps to fix or work around issue.

If you’re asking “can i change my car in the iracing race”, the short answer is: usually no — you cannot swap to a different car model once the race session has started. You’re in the right place to fix this fast; below I explain why and give clear steps to correct it before or between sessions.

Quick Answer — can i change my car in the iracing race

In official iRacing races and in most live sessions you cannot change the car model after the race session begins. You can change cars freely in practice/qualifying or between separate sessions, and hosts can change settings for private sessions.

What’s really going on

iRacing treats a race session as a locked entry once it’s started. That keeps timing, standings and safety consistent. You pick your car when you register or in the pre-race screen. Once the green flag drops (or the session is live), the engine doesn’t let you swap to a different car model. You can, however:

Change set-up files and some adjustable options in the pit/garage (if allowed).
Join a different session or a host’s restarted session with a different car.
Use practice/qualify to switch cars before the official race session starts.

Hosted/private sessions are more flexible — the host can change which cars are available or restart a session, but even then drivers generally can’t switch cars mid-green-flag without the host ending the session.

Step-by-step fix

Stop the session before it starts: If you haven’t hit the green flag yet, open the pre-race screen and select the correct car and livery. Confirm and rejoin.
If race hasn’t started but you’re stuck on track, exit to the event entry page and re-enter after selecting the right car. You can usually do this until the session becomes live.
In a live race: accept that you can’t switch cars mid-session. Finish or retire; then enter a different session if available.
For private/league races: ask the host to end/restart the session with a different car allowed. Hosts can change session settings and restart the event.
Use practice/qualifying to test other cars next time: select and confirm your race car before the race countdown.

Extra tips / checklist

Double-check car selection on the event page before you click “Join” or “Start”.
Use the practice session time to verify you’re in the correct car and setup.
If you joined the wrong car in an official race and plan to rejoin, expect to lose grid position or be moved to the back — check event rules.
For leagues: confirm the host’s rules about restarts and allowed car swaps before the race.
Remember: you can always tweak setup in the garage (not swap the model) to fix handling during the race.

FAQs

Q: Can I change car during a pit stop?
A: No — you can change setups in the garage if the event allows, but you cannot change the car model during a pit stop.

Q: Can a host let me change car mid-race?
A: Only by ending and restarting the session. The host can’t swap an individual driver’s car while the session is live.

Q: Can I switch car between qualifying and race?
A: Yes — if the race session hasn’t started, you can change car between sessions. For official series, pick your race car before the race starts.

Q: I joined the wrong car. Can I rejoin with the right one?
A: If the session is still in pre-race or not live, exit and rejoin after selecting the correct car. If the race is live, you’ll need to retire and look for another session or wait for a restart.

Short wrap-up

You usually can’t change cars once the race is live. Fix it quickly by selecting the right car before the session starts, or ask a host to restart a private session. Next time: confirm your car on the event page and use practice to verify setup.