01
Collect the inputs first
You need representative fuel use per lap, race length, usable tank fuel, expected lap time, start procedure, finish rule, and a deliberate reserve. Use the same unit throughout. F1 commonly reports fuel mass while GT7 strategy is usually discussed in litres or game units; never mix them.
Build the sample from several clean race-pace laps. Exclude pit laps and unusual caution laps unless the event will reliably include them. GT7 fuel multipliers can make a practice session unrepresentative of the race.
02
Calculate lap-count races
Average burn equals usable fuel consumed divided by representative completed laps. For a lap race, multiply average burn by race laps, then add the chosen reserve. If five laps consume 12.5 L, burn is 2.5 L/lap. A 20-lap race needs 50 L before reserve; a one-lap reserve produces a 52.5 L starting target.
Estimate formation-lap fuel separately when it consumes meaningful fuel. Do not silently count it as a racing lap because pace and consumption can be very different.
03
Handle timed races carefully
Estimate laps by dividing race duration by representative lap time and rounding up, then apply the event’s finish-line rule. Some events allow the leader to start another lap just before the clock expires. Others finish differently. Add start and formation time only when the regulations require it.
Run at least a conservative and likely scenario. A small pace increase can create an extra lap, which is much more costly than a few tenths of fuel per lap.
04
Choose a reserve deliberately
A conservative reserve protects against traffic, weather, a longer final lap, consumption variance, and measurement error. A balanced reserve uses a stable multi-lap sample plus a modest buffer. An aggressive reserve saves weight but demands reliable fuel saving and accurate regulations.
One extra lap is a useful starting point, not a rule. Increase it for uncertain timed races or changing conditions. Reduce it only when the sample, finish rule, and live monitoring are trustworthy.
05
Plan stints and pit windows
Stint range equals available fuel divided by expected burn per lap. Compare that range with tyre life, mandatory stops, compound rules, pit loss, traffic, and the earliest useful stop. A mathematically possible stint is not automatically strategically sensible.
Victory can monitor current fuel, recent burn, laps remaining, and fuel against a planned strategy. Treat live estimates as updated forecasts, not guarantees—pace, weather, drafting, and cautions can change them.
06
Pre-race checklist
Confirm units, race multiplier, race length, finish rule, formation procedure, sample quality, tank capacity, reserve, and planned stop laps. Recheck after warm-up if conditions or pace changed.
- Use the free fuel calculator for a first estimate.
- Test a likely and worst-case lap count.
- Keep enough margin to avoid desperate fuel saving.
- Update the plan from a representative race-pace stint.
