The Spa 24 Hours is one of the toughest team events on iRacing's Special Event calendar. Before you worry about setup or strategy, there is a list of practical things you need to sort: when it runs, what license you need, how the grid is structured and how qualifying works. Here is everything you need to know before competing in the 2026 iRacing 24 Hours of Spa
When does the Spa 24 Hours take place
The 2026 iRacing's Spa 24 Hours will take place between 10-12 July, two weeks after the SRO-sanctioned 24 Hours of Spa goes ahead in real life.
The race is staged across four separate time slots over the weekend so sim racers across the globe can compete at a time that suits them. The 2025 race used the following slots:
- Friday: 10 PM GMT
- Saturday/Sunday: 8 AM GMT, 12 PM GMT, 4 PM GMT
The late Friday GMT fixture suits drivers from North and South America, since it falls during their daytime. The early morning GMT splits suit drivers in the Asian and Australasian regions, and the 12 PM slot is where the pro split races, making it the one to watch if you're spectating rather than competing. The later splits also give you a second shot at glory if you suffer a technical problem or crash out of an earlier race.
Team size
The Spa 24 Hours is set up as a team event with a minimum of two drivers per squad and a maximum of sixteen. Decide your driver lineup well before race week, since it affects which split you'll be fighting in.
What license do you need
This is the requirement that trips up the most newcomers. To take part, you only need to reach a D-level road racing license, but if you're at D level you also need a Safety Rating of at least 4.0. For drivers ranked C or above, the Safety Rating requirement no longer applies.
A few important nuances:
- Your license doesn't decide which split you race in — that's sorted by your total road racing iRating instead.
- This can mean that if three high-iRating A-class racers team up with one lower-rated D-class driver, that D-class driver will likely end up facing the very best in a high split.
- A high iRating says nothing about how cleanly someone races, so don't assume a fast teammate is automatically a safe one.
Getting to D level is not a high bar. You simply need to progress out of the beginner rookie license, and racing cleanly in rookie series such as Formula Ford 1600, Mazda MX-5 Cup, and Formula Vee should get you there without much trouble.
It's also worth noting: because the race is so much longer than the usual daily events, it offers an excellent chance to make large iRating and Safety Rating gains — but keeping things clean on track is crucial to actually banking those gains.
The cars
Unlike most other iRacing special events, the Spa 24 Hours is a single-class event using the GT3 category. There are eleven GT3 machines built by different manufacturers, all eligible for the race and all subject to iRacing's Balance of Performance measures so each has a fair shot at running up front. Each car also has a unique engine layout and placement, meaning they all reward slightly different driving styles.
The current GT3 field includes the Acura NSX GT3 Evo 22, Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3, BMW M4 GT3, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Ferrari 296 GT3, Ford Mustang GT3, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo, McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, Mercedes-AMG GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) and Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. You'll want to own and have practiced in your chosen car well ahead of race week, since BoP shifts can change which cars suit you best each year.
Qualifying and the start
The grid is decided by an eight-minute qualifying session just before the race, in which one designated driver per team gets two laps to set the best possible time. A three-minute practice session precedes qualifying, giving drivers time to join the server and load their setup. The race then gets underway with a rolling start.
Make sure your fastest qualifier is the one assigned to that session. With only two laps available, there's no margin for a mistake or a scruffy out-lap.
Track and weather conditions to plan around
The Spa 24 Hours runs with dynamic weather, so grip can change at a moment's notice depending on conditions and cloud cover. The track also gets grippier as rubber builds up on the racing line as the race progresses. Be prepared for strategy changes if rain enters the picture. Practice the wet lines and know where the puddles start to form, because at Spa, it is more of a question of when it will rain, and not if it will rain.
Because it's a 24-hour race, a large portion will be run in darkness, and the cooler conditions that brings can change the car's balance significantly. Every driver on your team should be comfortable running the car in both daylight and darkness to keep pace consistent, and temperature swings can affect tyre wear enough that it's worth watching closely throughout the race. The previous 24h race of the season on Daytona was well lit during the night. Spa becomes pitch-black once the sun goes down. Make sure your braking reference points still check out, even when the visibility is heavily limited.
Why the cockpit matters for the logistics of a team event
A 24h race is a strain on your body, as well as your equipment. In order to finish your stints and not become highly uncomfortable, you need to have a rig that keeps your body in the right position with the right support. Your rig also needs to endure the race, so a simrig that doesn't fall apart in the middle of your stint is desired:
- SIMGASM Hobby — a stable, affordable base for a team's first Spa 24h campaign.
- SIMGASM Club — 80×40 profile, easy to adjust between drivers of different heights and preferences.
- SIMGASM Sport — built for longer sessions, with a stronger wheel mount and integrated cable pass-throughs that keep a multi-driver setup tidy during quick handovers.
- SIMGASM Pro — 160×40 profile, zero flex, for teams who want every bit of feedback to stay identical from driver one's first stint to driver four's last.
FAQ
How many drivers do I need for a team?
A minimum of two drivers and a maximum of sixteen per team.
Does a higher license get me into an easier split?
No. Splits are determined by your team's road racing iRating, not by license level, so a mixed-skill team can end up racing well above its comfort zone.
How does qualifying work?
An eight-minute qualifying session where one driver per team gets two laps, preceded by a three-minute practice session to join the server and load setups.
Is it a multi-class race like Daytona or Le Mans?
No. The Spa 24 Hours is a single-class event run entirely with GT3 cars, unlike most of iRacing's other 24-hour specials.
What's the biggest condition to plan for?
Dynamic weather and the day-to-night temperature swing — both can shift car balance and tyre wear enough to catch an unprepared team out.
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