Petit Le Mans 2026 in iRacing: schedule, cars and a guide to preparing for the 10 Hours of Road Atlanta
iRacing's Petit Le Mans 2026 runs from 25–27 September at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. It's a 10-hour endurance race with the GTP, LMP2 and GT3 classes sharing the track. This guide covers the event details and the keys to preparing the circuit, traffic management, setup, strategy and race pace.
Petit Le Mans 2026 in iRacing: date, schedule and details
Petit Le Mans is one of iRacing's highest-interest and highest-participation special events. It's a 10-hour team endurance race and part of the IMSA-linked special events, so we find three classes racing together in a multiclass format: GT3, LMP2 and GTP.
When is iRacing's Petit Le Mans 2026?
Petit Le Mans 2026 will be held on the weekend of 25–27 September 2026.
What time is Petit Le Mans 2026? GMT, UK and Central Europe start times
There are several time slots available for Petit Le Mans 2026, running from Friday through to the early hours of Sunday morning. The highest-level, highest-participation race is usually the Saturday 12:00 GMT slot.
Time-zone note: the UK is on BST (GMT+1) and mainland Central Europe is on CEST (GMT+2) during the event weekend.
Format and rules: license, drivers per team and incidents
Here's a quick summary of the information and rules for Petit Le Mans 2026:
Petit Le Mans 2026 cars: GTP, LMP2 and GT3
Table by class and a note on BoP
BoP for Petit Le Mans is subject to change by iRacing.
We'll update the BoP figures whenever iRacing changes them:
Road Atlanta corner by corner: racing lines, lapped traffic and overtakes
Road Atlanta is an extremely technical track, with aggressive elevation changes, tall kerbs, blind spots, fast and narrow corner sections where traffic management becomes tricky, and clearly defined overtaking zones.
Building a solid understanding of every section of the track is absolutely key to arriving well prepared for this event.
Turns 1–3: braking and the first turn-in point
- Brake at the end of the left-hand grass, use the run-off area and get back on the power early to carry speed. Then, for Turns 2 and 3, centre the car on the track and look for the left-hand kerb to turn into Turn 3 with room and the right angle.
- The entry and exit of Turn 1 are usually a good overtaking spot on lapped traffic, since the track widens considerably there.
The Esses: staying predictable through the tightest section
- Through “the Esses” and the downhill section the track narrows, and there is only one racing line. You need to attack some kerbs and avoid others to keep the car stable and carry a good line through the corners.
- When it comes to lapped traffic in this section, the best advice for avoiding incidents is to stay predictable and avoid overtaking once the slower car has already committed to the turn.
Turn 5: using the run-off area without punishing the car
- Turn 5 has a very wide run-off area on exit, so you should maximise speed by using all the available space.
- Be careful with the kerbs here, since hitting them badly can make the car bounce unpredictably and lose control.
Turns 6 and 7: prioritising the exit onto the straight
- Use the banking through Turn 6 and set up the exit of Turn 7 to prioritise speed onto the straight behind it.
- The following braking zone is the best overtaking spot on the track.
10A/10B and Turn 12: the best overtaking spot
- Brake around the 100-metre board, use the outside kerb and cut across the first part of the chicane as much as possible to set up the exit. Through Turn 12, hold a central line with minimal steering input.
- Most overtakes on lapped traffic happen under braking into Turn 10 or at Turn 12, both on the outside and the inside.
Road Atlanta summarised in a table
Prepare for Petit Le Mans 2026
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GTP, LMP2 or GT3: managing traffic by category
Petit Le Mans has three classes that have to race together at the same time on the Road Atlanta circuit. Knowing the key points for each class can help you avoid trouble and maximise your result.
GTP
GTP: passing traffic without giving away time
Racing in GTP means managing the huge speed difference to the other classes without taking unnecessary risks.
The real challenge in GTP isn't passing every car as fast as possible — it's reading the car ahead early enough and picking the exact right moment to pass it. Rushing a move in a narrow section is usually the main cause of incidents at Road Atlanta.
To hold a competitive pace across the ten hours, it's essential to make the most of the prototype's downforce through the fast corners. Even so, patience and traffic management must always come first.
LMP2
LMP2: passing and being passed
LMP2 offers the most complete multiclass experience, since it constantly asks the driver to balance attacking GT3s with yielding to GTPs.
Like the GTPs, LMP2 cars need to maximise downforce through fast corners while minimising the time lost through the slower ones.
In this class, smooth management of both slow and fast traffic tends to be the factor that decides who's able to break away from the pack and win the race.
GT3
GT3: being predictable is faster — and safer
Racing in GT3, it's essential to hold a predictable line when a prototype catches you, making it easier for it to pass without any sudden, unexpected moves that could cause an incident.
Whenever you get the chance, the ideal way to yield a position is to lift off the throttle slightly earlier than usual as you approach a corner and let the faster car through before the turn-in point. This lets you set up your own line better and carry more speed out of the corner.
To maximise your chances of winning this race, you need to balance tyre wear, fuel saving and lap pace.
The 5 steps to prepare for Petit Le Mans 2026 in iRacing: training, strategy, traffic management and setups
01 · Track
1. Learn the track 100%
First, you need to learn the whole circuit. That means finding the right reference points and racing lines for every corner, along with the technique that lets you drive at a consistent, quick pace.
02 · Training
2. Train the right way
A single fast lap is worthless in a 10-hour race. What comes from stacking up many fast laps, though, is exactly what matters. That's why you should always prioritise full stints in training.
On top of that, training in the correct weather conditions — and their likely variability — can save you a lot of headaches.
03 · Traffic
3. Practise multiclass traffic
Practising multiclass situations is a key factor in preparing for this kind of event. Skip it, and you won't arrive 100% ready. The best way to train for it is to join a public practice session and drive alongside the rest of the field.
04 · Strategy
4. Nail down your race strategy
Getting race strategy right for endurance events is one of the things most drivers overlook:
Drivers and teams who get this right are the ones who make the difference.
05 · Car and setup
5. Pick your preferred car and develop the setup
Once you have a solid driving foundation, along with lap-time references and data on each car checked against the BoP, it's time to decide on your car for the event.
Once you've made that choice, it's time to develop your race and qualifying setups until you and your team-mates are comfortable and getting the most out of the car.
Setups for Petit Le Mans 2026: what to keep in mind
Ride heights, spring rates, downforce, differentials, dampers, ARBs, traction control, ABS — the possible setup combinations are endless, and it is very easy to lose your way. That is why making gradual changes and validating them one at a time can save you a lot of time.
Every driver is different, and there's no universal setup that suits everyone's taste. That said, if we had to generalise into three things every good setup should get right, they'd be these:
Free setups
Looking for a solid setup base for Petit Le Mans?
Browse setups shared by the Simufy Academy community and find configurations for Road Atlanta.
View community setupsGet a good balance between top speed and rotation
Setups need to be adapted to the characteristics of the track. Depending on how many sections favour top speed versus rotation/handling, you need to tune the setup parameters accordingly.
Tyre degradation
Pace and speed aren't the only things that matter. A setup needs to be balanced so it can hold up properly for the full length of a stint.
Adaptability and confidence
A fast, aggressive setup in the hands of a less experienced driver often ends up costing confidence and the ability to string together consecutive clean laps. Sometimes it is the better call to develop a slightly safer setup that prioritises adaptability and confidence for you and your team-mates, even if it costs a bit of outright performance.
How to prepare for Petit Le Mans with Simufy Academy
At Simufy Academy we have a roster of professional sim racers who have won Petit Le Mans in the top split multiple times and, between them, have racked up dozens of podiums and strong results in this event.
Besides being exceptional on track, these drivers also have extensive experience teaching classes and helping other drivers improve.
We share everything we've learned through Simufy Academy. Here's how we can help you:
Sim racing classes
Free setups for GT3, LMP2 and GTP at Petit Le Mans 2026
The sim racing community shares setups through the Simufy Academy platform. You can search for the combination you need and download setups from the highest-rated users. It's the perfect solution if you're after a free, solid base setup for your next races.
Simufy Academy Community
Looking for a free setup for GT3, LMP2 or GTP?
Explore setups shared by other drivers and use community ratings to find a solid starting point.
Explore community setupsConclusions: keys to preparing for Petit Le Mans 2026
Simufy Academy
Want to prepare for Petit Le Mans with a specialist driver?
Frequently asked questions about Petit Le Mans 2026 in iRacing
Written by Salva Talens
Professional esports driver and coach, co-founder of Simufy Academy
Engineer and professional esports driver, co-founder of Simufy Academy. He races in the iRacing top split with over 9,000 iRating and has qualified for the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup. He knows hardware from the only place that matters: lap pace.