Join the Discord! →

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


How to Race Ai in Iracing

Answering how to race AI in iRacing: step-by-step setup, common fixes, and quick tips for smoother practice sessions. For iRacing drivers who want a fast fix.

If you want a quick fix for how to race ai in iracing, do this: create a hosted session, enable and add AI cars, set AI strength/field size, then start. You’re in the right place to get it working in minutes.

how to race ai in iracing — Quick Answer

Create a Hosted session (not an Official race), turn on the AI option, choose the number of AI cars and AI difficulty, then launch the session. AI races are local practice — they don’t affect Safety Rating or iRating.

What’s Really Going On

iRacing’s AI mode runs computer-controlled cars in a single-player or hosted multiplayer environment. It’s designed for practicing, testing setups, or running offline-style races. Because it’s not an official online event, the session doesn’t change your SR (Safety Rating) or iRating (skill ranking). The AI difficulty controls lap pace and aggression, so adjusting it changes how challenging the field feels.

Common confusion: people look for AI in Official series or the public schedule. You won’t find AI there — use Hosted sessions or specific “Drive vs AI” options in the interface.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. Open iRacing and choose Hosted Sessions -> Create New Session. Pick your car and track.
  2. Set the Session Type to Race (or Practice then Race). Look for the AI toggle/section in the host settings.
  3. Turn AI on and add the number of AI cars you want. Smaller fields are easier; start with 6–12.
  4. Set AI difficulty or ability (often a percentage or sliders). Start at 60–80% for realistic pace.
  5. Configure race length, fuel, tire wear, and pit rules to match what you want to practice.
  6. Start the hosted session and join. If you want others to join, share the host name and password.

If you don’t see AI options: update iRacing, check you’re in Hosted and not Official mode, or restart the client. On consoles the menu layout differs but the same steps apply: create a private/hosted game and enable AI.

Extra Tips / Checklist

  • AI difficulty affects consistency and aggression; raise it slowly to avoid unrealistic behavior.
  • Use small fields to work on racecraft; larger fields for traffic management practice.
  • Turn off penalties if you just want clean practice. Turn them on when practicing race starts and pit behavior.
  • Save a setup before testing AI for consistent comparisons.
  • If AI cars seem to glitch or pile up, lower difficulty or reduce field size — extreme difficulty can cause odd behavior.

FAQs

Q: Do AI races affect my SR or iRating?
A: No. AI sessions are local/hosted practice and do not change Safety Rating or iRating.

Q: Why can’t I find the AI option in iRacing?
A: AI is available in Hosted sessions. If you’re in Official/Series or an event that doesn’t allow hosts, you won’t see AI. Update the client if menus look wrong.

Q: How do I make AI more realistic?
A: Use a balanced AI difficulty (60–85%), add a reasonable field size, and enable tire/fuel wear and pit stops to mimic real races.

Q: Can others join my AI race online?
A: Yes. Hosted sessions with AI can be joined by other drivers if you share the host name/password.

Short wrap-up

Racing AI in iRacing is fast to set up via Hosted sessions: enable AI, pick field size and strength, then run. Start small, tweak difficulty, and use AI sessions to test setups or practice racecraft without risking SR or iRating.