The NASCAR iRacing driver pipeline is just one of the topics covered in this week’s Sim Racing Roundup. I also show you how a driver uses the sim to prepare for an IMSA race, what the latest FIA move means for esports, why sim racers should attend the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and much more!
From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
NASCAR is evolving. From going international to podium celebrations, the sport is definitely trying to keep up with the times. Among the changes, one particularly stands out – how drivers get an entry into the world of NASCAR. For decades, the road to NASCAR was lined with late-model stock cars, dusty bullrings, and relentless travel. But now, there’s a digital shortcut: iRacing. Read more here about how iRacing is becoming NASCAR’s next driver pipeline.
The inclusion of Esports in the FIA International Sporting Code represents a major opportunity of development for the future of the discipline. Here are a few articles looking at the decision and its implications.
- The inclusion of Esports in the International Sporting Code: a major opportunity of development for the future of the discipline (FIA)
- FIA Embraces Esports: A New Era for Motorsport (Box This Lap)
- FIA to Include Sim Racing in International Sporting Code (Overtake)
Terrence Dove explains why he thinks Max Verstappen is right about sims as a tool to develop race drivers. “With today’s simulators, the intensity is multiplied with the realism. The immersion is total, and flow experience is addictive. With a modern sim you can disappear for hours, and not see the light of day. You feel like a vampire and commensurately weird, but the subconscious learning is huge.”
FF Corse has announced a partnership with Base Performance Simulators who are offering a bespoke home simulator, tailored to drivers of Ferrari race cars. To complement the partnership, BPS and FF Corse have co-developed the official FF Corse Blade simulator – a purpose-built training tool designed for driver development. Featuring bespoke FF Corse livery, a two-pedal pedal box, VBOX Sim Pack, DDU, and BPS’s own professional-grade FW1 wheel, the simulator offers a focused, high-performance simulator tailored to the needs of FF Corse drivers.
The partnership with Base Performance Simulators also extends to the FF Corse GT Driver Academy, where BPS will host a dedicated driver development workshop at their Banbury HQ for the 2025 FF Corse Academy drivers. The event will include immersive simulator training, as well as physical performance sessions run by GridShark using the on-site gym facilities.
Full details can be found here.
Matching the adrenaline rush of real-world racing is the principal objective of simulation. Fans attending the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa on 26–29 June will be able to fully appreciate the rapid rate of progress in this fast-expanding field.
At the entrance to the Fan Village (accessed via the Ster entrance), the simulation area is sure to attract plenty of attention – particularly with the space reserved for E-MOTION On Tour. Known for its premium simulation centres around Europe, E-MOTION will present its new travelling arena for sim racing. It houses 10 high-end simulators developed by Louis Perrot, a sim racer turned professional driver who has made participating in the world’s biggest GT race one of his goals. E-MOTION’s objective is to bring virtual racing as close to reality as possible by offering activations at highly prestigious events.
More details can be found here.
As the popularity of esports and gaming has grown, so have associated legal issues, including those related to IP law. Alban Radivojevic explains how the newly established International Games and Esports Tribunal (IGET) is expected to assist. Read the full article here.
Competitive Sim Racing News
The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series returns for the 2025 season, continuing our mission to bridge the gap between sim racing and real-world motorsports. With over $500,000 in prizes at stake, this six-round competition offers sim racers the opportunity to earn the ultimate prize: a fully funded seat in the real-world Skip Barber Formula Race Series. Get all the details here.
Here are more headlines from the world of competitive sim racing
- Dani Bereznay departs Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports team amid exit rumours (Esports insider)
- Jake Benham joins McLAREN Shadow F1 Sim Racing Team
- iRacing: The Pressure No One Talks About (Box This Lap)
Sim Racing Tips & Techniques
Sim Racing Tech Roundup
- Next Level Racing presents the new PRS1 and PRS2 Seats (Box This Lap)
- When should you UPGRADE your Sim Racing Pedals? $100 vs $500 vs $1000 (Daily Downforce)
- Moza mBooster Active Pedal Review: Excessive, Exceptional (Car Throttle)
- Next Level Racing ELITE Racing Simulator Seat ES1 FORD GT Edition (eTeknix)
- June 2025 Sim Racing PC Build (Box This Lap)
- Meet the new gaming chair that will be gone in 60 seconds (T3)
- Fanatec: Giving Sim Gear a Second Life (Box This Lap)
- Review: Asetek Forte Formula Steering Wheel (Aluminum) (Box This Lap)
- What a time to be alive: you can now order Fanatec sim racing gear from Amazon (Top Gear)
- The PC Sim Racing Hardware Race Is On (Box This Lap)
- Gaming: can you have too many sim racing wheels? (Top Gear)
General Sim Racing News
- Is MotoGP 25 a good esports title? (Esports Insider)
- Forza Motorsport 7 Still Reigns Supreme Among Racing Fans (Happy Gamer)
- Here’s an update on iRacing’s Miami International Autodrome recreation (Traxion)
- Assetto Corsa EVO 0.3 will be showcased at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa (Box This Lap)
- Good news, Assetto Corsa Competizione racers: “We’re not done yet,” says Kunos (Top Gear)
- Rennsport’s cunning plan for single-player content (Traxion)
- This is RaceRoom, like you’ve never seen it before (Traxion)
- Gran Turismo 7’s June Update is Coming Next Week, Adds Three New Cars (GT Planet)
- Gran Turismo 7 June update contents confirmed (Traxion)
- Ultrace 2025: Novus Powers the Sim Racing Experience (Novus)
- Eight must-play racing games still to come in 2025 (Traxion)
- Racing Into 2025: Speed, Simulation, And Real-World Thrills (Racing Games)
- “Motorsport with consequences”: Project Motor Racing arrives 25 Nov (Top Gear)
- Zolder teased for Project Motor Racing (Traxion)
- E-MOTION Paris: Europe’s largest motorsport simulator center opens its doors (Sortir Paris)
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.
