The Ranked Championship in RaceRoom is back - with several changes to the three splits. The green flag flies on September 7th at Hockenheim.

After <a href="https://simracing.link/sru-rr-ranked-champ" target="_self">first introducing it in May</a>, RaceRoom’s Ranked Championship is back with its second season: With its first race held on September 7th at Hockenheim, season 2 offers a bit of change as the classes do not solely consist of tin tops anymore – exciting on-track battles lay ahead!
While the first season saw the BMW 235i Rookie Cup as the lowest class, followed by GT4 and and then GT3 for the intermediate and pro splits, things are bit different this time: Instead of the BMW, rookie split drivers will get the chance to hop into a Formula 4 car, marking the debut of single-seaters in the Ranked Championship.
The intermediate rung of the ladder, called AM, sees the WTCR Trophy take over for the GT4 Trophy. This makes for an interesting change from the rear-wheel driven GT4 cars to the popular FWD touring cars that should allow for even closer racing, including the touring car trademark of rubbing body panels.
What stays is the top split, which is still called Pro Series and will still use GT3 cars. A new competitor joins the grid there, however, with the recently released Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo taking on the competition. You can find the full calendar for season 2 of the RaceRoom Ranked Championship below.
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Round 1: Hockenheimring – September 7th (Rookie)/8th (AM/Pro)</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Round 2: Red Bull Ring – September 28th (Rookie)/29th (AM/Pro)</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Round 3: Daytona – October 19th (Rookie)/20th (AM/Pro)</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Round 4: Interlagos – November 9th (Rookie)/10th (AM/Pro)</li>
</ul>

RaceRoom Ranked Championship Season 2 Announcement

RaceRoom: Ranked Championship Returns for Season 2

Team Redline used strategy and pace to take the glory in the VCO ERL Summer Cup Masters, which saw a change of scenery to Sebring.

The VCO ERL Summer Cup Masters headed back to the rFactor 2 platform, as more touring car action was in clear abundance, thanks to the return of the Toyota Corolla GR BTCC car, which saw Sebring International Raceway and the Johnson Club layout being used. 
After a drama and action-filled evening of tin-top racing, it was an unstoppable Team Redline that emerged as the eventual Summer Cup champions, with the trio of Kevin Siggy, Enzo Bonito and Jeffrey Rietveld comfortably winning two out of the three races in the Final, ahead of R8G Esports, with the combination of Erhan Jajovski, Marcel Csincsik and Jiri Toman unable to break their stranglehold on the competition.
The biggest surprise that nearly caused a big upset was that of TRITON Racing, who despite only having two drivers in the form of Dominik Blajer and Jakub Charkot, managed to fight their way back through the Second Chance Heat to the Semi Finals.&nbsp;
They would firstly get through the battle with the Apex Racing Team trio of Jamie Fluke, Yohann Harth and Valero Gaël in the Quarter Finals, before coming up second best to R8G in their final race.&nbsp;
BS+ Competition would also make it to the Semi Finals, thanks to the efforts of Alen Terzic, Joonas Raivio and Ibraheem Kahn, but would lose to eventual winners Redline.&nbsp;
With a total of 12 seeded teams that qualified for the Summer Cup, there were also some other big names that would fall by the wayside in the Quarter Finals, including Spring Cup Champions Unicorns of Love, Williams Esports and Team Fordzilla, with the latter also qualifying through the Second Chance heat.&nbsp;
With the dust having settled at Sebring, the next order of business is the forthcoming VCO ERL Fall Cup, where iRacing will be the focus, with the dates yet to be set in stone.&nbsp;

#Conegate

Redline Dominate VCO Summer Cup Masters

VCO Summer Cup Masters rFactor 2 Sebring Team Redline

RaceRoom announced their intepretation of a modern Formula 1 car called Formula RaceRoom X-22 - and they may have another surprise up their sleeves.

The most recent generation of Formula 1 cars are popular in SimRacing: Apart from the obvious representation in F1 22, fictional interpretations of the single-seaters have popped up either as mods for Assetto Corsa or <a href="https://simracing.link/sru-ams2-f12022" target="_self">official content for Automobilista 2</a> – RaceRoom now follows suit: The sim’s Twitter account announced the imminent release of the Formula RaceRoom X-22.
Interpretations of a circa-1990 F1 car are already part of RaceRoom, just like a V10-powered version of a 2017 vehicle. The new car is going to be much closer to the current regulations of the world’s premier racing series, featuring DRS, three tire compounds, and variable engine maps and MGU-K modes. The X-22 is also going to feature more than 30 liveries, which are based on different nations, so there will be no shortage of variation on the grid.
To announce the car’s release for “the coming days”, RaceRoom posted a screenshot of the cars on the Zandvoort start/finish straight. The head-on camera perspective means that the final corner, the Arie Luyendyk Bocht, is visible in the distance – and it looks suspiciously like the reworked turn featuring an 18-degree banking and SAFER barrier on the outside. The release of an up-to-date Zandvoort would go well with the release of the X-22, as it hosts the Dutch Grand Prix on September 4th. Should RaceRoom release the track soon, it would be the first sim to officially feature the reworked course, save for the EA Sports/Codemasters F1 series.

Formula RaceRoom X-22 Zandvoort

RaceRoom Announces Formula RaceRoom X-22

The most recent generation of Formula 1 cars are popular in SimRacing: Apart from the obvious representation in F1 22, fictional interpretations of the single-seaters have popped up either as mods for Assetto Corsa or <a href="https://simracing.link/sru-ams2-f12022" target="_self">official content for Automobilista 2</a> – RaceRoom now follows suit: The sim’s Twitter account announced the imminent release of the Formula RaceRoom X-22.
Interpretations of a circa-1990 F1 car are already part of RaceRoom, just like a V10-powered version of a 2017 vehicle. The new car is going to be much closer to the current regulations of the world’s premier racing series, featuring DRS, three tire compounds, and variable engine maps and MGU-K modes. The X-22 is also going to feature more than 30 liveries, which are based on different nations, so there will be no shortage of variation on the grid.
To announce the car’s release for “the coming days”, RaceRoom posted a screenshot of the cars on the Zandvoort start/finish straight. The head-on camera perspective means that the final corner, the Arie Luyendyk Bocht, is visible in the distance – and it looks suspiciously like the reworked turn featuring an 18-degree banking and SAFER barrier on the outside. The release of an up-to-date Zandvoort would go well with the release of the X-22, as it hosts the Dutch Grand Prix on September 4th. Should RaceRoom release the track soon, it would be the only the second sim after rFactor 2 to feature an up-to-date version of the course, save for the EA Sports/Codemasters F1 series.

The Dev Update regarding Automobilista 2's imminent V1.4 update has been released - and SimRacers are in for not just one big treat.

After the news of the planned July and August updates for Automobilista 2 being merged, Reiza Studios made the community wait for the next dev update, outlining what exactly the Brazilians are working on. The wait was well worth it: V1.4 promises to raise AMS2 to unprecedented heights with the implementation of oval racing and numerous other exciting features.
As has been known for a while, the upcoming update would bring part 3 of the Racin’ USA DLC to the Sim, although its content had not been confirmed yet until the release of the most recent dev update. A screenshot in the announcement of pushing back the July update strongly hinted at World Wide Technology Raceway, better known as Gateway, and, by extension, a modern IndyCar due to the series’ being clearly visible on the outside wall of the track.
Both have now been confirmed to be on their way, as well as Auto Club Speedway, better known as Fontana. The oval track had been a staple of IndyCar racing for years in its 2-mile configuration, with Gil de Ferran setting the fastest-ever qualifying speed there in 2000, averaging 388.541 km/h (241.428 mph) in his Reynard-Honda – <a href="https://simracing.link/yt-de-ferran-2000" target="_self">a run well worth watching just for the sound alone</a>. The track was set to be downsized considerably in recent years, but the reconstruction has not been carried out yet.

<img src="/api/static/533c7e8776f0591349e0f0327ea23e8f.png" alt="Automobilista 2 IndyCar Dallara @Reiza Studios" style="height: ;width: "/>
In addition to Gateway and Fontana, the superspeedway layout of Daytona, which is already in the sim in its road course guise, will be added, raising the amount of oval tracks in AMS2 to four, thanks to the Rio Oval being already there. To properly implement oval racing, full-course yellows will make their debut in the sim. The full-course caution system will later be refined to include the tracks’ lighting systems, marshals waving flags and a visible pace car. Road racing variations like a Virtual Safety Car are also on the horizon.
Aero configurations for short ovals and superspeedways for the existing IndyCars will also be implemented, including the Hanford Device rear wings on the 1998 and 2000 cars. Speaking of aero configurations: Reiza will also add low-downforce wings for several formula cars to better match high-speed tracks like Monza or the Hockenheimring as it stood until 2001. These configurations will be selected automatically for the tracks they would have been run on.

<img src="/api/static/e2e725c833619a0f788d943891e9103d.png" alt="Automobilista 2 AMS2 Reiza Studios CART Fontana @Reiza Studios" style="height: ;width: "/>
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Other Highlights</h2>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify;">The Mercedes-AMG GT4 expands the GT4 class to six cars.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">The Ginetta G55 GT3 will join the Ultima GTR in the GT Open Class.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">A 1965 Mini Cooper joins the Copa Classic.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">The fictional Vulkan Truck will join the Copa Truck class.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Custom helmets and race suits make their debut, meaning fully recreating authentic grids in combination with custom AI files will be possible.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Advanced Mechanical Damage Modeling will introduce a wide variety of mechanical failures, affecting both the player and AI.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Massive revisions to tire and track physics are coming as well, meaning physics updates may only be necessary when big updates drop, but not for the smaller ones in between.</li>
</ul>
With its “biggest update yet”, as the dev diary claims, AMS2 continues its strong upward trend of recent months. V1.4 does not have a set release date yet but is planned to go live in August. Another surprise has not been named in the dev update yet. You can find the full update by Reiza’s Renato Simioni <a href="https://simracing.link/steam-ams2-dev-update-aug" target="_self">here</a>.

Automobilista 2 AMS2 Reiza Studios Auto Club Speedway F-USA Gen1

Automobilista 2's V1.4 Update Promises Enormous Leap

After the news of the planned July and August updates for Automobilista 2 being merged, Reiza Studios made the community wait for the next dev update, outlining what exactly the Brazilians are working on. The wait was well worth it: V1.4 promises to raise AMS2 to unprecedented heights with the implementation of oval racing and numerous other exciting features.
As has been known for a while, the upcoming update would bring part 3 of the Racin’ USA DLC to the Sim, although its content had not been confirmed yet until the release of the most recent dev update. A screenshot in the announcement of pushing back the July update strongly hinted at World Wide Technology Raceway, better known as Gateway, and, by extension, a modern IndyCar due to the series’ logo being clearly visible on the outside wall of the track.
Both have now been confirmed to be on their way, as well as Auto Club Speedway, better known as Fontana. The oval track had been a staple of IndyCar racing for years in its 2-mile configuration, with Gil de Ferran setting the fastest-ever qualifying speed there in 2000, averaging 388.541 km/h (241.428 mph) in his Reynard-Honda – <a href="https://simracing.link/yt-de-ferran-2000" target="_self">a run well worth watching just for the sound alone</a>. The track was set to be downsized considerably in recent years, but the reconstruction has not been carried out yet.

<img src="/api/static/533c7e8776f0591349e0f0327ea23e8f.png" alt="Automobilista 2 IndyCar Dallara @Reiza Studios" style="height: ;width: "/>
In addition to Gateway and Fontana, the superspeedway layout of Daytona, which is already in the sim in its road course guise, will be added, raising the amount of oval tracks in AMS2 to four, thanks to the Rio Oval being already there. To properly implement oval racing, full-course yellows will make their debut in the sim. The full-course caution system will later be refined to include the tracks’ lighting systems, marshals waving flags and a visible pace car. Road racing variations like a Virtual Safety Car are also on the horizon.
Aero configurations for short ovals and superspeedways for the existing IndyCars will also be implemented, including the Hanford Device rear wings on the 1998 and 2000 cars. Speaking of aero configurations: Reiza will also add low-downforce wings for several formula cars to better match high-speed tracks like Monza or the Hockenheimring as it stood until 2001. These configurations will be selected automatically for the tracks they would have been run on.

<img src="/api/static/e2e725c833619a0f788d943891e9103d.png" alt="Automobilista 2 AMS2 Reiza Studios CART Fontana @Reiza Studios" style="height: ;width: "/>
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Other Highlights</h2>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify;">The Mercedes-AMG GT4 expands the GT4 class to six cars.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">The Ginetta G55 GT3 will join the Ultima GTR in the GT Open Class.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">A 1965 Mini Cooper joins the Copa Classic.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">The fictional Vulkan Truck will join the Copa Truck class.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Custom helmets and race suits make their debut, meaning fully recreating authentic grids in combination with custom AI files will be possible.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Advanced Mechanical Damage Modeling will introduce a wide variety of mechanical failures, affecting both the player and AI.</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Massive revisions to tire and track physics are coming as well, meaning physics updates may only be necessary when big updates drop, but not for the smaller ones in between.</li>
</ul>
With its “biggest update yet”, as the dev diary claims, AMS2 continues its strong upward trend of recent months. V1.4 does not have a set release date yet but is planned to go live in August. Another surprise has not been named in the dev update yet. You can find the full update by Reiza’s Renato Simioni <a href="https://simracing.link/steam-ams2-dev-update-aug" target="_self">here</a>.

RaceRoom puts the Ferrari 488 GT3 on the grid outside of the DTM: The car is now available in the GTR 3 class of the sim as well.

Early in 2022, the news that RaceRoom had agreed on a partnership with Ferrari made waves, with <a href="https://simracing.link/sru-rr-dtm21" target="_self">the Ferrari 488 GT3 being introduced as part of the DTM 2021 pack</a>. Now, another version of the vehicle is available: The Ferrari 488 GT3 2020 is here as part of the GTR 3 class, as GT3 is called in the sim.
While the existing car is technically also a GT3 vehicle, it is only available as part of the DTM 2021 class. This can be explained by the different BoP requirements the series has implemented compared to “regular” GT3 series – the new 488 joins the GTR 3 class, which is not based on a particular series.
This expands the GT3 roster to 16 cars, with vehicles like the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo or the Porsche 991 II GT3 R already present. The 488 has been a staple of GT3 grids since its introduction in 2016, with its current evo version being in service since 2020. The car is set to be replaced next year, however: Ferrari recently unveiled the 296 GT3, which will make its debut in the 2023 season.
The new car will have big shoes to fill, however: The 488 GT3 has amassed an astounding 429 wins in 770 starts across both the standard and evo versions at the time of writing, including victories at the 24 Hours of Spa and the Bathurst 12-Hour. The top step at the Nürburgring 24 Hours is still missing in the list of successes, not just for the 488, but Ferrari in general – without a doubt, the legendary Italian manufacturer will look to right this wrong with the 296 in the future.

RaceRoom Ferrari 488 GT3

RaceRoom Adds Ferrari 488 GT3 2020 to GTR 3 Class

Early in 2022, the news that RaceRoom had agreed on a partnership with Ferrari made waves, with <a href="https://simracing.link/sru-rr-dtm21" target="_self">the Ferrari 488 GT3 being introduced as part of the DTM 2021 pack</a>. Now, another version of the vehicle is available: The Ferrari 488 GT3 2020 is here as part of the GTR 3 class, as GT3 is called in the sim.
While the existing car is technically also a GT3 vehicle, it is only available as part of the DTM 2021 class. This can be explained by the different BoP requirements the series has implemented compared to “regular” GT3 series – the new 488 joins the GTR 3 class, which is not based on a particular series.
This expands the GT3 roster to 22 cars, with vehicles like the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo or the Porsche 991 II GT3 R already present. With the latest update, the evo versions of the Mercedes-AMG and the Bentley Continental GT3 have been added as well. The 488 has been a staple of GT3 grids since its introduction in 2016, with its current evo version being in service since 2020. The car is set to be replaced next year, however: Ferrari recently unveiled the 296 GT3, which will make its debut in the 2023 season.
The new car will have big shoes to fill, however: The 488 GT3 has amassed an astounding 429 wins in 770 starts across both the standard and evo versions at the time of writing, including victories at the 24 Hours of Spa and the Bathurst 12-Hour. The top step at the Nürburgring 24 Hours is still missing in the list of successes, not just for the 488, but Ferrari in general – without a doubt, the legendary Italian manufacturer will look to right this wrong with the 296 in the future.

We got two new winners at Watkins Glen for Round 3 of the ADAC SimRacing Expo Community Trophy, along with a new points leader!

Round 3 of the ADAC Sim Racing Expo Community Trophy saw the drivers remain stateside, as the infamous Watkins Glen circuit welcomed 32 drivers driving Formula 4 machinery around its challenging combination of long straights, elevation changes and technical corners. 
It would also see two new race winners being crowned, in what were two very close and action-packed races. Matija Markovic took pole position on his final attempt in qualifying to secure it by a mere 0.087 seconds ahead of Julian Kunze with a 1:46.790, whilst Dörr Esports’ Bence Bánki completed the top three. The session would see the top twenty covered by only 0.752 seconds, with MJR eSports’ Daniel Berka posting a best effort of a 1:47.542.&nbsp;
Markovic would narrowly hold on for the race win in Race 1, pipping Makozi Racing International’s Kodi Nikola Latkovski, who started down in fifth place, by a winning margin of 0.059 seconds after 13 laps. Kunze would take third place, as the German would be battling hard with Bánki in the dying stages of the race, with the latter missing out on the final step of the rostrum by just 0.055 seconds.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Ballas Esports’ Ilia Drovossekov would not only take fifth in the first race but also secured the RIG Fastest Lap Award with a 1:46.834­, finishing ahead of chief title rival Kirill Antonov from RUVIS Racing Team. T3 Motorsport’s Leonard Karten was in the thick of the action and would take seventh, ahead of Witchwood’s Ramon Ivanov, Joyce Blöcker and Virtualdrivers by TX3’s Mihai Neg, who completed the top ten.&nbsp;
In the top ten reverse grid race, it would be Drovossekov that would become the fifth different winner so far, having waited to eventually get past Neg for the lead and would not look back. Antonov would be one of the many casualties, having retired due to an incident coming out of the final corner and into the pit lane entry, which saw his left rear wheel get ripped off, abruptly ending his charge.&nbsp;
Markovic would take another solid top three result in a row, finishing well over 1.5 seconds behind Neg in third. However, he would have to fend off Bánki, with it being a photo finish between the pair, with the latter missing out by just 0.025 seconds.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Latkovski was able to secure some solid points again by taking fifth, narrowly edging out Ballas Esports’ Kilian Guijt by 0.075 seconds, ahead of another solid performance by Joyce Blöcker in seventh. Toadline Racing’s Kirill Sokovikov faired better in eighth, with Ares Gaming’s Oliver Haecke and Sebastian Reeh completing the top ten.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Drovossekov becomes the new championship leader with 210 points, 35 ahead of Antonov, followed by Latkovski in third, a further 15 adrift.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The ADAC SimRacingExpo Community Trophy heads to the Red Bull Ring on September 1st for Round 4, so we will see what the public decides on which cars will be used, and who will end up leading the way after the racing in Styria!

Formula 4

Community Trophy: Two Winners From Two at Watkins Glen

Two weekends to test: EA Sports tries its hand in crossplay for F1 22 - the testing period is open to anyone who owns the game.

Time to grab your friends, fire up F1 22 and have a good time – regardless of their platform: Crossplay had been announced as a feature in the game that was yet to come, and EA Sports and Codemasters are testing it in two sessions: From August 5th to 7th as well as August 12th to 14th, players will be able to test the feature.
Different platforms are still a big hurdle for online gaming, with SimRacing being far from the exception. F1 22 attempts to clear this hurdle with its crossplay feature that allows players to race together no matter if they are on PC, PlayStation 4 or 5, or Xbox One/Xbox Series X/S.
Crossplay is available in Social Play and Two Player Career for racers to enjoy. To enable it, they simply have to activate the setting in the Game Options menu. Invites to game sessions are handled through the in-game Friends Hub.
Here are the crossplay test phase dates at a glance for you:
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Friday, August 5th, 1pm CEST – Monday, August 8th, 12am CEST</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Friday, August 12th, 1pm CEST – Monday, August 15th, 12am CEST</li>
</ul>
Both end dates mean as soon as the clock strikes midnight in the night from Sunday to Monday, the test phase ends.

F1 22 McLaren Portimao

F1 22: First Crossplay Test is Live

F1 22: EA Tests Crossplay

Big update for rFactor 2: Not only do numerous improvements await SimRacers in August, new content is on board as well.

Another batch of content has dropped: With its latest update, rFactor 2 has added interesting cars and tracks once again in addition to a long list of quality of life improvements for SimRacers. The Q3 2022 Update sees the introduction of two new BTCC cars as well as two more vehicles, plus World Wide Technology Raceway as a new location.
Better known simply as Gateway, the track makes its way into rF2 in its 2.01 km (1.25 mi) oval configuration as well as in its road course guise. The track is part of the IndyCar schedule, and NASCAR sets up shop between St. Louis and Chicago with multiple series, including its top-tier Cup Series.
Meanwhile, the Ford Focus ST NGTC and the Hyundai i30 Fastback N Performance mark the release of the second BTCC Pack, increasing the field based on the popular British touring car series to four cars. They are ideal competition to the Toyota Corolla GR and Infiniti G50, which have been released in May.
Rounding out the new content, SimRacers will also be able to hop into the Caterham Academy and the Mini Vantage to battle on track. All of the new content is available as DLC via the Steam store.
Meanwhile, Studio 397 has made several improvements under the hood that benefits all players of rFactor 2. This includes refined track limits, more adjustability for various elements and an increased number of input devices – now, up to 16 devices can be used at once, giving SimRacers plenty of room for button boxes, shifters, handbrakes and more.
A new track surface system called Real Road 2.0 has also been introduced with the update, aiming at a more realistic feel and transformation of the racing surface. The system uses numerous factors to accurately change the feeling and behavior of the track over the course of a session.
To find all the changes the update implemented to rF2, head over to<a href="https://simracing.link/rf2-q322-update" target="_self"> the Studio 397 website</a> for the full changelog and more in-depth explanation.

rFactor 2 Content Drop August 2022

rFactor 2: New BTCC Cars & US Oval Released

A Twitter user stumbled upon an interesting part of the RENNSPORT website - which was immediately removed. Are beta signups imminent?

The hype around RENNSPORT has steadily increased ever since it was unveiled, but outside of events, the upcoming sim has not been playable yet. On Friday, <a href="https://simracing.link/twitter-rennsport-waitlist" target="_self">Twitter user er185_es found a “waitlist” part of RENNSPORT’s website</a> – which was promptly removed. Are beta signups imminent?&nbsp;
Unreal 5 engine, esports-friendly design, built from scratch – RENNSPORT is certainly one of the most interesting projects in SimRacing right now. Select SimRacers have been able to get their hands on a playable version of the sim on-site at different events, but it is not yet open for everyone to try.
Is the discovered but soon vanished waitlist sub-site a hint for the beta to start soon? We hate to disappoint you, but it is not likely. According to RENNSPORT’s own plan, a closed beta is planned for this summer, the open beta will only be available in spring of 2023, though. The project’s Twitter response suggested a technical gap was at fault, causing the part of the website to be displayed.
The beta signups are unlikely to start soon as a result. To sweeten the time until they do, we suggest you go and watch the keynote from the RENNSPORT Summit, which provides a deep-dive into what the sim sets out to do. We embedded it for you below.

RENNSPORT Porsche GT3

RENNSPORT Open Beta Signups Coming Soon?

The final of the GTWC Europe Esports Championship was not your typical Monza race - but James Baldwin managed the rain well enough to grab the title.

by Alex Goldschmidt
The final round of the 2022 GT World Challenge Europe Esports Championship would head to the “Temple of Speed,” as Autodromo Nazionale Monza would bring the title race to its initiable conclusion, as the top four drivers would be front and centre to see who would be victorious. With speeds more than 270 km/h at points around this 5.793-km circuit and with a 60-minute encounter, this would be just part of the spectacle along with the customary heavy braking points and rocket ship-style overtakes that are characteristics of the track based just north of Milan.
But the heavy rain and next-to-no visibility would be bringing a welcome different dynamic to the Italian circuit, upping the difficulty factor, meaning drivers would have to have their eyeballs on stalks throughout the race and drive to the conditions.&nbsp;
It would be the #1 of Veloce’s James Baldwin that would not just secure the final spot on the rostrum but also the 2022 PRO title, after an exciting few laps of battling between Mercedes-AMG E-Sports Team HRT’s Dennis Schöniger and Automobili Lamborghini Esports’ Jordan Sherrat, with the former winning by nearly six tenths.
39 cars would go into battle, with Kevin Siclari in the #27 Mercedes putting it on pole position during qualifying with the #52 of Unicorns of Love’s Tobias Gronewald making it an all-Affalterbach front row.&nbsp;
Scuderia Ferrari VELAS Racing’s David Tonizza, <a href="https://simracing.link/sru-sro-spa-tonizza" target="_self">who won the recent SRO Esports Race Night at Spa</a>, would find his title aspirations fall by the wayside by finishing in sixth position.
The Italian would be hit with a five-second penalty before the halfway point, after an incident with the Race Anywhere #120 Porsche of Jordan Grant-Smith.&nbsp;
Gronewald would be hit with a drive-through penalty with just 14 minutes to go, after going off at the Prima Variante with all four wheels whilst running third, demoting him to what would effectively become 16th at the finish.
Munster Gaming’s Dáire McCormack would end up qualifying down in P16, and despite a first lap incident that saw the #814 Bentley tumble outside of the top 30, the Irishman would fight his way back up to fifteenth overall, with it not being his night.
BS+ Competition’s Nils Naujoks completed the top four and was closing in on Baldwin in the dying stages, with the HPD Honda NSX of the Netherlands’ Mike Nobel completing the top five.
DV1 TRITON Racing’s Dominik Blajer may have been on the back foot in the battle for the Silver title with BMW G2 Esports’ Robbie Stapleford, as the pair qualified fifth and first in the class.
But the former was able to bring the Bentley Continental GT3 home, finishing behind Tonizza in seventh overall, after Stapleford hit dramas before the halfway point, recovering to 12th at the finish, despite having a mathematical chance to win the title.&nbsp;
Thereby, both drivers in the PRO and Silver titles in the GTWC Sprint E-Sports are the new champions, who will look to further advance their rate of success from this point on.

GTWC Europe Esports Monza James Baldwin

Third Place for the Title: Baldwin Prevails in Rain-Soaked Monza

Third Place for the Title: Baldwin Prevails at Rain-Soaked Monza

Lauf 1: 09.09.20 - Hockenheim National

Lauf 2: 23.09.20 - Loch Drummond Long Layout

Lauf 3: 07.10.20 - Anglesey Circuit International GP

Lauf 4: 23.10.20 - Atlanta Motorsport Park

Lauf 5: 04.11.20 - Portland Full Course

Lauf 6: 18.11.20 - Lime Rock Park West Bend Chicane

Lauf 7: 02.12.20 - Zwartkops Raceway

Lauf 8: 16.12.20 - Ahvenisto Race Circuit Park

Lauf 1 15.09.20 - NOLA C-Course

Lauf 2 29.09.20 - Watkins Glen Boot - No Chicane

Lauf 3 13.10.2020 - Road Atlanta

Lauf 4 27.10.2020 - Mosport

Lauf 5 10.11.2020 - Portland Full Circuit

Lauf 6 24.11.2020 - Lime Rock Park - Uphill Chicane

Lauf 7 08.12.2020 - Mid Ohio - No Chicane

Lauf 8 22.12.2020 - Bathurst Mount Panorama

Lauf 1 28.02.2020 - Sebring International Raceway

Lauf 2 27.03.2020 - Interlagos

Lauf 3 08.05.2020 - Le Mans

Lauf 4 19.06.2020 - Watkins Glen

Lauf 5 11.09.2020 - Mosport

Lauf 6 23.10.2020 - Suzuka

Lauf 7 04.12.2020 - TBA

Lauf 1 06.09.2020 - Red Bull Ring

Lauf 2 20.08.2020 - Istanbul Park

Lauf 3 04.10.2020 - Lausitzring

Lauf 4 18.10.2020 - Norisring

Lauf 5 01.11.2020 - Zandvoort

Lauf 6 15.11.2020 - Hockenheimring

Lauf 7 29.11.2020 - Misano

Lauf 8 13.12.2020 - Interlagos

Lauf 1: 14.08.20 - Red Bull Ring

Lauf 2: 30.08.20 - Spa-Francorchamps

Lauf 3: 13.09.20 - Silverstone 

Lauf 4: 27.09.20 - Baku

Lauf 5: 11.10.20 - Istanbul

Lauf 6: 25.10.20 - Zandvoort

Lauf 7: 08.11.20 - Budapest

Lauf 8: 22.11.20 - Fuji

Lauf 9: 06.12.20 - Suzuka

Lauf 10: 20.12.20 - Sao Paulo

Lauf 1: 21.11.20 - Sebering 12h Layout

Lauf 1: 09.09.20 - Nürburgring GP

Lauf 2: 23.09.20 - Shanghai GP

Lauf 3: 07.10.20 - Dubai Autodrome GP

Lauf 4: 21.10.20 - Spa-Francorchamps GP

Lauf 5: 04.11.20 - Road America GP

Lauf 6: 18.11.20 - Suzuka GP

Lauf 7: 02.12.20 - Paul Ricard 1C-V2

Lauf 8: 16.12.20 - Zandvoort GP

Lauf 1: 26.01.20 - Nürburgring

Lauf 2: 23.02.20 - Silverstone

Lauf 3: 22.03.20 - Bathurst

Lauf 4: 19.04.20 - Imola

Lauf 5: 17.05.20 - Zolder

Lauf 6: 14.06.20 - Spa

Lauf 7: 06.09.20 - Dubai

Lauf 8: 04.10.20 - Suzuka

Lauf 9: 01.11.20 - Monza

Lauf 10: 29.11.20 - Road America

Lauf 1: 03.02.20 - Nürburgring

Lauf 2: 02.03.20 - Silverstone

Lauf 3: 30.03.20 - Bathurst

Lauf 4: 27.04.20 - Imola

Lauf 5: 25.05.20 - Zolder

Lauf 6: 22.06.20 - Spa

Lauf 7: 14.09.20 - Dubai

Lauf 8: 12.10.20 - Suzuka

Lauf 9: 09.11.20 - Monza

Lauf 10: 07.12.20 - Road America

Lauf 1: 16.03.20 - Zolder

Lauf 2: 13.04.20 - Spa-Francochamps

Lauf 3: 11.05.20 - Brands Hatch

Lauf 4: 31.08.20 - Laguna Seca

Lauf 5: 28.09.20 - Mount Panorama

Lauf 6: 26.10.20 - Zandvoort

Lauf 7: 23.11.20 - Suzuka

Lauf 8: 21.12.20 - Nürburgring

Lauf 1: 11.02.20 - Imola

Lauf 2: 10.03.20 - Road Atlanta

Lauf 3: 07.04.20 - Zandvoort

Lauf 4: 05.05.20 - Watkins Glen

Lauf 5: 02.06.20 - Spa

Lauf 6: 22.09.20 - Laguna Seca

Lauf 7: 20.10.20 - Mugello

Lauf 8: 17.11.20 - Suzuka

Lauf 9: 15.12.20 - Brands Hatch

Lauf 1: 10.09.20 - Road America

Lauf 2: 24.09.20 - Mosport

Lauf 3: 08.10.20 - Watkins Glen

Lauf 4: 22.10.20 - Mugello

Lauf 5: 05.11.20 - Hungaroring

Lauf 6: 19.11.20 - Estoril

Lauf 7: 03.12.20 - Dubai

Lauf 8: 17.12.20 - Imola

Lauf 1: 25.09.20 - Deutschland

Lauf 2: 09.10.20 - Britische Inseln

Lauf 3: 23.10.20 - Südeuropa

Lauf 4: 06.11.20 - Westeuropa

Lauf 5: 20.11.20 - Nord-/Südamerika

It does not always have to be online multiplayer mode - SimRacing can be fun offline as well. We show you some options you might want to try.

Eight Ideas for Single Player SimRacing

<a href="https://simracing.link/sru-singleplayer-dying" target="_self">A few weeks ago, we were wondering about the state of single player SimRacing</a> – is it slowly dying, or does it have a future? Our conclusion: It may not be as important as it once was, but it should be here to stay. But what to do if you are an offline SimRacer these days? Here are some suggestions to keep having fun without the multiplayer aspect.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">1 – Racing vs the AI</h2>
To get the obvious entry out of the way first: Yes, it is absolutely possible to have fun racing against AI opponents in SimRacing in 2022. Automobilista 2 is a strong candidate for this, as developer Reiza Studios keeps putting in work to make the computer-controlled competition more believable and better to race against. RaceRoom’s AI is not too shabby either, and even iRacing offers the option – though only for certain car and track combos. Those that are available are among the better AI experiences, however. Of course, the F1 series, still focuses on offline racing as well, offering the possibility of having exciting battles with the AI.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">1b – Immerse Yourself</h2>
Tying in closely with the first entry on our list, taking the extra step to achieve peak immersion may be worth it for racing the AI. Try and recreate a certain race with its full grid, conditions and track layout to feel like you are really at the track, maybe in a long-gone year. There is nothing quite like sitting in a virtual V10-powered F1 car, with the rest of the field using the proper liveries of a certain season and Crew Chief in your ear informing you that Mika Häkkinen just set the fastest lap of the race at a circa-2000 version of Silverstone. Assetto Corsa and rFactor 2 with their countless mods or AMS2 (using custom AI files and liveries) are your best bets for this, while ACC works well for modern GT World Series seasons right out of the box.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">2 – Career Mode</h2>
An extension of the first suggestion, a few games and sims offer a career mode for you to spend countless hours on. The F1 series, as mentioned, offers this, and has the most in-depth career mode out there today. Whether you want to just focus on driving or feel like you would rather create and manage your own team as well, the F1 games have you covered.
Project Cars 2 is another sim with a decent career mode, making you rise through the ranks of smaller national series’, be it open wheelers, touring or GT cars. There is not too much underneath the motorsports ladder system, though. Other titles that have interesting and deep career modes are the WRC and DIRT Rally series.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">3 – Practice Your Wet Weather Driving</h2>
Rain is a core element of endurance racing, and yet, when it starts pouring in an online event, not too many SimRacer seem prepared for this. <a href="https://simracing.link/sru-rain-racing-de" target="_self">We posted an article on this a few weeks ago</a>, urging more SImRacers to try racing in the rain – which is a formidable single-player exercise. Try it with different levels of rain to keep you on your toes – most sims feature accelerated time to simulate going from a dry track to a wet one (and vice versa) quicker. In AMS2, you can even recreate those famous downpours that derailed some of your favorite races, like the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix, thanks to the authentic weather feature. Assetto Corsa Competizione is another great candidate to practice your wet-weather driving, as is rFactor 2.

<img src="/api/static/a1067ed2d599ff056fc67b895e9a0417.png" alt="WRC 10 Hyundai Safari Rally Kenya @SimRacing Unlimited" style="height: undefined;width: undefined"/>

<h2 style="text-align:justify;">4 – Rallying</h2>
Due to its very nature, Rally is the perfect single-player SimRacing discipline. Cars start in intervals, meaning they rarely encounter each other while driving the stages, and while it is nice to be able to compare your times to online leaderboards, the actual driving is no different whether your playing offline or online. The WRC and DIRT Rally series are ideal for this, but Beam.NG drive also offers point-to-point courses. While the latter is still a sandbox game at its core, the driving physics keep improving, making it a good alternative to go rallying.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">5 – Try New Car and Track Combinations</h2>
SimRacers tend to stick with what they know, meaning they are missing out on a lot of potentially enjoyable scenarios. Once you remove yourself from the thought of racing GT3 cars at Monza or Spa for the 28th time in a row, you can find a ton of great combinations. To name a few and give you some inspiration, here are some examples:
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Group C at Classic Kyalami</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">Circa 2000 F1 at Imola (both modern and historically accurate versions work)</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">BTCC/STW touring cars at the short AVUS</li>
<li style="text-align:justify;">50s F1 cars at vintage tracks like Bremgarten</li>
</ul>
There are so many more great scenarios that are possible in SimRacing, of course – have fun exploring!
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">6 – Free Roaming</h2>
It does not always have to be racing, does it? Numerous tracks for free roaming exist in Assetto Corsa, and some of them are of spectacular quality. <a href="https://simracing.link/sru-freeroam-de" target="_self">We published an article on this a while ago</a>, but the core principle has not changed – put on a relaxing playlist (or one for working out if you want to violate as many speed limits as you can) in the background, choose your favorite street-legal car or supercar and just enjoy a nice drive into the sunset. It can feel almost therapeutic after the stresses of competitive online racing.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">7 – Fire Up an Old Classic</h2>
They may not necessarily look like it in their stock form, but there are older sims that still hold up quite well today: If you have not tried GTR2 in a while, it might be worth a shot. If you are less into endurance racing but more into an F1 sim with physics that are still exquisite 20 years after the release, give Grand Prix 4 a try – though that is going to require a bit of fiddling to get it up and running properly. More on that soon – hopefully. The first entries into the AMS and rFactor franchises are great choices as well, as there are numerous interesting mods available.
Bonus points for older sims: Hardware performance likely will not be an issue with most titles.

<img src="/api/static/9ddbfb5d5597ed5cec1b37963a678b0e.png" alt="BeamNG.drive Scenarios Car Chase @BeamNG" style="height: undefined;width: undefined"/>

<h2 style="text-align:justify;">8 – Scenarios in BeamNG.Drive</h2>
Technically, the scenarios in BeamNG.Drive are not strictly SimRacing – while many of them feature rallys or street races, there are numerous ones that feature, among other things, things like car chases. Still, they are a formidable way of spending your rig time, especially since the title features an enormous amount of exciting mods. And if the challenges are not your thing, the crash physics alone make for hours of entertainment.

Automobilista 2 Group C Porsche 962C Kyalami Reiza Studios

Experiencing history: SRU Editor Yannik Haustein and Sergio Loro revive an almost-forgotten track in Brunswick's Prinzenpark.

SimRacing offers the unique opportunity to experience the history of motorsports firsthand: Vintage cars are a staple of many sims, and classic tracks are rather popular as well – and both are favorites of the modding community. The latter is going to help with an exciting project: Together with Sergio Loro, SRU editor Yannik Haustein has set out to recreate one of the first German post-war circuits.
From 1948 to 1951, the Prinzenpark-Rennen in Brunswick (Braunschweig in German) was part of the post-war revival of motorsports in Germany: Mainly known as a motorcycle racing event, Formula 3 and other, smaller race cars also took the start there until the city deemed the spectacle to be unsafe. The circuit ran through and next to a residential area for large parts of the lap.
Today, nothing points to the racing history of the streets close to and inside the park – which is why I was very surprised when I found out that there used to be a race track right in front of my apartment that I lived in at the time. The start/finish line was barely 100 meters away, even! Of course, I had to find out more about the track and the event. So I did, and I even ended up writing an <a href="https://simracing.link/cotp-prinzenpark" target="_self">article for Circuits of the Past about the event</a>.

<img src="/api/static/29c51c72b442309145a843c7244101aa.png" alt="Prinzenpark Braunschweig Track Map @Formel3Guide.com" style="height: ;width: "/>
Even though I soon moved to another place in Brunswick, I could not get the thought of the race track no one seems to know about anymore right in the middle of a popular park and residential area out of my head. Seeing the amazing vintage tracks modders like Fat-Alfie have come up with for Assetto Corsa, I started dreaming – how cool would it be to revive the Prinzenpark-Rennen in AC? There was just one minor problem: I have no idea on how to create tracks.
That is when I remembered Sergio Loro: Having created numerous classic tracks – including lesser-known ones – under the F3 Classic Tracks banner, he seemed to be the perfect person for the job. So, I shot him an email to see if he was willing to cooperate on a project that I would be able to assist him in with local research while covering the process in an article series. Luckily, Sergio replied positively – and the project can go ahead!
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Introducing Sergio Loro</h2>

<img src="/api/static/bb737ad065efadf448fb528f720c5992.png" alt="Sergio Loro @Sergio Loro" style="height: ;width: "/>
For those who do not know Sergio or his brilliant vintage recreations of Zandvoort, the Norisring or more obscure tracks like Roskilde in Denmark, an introduction is in order: The 45-year-old started his SimRacing career in 1998 with Geoff Crammond’s Grand Prix 2, transitioning to GrandPrix Legends and eventually Assetto Corsa years later. “I played many sims like GTR2, the Papyrus NASCAR series and more, but GPL was the king for me”, reminisces the Argentinian from Villa Cañas. The small town is also the home of the Studebaker Parque dirt track, which dates back to the mid-1970s.
The track certainly played its part in fueling Sergio’s passion for racing. As for why he started creating virtual race tracks, he has an explanation that goes back to his youth: “I remember being a little boy and drawing cars. I always had a creative mind and was always focused on sports, drawing soccer and basketball jerseys, cars, and more”, Sergio says looking back. “I think that is why I started making circuits, it is a creative process that fills me with satisfaction.”
Additionally, it broadens his horizon. Sergio continues: “Being interested in such old circuits allows me to get to know different cultures, landscapes, types of constructions – in short, it is an exciting journey for me.”
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Why the Focus on Lesser-Known Tracks?</h2>
The most excitement is not in the most popular tracks – some of which have interesting vintage versions, of course – for Sergio, however. It is the lesser-known circuits that interest the Argentinian the most: “I really believe that there are little-known circuits that have exciting layouts. There are dozens of all types in Europe and also the USA, I have even read of such circuits in El Salvador. Generally, I choose a circuit if I am attracted to its layout, its history or the simple fact that it is out of the general focus”, Sergio explains. “Of course, I also love to be able to capture part of their charm virtually.”

<img src="/api/static/4cdc0ffadf8d1cad7e267567c4b0c9c4.png" alt="F3 Classic Tracks Norisring Porsche 917K @SimRacing Unlimited" style="height: ;width: "/>
While Sergio is still busy with the creation of another track at the time of writing this article, the project has already entered its research phase. I am in the process of gathering info and photos of the races, and in late October, the virtual cornerstone of the Prinzenpark Circuit could be laid. While I am admittedly very excited to see the circuit come to life, Sergio himself is looking forward to the project very much himself: “I think this will allow a lot of people to get to know a bit of history and have fun at the same time. I am looking forward to the fact that building the circuit allows me to know a bit about the history of the place, and that I am able to help recreate it virtually and perhaps preserve it.”
As the project advances, SimRacing Unlimited will offer more insight into the creation of the circuit. Check back regularly to not miss the progress, background info and interesting facts about building it for Assetto Corsa. Meanwhile, all of Sergio’s works can be found at<a href="https://simracing.link/f3-classic-tracks-ac" target="_self"> F3 Classic Tracks</a> – many even completely free of charge. Happy vintage racing!

Brunswick Prinzenpark Rennen Braunschweig

Brunswick's Prinzenpark: SRU and Sergio Loro Aim to Revive History

SimRacers are quick to groan when rain is in the cards. Racing in adverse weather does have certain advantages, however.

Mastering a car and track combination is essential to be fast in SimRacing. Countless hours of setup work and numerous practice laps are needed to be among the best – and all of it can fall apart once the elements of nature come into play: Racing in the rain is almost like an entirely different discipline that most SimRacers seem to dread – they should embrace it, however.
Anyone who has taken part in SimRacing events or leagues likely knows the collective groan in the voice chat when the session rolls over from qualifying to race and there is rain falling for the start. The smallest fraction of SimRacers seemingly does not have a problem with racing in wet conditions, the majority just hopes the dark clouds dissipate quickly and they can resume racing like normal.
Their apprehension is understandable: Wet weather racing means less grip, increased potential of crashing, and that a less-practiced driving style is required. In short: Most SimRacers are not in their comfort zone once it starts raining. There are good reasons to embrace dark clouds turning up in the sky over a virtual race track – here are some of them.
It is a great equalizer
With the fastest racers usually checking out at the start of a race only to be seen again whenever they are lapping the rest of the field, rain spices things up considerably. A perfect dry setup is not worth much once the heavens open up and wash a few cars off the track – usually, this means car choice is not part of the equation anymore either. The driver and their car control (or lack thereof) make all the difference.
Additionally, rain resets everyone’s strategy and encourages gambles on when to change from dry to wet tires and vice versa. This opens up the possibility of different results than the usual racers that dominate your league races every week taking the top spots yet again.
It forces you to refine your driving technique
As was touched upon in the previous point, rain races require a different approach in the virtual cockpit. Braking with the same force as in the dry will lead to lockups or serious understeer, and not being careful with the accelerator, you are likely to face the wrong way rather sooner than later.
This teaches you a better feeling for using the throttle and the brake to your advantage – experience that can be helpful in the dry as well. Understanding the behavior of your car will make you a better SimRacer. An added bonus: free counter-steering lessons.
It makes you rethink your setup work
A near-perfect weather report for an endurance race makes everyone’s setup building process easy. With the possibility of rain looming, you do not want to be caught out with a setup that works perfectly in the dry but makes the car almost undrivable in the wet. As a result, a compromise is needed.
Understanding what needs to be changed and what effect it has is important for dry setups as well, but building a hybrid or full-wet setup requires looking into the different parameters a bit more. Again, this adds valuable experience to your SimRacing portfolio.
It looks really cool
Okay, this one is a bit of an outlier, as dry scenarios can look absolutely stunning as well. But there is just something about the reflections of a rainy sunset or a wet track at midnight, almost mirroring the lights of trackside buildings and cars racing by, that oozes a certain atmosphere. Granted, visibility is not exactly better off, especially when following other cars, but it does add a certain spectacle to a race.

AMS2 CART 2000 Road America Rain

Why SimRacer Should Embrace Rain More

In today's SimRacing landscape, focus is clearly on online multiplayer - its roots are in offline modes, though. Can single player SimRacing be saved?

The widespread integration of online modes has changed the gaming landscape, and SimRacing is no different. What used to be a primarily single-player focused discipline has moved to online multiplayer almost entirely – which begs the question: Is single-player SimRacing dying?
It was not too long ago that SimRacers started their careers offline – there simply was no choice in most cases. Consoles may have had internet connectivity by the early 2000s already, but online multiplayer only really took off with the release of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2005 and 2006. On PC, it was a different story, as online modes started gaining traction a little earlier, which mostly happened in different genres.
As a result, many older SimRacers have spent their early years racing the AI, be it on consoles in Gran Turismo or the Formula 1 games of the time, or in the Grand Prix series by Geoff Crammond – these titles ware ahead of their time, and Grand Prix 4 still has a dedicated community that continues developing up-to-date car and track sets to this day. Good AI implementation was key in those times, as the sims would not have had much to offer otherwise.
<h2>Older Titles Still Shine</h2>
Interestingly, numerous elements that could be found in titles back then are a rarity today. Grand Prix 4 had random mechanical failures (that also applied to the player), a weather system that can still hold its own today and even marshals that would run up to crashed cars and push them away from the track where they would be lifted over the barriers by invisible cranes. The AI possessed good racing etiquette as well, displaying race craft that can rarely be found in AI opponents of modern sims – if they even have them.
Meanwhile, some titles have tried to implement dedicated single player modes prominently in recent years: Project Cars and Project Cars 2 both included a big career mode that required the player to rise through the ranks of the motorsports ladder, but both parts of the series suffered from inconsistent AI performances and sometimes erratic behavior.
Automobilista 2 is going to try and rectify this missed opportunity, with plans of a career mode that ties the sim’s numerous different classes together in a big single player mode. The potential for developer Reiza Studios is enormous in this regard: The roster of content in AMS2 spans retro cars and vintage tracks and modern locations and machinery alike – and everything in between. The Real Weather system makes it possible to recreate races with the correct weather conditions for the dates the real events were run, making things even more immersive – especially since the AI drivers are customizable via editing text files, making it possible to add not only real names, but strengths and weaknesses, too. The community-made skin packs with real liveries for the cars tie into this.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Don't Forget F1's Career Mode</h2>
Of course, the Formula 1 series of games cannot be overlooked in this regard: Ever since Codemasters got the ball rolling with F1 2010, the career mode has been one of the main feature of their titles, and it saw an overhaul for the latest entry F1 22. Online modes do not come close to creating the feeling of racing in an actual Grand Prix as well as the career and other single player modes do. Single player racing is alive and well in the virtual representation of the pinnacle of motorsports.
However, it is undeniable that those instances are the exception. iRacing may have implemented AI for some car and track combinations, too, but the sim famously focuses heavily on online competition. The reasons are relatively clear: Racing against actual human opponents is always going to feel more like a real race, and the drive to compete is obvious in most racers, be it virtual or real ones. Teamwork is another important element as endurance racing keeps gaining popularity – trying to conquer a race that lasts between 6 and 24 hours with friends likely beats driving by yourself for most people.
Still, proper offline game modes are an important part of SimRacing. Sometimes, it is not all about competition, but rather about getting immersed in the world of racing or in historical scenarios. Assetto Corsa can be a good sim for this, and Automobilista 2 is doing this very well already, including random AI mistakes and good race craft for the computer-controlled opposition. Even Assetto Corsa Competizione includes decent AI, although the career mode is generally not recommended as it feels half-hearted here and there.
While it could be argued that single player SimRacing is in fact dead compared to 15 to 20 years ago, that would be a big exaggeration. There are still plenty of things to do if you do not choose to race online – keep your eyes open for a list of single player options here on SRU due to be released soon. Meanwhile, have fun on track in whatever mode you choose – that is what SimRacing should be all about, after all. And this is likely why single player SimRacing is never going to die.

AMS2 F-Ultimate Gen2 Spa

Is Single Player SimRacing Dying?

It is not just the pros who should keep themselves in shape for racing: Physical fitness helps in the virtual cockpit, too.

Fitness is an integral part of motorsports, a fact that has become clear to everyone at least since Formula 1 legends Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher were leading examples. In esports and in SimRacing by extension, being in shape is not really important, you could think – and you would be completely wrong. A certain amount of fitness has its advantages when competing virtually as well.
“The stereotype of esports athletes being overweight, not eating well, barely moving and always sitting in front of a monitor in the dark is still present”, says Pascal Zeller, who has studied sports science and now works in sports development for ADAC Südbayern. Zeller knows: “That is not true, especially looking at professional esports.”
Studies to which renowned sports scientist Ingo Froböse has contributed to support this argument. “People are fit at those levels. Their BMI is not above average, they are sufficiently active”, says Zeller. Problems are still present, however, “especially a lack of sleep and high media consumption. Also, their nutrition is no different to that of the average citizen – which is rather negative, all things considered, since the average citizen does not necessarily eat well”, knows Zeller.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Fitness for the Head</h2>
The advantages of physical fitness are becoming more and more apparent in the conscience of the esports universe. Recently, the ADAC held a course on nutrition and fitness in SimRacing in Munich in cooperation with the DMSB – the first of its kind in Germany. “I have known SimRacing for years, and esports were part of my studies already. When I started working at ADAC, I became aware of SimRacing, too”, remembers Zeller. The course was his first point of contact with SimRacers.
The core thought of the event: pointing out good nutrition, concentration exercises and the advantages of physical activity. Zeller explains: “If you are active and do sports, it affects your body in multiple ways, and not just your musculoskeletal system, but also your brain. The neuronal conductivity improves, for example.” The result: potentially shorter reaction times. “A lot of things in esports happen in your head, but you have to move a bit, too”, says Zeller.
SimRacing is in a somewhat special position in this regard: Compared to “conventional” esports, the discipline requires more physical activity moving the wheel and pedals – hands and feet are always moving. “Additionally, drivers are always tense. If you do something to benefit this, especially in the shoulder and neck areas, it will help to keep performance capabilities up over long distances”, knows Zeller.
Those distances are another point in which SimRacing differs from most other esports disciplines: In races with full stints, those are usually around 60 minutes long, small breaks like in between Counter Strike rounds every few minutes are very rare. “Concentration is limited, and small breaks are essential for the brain”, Zeller underscores. An adult can focus continuously for between 60 and 90 minutes, “then their attention decreases”, says Zeller. “And in SimRacing especially, it needs to be high all the time to prevent mistakes from happening.”
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">“Lots of Possibilities”</h2>
This is where fitness comes into play. Put simply: If you are in better shape, you can concentrate for longer. To build or maintain it, going to the gym or hiring a personal trainer is not necessary. “There are lots of possibilities”, says Zeller. “If you have no knowledge yet, it is easiest to go online, for example to YouTube.” There, tutorials for simple workouts can be found, “functional training being one example, which is easily possible to do at home. You mostly train with your own bodyweight”, Zeller explains. Concentration exercises can be found as well: “You can do a lot with balls, throw them in the air, catching them, even catch them crosswise”, says Zeller.
These kinds of exercises are not far from those used for conventional sports. “When it comes to sports and healthy nutrition, you can easily go with the general recommendations”, says Zeller. “It is all part of it and has a positive effect on your performance in both the middle and long term.” This goes to show: SimRacing is closer to motorsports than you might think in this regard as well.

ADAC DMSB Fitness Nutrition Course

Advantage in Concentration: How Fitness Benefits SimRacers

The Spa 24H iRacing Special Event turned heads due to a questionable tactic - now, the correct reaction is essential.

Special events are highlights of the iRacing calendar, and the 24 Hours of Spa, just a week ahead of the real race, ranks among the most popular contests in that regard. As a result, the event receives widespread attention – and the many watchful eyes were surprised to see the cars of top esports teams deliberately run over the grass with two wheels, exploiting a loophole in the tire model. The result was not exactly a good look for SimRacing.
Motorsports and SimRacing are both about finding those precious extra tenths and exploring the limits of what is possible. Any engineer or driver will try to find loopholes to have an advantage over the competition, and this approach was particularly obvious at the Spa special event: Looking down the Kemmel Straight towards the oncoming cars, the in-game camera picture looked like a bug or glitch had occurred, with most of the cars only being on the track with two wheels, the other two in the grass.
This was a deliberate practice, as doing so allows to cool the tires down and reduce pressures, which was said to be worth up to half a second per lap. Of course, the tactic would not work in a real race – which iRacing is trying to emulate after all – as the tires would stay dirty way longer than in the sim, reducing grip. Not to mention the unforeseeable bumps of a grassy surface, which could potentially upset the car enough to crash or spin out.
The tactic was known before the event, and iRacing’s relatively lax approach to penalizing it may have contributed to the problem enormously: Top esports racing organizations were fine with receiving a one-week ban for a better performance at the special event, and most did not want to be left behind if they were to do without the grass-running - the service itself likely did not expect, just like most, that the exploit would be used in such a prominent way. As a result, the top split offered an almost comedic picture where cars were not really racing on the actual track for considerable parts of the lap – something that likely will not help the perception of SimRacing as a serious discipline.&nbsp;
Of course, not everybody was keen to play this game. Urano eSports decided to retire all three of its cars on moral grounds, stating that they did not want to use the exploit, to positive feedback on Twitter.

iRacing Spa 24H Special Event

"Grass Gate" of Spa: iRacing Needs to React Correctly

How to move forward from here, though? Disqualifying every team that ran on the grass would likely be an enormous amount of work, and the special event is not part of a championship anyway. Increasing the penalty for longer bans retroactively would also not necessarily be ideal, as the event had multiple splits and start times over the weekend, meaning the sheer amount of teams to review would be incredibly high. Harsher penalties in the future may be the way to go in this case, until the tire model is adjusted to make the tactic no longer viable.&nbsp;
So far, iRacing has not officially released any statements on the situation. If the sim and its events want to be taken seriously in the future, iRacing needs to act and seal this loophole and others like it. The next special event in which running on the grass would be possible is the Bathurst 1000 in September. Plenty of time to fix an issue that could hurt the reputation of SimRacing – if it has not done so already.

"Grassgate" of Spa: iRacing Needs to React Correctly

Due to the enormous presence of GT3 cars in SimRacing, the GT4 class is often overlooked - which is a shame.

The name of the game in SimRacing is GT3, and it has been for a few years – be it for competitive or fun events. Assetto Corsa Competizione, iRacing, rFactor 2, RaceRoom and Automobilista 2 all feature the class at varying degrees of depth – but what is often overlooked is the class right beneath it: GT4. And that should not be.
There is no doubt about it: GT3 is currently the most popular class, and GT4 is mostly an afterthought. ACC’s representation of the class is not available unless you buy the corresponding DLC, and in addition, the quicker cars one class up are still approachable, meaning there is little incentive to give their slower brethren a spin.
Granted, it is easy to see why that may be. GT4 cars look a bit less racecar-ish, with less sophisticated aero and no aggressive body kits. They are slightly slower in the corners, need slightly longer brake distances, and are slightly slower over the course of a lap, all things considered. However, there is one area in which they are at least equal to their faster cousins: fun.
GT4 cars may not stick to the track like GT3 vehicles, but that makes many of them feel more alive. Pinpoint precision is still rewarded, thought keeping the rear end in check can be a challenge in some cases. They are not too far off when it comes to top speed either, which is mostly down to the lighter weight of the GT3 cars. Interestingly, power outputs are relatively similar as well, with Mercedes-AMG’s GT3 model only having 6 more hp available than the GT4 version’s 544, according to the manufacturer.
The cars are lightly modified versions of their road-going counterparts, meaning they share a lot of their characteristics as well. This makes for an exciting mixture of cars with different strengths and weaknesses, just like in GT3. Designed as an entry-level class to GT racing, GT4 cars may help with developing race craft, but experienced SimRacers will find some fun in them as well. As they are relatively simple to drive, it is possible to try and find the limit rather than worrying about setups – at least not as much as in the faster cars.
Of course, hopping into a GT4 vehicle means a role reversal for multi-class races: Instead of looking for opportunities to lap slower cars, keeping an eye on your rear-view mirror is much more important now, while not losing focus on your own battles at the same time – a good bit of race craft to learn, even for faster cars.
Meanwhile, single-class events are very competitive as well: Just like GT3 cars, GT4 vehicles are subject to BoP adjustments, leading to tight races. They are used in numerous sprint series but are part of longer endurance races as well, such as the Nürburgring 24h race.
Giving the class a fair shot should therefore be a point on any SimRacer’s agenda. They might be missing out on serious fun if they do not – and all of the sims mentioned at the beginning of this article, save for rF2, include GT4 cars in their vehicle rosters.

ACC GT4 Porsche

Why You Should Give GT4 Cars A Chance

Too much respect of more experienced SimRacers? No need to overdo it - ideally, they will be able to help you improve.

The world of SimRacing can be intimidating – there always seems to be someone boasting a more impressive hardware setup or setting a faster lap time out there. For new SimRacers, the pace of others can often be a mental hurdle that keeps them from joining online races. That, however, is where they could potentially learn the most.
Practice makes perfect, and something along those lines is usually the first advice given to new SimRacers when they ask for tips on how to learn a certain track, car or a combination of both. That means most of them keep lapping the track in free practice or hot lap mode, because they do not want to disturb other racers online. Sure, a certain amount of car control and grasp of the basics of racing against other should be there, but the fear of ruining someone else’s session is often overblown – and keeps them from learning.
However, asking for advice is crucial if you hit a wall in your quest to improve your racing: Having someone look at your replays, for example, can help uncover certain habits that keep you from doing better. Even watching your own replays from outside of the car can help, as it can be hard to tell if you are using the full width of the track from the cockpit. Looking at your laps from chase cam, for example, can show you how much space you may leave unused.
On the other hand, many SimRacers upload their hotlaps to YouTube, and there are tons of streamers and content creators that race on video as well. These can be a good source of race craft being on show, which can serve as a base for newcomers to learn from. Seeing how things are done by SimRacers with more experience can lead to moments of realization that certain things should be differently, certain apexes need a different line on corner entry, or that certain corners are not made for overtaking.

<img src="/api/static/a66879675ecb3e09414e585474cfdf44.png" alt="ACC AMG GT3 Donington @SimRacing Unlimited" style="height: undefined;width: undefined"/>
Just like in sports, newcomers should not be afraid to ask more experienced participants for advice. If this means recording a lap and posting the replay to the SimRacing Reddit – go for it. Many helpful people will usually give good advice on how to improve, sometimes even with a corner-to-corner rundown. Even better: Join a league with friendly faces, and do not be afraid of letting them know that you are trying your best, but still have a lot to learn.
Ideally, you can get someone to go out on track with you and show you different cornering techniques, small setup tweaks or give you general advice. This does not just work with improving lap times: Race craft can be learned this way as well. Knowing when to go for an overtake or to back out of it, driving defensively and keeping out of trouble are important elements of motorsports and SimRacing, but they need experience to build confidence. Knowing where to start is very valuable in this regard.
The community thought is a strong point in SimRacing. Do not be afraid to ask if you do not know certain things, and if you can get other racers to show you how they do it, that is even better. As a bonus, you might make good friends along the way.

ACC AMG GT3 Donington

Don't Fear Asking for Help: How You Might Learn From OTher SimRacers

The American Track Pack adds three new DLC circuits to Assetto Corsa Competizione. SRU shows you what to expect from the new locations.

The long-awaited DLC for Assetto Corsa Competizione is here: With the American Track Pack, Kunos Simulazioni adds three new locations to its GT simulation as Watkins Glen, Indianapolis and the Circuit of the Americas join the lineup. A hotfix delivers a few small adjustments to go along with the release of the new circuits.
Three brand-new tracks for ACC fans to race at – and all three of them have been the home of the United States Grand Prix at some point: From 1961 to 1980, Watkins Glen hosted Formula 1 on a fall date that quickly became tradition. The road course of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – famous for the legendary Indy 500 hosted on its 2,5-mile super speedway oval configuration – saw F1 compete from 2000 to 2007, and COTA has been playing host to the World Championship since 2012, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
Today, all three circuits are part of the GT World Challenge America and raise the number of US tracks in ACC to four, as Laguna Seca had been introduced in the Intercontinental GT Pack in early 2020. Just like previous DLCs, the circuits have been brought to virtual life in an impressive way and with the usual Kunos quality. SimRacing Unlimited introduces you to the new locations.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Watkins Glen</h2>

<img src="/api/static/a05c961927217304b7b23f26521ced04.png" alt="Assetto Corsa Competizione American Track Pack Watkins Glen @Kunos Simulazioni" style="height: undefined;width: undefined"/>
Set in upstate New York, “the Glen” is a classic track that flows very well within the landscape, including exciting elevation changes. There are barely any slow corners at the track, even for GT cars – most of them are mid-speed turns that require drivers to keep up their momentum and perfect their lines through them in order to achieve good lap times and speeds on the following straights.
Key turns include the Inner Loop, a fast double chicane at the end of the long straight as drivers finish the first sector, where they need to take just enough of the curbs to keep up their speed but not get taken out by their bumps, and the final turn – it is quick, but be careful not to run slightly wide and tap the wall one exit. Not extending the first turn to avoid a track limit penalty is very important as well.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Indianapolis</h2>

<img src="/api/static/1b9a7cb31001d53bd5cd3418a0498e98.png" alt="Assetto Corsa Competizione American Track Pack Indianapolis @Kunos Simulazioni" style="height: undefined;width: undefined"/>
Using the start/finish straight of the famous oval in reverse direction as well as parts of the first oval turn, most of the track is set in the spacious infield of the facility. As a result, elevation changes are minimal, and space for wheel-to-wheel battles is plentiful.
Compared to its F1 days, the road course has been changed, with a series of corners bypassing most of the banked oval turn, as well as the two former hairpin turns before re-entering the oval part of the track having been reworked to be less tight. GT cars do not use the same layout as the IndyCar series that also races on the road course, omitting the fast chicane after turn 4 in favor of using the loop that F1 used at the time as well.
Finding your braking points can be tough at Indy as most of the time, the distance boards are the only brake markers available – be careful though, as they are not using meters, but rather feet as a unit of measurement to let you know how far the turn is away. This may take some time to adjust if you are used to the boards using the metric system.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Circuit of the Americas</h2>

<img src="/api/static/4e1c647926d1405656fffe2057788430.png" alt="Assetto Corsa Competizione American Track Pack COTA @Kunos Simulazioni" style="height: undefined;width: undefined"/>
Often shortened to COTA, this state-of-the-art circuit has been opened in 2012 and was designed to be the new home of the F1 United States Grand Prix. This means its facilities are very modern, and unlike Watkins Glen, most of the run-off is tarmac, so be aware of staying within track limits.
The track has enormous elevation changes, especially noticeable at turn one with its braking zone situated on a steep hill – in a bit of a play on words, the turn has been named after 1961 F1 World Champion Phil Hill. From there, drivers hurtle back down the hill to enter the trick and very technical esses section, which is followed by long straights, tight turns with tricky apexes and a semi-replica of Istanbul Park’s famous turn 8.
Should you race here at night, be prepared for a great lighting atmosphere, including laser shows filling the night sky and a fully-lit trademark tower.
The American Track Pack DLC is out now and can be purchased on <a href="The long-awaited DLC for Assetto Corsa Competizione is here: With the American Track Pack, Kunos Simulazioni adds three new locations to its GT simulation as Watkins Glen, Indianapolis and the Circuit of the Americas join the lineup. A hotfix delivers a few small adjustments to go along with the release of the new circuits. Three brand-new tracks for ACC fans to race at – and all three of them have been the home of the United States Grand Prix at some point: From 1961 to 1980, Watkins Glen hosted Formula 1 on a fall date that quickly became tradition. The road course of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – famous for the legendary Indy 500 hosted on its 2,5-mile super speedway oval configuration – saw F1 compete from 2000 to 2007, and COTA has been playing host to the World Championship since 2012, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Today, all three circuits are part of the GT World Challenge America and raise the number of US tracks in ACC to four, as Laguna Seca had been introduced in the Intercontinental GT Pack in early 2020. SimRacing Unlimited introduces you to the new locations. Watkins Glen Set in upstate New York, “the Glen” is a classic track that flows very well within the landscape, including exciting elevation changes. There are barely any slow corners at the track, even for GT cars – most of them are mid-speed turns that require drivers to keep up their momentum and perfect their lines through them in order to achieve good lap times and speeds on the following straights. Key turns include the Inner Loop, a fast double chicane at the end of the long straight as drivers finish the first sector, where they need to take just enough of the curbs to keep up their speed but not get taken out by their bumps, and the final turn – it is quick, but be careful not to run slightly wide and tap the wall one exit. Not extending the first turn to avoid a track limit penalty is very important as well. Indianapolis Using the start/finish straight of the famous oval in reverse direction as well as parts of the first oval turn, most of the track is set in the spacious infield of the facility. As a result, elevation changes are minimal, and space for wheel-to-wheel battles is plentiful. Compared to its F1 days, the road course has been changed, with a series of corners bypassing most of the banked oval turn, as well as the two former hairpin turns before re-entering the oval part of the track having been reworked to be less tight. GT cars do not use the same layout as the IndyCar series that also races on the road course, omitting the fast chicane after turn 4 in favor of using the loop that F1 used at the time as well. Finding your braking points can be tough at Indy as most of the time, the distance boards are the only brake markers available – be careful though, as they are not using meters, but rather feet as a unit of measurement to let you know how far the turn is away. This may take some time to adjust if you are used to the boards using the metric system. Circuit of the Americas Often shortened to COTA, this state-of-the-art circuit has been opened in 2012 and was designed to be the new home of the F1 United States Grand Prix. This means its facilities are very modern, and unlike Watkins Glen, most of the run-off is tarmac, so be aware of staying within track limits. The track has enormous elevation changes, especially noticeable at turn one with its braking zone situated on a steep hill – in a bit of a play on words, the turn has been named after 1961 F1 World Champion Phil Hill. From there, drivers hurtle back down the hill to enter the trick and very technical esses section, which is followed by long straights, tight turns with tricky apexes and a semi-replica of Istanbul Park’s famous turn 8. Should you race here at night, be prepared for a great lighting atmosphere, including laser shows filling the night sky and a fully-lit trademark tower. The American Track Pack DLC is out now and can be purchased on Steam." target="_self">Steam</a> for €17.99.

ACC American Track Pack Watkins Glen

ACC DLC is Here: Here's What to Look Forward to in the American Track Pack

The long-awaited DLC for Assetto Corsa Competizione is here: With the American Track Pack, Kunos Simulazioni adds three new locations to its GT simulation as Watkins Glen, Indianapolis and the Circuit of the Americas join the lineup. A hotfix delivers a few small adjustments to go along with the release of the new circuits.
Three brand-new tracks for ACC fans to race at – and all three of them have been the home of the United States Grand Prix at some point: From 1961 to 1980, Watkins Glen hosted Formula 1 on a fall date that quickly became tradition. The road course of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – famous for the legendary Indy 500 hosted on its 2,5-mile super speedway oval configuration – saw F1 compete from 2000 to 2007, and COTA has been playing host to the World Championship since 2012, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
Today, all three circuits are part of the GT World Challenge America and raise the number of US tracks in ACC to four, as Laguna Seca had been introduced in the Intercontinental GT Pack in early 2020. Just like previous DLCs, the circuits have been brought to virtual life in an impressive way and with the usual Kunos quality. SimRacing Unlimited introduces you to the new locations.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Watkins Glen</h2>

<img src="/api/static/a05c961927217304b7b23f26521ced04.png" alt="Assetto Corsa Competizione American Track Pack Watkins Glen @Kunos Simulazioni" style="height: ;width: "/>
Set in upstate New York, “the Glen” is a classic track that flows very well within the landscape, including exciting elevation changes. There are barely any slow corners at the track, even for GT cars – most of them are mid-speed turns that require drivers to keep up their momentum and perfect their lines through them in order to achieve good lap times and speeds on the following straights.
Key turns include the Inner Loop, a fast double chicane at the end of the long straight as drivers finish the first sector, where they need to take just enough of the curbs to keep up their speed but not get taken out by their bumps, and the final turn – it is quick, but be careful not to run slightly wide and tap the wall one exit. Not extending the first turn to avoid a track limit penalty is very important as well.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Indianapolis</h2>

<img src="/api/static/1b9a7cb31001d53bd5cd3418a0498e98.png" alt="Assetto Corsa Competizione American Track Pack Indianapolis @Kunos Simulazioni" style="height: ;width: "/>
Using the start/finish straight of the famous oval in reverse direction as well as parts of the first oval turn, most of the track is set in the spacious infield of the facility. As a result, elevation changes are minimal, and space for wheel-to-wheel battles is plentiful.
Compared to its F1 days, the road course has been changed, with a series of corners bypassing most of the banked oval turn, as well as the two former hairpin turns before re-entering the oval part of the track having been reworked to be less tight. GT cars do not use the same layout as the IndyCar series that also races on the road course, omitting the fast chicane after turn 4 in favor of using the loop that F1 used at the time as well.
Finding your braking points can be tough at Indy as most of the time, the distance boards are the only brake markers available – be careful though, as they are not using meters, but rather feet as a unit of measurement to let you know how far the turn is away. This may take some time to adjust if you are used to the boards using the metric system.
<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Circuit of the Americas</h2>

<img src="/api/static/4e1c647926d1405656fffe2057788430.png" alt="Assetto Corsa Competizione American Track Pack COTA @Kunos Simulazioni" style="height: ;width: "/>
Often shortened to COTA, this state-of-the-art circuit has been opened in 2012 and was designed to be the new home of the F1 United States Grand Prix. This means its facilities are very modern, and unlike Watkins Glen, most of the run-off is tarmac, so be aware of staying within track limits.
The track has enormous elevation changes, especially noticeable at turn one with its braking zone situated on a steep hill – in a bit of a play on words, the turn has been named after 1961 F1 World Champion Phil Hill. From there, drivers hurtle back down the hill to enter the trick and very technical esses section, which is followed by long straights, tight turns with tricky apexes and a semi-replica of Istanbul Park’s famous turn 8.
Should you race here at night, be prepared for a great lighting atmosphere, including laser shows filling the night sky and a fully-lit trademark tower.
The American Track Pack DLC is out now and can be purchased on <a href="The long-awaited DLC for Assetto Corsa Competizione is here: With the American Track Pack, Kunos Simulazioni adds three new locations to its GT simulation as Watkins Glen, Indianapolis and the Circuit of the Americas join the lineup. A hotfix delivers a few small adjustments to go along with the release of the new circuits. Three brand-new tracks for ACC fans to race at – and all three of them have been the home of the United States Grand Prix at some point: From 1961 to 1980, Watkins Glen hosted Formula 1 on a fall date that quickly became tradition. The road course of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – famous for the legendary Indy 500 hosted on its 2,5-mile super speedway oval configuration – saw F1 compete from 2000 to 2007, and COTA has been playing host to the World Championship since 2012, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Today, all three circuits are part of the GT World Challenge America and raise the number of US tracks in ACC to four, as Laguna Seca had been introduced in the Intercontinental GT Pack in early 2020. SimRacing Unlimited introduces you to the new locations. Watkins Glen Set in upstate New York, “the Glen” is a classic track that flows very well within the landscape, including exciting elevation changes. There are barely any slow corners at the track, even for GT cars – most of them are mid-speed turns that require drivers to keep up their momentum and perfect their lines through them in order to achieve good lap times and speeds on the following straights. Key turns include the Inner Loop, a fast double chicane at the end of the long straight as drivers finish the first sector, where they need to take just enough of the curbs to keep up their speed but not get taken out by their bumps, and the final turn – it is quick, but be careful not to run slightly wide and tap the wall one exit. Not extending the first turn to avoid a track limit penalty is very important as well. Indianapolis Using the start/finish straight of the famous oval in reverse direction as well as parts of the first oval turn, most of the track is set in the spacious infield of the facility. As a result, elevation changes are minimal, and space for wheel-to-wheel battles is plentiful. Compared to its F1 days, the road course has been changed, with a series of corners bypassing most of the banked oval turn, as well as the two former hairpin turns before re-entering the oval part of the track having been reworked to be less tight. GT cars do not use the same layout as the IndyCar series that also races on the road course, omitting the fast chicane after turn 4 in favor of using the loop that F1 used at the time as well. Finding your braking points can be tough at Indy as most of the time, the distance boards are the only brake markers available – be careful though, as they are not using meters, but rather feet as a unit of measurement to let you know how far the turn is away. This may take some time to adjust if you are used to the boards using the metric system. Circuit of the Americas Often shortened to COTA, this state-of-the-art circuit has been opened in 2012 and was designed to be the new home of the F1 United States Grand Prix. This means its facilities are very modern, and unlike Watkins Glen, most of the run-off is tarmac, so be aware of staying within track limits. The track has enormous elevation changes, especially noticeable at turn one with its braking zone situated on a steep hill – in a bit of a play on words, the turn has been named after 1961 F1 World Champion Phil Hill. From there, drivers hurtle back down the hill to enter the trick and very technical esses section, which is followed by long straights, tight turns with tricky apexes and a semi-replica of Istanbul Park’s famous turn 8. Should you race here at night, be prepared for a great lighting atmosphere, including laser shows filling the night sky and a fully-lit trademark tower. The American Track Pack DLC is out now and can be purchased on Steam." target="_self">Steam</a> for €17.99.

ADAC SimRacing Expo 2022 introduces its event partner: The RETRO CLASSICS is far more than a vintage car fair.

In 2022, an all-new ADAC SimRacing Expo is going to excite SimRacers from all over the world – but it is not going to do this alone: In the RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA, the event has a brand-new partner whose fair is going to take place at the same time as the Expo. What can you expect at NürnbergMesse from December 1st to 4th? Meet our partner RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA!
At first glance, it would be easy to say that RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA is a big classic car fair – but that is just one part of the philosophy of the event: Self-described as a fair for “Fahrkultur”, meaning driving culture, their portfolio includes apparel, culinary elements, model cars, and much more. SimRacing first became a part of this for the first time in December 2021, when the ADAC SimRacing Expo showed RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA visitors what racing in a simulator is all about at a special event space in Nuremberg.
This year, both events are going to take place alongside each other, creating the unique opportunity for both to bring the respective other to the attention of their visitors. Car enthusiasts might catch the SimRacing bug, as many did at the 2021 RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA or at RETRO CLASSICS Stuttgart in 2022, where the ADAC SimRacing Expo was present with a preview space again. SimRacers may find themselves excited by the classic cars, models and other elements of RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA, which they otherwise might not have seen in person.
“I think it is an incredible addition to our motto of driving culture”, RETRO CLASSICS founder Karl Ulrich Herrmann said at the 2021 event. “SimRacing is making its way through the entire scene, no matter if it is 60-year-olds, 40-year-olds, old timer enthusiasts, people with connections to real racing – it is a part of it.”
This opens the door for a unique experience when both events take place from December 1st to 4th at Nürnberg Messe – not even two kilometers from the classic Norisring street circuit.

SRE22 RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA Partner

Our Partner Event: RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA

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Why You Should Give GT4 Cars A Chance

Don't Fear Asking for Help: How You Might Learn From OTher SimRacers

ACC DLC is Here: Here's What to Look Forward to in the American Track Pack

Our Partner Event: RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA