iRacing Season 1, 2023 Preview

I'm well aware it's already Week 2 of Season 1, 2023 - but the rest of the season is about to get rather hectic!

Week 1 (13th - 19th Dec. 2022)

As Week 13 ended on the 12th December, 2022 - it was pretty much straight into chaos, right from the off.

Week 1 saw a VERY unexpected podium and +90 iRating gain, followed by an insanely busy weekend consisting of a Driving Lesson (Thursday), watching Avatar II on Friday, and Saturday and Sunday being pre-occupied with the Winter Nurburgring 24 Hours.

I wasn't OVERLY upset about missing Monza VRS E or Interlagos IMSA E.

Week 2 (20th - 26th Dec. 2022)

In solo-racing, it was another absolute classic - with an unexpected P5 at Long Beach, gaining another +60 iRating, boosting me up to a very promising 1466 iRating.

That very weekend was Christmas - and in wanting to spend time with the family, I've pretty much cancelled all endurance racing plans - including the first week of the European Endurance (6hr) Series.

Week 3 (27th Dec. 2022 - 2nd Jan. 2023)

In Week 3, The Formula 4 Championship - or Formula D/IR-04 etc. heads to Monza - I'm already foreshadowing many a dive-bomb - especially as I creep up the splits.

On the Weekend, it's New Year's Eve - and although I want to end the year with a bang - I haven't found myself a drive for VRS E Spa - and I'm aware that had I raced, I could be ending the year on the wrong type of bang.

Week 4 (3rd - 9th Jan. 2023)

Between the 2nd - 7th January 2023, I'm headed off to Paris for my very first holiday with friends - meaning pretty much all racing activity for this week has been cancelled (for me) - Landing on the 7th, jumping straight into a 6hr GTE race at Le Mans with no practice (all week) would probably be an incredibly unwise decision.

Going off to Paris is also incredibly good timing as F4/IR-04 heads off to Bathurst - quite likely ending up in a blood-bath!

Week 5 (10th - 16th Jan. 2023)

Formula Y'Know (D/IR-04) next heads to Barcelona, Spain - a personal favourite of mine - but, knowing fate, it'll probably be my downfall!

That weekend is the ROAR Before The 24 and I'm very interested to see how it will go - I was 4th last year (maybe podium was possible without cone getting stuck under my car?) - however, now I'm at 1.4K iRating - I know I'm definietly going to have my work cut out for me - and by then, I'll probably be even higher! (or lower!)

VRS Endurance (And indeed IMSA Endurance) are both at Daytona that weekend - so when not racing in the ROAR, I'll have plenty of opportunity to practice for the following Week's Daytona 24 Hours!

But Saturday will be very busy!

Week 6 (16th - 23rd January, 2022)

Next up, F4/IR-04/D heads to Okayama. Whilst digging up the grounds for the track, the builders only had one thing in mind: Low-power, high-octane series, just like the very series I'm racing/I'll be racing in - Okayama was made for F4 and other low-powered series, and I'm sure it will be a classic (in one way or another)

That weekend, it's the big weekend - the Daytona 24 Hours herself. An unmissable opportunity and the first 24hr of the year.

I won't be missing too much either - VRS E at Rudskogen (will probably be deserted) and EES at Daytona (GTE's at Daytona).

Week 7 (23rd - 30th January)

Formula 4/IR-04 next heads to Road Atlanta - an absolute rollercoaster of a circuit in GT3's - and even more so in the tiny F4's.

That weekend, I will have nothing on - but it looks like a "Hide The Pain" sort of weekend - IMSA E (GT3's) at Long Beach and VRS E (Also GT3's) at Magney Cours.

Me after losing £15.00 on Magney Cours, and -100 iRating at Long Beach.

Week 8 (31st Jan. - 5th Feb. 2022)

Week 8 (Week 4/6) will be an important week.

In usual racing news, F4/F-D/IR-04 heads to Montreal - which should be...an adventure...

The Supercars head to Bathurst - for quite possibly one of the last times. I have no idea when iRacing will add the Camaro so-called "Supercar" - but I want to race at Bathurst in the V8's as many times as I can before the combo is gone for good.

In endurance, it'll be my first fully available weekend since the start of the season - and the races available are also incredibly inviting - EES (GTE's) at Barcelona and VRS E at Interlagos - but I'll probably just stick to EES that weekend.

Week 9 (7th - 13th February)

On Week 9, it's the first of a "Home Grand Prix Double Header" as F4 heads to Silverstone - that weekend, it's the Bathurst 12hrs as IMSA E heads to the Nurburgring GP Circuit, and VRS E also heads to Bathurst.

Week 10 (14th - 20th February)

Week 10 wraps up my "Home Grand Prix Double Header" at Oulton Park - and in Endurance Series, EES heads to Watkins and VRS E heads to Sonoma Raceway, probably best to avoid!

Week 11 (21st - 27th February)

Week 11 is just another regular week in F4 - heading to Road America.

In terms of endurance racing - it's the brutal combination of Belle Isle (IMSA E) and Okayama (VRS E) - lots of blood will be shed.

Week 12 (28th February - 5th March, 2022)

Season 1, 2022 ends on rather an anti-climatic note, F4 heading to Hungaoring, EES heading to Sebring and GT3's cursing Le Mans (VRS E)

Let's see how it goes!