Sim racing

Sim racing is the collective term for racing games that attempt to accurately simulate auto racing,
complete with real-world variables such as fuel usage, damage, tire wear and grip, and suspension
settings.[4] To be competitive in sim racing, a driver must understand all aspects of car handling that
make real-world racing so difficult,[5] such as threshold braking, how to maintain control of a car as
the tires lose traction, and how properly to enter and exit a turn without sacrificing speed. It is this
level of difficulty that distinguishes sim racing from arcade racing-style driving games where real-
world variables are taken out of the equation and the principal objective is to create a sense of
speed as opposed to a sense of realism like the Need for Speed series.[6]

Jann Mardenborough, a sim racer, became

a professional Nissan racing driver by
playing Gran Turismo.[1][2][3]

FiA, the governing body for many auto

racing events including Formula One, use
various sim racing platforms such as Gran
Turismo, Assetto Corsa Competizione and
iRacing to host sanctioned racing
events.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

Due to the complexity and demands of mimicking real-life driving, racing sims require faster
computers to run effectively, as well as a steering wheel and pedals for the throttle and brakes for
the immersion.[14] While using a gamepad or even a mouse and keyboard, may suffice for most
arcade-style driving games on home systems, it would not provide the same level of immersion and
realism as using a racing wheel and pedals. In recent years, many sim racing experiences have been
developed for consoles, such as the PlayStation and Xbox.[15][16] While these games can be played
with a controller, it is recommended that players invest in a racing wheel and pedals. With the
development of online racing, the ability to drive against human opponents and computer AI offline
is the closest many would come to driving cars on a real track.[17][18][19] Even those who race in real-
world competition use simulations for practice or for entertainment.[20] With continued development
of the physics engine software that forms the basis of these sims, as well as improved hardware
(providing tactile feedback), the experience has become more realistic.

The sim racing gameplay style has been applied in several video games, such as iRacing, Assetto
Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione, Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport, and more.[21][22][23][24]

History of sim racing

Arcade simulator era (1982–1989)

Prior to the division between arcade-style racing and sim racing, the earliest attempts at providing
driving simulation experiences were arcade racing video games, dating back to Pole Position,[25] a
1982 arcade game developed by Namco, which the game's publisher Atari publicized for its
"unbelievable driving realism" in providing a Formula 1 experience behind a racing wheel at the time.
It featured other AI cars to race against, crashes caused by collisions with other vehicles and
roadside signs, and introduced a qualifying lap concept where the player needs to complete a time
trial before they can compete in Grand Prix races.[26] It also pioneered the third-person rear-view
perspective used in most racing games since then, with the track's vanishing point swaying side to
side as the player approaches corners, accurately simulating forward movement into the
distance.[27] In a 2007 retrospective review, Eurogamer called it "a simulation down to the core: those
dedicated will eventually reap success but most will be deterred by the difficulty".[28]

Many cars are digitally recreated for sim

racing like this BMW Z4 GT3 from Assetto
Corsa.[29]

Pole Position II was released in 1983 and featured several improvements like giving the player the
choice of different race courses.[30] TX-1, developed by Tatsumi in 1983,[31] was licensed to
Namco,[32] who in turn licensed it to Atari in America,[32] thus the game is considered a successor to
Pole Position II.[32] TX-1, however, placed a greater emphasis on realism, with details such as forcing
players to brake or downshift the gear during corners to avoid the risk of losing control, and let go of
the accelerator when going into a skid in order to regain control of the steering. It also used force
feedback technology, which caused the steering wheel to vibrate, and the game also featured a
unique three-screen arcade display for a more three-dimensional perspective of the track. It also
introduced nonlinear gameplay by allowing players to choose which path to drive through after each
checkpoint, eventually leading to one of eight possible final destinations.[32]

Since the mid-1980s, it became a trend for arcade racing games to use hydraulic motion simulator
arcade cabinets.[33][34] The trend was sparked by Sega's "taikan" games, with "taikan" meaning "body
sensation" in Japanese.[34] The "taikan" trend began when Yu Suzuki's team at Sega (later known as
Sega AM2) developed Hang-On (1985), a racing video game where the player sits on and moves a
motorbike replica to control the in-game actions.[35] Hang-On was a popular Grand Prix style rear-
view motorbike racer,[36] was considered the first full-body-experience video game,[37] and was
regarded as the first motorbike simulator for its realism at the time, in both the handling of the
player's motorbike and the AI of the computer-controlled motorcyclists.[36] It used force feedback
technology and was also one of the first arcade games to use 16-bit graphics and Sega's "Super
Scaler" technology that allowed pseudo-3D sprite-scaling at high frame rates.[38] Suzuki's team at
Sega followed it with hydraulic motion simulator cabinets for later racing games, such as Out Run in
1986.[33]

In 1986, Konami released WEC Le Mans, an early car driving simulator based on the 24 Hours of Le
Mans. It attempted to realistically simulate car driving, with the car jumping up and down, turning
back and forth, and spinning up to 180 degrees, with an emphasis on acceleration, braking, and gear
shifting, along with the need for counter-steering to avoid spin-outs. It also featured a day-night
cycle, accurately simulated courses approved by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, and force feedback
to simulate road vibration in the form of a vibrating steering wheel that reacts to the driver's
acceleration and off-road bumps.[39] The first racing game with simulation pretensions on a home
system is believed to have been Chequered Flag, released by Psion on the 8-bit ZX Spectrum in
1983. REVS, followed in 1986. REVS was a Formula 3 sim that delivered a semi-realistic driving
experience by Geoff Crammond that ran on the Commodore 64 and BBC. REVS had a big fan base in
England, but not so much in the United States.[40]

3D polygon graphics appeared in arcade racing simulators with Namco's Winning Run (1988) and
Atari's Hard Drivin' (1989),[41] the latter also becoming a staple on home computers, where it was
one of the most widely played simulators up to that point. During the late 1980s to early 1990s,
arcade racing games such as Out Run and Virtua Racing (1992) had increasingly elaborate, hydraulic
motion simulator arcade cabinets,[33] with arcade racers such as Virtua Racing and Daytona USA
(1993) increasingly focused on simulating the speed and thrills of racing.[41] At the same time,
arcade racing games gradually moved away from the more difficult simulation style of Pole
Position.[28] By the early 1990s, arcade racing games had less emphasis on realistic handling or
physics, and more emphasis on fast-paced action, speed and thrills.

Emergence of sim racing genre (1989–1997)

Sim racing is generally acknowledged to have really taken off in 1989 with the introduction of
Papyrus Design Group's Indianapolis 500: The Simulation, designed by David Kaemmer and Omar
Khudari on 16-bit computer hardware. The game is often generally regarded as the personal
computer's first true auto racing simulation. Unlike most other racing games at the time,
Indianapolis 500 attempted to simulate realistic physics and telemetry, such as its portrayal of the
relationship between the four contact patches and the pavement, as well as the loss of grip when
making a high-speed turn, forcing the player to adopt a proper racing line and believable throttle-to-
brake interaction. It also featured a garage facility to allow players to enact modifications to their
vehicle, including adjustments to the tires, shocks and wings.[40] With Indy 500, players could race
the full 500 miles (800 km), where even a blowout after 450 miles (720 km) would take the player
out of the competition. The simulation sold over 200,000 copies. It was around this time that sim
racing began distinguishing itself from arcade-style racing. Consoles saw the release of Human
Entertainment's Fastest 1 for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1991. It was considered the most
realistic Formula 1 racing simulation up until that time.[42]

In 1991, Namco released the arcade game Mitsubishi Driving Simulator, co-developed with
Mitsubishi. It was a serious educational street driving simulator that used 3D polygon technology
and a sit-down arcade cabinet to simulate realistic driving, including basics such as ensuring the car
is in neutral or parking position, starting the engine, placing the car into gear, releasing the hand-
brake, and then driving. The player can choose from three routes while following instructions,
avoiding collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians, and waiting at traffic lights; the brakes are
accurately simulated, with the car creeping forward after taking the foot off the brake until the hand-
brake is applied. Leisure Line magazine considered it the "hit of the show" upon its debut at the 1991
JAMMA show. It was designed for use by Japanese driving schools, with a very expensive cost of
AU$150,000 or US$117,000 (equivalent to $282,000 in 2024) per unit.[43]

The next major milestone was the 1992 release of Formula One Grand Prix (AKA World Circuit in
some markets) by MicroProse, also developed by Geoff Crammond. This moved the genre along
significantly. Multiplayer was made possible by allowing different drivers to take turns, and racers
could also hook up their machines for racing via a null modem cable. This only allowed two drivers
to race. Leagues emerged where drivers would submit records of their single player races to
compare with other drivers. LFRS (Little Formula Racing Series) included 22 two teams consisting
of drivers from around the world racing various classes of sim racing in open and restricted setups.
Drivers were required to download event specific setup files for each class, to monitor frame rates
and apply a checksum to prevent tampering. Drivers saved their race and uploaded to the LFRS
server where race results determined overall [Link] is the first sim in which drafting/slip
streaming was possible.

Papyrus followed up Indy 500 with IndyCar Racing in 1993 and F1GP was surpassed in all areas.
Papyrus later released more tracks and a final expansion included the Indianapolis track plus a
paintkit. Now drivers could easily customize their cars. IndyCar Racing sold around 300,000 copies.
The first variant of Papyrus' NASCAR Racing series was launched in 1994. In SVGA (640×480) it
pushed the PCs of the time to the limit. Suddenly a resolution of 320×200 seemed a poor option and
NASCAR Racing was the race sim of choice for anyone with a capable PC, particularly in North
America. It was the first sim where cars no longer looked like boxes. It keyed in on sophisticated
physics modeling. NASCAR Racing sold over one million units. Moreover, the first real online racing
started with NASCAR Racing using the "Hawaii" dial-in servers and it was not uncommon for these
early sim racers to have $300 to $1500 phone bills. Online racing had seen its first true realization,
and to many, this was the dawn of "real" sim racing.[44]

1995 saw the release of IndyCar Racing II, updating the first version with the new NASCAR graphics
engine. A year later, MicroProse released the successor to F1GP, Grand Prix 2, to much anticipation.
GP2 became successful not just because of its detailed and thorough simulation of the 1994
Formula 1 season, but also because it was customizable; this was achievable by way of the online
community. Players could change everything about the game: drivers, teams, graphics, physics, car
shapes, and eventually even the racetracks. Offline leagues reached their peak with GP2 in 1998.

In 1996, NASCAR Racing 2 was released, further improving the original, and the number of sim
racers exploded. The TEN multiplayer hosting service was introduced and went live in November
1997 with the backing of NASCAR and the online sim racing community grew. In 1997, Gran Turismo
was released for the PlayStation. It was considered the most realistic racing simulation for consoles
at the time, featuring a wealth of meticulous tuning options and an open-ended career mode where
players had to undertake driving tests to acquire driving licenses, earn their way into races and
choose their own career path.[45] It introduced the racing simulation genre to home consoles,[45][46]
becoming the basis for all modern racing simulations on video game consoles.[46]
 Gameplay from the first Gran Turismo
featuring a Mitsubishi FTO GPX

Graphics accelerator era (1997–2002)

Graphics accelerator cards brought a new level of realism to the graphics and physics of sim racing
games. These new graphics processing units provided texture mapping, antialiasing, particle effects
(i.e. fog, rain and snow), HDR and the capability to perform polygonal calculations faster, while
taking the load off of the main processor. F1 Racing Simulation by Ubisoft, was among the first to
utilize the new technology in 1997.

After years of development, Microprose released Grand Prix 3, which used a more modern graphics
engine and featured the same customizable structure of GP2. However, GP3 was not as well
received as its predecessor due to a lack of full online multiplayer and the fact it was based on the
same, outdated graphics engine as GP2. However, because of the graphical and physical similarities
between the two games, the game was popular with modders who were able to port mod tracks and
cars directly into GP3.

Another milestone in sim racing came in 1998 with the release of Papyrus’ Grand Prix Legends,
which was based on the 1967 F1 season. It was hailed as outstanding in all areas, especially in its
physics and sound design. For many players, their first real experience of sim racing was through
GPL or one of its many derivatives, such as NASCAR Racing 2003. The release of a groundbreaking
third-party add-on for GPL, VROC (Virtual Racers Online Connection), allowed players to join online
and race in leagues.

Despite its age, GPL has remained a common benchmark for racing simulators even in the modern
era, thanks to a strong community that continues to create new content for the game to this very
day. Modding teams even managed to further improve on the game's physics and create third-party
expansions for the following seasons, such as the 1969 season.

Wired magazine wrote an in-depth article about racing sims called 'Hard Drive' in their February 1997
issue.[47] In 1997, TORCS was released. Uniquely for racing sims, it was open source, making it even
easier for modding teams to add new features and even create whole new games (such as the
TORCS-based Speed Dreams).

Sega AM2's 1999 arcade game Ferrari F355 Challenge, later ported to the Dreamcast in 2000, was
considered the most accurate simulation of the Ferrari F355 possible up until that time; its focus on
realism was considered unusual for an arcade game at the time.[48]

Since Grand Prix Legends, its publisher Image Space Incorporated has produced its own sims such
as Sports Car GT in 1999 and the officially-licensed F1 series starting in 2000, all published by
Electronic Arts. Unlike the Papyrus sims, the physics are easily modified, and many communities
have been founded with the sole purpose of improving and updating MotorEngine-based games.
One such community, SimBin, later created their own company and have since released several
games themselves, including GTR – FIA GT Racing Game, GT Legends, GTR 2, RACE – The Official
WTCC Game, RACE 07, STCC – The Game, GTR Evolution, Race On and the free-to-play RaceRoom.[49]

Further developments (2003–present)

A complex simulation of the tire model became a key area of focus for developers. Games such as
Live for Speed developed by Scawen Roberts, Eric Bailey, and Victor van Vlaardingen in 2003, Image
Space Incorporated's rFactor in 2005, and Kunos Simulazioni's netKar Pro in 2006 each explored an
implementation of a complex tire simulation, including other areas of vehicle and physics modelling.

Live for Speed was one of the earliest games in the genre to feature online multiplayer in 2003. Its
combination of online features and its tire model implementation made for a popular release
game.[50] Over the course of over 20 years of development, numerous updates to the game's
physics engine have since been introduced, including a deeper simulation of tire wear, dynamic dirt,
flat spots, hot spots and tire wall deformation, suspension, aerodynamics, drivetrain, several
gearbox types, clutch overheating, car body damage, and engine damage.[51][52]

rFactor was notable for its initial download-only distribution model, and was originally released in
2005 with fictional cars and tracks. In 2012, they launched the open beta of its sequel, rFactor2. It
left beta in 2013, mostly unfinished, which was met with backlash from players. In 2016, however,
Dutch developer Studio 397 took over development, intending to revamp the title, making huge
efforts to rejuvenate the series with extensive customisation and detailed physics.[53]

Rally fans received the first true rally simulation in 2004 with Richard Burns Rally. 2001 FIA World
Rally Champion and namesake Richard Burns was involved in the development, giving feedback on
handling dynamics in particular.[54] It initially received mixed reviews upon release, but the game is
now recognised by the community as the best rally simulation available, thanks to its complex
physics engine and realistic portrayals of real-life courses.[55] Much like most sims from the graphic
accelerator and modern era, it is highly modifiable and has many third-party mods that introduce
anything from new cars to new physics.

Modding community SimBin evolved into SimBin Studios and released GTR 2 (itself a sequel to GTR
– FIA GT Racing Game) in 2006, a sports car racing simulator developed with input from the actual
teams which took part in the FIA GT Championship's 2003 and 2004 seasons. It received
widespread acclaim and has been noted for its high levels of technical and driving realism with
regard to sports car racing.[56]

David Kaemmer, co-founder of the now-defunct Papyrus Design Group,[57] released iRacing in 2008,
a multiplayer-oriented simulator run on a subscription model. The game retained the multi-body
physics system of NR2003, as well as some of the track presentation and multi-user packet code,
but everything else had been changed, or was made completely new, like the tire model and
graphics engine.[58] iRacing is one of the longest supported racing games in the genre, and the game
continually receives regular updates between 12-week competition seasons.[59] Continuous
improvements to the game's driving model have earned it recognition as the most realistic racing
simulation on the market from both critics and players.[60] In 2023, iRacing introduced the "Tempest"
dynamic weather system.[61]

Kunos Simulazioni began development on Assetto Corsa in 2010, a sim built on experience gained
from netKar Pro and Ferrari Virtual Academy but with an entirely new engine. It was released on
Windows through Steam's early access program in November 2013, with the full version released in
December 2014.[62] The new engine was designed to provide extensive and detailed tools for
modding, allowing players to create highly detailed content with minimal effort. The engine's flexible
modding capabilities have kept the game widely played for years beyond its lifespan,[63] with one
such third-party example known as "Custom Shaders Patch", adding modern graphical upgrades,
dynamic weather systems, and expanded functionality. In May 2019, Kunos Simulazioni launched
Assetto Corsa Competizione, the spiritual successor to Assetto Corsa, which used the official license
of the GT World Challenge and aimed to provide an accurate simulation of Group GT3 racing, using
the Unreal Engine 4 game engine.[64]

In 2013, Sector3 Studios, formerly SimBin Studios, released RaceRoom, a freemium simulator for
Microsoft Windows where players can expand the default cars with packs from major racing series,
such as Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. Around this time, Eugene Cojocar of Exotypos also
released X Motor Racing.[65] The first direct-drive wheel was also released commercially that year.[66]
In 2015, Slightly Mad Studios, launched Project CARS for Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It
was unique in that it was a crowdfunded effort, CARS standing for Community Assisted Racing
Simulator. The game used an improved version of the Madness engine from the Need for Speed:
Shift titles.[67] By taking advantage of newer hardware, Project CARS introduced a dynamic tire
model named "SETA", replacing the steady-state model based on lookup tables seen in previous
generation simulations.[68] Slightly Mad Studios' Project CARS 2 sequel in 2017 saw improvements
based on community feedback.[69]

The isiMotor2 and Madness engines saw use in Reiza Studios' Automobilista and Automobilista 2
games, featuring Fórmula Truck, rallycross, and some lesser-known Brazilian racing classes among
others.

Sim racing experienced an exponential rise in exposure in 2020, following the suspension of global
racing series due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[70] With no live races available, racing organisations,
teams, and broadcasters turned to virtual competitions to maintain fan engagement. Livestreams of
sim racing games from official racing series drew as many as 400,000 viewers.[70] Formula One's
Virtual Grands Prix drew 30 million viewers across multiple platforms. iRacing saw a 50% increase in
its subscription base in the first few months of 2020, reaching 160,000 subscribers in April of that
year.[71]

Initially releasing in early access, Studio 397 and Motorsport Games released Le Mans Ultimate on
22 July 2025,[72] an officially licensed simulation of the FIA World Endurance Championship and
European Le Mans Series. Built on an improved version of rFactor 2's isiMotor 2.5 physics engine, Le
Mans Ultimate became notable for its in-depth simulation of the Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh hybrid
systems.[73][74]

Online communities

In recent years, as international interest has grown, so has the online community and underground
racing circuit. These communities act as a focal point for users around the world to engage with
one another, coordinate racing schedules, exchange modded cars, tracks, discuss hardware
configurations and facilitate other communications. With the rising levels of competition in sim
racing, esports is also an ever-growing topic in the community.
Presence in motorsport

The growing fidelity of sim racing has led to its adoption in professional motorsport as a talent
pipeline for drivers, where it has allowed for opportunities to establish or relaunch a motorsport
career, such as with Lucas Ordóñez,[75] Jann Mardenborough,[76] William Byron,[77] Cem
Bölükbaşı,[78] Igor Fraga,[79] James Baldwin,[80] and Chris Lulham.[81] It has also grown to become a
suitable a training tool for drivers. 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Pro champion Laurin
Heinrich has previously described himself as a 'hybrid driver', frequently competing in officially-
sanctioned sim racing events alongside his real-world endeavours.[82]

In his free time, four-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion Max Verstappen competes in sim
racing. Having taken part in many sim racing competitions, Verstappen stated that it helps him with
his real life racing, keeping him "ready to go".[83] Verstappen is a member of Team Redline; a
multinational sim racing team,[84] and has won several marquee iRacing events with the team since
2019. Verstappen's activities in sim racing have gained notoriety from critics for clashing with Grand
Prix weekends in some cases, most notably in the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, where he criticised
Red Bull Racing's strategy calls and the handling and pace of the RB20 over team radio. Verstappen
had taken part in an iRacing sim racing event prior to the Grand Prix, racing until 3:00 a.m.[85][86]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several racing series used a variety of sim racing games as a
platform to host sanctioned events in response to the global disruption of motorsport. Following the
cancellation of part of the 2020 Formula One World Championship due to the pandemic, many
Formula One drivers, such as George Russell, Lando Norris, and Alexander Albon, took part in Virtual
Grands Prix, using the online features of the official F1 2020 video game.[87] The IndyCar Series also
held the IndyCar iRacing Challenge on iRacing as a temporary replacement for the suspended 2020
IndyCar Series, which featured full-time IndyCar drivers and guest drivers from series such as
Formula One and NASCAR.[88] The FIA World Endurance Championship held the Le Mans Virtual
Series on rFactor 2.[89]

Ranked multiplayer

Some racing games have introduced a multiplayer driver ranking system for organizing online
racing. There are usually two orthogonal types of driver rankings, one which ranks drivers according
to how safe they are on track and with respect to other drivers in avoiding incidents, and one
according to how fast they are. For the driver speed rating, an Elo rating system is typically used, as
a form of matchmaking to group together drivers of similar skills. The safety rating instead is
typically used as a form of licence which is required to access some classes of races.[90]
Sim racing games that include some form of ranked online racing are iRacing (with iRating and
safety rating), Gran Turismo Sport (with Driver Class and Sportsmanship Points),[91] Project CARS 2
(Racecraft Ranking and Skill Rating),[92][93] RaceRoom (with Reputation Rating and Rating), Gran
Turismo 7, and Assetto Corsa Competizione. Other sims have similar systems under development,
like Automobilista 2 and rFactor 2.

Esports

The ranked games and sims also include an esports division that shows off the high caliber drivers
in each sim. Some sims have both special events and championships series that put those drivers
on the big stage.

Assetto Corsa Competizione

During the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games, Assetto Corsa Competizione was used for the events
discipline titled Esports Cup. The race was contested with GT3-spec cars.[94]

iRacing

iRacing is home of the eNascar Coca-Cola iRacing Series, Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup,
World of Outlaws series, and more. The Coca-Cola series competes for 20 races in the 2023 season
for a total purse of $300,000 with $100,000 going to the champion. Live broadcasts are featured on
Twitch, YouTube and Facebook.[95]

Gran Turismo 7

In 2023, Gran Turismo 7 hosted the Olympic Esports Series, and was sanctioned by Fédération
Internationale de l'Automobile.[9][96][97]

Rennsport

In 2023, German esports organizer ESL announced a new sim racing competition in collaboration
with the new sim racing platform Rennsport. The championship, consisting of 2 separate seasons in
2023, offers a total prize money of €500,000.[98]

F1 Sim Racing

F1 Esports, renamed to F1 Sim Racing in 2023, was founded in 2017 and is annually hosted on F1's
official games during several shows in the late year. They have a current prize fund of $750,000 and
all ten teams from the real-life Formula One championship select three drivers to represent them,
with two of those drivers participating in select races. Brendon Leigh won the first two
championships, while current champion Frederik Rasmussen holds the record for the most wins and
poles in the series.

Mercedes-AMG

In August 2024, Mercedes-AMG recognized Assetto Corsa Competizione, iRacing, and Gran Turismo
7 as simulators for the Mercedes-AMG GT3 race car, and holds a competition for sim racers to win a
chance to test drive the Mercedes-AMG GT3 race car.[99]

See also

Direct-drive sim racing wheel

Simulator pedal

Full motion racing simulator

List of racing video games

Racing game

Vehicle simulation game

Virtual reality simulator

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