Strategy in ACC is not complicated. Most races are lost on it anyway, because drivers do not do the ten minutes of homework before the start.
You need four things: the rules, the fuel number, a plan for the stop and a plan for when it goes wrong. Here they are in order.
Read the rules first
Every server and league sets its own race. Before you touch the setup, find these.
| Check this | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Race length | It sets the number of laps, and so the fuel |
| Mandatory pit stops | How many, and if you must change tyres, refuel or swap driver |
| Pit window | When the stop counts. Stop outside it and you stop again |
| Refuelling allowed | If not, you start with fuel for the whole race |
| Tyre sets | How many sets you have for the weekend |
| Weather | Fixed or changing. Changing weather means a wet setup saved and ready |
| Stint and driver time limits | Endurance only. They decide when you must stop whatever the tyres say |
A mandatory stop that does not count is the most expensive mistake in ACC. Know the window. The stop itself, the menu and the penalties are in the ACC pit stop guide, and the server side is in the ACC multiplayer guide.
Work out the fuel
Do a run of five or six laps in practice at race pace. Note two numbers: your average lap time and the fuel per lap the car reports.
Then:
- Race length in seconds, divided by your lap time in seconds. Round up. That is your race laps.
- Add one lap. Timed races finish when the leader crosses the line after the clock hits zero, so there is nearly always one more lap than you think.
- Multiply by fuel per lap.
- Add a small reserve, about 2 litres. The formation lap burns fuel too.
The example: 3,600 seconds divided by 108 seconds is 33.3, so 34 laps. One extra lap makes 35. At 2.8 litres per lap that is 98 litres, and with the reserve you need 100 litres for the race.
With a mandatory stop and refuelling allowed, split it. Start with enough to reach your stop plus a lap of margin, and add the rest in the pits. A lighter car is faster and easier on its tyres, so there is no reason to carry the second half of the race from lap one.
Do not run it to the last drop. Running dry on the final lap costs you every place. One spare lap of fuel costs you very little.
In the race, watch the fuel readout on the car widget. If the laps of fuel left are fewer than the laps to your stop, start saving now: lift a little before the brake point and short shift. The ACC HUD guide shows where to find it.
Undercut or overcut
These two words cover every pit timing decision against another car.
| Undercut | Overcut | |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Pit before the car you are racing | Stay out longer than the car you are racing |
| Where the time comes from | Fresh tyres and clear air while the other car is on old tyres | A light car in clear air while the other car warms new tyres in traffic |
| Works when | Your tyres are finished or you are stuck behind a slower car | Your tyres are still good and the track ahead is empty |
| Fails when | You rejoin in traffic, or the new tyres take too long to come in | Your tyres drop off, or the other car has a clean out lap |
One thing is particular to ACC. New tyres leave the pits below their working pressure, and they need a lap or more to come up to it. So the out lap on fresh tyres is not the instant gain you see in F1 on TV. The undercut still works when your old tyres are slow enough. It is weak when your old tyres are still fine.
My rule would be:
- Stuck behind a slower car, cannot pass: pit as soon as the window allows and use the clear air.
- Leading a group with good pace: stay out, push, and stop when the cars that pitted are stuck in traffic.
- Tyres gone: pit. Do not think about it.
- In doubt: look at where you rejoin. A stop that drops you into a pack of slower cars is a bad stop, whatever lap it is.
Always set your cold pressures for the second set with the track temperature in mind. If the track has cooled since the start, the same cold values will run low. The method is in the ACC tyre pressure guide.
Tyre management
Strategy only works if the tyres last as long as the plan says. In a GT3 car the rears go first, and they go from wheelspin and sliding on exit.
Three habits do most of the work: be patient on the throttle out of slow corners, do not slide the car to rotate it, and go one click up on TC1 if the rears are fading. The numbers and the way to measure wear in practice are in the ACC tyre wear guide.
It is the same in a real car. The drivers who are fast at the end of the stint are the ones who looked a bit slow at the start of it.
Know the gaps
You cannot make a pit call without knowing who is around you. ACC gives you this on the MFD: the standings page for the order, and the real time page for the cars near you on track.
Before your stop, check two gaps:
- The gap behind. If the car behind is close and pits first, expect to lose the place unless you answer.
- The gap to where you rejoin. Take the time a stop costs at that track and look at who is that far behind you. That is the traffic you come out in.
To find the cost of a stop, do one in practice and compare the in lap and out lap with two normal laps. Write the number down. It is different at every track because the pit lanes are different lengths.
In a team race, give this job to the driver who is not in the car. One person watching gaps and weather while the other drives is worth more than any setup change.
Damage: pit or stay out
| Damage | What I would do |
|---|---|
| Light bodywork, car drives straight | Stay out. The stop costs more than the damage |
| Bodywork damage and a planned stop coming | Repair it at the planned stop |
| Steering pulls to one side | Pit. You lose time in every corner and wear the tyres |
| Heavy front damage, top speed down | Pit, unless the race is nearly over |
| Puncture | Pit now, slowly. A fast in lap on a flat makes it worse |
Repairs take time on top of the normal stop, and the more damage, the longer it takes. In a 20 minute sprint a repair stop usually ends your race for position. In an endurance race a repaired car has hours to get the time back, so fix it early.
Most damage comes from the first lap. The way to avoid it is in the ACC race starts guide.
Rain calls
Weather races are decided in the pits, not on the track.
- Rain in the 10 minute forecast and your window is open: wait for it, then do the mandatory stop and the tyre change together.
- Greasy track, shower passing: stay on slicks and be careful. Wets on a drying track overheat fast.
- Track state Wet: slicks are finished. Pit now.
- Drying: watch the lap times of the first car that goes to slicks. When it is faster than you, follow it.
The forecast widget and how a shower plays out are in the ACC weather guide. The driving and the setup are in the ACC wet weather guide.
A plan for a 60 minute race
This is how I would write it down before the start.
- Fuel: total from the formula. Start fuel to reach the middle of the window plus one lap.
- Plan A: stop in the middle of the window. Tyres and fuel.
- Plan B, traffic: if I am stuck behind a slower car when the window opens, stop on the first lap of it.
- Plan C, rain: if rain shows in the 10 minute forecast, hold the stop for it.
- Pit menu: set on the straight, two laps before the stop.
One page. If something happens that is not on it, I do the simple thing: stay out of trouble and finish.
All of this sits on top of a car that is easy to drive for an hour. That part is in the ACC setup guide.
FAQ
How do I calculate fuel in ACC?
Divide the race time by your lap time and round up, add one lap, multiply by your fuel per lap and add about 2 litres of reserve.
Does the undercut work in ACC?
Yes, when your old tyres are slow or you are stuck in traffic. It is weaker than in F1 because new tyres need a lap or more to reach pressure.
When should I pit in ACC?
Inside the pit window, on the lap that puts you back out in clear air. If nothing forces your hand, the middle of the window is the safe choice.
Should I change tyres at every pit stop in ACC?
In a one hour race, yes if the rules allow it and the stop time is the same. In endurance races with limited sets you may have to double stint.
Is it worth repairing damage in ACC?
In a sprint, only if the car pulls to one side or has lost a lot of top speed. In an endurance race, repair it early.
How much fuel should I start with in ACC?
Enough to reach your planned stop plus one lap of margin. If refuelling is not allowed, the full race amount.
How do I save fuel in ACC?
Lift before the brake point and coast into the corner, short shift, and use a leaner engine map if your car has one.