# GridPilot Race Management *A unified system for running modern iRacing leagues with team formats, automated series structures, and clean penalty handling.* --- # 1. Overview GridPilot Race Management defines **how racing works on the platform**, independent of league size or community style. It consists of three pillars: 1. **Team Leagues** — real constructors-style multi-driver competitions 2. **Automated Leagues** — structured series (e.g., F1-style) that GridPilot can mirror 3. **Penalty & Protest System** — clean dispute resolution without Discord chaos GridPilot's goal is to make league racing **consistent, fair, and meaningful**, without forcing admins into complexity or drivers into mandatory social interaction. --- # 2. Team Leagues (Constructors Format) Most iRacing leagues treat teams as cosmetic. GridPilot treats them as **primary competition units**, like real motorsport. ## 2.1 Team Structure A team has: - Team profile (logo, colors, description) - Captain / co-captains - Roster of drivers - Recruitment status - Participation history - Team stats + points Teams exist platform-wide — not only inside one league. ## 2.2 Team Participation in a League Teams can: - register for seasons - assign drivers to race slots - have different drivers each week - score parallel points from every contributing driver ## 2.3 Constructors-Style Points GridPilot supports multiple team scoring methods: - **All Drivers Count** (every finisher scores team points) - **Top X Drivers Count** (top 2, top 3, etc.) - **Weighted Points** (e.g., top driver counts 60%, next counts 40%) - **Custom Rules per League** Admins choose their model. GridPilot handles the math, standings, history, and transparency. ## 2.4 Team Rivalries & Identity Built-in: - team standings - driver contribution breakdown - cross-season performance - team “form” (last 5 races) - recruitment visibility Team racing becomes **a core part of the platform**, not an afterthought. --- # 3. Automated Leagues (F1-Style Mirror Systems) Some admins want complete freedom. Some drivers want structured, official-feeling series. GridPilot supports *both* by providing the option for **auto-generated leagues**. These are **not forced**; they are templates admins or communities can adopt. ## 3.1 What Are Automated Leagues? An automated league is a **predefined series template** provided by GridPilot that mirrors real motorsport. Examples: - F1 World Championship (same tracks, same order) - F2 / F3 / F4 analogs - GT3 European Sprint Cup - IMSA-style multiclass - DTM-style format Users don’t need to invent formats — they pick from proven structures. ## 3.2 What an Automated League Includes A template defines: - car class - track calendar (pre-set schedule) - race format (practice, quali, race) - scoring system (e.g., FIA F1 points) - bonus points (fastest lap, sprint race, etc.) - team size (e.g., 2 drivers like Constructors) - DNF rules - drop rules (if any) - penalty rules (warnings → time penalties → DSQ) Admins can tweak details OR run it 1:1 as provided. ## 3.3 Session Generation GridPilot can automatically: - create the full season - populate all race settings - optionally generate sessions via browser automation - clearly list required content for admins This is still *admin-controlled* automation — GridPilot enhances, not replaces, human oversight. ## 3.4 Why Automated Leagues Matter For drivers: - familiar formats - real-world relevance - stability For admins: - less planning - less overhead - instantly “professional” structure For GridPilot: - predictable competition ecosystem - consistent feature usage - scalable community engagement --- # 4. Penalty & Protest System A clean, structured way to handle disputes — core to GridPilot fairness. ## 4.1 Driver-Protest Flow Drivers can submit: - race - involved drivers - replay timestamp(s) - explanation text - optional clip/video links GridPilot stores everything in a clean UI. ## 4.2 Admin Review Tools Admin sees: - list of protests - timestamps - notes - links - driver details - race context Actions: - no action - warning - time penalty (+5s / +10s / +30s) - points deduction - DSQ race Everything updates automatically. ## 4.3 Automatic Classification Updates Time penalties: - re-sort results - adjust finishing positions - recalc points - update team standings Penalties: - logged in history - visible on driver/team pages - part of season record ## 4.4 Consistency & Transparency GridPilot helps: - keep decisions structured - avoid DM drama - maintain fairness - preserve season integrity Admins stay in full control — GridPilot handles presentation & recalculation. --- # 5. What We Must Consider (Key Constraints) ## 5.1 Content Ownership Automated leagues need: - admins (or bot accounts) who own the tracks - 1 owned car per allowed class - iRacing credits to host sessions GridPilot cannot bypass iRacing content rules. ## 5.2 Avoiding Splits (Very Important) Splits destroy community identity. GridPilot must: - keep leagues small (20–30 drivers) - allow multiple parallel micro-series (F1-A, F1-B, etc.) - unify standings across micro-series through stats (optional) We scale *horizontally*, not vertically. ## 5.3 Admin Optionality Automation is optional. Manual control must always be possible. ## 5.4 Don’t Replace Community GridPilot provides structure — not social control. Discord remains important; we complement it. ## 5.5 Avoid excessive complexity Penalty rules, team formats, automated templates — all must stay simple, configurable, and not overwhelming. --- # 6. GridPilot Race Management Summary GridPilot provides: - professional team racing - structured constructors scoring - predefined (or custom) league formats - optional auto-generated F1-style calendars - clean protests and quick penalties - automatic standings - minimal admin workload - consistent racing identity - scalable competition model We don’t replace iRacing — we give league racing the **structure, fairness, and identity** it has always lacked.