How Prema Racing prepares their drivers for the track using simulators is just one of the things you will learn in this week’s Sim Racing Roundup. You will also find out how BMW Motorsport put their sim racers through their paces in an alpine bootcamp, find out how iRacing helped create the layout for NASCAR’s Chicago street race and so much more!
From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
BMW M Motorsport had invited a select group of world-renowned sim racers and special guests on a three-day bootcamp in the mountains of Ebbs, Austria. The goal? To prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally for the upcoming 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh. But beyond that, it was a way to unplug from screens, reconnect with nature—and each other—and bring real-world team spirit to the digital paddock. Read about what went on at the bootcamp here.
Logan Reardon looks at how iRacing brought the NASCAR Chicago Street Course to life. “The value of sim racing is different from virtual reality versions of any other sport. If you’re playing “Madden” or “NBA 2K,” you aren’t actually doing the motions of football or basketball. In iRacing, you’re able to truly simulate what to feels like to drive a particular race car — from setting up the balance to managing tires and navigating treacherous tracks.”
Brian McRae, the founder of Top Flight Sim Racing looks at what he calls the sim racing identity crisis. Is it eSport, motorsport or something else entirely? “Sim racing has become a legitimate part of real-world Motorsport. Pro teams now test in the sim. IMSA, Formula E, and NASCAR all run official virtual series. Top drivers train on iRacing.com and Assetto Corsa between races. Whole communities have built structured leagues with pro-caliber discipline. Sim racing isn’t a gimmick. It’s a training ground, a content engine, and a commercial platform. More than that, it’s a culture. A culture that respects realism. That values execution. That shows up every week with discipline, even when there’s no trophy.”
The Game Matters article “Project Motor Racing’s Career Mode Highlights the Real Struggle of Motorsports Budgets” discusses the upcoming racing game by Straight4, which aims to authentically portray the financial challenges faced in professional motorsport. The career mode allows players to create their own racing teams, choosing their geographical base, which affects the series they can enter and the associated costs. Unlike traditional racing games, players must purchase cars rather than simply unlocking them, emphasizing the importance of managing budgets. The game also features a detailed sponsorship system, where different sponsors cover various costs, adding a layer of strategy to the gameplay. Project Motor Racing is set to release on November 25 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S. For more details, you can read the full article here.
In May 2024, Dynisma Ltd. delivered its world-leading simulator technology to PREMA Racing to facilitate new levels of driver and car development, in addition to race preparation. Watch the video above to see it in action.
Think you’ve got the brainpower to back up your race pace? Step in and take on the telemetry test with the Hexagon Future Skills Challenge. Designed to highlight the shared instincts between sim racers and manufacturing engineers, this challenge invites participants to compete in timed, data-driven scenarios inspired by real industry and racing challenges.
The quiz elements have been developed in collaboration with MENSA, the high IQ society known for assessing intelligence and problem-solving ability. Their input ensures the challenge reflects the mindset demanded by advanced manufacturing: fast, focused and data-literate. From analysing telemetry, adjusting strategy, or solving time-critical problems, this is where the instincts of esports meet the intelligence fuelling engineering and manufacturing innovation.
The first place winner will take home a full sim rig, perfect for perfecting your racecraft at home. They will also get an exclusive all day access pass to Red Bull F1 HQ.
Get more details here!
Competitive Sim Racing News
The Four-Nations Esports Cup is a new iRacing competition featuring drivers from the UK, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. This expansion builds upon the original 2022 British and Australian event and includes a pre-qualification period followed by a main event with two races. Drivers will compete in the McLaren 720 GT3 EVO, with the winning nation determined by combined driver points and individual prizes awarded.
Here are more headlines from the world of competitive sim racing
- NASCAR Euro Series and iRacing Announce Partnership to Bring European Pure Racing to the Virtual World (NASCAR Euro Series)
- NASCAR, iRacing, and PlayVS Renew Collegiate Sim Racing Partnership (eSports Advocate)
Sim Racing Tips & Techniques
Sim Racing Tech Roundup
- McLaren and Logitech G sign multi-year partnership deal to develop pro-quality racing sim hardware (PC Gamer)
- I’m an expert in sim racing wheels – here are five things to keep in mind when you’re buying one (Tech Radar)
- Within a Month, This Gamer Became Obsessed With “Simracing”: He Had to Sell His Dining Table to Upgrade His Setup (Indian Defense Review)
- Is This Summer the Right Time to Upgrade Your Sim Racing GPU? (Box This Lap)
- I tested three mid-range sim racing wheels – and it turns out the cheapest is the best (Tech Radar)
- Sim Racing Setup: First Rig Reviews and Reactions from the Community (The Portal)
Sim Racing News
- Ferrari F80 makes video game debut in The Crew Motorfest (Traxion)
- Fast Fusion’s Pure update improves image quality, adds three returning tracks (Traxion)
- A2RL launches SIM-Sprint Challenge virtual racing series (ATTI)
- “Enclave Race Lab” Driving Simulator Lounge Opens at The Motor Enclave (PR)
- The Kiwi developer shaping the future of F1 gaming (SpeedCafe)
- Project Motor Racing: Redefining Career Mode (Box This Lap)
- Assetto Corsa EVO PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions “in development”, but “good things need time” (Traxion)
- iRacing Summer Discounts Now Available (Box This Lap)
- How Assetto Corsa EVO is moving on from its “own goal” launch and preparing for the next match (Traxion)
- 2025 Steam Summer Sales (Box This Lap)
- What to expect from Assetto Corsa EVO’s first GT3 car (Traxion)
- Automobilista 2 gears up for new content with bug-fixing update (Traxion)
- Assetto Corsa Competizione could be updated “until EVO is ready to take the seat” (Traxion)
- Rennsport will release 18th September, in Japan at least (Traxion)
- F1 25 adds playable chapter scenarios inspired by F1 The Movie (Traxion)
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.
