The GRDC World Sprint Championship – My Rookie Season Recap
Final race of the World Sprint Championship at Sebring
The GRDC Coach Dave Delta World Sprint Championship wrapped up last Wednesday after ten rounds of fast-paced multiclass racing across all the circuits in Le Mans Ultimate.
What a championship! I honestly had no idea what I was getting into when I signed up back in early March. I was originally just looking for a short, 4–5 round multiclass championship to dip my toes in — something in the LMGT3 class since I had zero experience in hypercars and didn’t want to overcommit.
But then I stumbled upon the GRDC WSC and got intrigued. It was being broadcast on YouTube with live commentary, had post-race stewarding videos, a £6 entry fee, and prizes for the winners. Everything about it screamed professional, organized, and fun.
There was just one catch — LMGT3 was full. Still, I had £8 sitting in my PayPal doing nothing, and the idea of learning hypercars seemed like a fun challenge. So I thought, “Why not?” and signed up.
Choosing My Weapon: The Alpine A424
Now came the tough part: picking a hypercar. I had absolutely no clue which to go for, so I looked through the entries and picked the car nobody else was using — the Alpine A424. Bold move? Maybe. Smart move? Debatable.
I think I signed up about four days before Round 1 at Interlagos. At that point, I had maybe 10 minutes of total experience in a hypercar — and it hadn’t gone well. These cars are wild. No ABS, loads of downforce, and a tendency to punish you for every mistake. I was convinced I was going to lock up into Turn 1 on Lap 1 and ruin someone’s race.
Thankfully, that didn’t happen.
I qualified P17 (dead last) and just focused on survival. Took it slow, avoided trouble, and finished P16 — thanks to someone else retiring. Not fast, but a finish is a finish!
Gradually Picking Up Pace
Round 2 at Spa went better. I got more practice in and started to figure out the braking. Still terrified of traffic, especially on a track like Spa where one mistake can ruin your race. I qualified P18 of 19 hypercars — still in the back, but not last! A massive Lap 1 incident gifted me some positions, and I finished P11.
Rounds 3 and 4 (Fuji and Bahrain) saw me finishing P12 and P11 — consistent, steady improvement. But then came the lows...
The Italian Disasters: Monza & Imola
Monza was a disconnect. One of those infuriating server kicks that drops you mid-race. Nothing I could do.
Imola was a mess of my own making. It was wet in practice and qualifying, and I gambled on wets for the race — which turned out to be a mistake. The track was damp, but drying. I crashed. Repaired. Rejoined on mediums. Got stuck in LMGT3 traffic. Crashed again. Retired. Confidence: shattered.
Le Mans at Night – The Highs and Lows
Round 7 was a night race at the legendary Le Mans. I was pumped. Qualified P11 out of 15 hypercars. Good start. Some scrapes in the opening corners but all fine... until the first chicane on the Mulsanne. Four cars nose-to-tail, all braking early on cold tires — except the one at the back. That car slammed the wall and launched straight into me. Damage. Limped on. Then clipped the wall trying to go around a spinning car in the Porsche Curves. More damage.
I pitted. Lost time. Got mad. Lost focus. Crashed again. Pitted again. Then pitted a third time before the race ended.
Finished P13. Rage quit. Shut everything down. Took a shower. Came back and laughed it off in the Discord channel with a cold glass of Coke.
Solid Finishes to Wrap It Up
Rounds 8 and 9, at Portimão and COTA, were refreshingly uneventful. I qualified and finished P8 in both races. No drama, no major mistakes — just consistent, solo racing. Honestly, it was a bit lonely out there, but it gave me time to focus on driving clean and smooth. After the chaos of previous rounds, I was happy with that.
The Finale: Sebring – Bumps, Brakes, and a Bit of Luck
Round 10 was the grand finale at Sebring — the infamous bump-fest. I qualified P9 out of 12 remaining Hypercars, and despite the track’s reputation for biting back, the race went surprisingly smoothly. I had one overtake the entire race — the driver ahead hit the wall in the final corner of Lap 7 — and otherwise just kept it clean.
No heroic moves. No major mistakes. I went off track a few times, took some ahem alternative lines here and there, but overall it was solid. Just survival, again. And that got me to P7 at the finish line
The chequered flag is waved at Sebring as I finish 7th on the final round of the World Sprint Championship
Final Standings: Better Than Expected!
When the season started, we had 20 Hypercars signed up. I finished 10th overall in the final standings — dead center of the field — and with zero penalty points across the entire championship. Not bad for someone with almost no Hypercar experience and barely a clue what they were doing in Round 1.
I was miles off the pace of the fastest drivers, but I learned a ton. From tire management to racecraft in traffic, and how to handle unpredictable situations — this championship pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way.
Most importantly, the GRDC community is fantastic. Supportive, fun, and filled with fast drivers who race hard but fair. I genuinely can’t wait for Season 2 of the WSC.
Final Thoughts
If you’re new to sim racing and thinking of jumping into a championship — even one that feels a bit out of reach — do it. You’ll learn more in 10 races than in 100 laps of time trial. I came in clueless, found my groove, and now I’m hooked.
See you on the grid next season!
