Rules & Regulations
Overview
The Rivals Cup is a competitive iRacing league built around close battles, rivalry-driven scoring, and consistent participation. Drivers select one car for the entire season and compete across multiple rounds to earn championship points.
A defining element of the Rivals Cup is the Rival System — a unique scoring mechanic that pairs each driver with a personal rival, ensuring every racer on the grid always has a meaningful battle to fight.
Championship Scoring
The Rivals Cup scoring system rewards performance, consistency, and rivalry. Every single grid position matters.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Each driver you finish ahead of | +1 |
| Podium finish (top 3) | +1 |
| Beating your designated rival | +2 |
Success Ballast: The top three finishers carry ballast into the next round — 25kg for the winner, 18kg for second, 15kg for third. This ballast applies to the following race only, keeping the championship tight and competitive.
"Every grid position matters. Every driver has someone to fight."
The Rival System
At the start of each season, every driver is paired with a designated rival. Beat your rival in a race and you earn +2 bonus points — regardless of where you both finish.
This means a driver fighting for 15th place has just as much at stake as a driver fighting for the lead. Whether you're battling at the front of the grid or scrapping in the midfield, your rival pairing gives you a personal championship within the championship.
The Rival System ensures that no driver is ever just making up the numbers. Every lap, every corner, every overtake counts.
Awards & Prizes
The Rivals Cup recognises excellence across multiple categories:
- Championship Trophies — Awarded to the top championship finishers
- Safest Driver Award — Lowest incidents and best driving etiquette throughout the season. Prize: iRacing voucher
- Ironman Driver Award — Completed every single race of the season. Prize: iRacing voucher
These awards are designed to reward not just raw pace, but racecraft, commitment, and respect for fellow competitors.
Overtaking
Clean, respectful racing is the standard in the Rivals Cup.
- The overtaking driver bears responsibility for making a clean pass
- Both drivers must be mindful of each other at all times
- Dangerous or reckless divebombs are prohibited
- Drivers must leave adequate racing room — intentional contact or forcing another car off-track is not allowed
Defensive Driving
- The driver ahead may change their racing line once to defend their position
- Reacting multiple times to an attacker in the slipstream (blocking) is not permitted
- Multiple line changes (weaving) are forbidden
- Changing your line in the braking zone is forbidden
Pit Lane & Track Re-entry
- Do not impede other cars when leaving the pit lane
- On certain circuits, leaving the racing line may be necessary for a safe pit exit — use good judgment
- Driving against traffic is strictly forbidden
- Only rejoin the track when it is safe to do so and without obstructing other drivers
Flag Rules
Blue Flags: When shown the blue flag, you must not defend your position. Yield to the faster car in an appropriate section of the track without causing obstruction. Repeated blue flag violations may result in penalties.
Yellow Flags: Drive with caution through yellow flag zones. Overtaking is forbidden under double yellow flags. Cars directly involved in an incident may be passed safely and with care.
Behaviour & Respect
The Rivals Cup is built on mutual respect between competitors.
- Zero tolerance for insults, discrimination, or racist statements — these result in a lifetime ban
- Complaining, arguing, or swearing at other drivers is not acceptable
- Sending negative or aggressive private messages after a race is prohibited
- First offense: formal warning. Second offense: removal from the race
We are here to race hard but race fair. Leave the drama off the track.
Penalties
The Rivals Cup stewarding team applies penalties based on the severity of the incident. All incidents are reviewed from race replays by human stewards.
Minor Violations
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Blocking or weaving | +5 seconds |
| Unsafe rejoin / collision exiting pit | +10 seconds |
| Ignoring blue flags | +10 seconds (+1.5 penalty points) |
Moderate Violations
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Significant collision | +15 seconds |
| Forcing another car off track | +15 seconds |
| Collision without braking | +15 seconds |
| Ignoring yellow flags causing a collision | +15 seconds |
Serious Violations
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Unsafe rejoin causing accident | +20 seconds |
| Collision on lap 1 | +20 seconds |
| Mass collision | +20 seconds |
Disqualification & Ban
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Unsportsmanlike conduct (e.g. destroying track signage) | Disqualification |
| Intentionally causing a collision | Ban |
Conduct penalties: First offense of insulting, fighting, or conflict — formal warning. Second offense — ban from the league.
Rule Changes
The Rivals Cup reserves the right to amend or extend these rules during a season. Any changes will be announced in the Rivals Cup Discord and updated on this page.
Issues not explicitly covered by these rules will be resolved by the Rivals Cup Race Commission. Their decisions are final.