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How to Create Hotlap Videos of Iracing

Shows how to create hotlap videos of iRacing for iRacing drivers — step-by-step recording, replay export and overlays so you can fix this issue fast. Quickly.

If you’re dealing with how to create hotlap videos of iracing, the fastest solution is to record your lap live with OBS or NVIDIA ShadowPlay, or play the saved replay and capture it with OBS to export a clean MP4. You’re in the right place to get a reliable, simple workflow.

Quick Answer — how to create hotlap videos of iracing

Use one of two reliable methods: record the lap live during the session with a screen recorder (OBS/ShadowPlay) or open the iRacing replay and record the replay playback with OBS. Live recording is immediate; replay capture gives you camera control and cleaner edits.

What’s really going on

iRacing stores a replay after your session so you can rewatch any lap. That replay is not a ready-made MP4 — it’s an engine replay file. You can export a movie from iRacing (older, heavy AVI files), but the easiest, most compatible approach is to use a screen recorder to capture either the live session or the replay playback. That gives you control of camera, resolution and overlays, and it produces standard MP4 files you can edit.

Step-by-step fix

Method A — Record live (fast, minimal editing)

  1. Install OBS Studio or enable NVIDIA ShadowPlay (GeForce Experience).
  2. Set output to 1920x1080 and 60 FPS for smooth playback; pick NVENC (NVIDIA) or x264 (CPU) encoder.
  3. In OBS use Game Capture (Captures iRacing directly) or Window Capture if running borderless/windowed.
  4. Start recording before your hotlap, do your lap, then stop. Trim in any video editor and add overlays if needed.

Method B — Capture the iRacing replay (best camera control)

  1. Finish your run and save the replay in iRacing (replay files are created automatically).
  2. Open the iRacing replay, use the camera controls to pick chase, TV or cockpit view and set the lap start/stop.
  3. Launch OBS, set it to capture the iRacing window or display, then play the replay at real-time.
  4. Stop OBS when done and edit the MP4. This avoids recording HUD elements you don’t want and gives stable framing.

Optional: Native export

  • You can use iRacing’s Export Movie feature, but it creates large AVI files and depends on codecs. Use OBS unless you need that exact workflow.

Extra tips / checklist

  • Use Replay Buffer (if available) or hotkeys for quick saves to avoid missing a lap.
  • Capture audio from iRacing and a microphone on separate tracks if you plan commentary.
  • If video is choppy, switch iRacing to borderless/windowed and use OBS Game Capture or enable NVENC.
  • Add telemetry overlays (SimHub, VRS overlays) during replay capture for useful data visuals.
  • Keep filenames and timestamps — saves time when editing multiple runs.

FAQs

Q: Can I export MP4 directly from iRacing? A: Not easily. iRacing can export movies (usually AVI). The easiest path to MP4 is to record the replay with OBS and save as MP4.

Q: Should I record live or use the replay? A: Live recording is quickest and captures everything; replay recording gives better camera control, steadier framing, and easier edits.

Q: Why is my captured video black or dropped frames? A: Use OBS Game Capture on fullscreen or borderless mode, switch to NVENC encoding, and close background apps. Recording at too-high bitrate can also overload your disk.

Q: How do I add telemetry or lap delta to the video? A: Enable telemetry overlays from tools like VRS, SimHub or iRacing’s internal HUD before recording the replay or overlay them in your editor.

Short wrap-up

Pick live recording for speed or replay capture for control. Use OBS with NVENC, 1080p/60fps, and record the replay playback to make clean, editable hotlap videos. Try one lap both ways and use the output you prefer for editing.