iRacing just hosted its first endurance special event of 2024, the popular Daytona 24, and the track crowned its winners.
The GTP class was won by Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports Team, the official esports racing team sponsored by Ferrari. The rest of the podium was taken by Grid-and.-Go.com Esports 001 and Apex Racing Team 99.
The LMP2 class saw the victory of Apex Racing Team 199 followed by WSR Esports Abruzzi and Williams Esports Academy LMP2.
The GTD class was won by Team Redline 171, followed by William Esports Academy Prodigy and SimRC.
Below you can find the detailed results of all classes.
GTP Class
LMP2 Class
GTD Class
Ferrari’s win in the GTP class was marred by controversy due to a disconnect (which you can see in the official recording) which many in the community was intentional as the car is seen missing a braking point and going straight for the wall before it disappears.
Yet, no official disciplinary action has been taken, so the result of the race has, for now, been upheld.
This is just the first of several endurance races to be hosted as special events on iRacing, and below you can find the full calendar, including all racing categories.
The next big special event will be the 12 Hours of Bathurst on February 12, followed by the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 22. The grueling Nürburgring 24 Hours will happen on June 7.
If you missed this exciting race, you can watch the full recording on demand below.
If the name iRacing doesn’t ring a bell, it’s a subscription-based, esports-focused racing simulation platform on PC considered by many one of the most realistic in the industry. Many professional racing drivers train on its LIDAR-scanned tracks that precisely reproduce their real counterparts.
Another element that makes it attractive as an esports platform is the implementation of racing regulations closely related to real motorsports to create an online esports environment that feels as professional as possible, encouraging clean racing and fair play over winning. That being said, even the best set of rules can’t cover every possibility, as we’ve seen gtoday.
iRacing partners with several real-world racing series and organizations including NASCAR, IMSA, the FIA, and many more. Recently, its developers also launched a partnership with Microsoft Research to implement Large Action Models AI in the game.