McLaren goes sim racing by announcing a new sim rig and this week’s Sim Racing Roundup has all the details. I also have the journeys of some sim racers making the leap to real-world racing, reviews of F1 25 and an incredible simulated lap of Imola featuring none other than Andrea Kimi Antonelli. All this and much more!
From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
Racing Unleashed and McLaren Racing have unveiled the McLaren Racing Motion Simulator. Developed in close collaboration, this state-of-the-art simulator represents a breakthrough in racing simulation technology, combining precision engineering, immersive realism, and cutting-edge innovation. Now available for purchase, it delivers an unparalleled racing experience for sim racers and McLaren Racing enthusiasts.
“This partnership brings together the best of both worlds—McLaren Racing’s motorsport excellence and our cutting-edge simulation technology—to create a truly game-changing product for sim racers and motorsport enthusiasts alike,” said Florian Hürlimann, CTO of Racing Unleashed. “The simulator’s placement at the McLaren Technology Centre is a great honor and reflects McLaren Racing’s commitment to innovation and its belief in the potential of this project.”
Matt Dennington, Co-Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Racing, added: “We’re thrilled to be working with Racing Unleashed to be able to bring a new experience to racing fans. It’s an exciting proposition to be replicating our race cars for the sim space and give users an extremely accurate representation of what it is like to drive the real thing.”
A record-breaking simulation racer from Banbury has hopes to become a professional race driver after being invited to attend an exclusive boot camp in the USA. Lifelong motorsport fan Katrina Edmunds first took up simulation racing out of boredom during the Covid-19 19 lockdowns.
When Katrina’s job at Daventry-based Race Anywhere took her to February’s Autosport International show at Birmingham’s NEC, she had a go on a simulation racing rig that was set up for people to use.
Once Katrina completed her simulation race, she was informed that she had set the fastest time of the show and had qualified for a Racing Prodigy pass.
Katrina said: “My dad raced karts and minis when he was younger, and he took me to my first Formula One testing day at age seven, and I’ve been in love with the sport ever since.”
Larry Velasquez explains how esports brands are fueling real-world racing. “The sim racing world isn’t just a playground for casual gamers anymore; it’s a launchpad for real-world partnerships, sponsorships, and even driver careers. Major sim hardware brands like Fanatec, Playseat, Heusinkveld, Sim-Lab, Next Level Racing, and SimCraft are stepping out of the virtual garage and onto actual tracks. They’re not just product providers, but legit sponsors and development partners.” Read more here.
SimCraft, the leader in high-fidelity motion simulation technology, is proud to announce its new partnership with Shift Up Now as a Corporate Member, and serving as the presenting sponsor of the 2025 iRacing Summer Series.
The 2025 iRacing Summer Series, offered exclusively for Members of The Inside Track by Shift Up Now, will consist of three competitive and fun virtual racing events across iconic circuits. Full details can be found here.
“It’s great to see SimCraft stepping up to support women in motorsport by becoming a Corporate Member of The Inside Track, and supporting our summer sim-racing series for Members. We love creating these opportunities for our friends and fans to race with our Athletes in the virtual world – in the same cars and tracks they’re competing in in the real world, too. We’re excited to share this summer’s lineup, and we’re thrilled to have SimCraft as the presenting sponsor.”Pippa Mann, CEO Shift Up Now
Professional race driver Tim Heinemann is now an Official Simucube Ambassador. I don’t just use the Simucube 2 Pro Wheel Base and the Active Pedal on my simulators—I’ll also be proudly carrying the Simucube logo on my helmet. With over 15 years of simracing experience and insights from real-world racing in series such as DTM, GT World Challenge, and the 24h Nürburgring, I’m excited to contribute my expertise to the development of future products.
On top of that, my Porsche 911 GT3 R profile for the Active Pedal—which I’ve been working on for quite some time—will be available soon. It’s based on real-world data and measurements to provide an ultra-authentic experience. I’m really looking forward to this partnership!
The motorsports scene in Bangladesh has long been constrained by limited infrastructure and a lack of formal driver development initiatives. While interest in competitive racing has increased in recent years, the country has historically lacked dedicated racing facilities, standardised coaching systems, and clear progression pathways for aspiring racers.
In an effort to address these gaps, the Automobile Association of Bangladesh (AAB) has recently launched the Motorsport Academy, offering structured training programmes designed to develop professional racing talent. The academy currently runs three sequential courses – beginner, intermediate and advanced – each requiring successful completion of exams to progress. Read more about the initiative here.
Max Verstappen is dedicated sim racer and has a rather effective approach to make sure it remains a part of his life. ‘’I like to race myself besides F1. Whenever I can combine all those things together, I mean, there are 24 hours in a day, so if you can spend a few hours in the sim it works out.” Read more about what he has to say about sim racing here.
Multimatic has invested $5 million in an advanced racing simulator located in Novi, Michigan that drastically cuts vehicle development time and costs for automakers and race teams by enabling extensive virtual testing. Beyond racing, the technology is used to refine the feel of everyday cars, aiming for safer and more efficient designs. Fox 2 has more details and watch their video above.
A video lasting 1 hour, 26 minutes, and 48 seconds is taking the Formula 1 and sim racing communities by storm. Created by YouTuber Smooth Sim Racer, this ultra-realistic and immersive simulation of F1 24, featuring F1 25 mods and full VR, stars none other than Andrea Kimi Antonelli. And in this virtual experience, the young Italian driver lives out a dream scenario: winning his home Grand Prix at Imola in truly legendary fashion. Get more details here and watch the video above.
Competitive Sim Racing News
Motorsport UK Esports is once again hosting a competitive iRacing sim racing competition, for both Pro and Am drivers, as the Abruzzi Prototype Challenge returns.
Run by the sim racing arm of the UK’s motorsport governing body, participants will take part across two car classes – LMDh (GTP) and GT3. There will be both Pro (for drivers with over 3,000 iRating) and Am categories for both vehicle types.
As ever, each race will feature a stewarding process by Motorsport UK, with an incident review process. The competition will also be broadcast live on RaceSpot TV and Motorsport UK TV. Traxion has more details.
Here are more headlines from the world of competitive sim racing
- Ferrari HP Esports Series unveils dates and format for 2025 season (Esports Insider)
- This Week in iRacing | June 3-June 9, 2025 (iRacing)
- Lucas Blakeley departs McLAREN Shadow (McLaren)
- Red Bull and Redline further strengthen lineup with Luke McKeown signing (Traxion)
- Ismael Fahssi Joins the Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports Team (Ferrari)
Sim Racing Tips & Techniques
Sim Racing: The Birth of Muscle Memory (Box This Lap)
Sim Racing Tech Roundup
Here is a roundup of the latest sim racing tech news, reviews, and recommendations from around the world
- Audi Gaming Seats Combine Sim Racing and Office Chair Ergonomics (The Drive)
- I tested the Thrustmaster T128 and was surprised at just how well it performs for the price (Tech Radar)
- I went hands-on with Nacon’s new Revosim gear, and I’m excited by what its customizable ecosystem means for racing games (Games Radar)
- Moza releases replica Revuelto wheel, giving us poors a chance at going hands on with a Lamborghini (PC Gamer)
- There’s A Full Motion Kart Simulator For Sale (Silodrome)
- NACON Announces The Availability Of The Revosim RS Pure Bundle And Unveils Rest Of Its Sim Racing Ecosystem (PR)
- Nacon enters the direct drive sim racing game – and hands-on impressions are positive (Euro Gamer)
- F1 25 Launch: Steer into Savings with These Top Racing Wheel & Pedal Deals! (DCC)
- Best racing simulator cockpits for ultimate driving experience – expert reviews and recommendations (Cybernews)
- Sim Racing GPU Market: Making the Best of a Bad Situation (Box This Lap)
- F1 25 is here and these racing wheel discounts have arrived right in time (Games Radar)
- Thrustmaster T598 + Hypercar Wheel review: a great value PC/PS5 sim racing wheel and pedals built on novel tech (EuroGamer)
- RTX 5060: A Real Option for Sim Racing in 2025? (Box This Lap)
- 7 Best Wheels for F1 25: Top Picks for Every Platform & Budget (Racing Games)
General Sim Racing News
- F1 25 review: A feature-packed step forward (Traxion)
- F1 25 review – Codemasters’ strongest racing game in years (PC Games)
- F1 25 review: A Formula One game that knows where it’s going (Sportskeeda)
- F1 25 in VR: Finally, a step forward (Traxion)
- Is F1 25 game a big enough step forward? (The Race)
- F1 25 Interview – Path Tracing, LiDAR Scanning, My Team Mode, and More (Gaming Bolt)
- What to expect from upcoming F1 25 game patches (Traxion)
- WRC Franchise Returns to Nacon, Beginning in 2027 (GT Panet)
- GEN3 Evo goes live in Gameloft’s Asphalt Legends Unite (Formula E)
- Enjoy the Spanish F1 Grand Prix in Assetto Corsa (Box This Lap)
- GT Manager release is set for June 2nd on PC and Mac (PR)
- Endurance Motorsport Series preview: why hasn’t anyone thought of this before? (Top Gear)
- Latest Le Mans Ultimate DLC includes driver swaps, custom liveries and new content (Motorsport Week)
- Le Mans Ultimate: New LMGT3s, Lusail and much-requested features release next week (Traxion)
- ‘A fun spot’: Auto racing simulator studio opens in South Barrington, Illinois (Daily Herald)
- Is Xiaomi Coming to Gran Turismo? (GT Planet)
- Forza Horizon Founder’s New Studio is Working on a “AAA” Racing Game (GT Planet)
- Gran Turismo 8: What We Know So Far About the Next Evolution in Racing (9 Meters)
- VR Racing in 2025: From Arcade Dreams to Living Room Reality (Racing Games)
If you are going to the Sim Racing Expo this October, here are a few guides from Traxion:
- SimRacing Expo 2025 Live Stage guide
- SimRacing Expo 2025 exhibitor list
- SimRacing Expo 2025 travel guide
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.
