Sim racing

{{short description|Video game genre}} {{redirect|Racing simulator|professional simulators|Driving simulator}} {{use dmy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Simulation VG}}[[File:2011 GT Academy Winner Jann Mardenborough joins competitors at the UK National Final in 2013.jpg|thumb|Jann Mardenborough, a sim racer, became a professional Nissan racing driver by playing ''Gran Turismo''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Giles |date=2014-04-07 |title=How Jann Mardenborough went from Gran Turismo on a PlayStation to being a racing driver |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2014/apr/07/video-gaming-jann-mardenborough-motor-racing |access-date=2023-03-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet the Gran Turismo Player Now Driving Race Cars for Real |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/meet-the-gran-turismo-player-now-driving-race-cars-for-real/1100-6419397/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 November 2022 |title=Gran Turismo movie tells story of gamer-turned-racer Mardenborough |url=https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1137866_gran-turismo-movie-based-on-a-true-story-of-gamer-turned-racer-jann-mardenborough |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Motor Authority |language=en}}</ref>]] '''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.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bates |first=Bob |title=Game Design |publisher=Course Technology PTR |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-59200-493-5 |edition=2 |page=59}}</ref> To be competitive in sim racing, a driver must understand all aspects of car handling that make real-world racing so difficult,<ref>{{cite web|title=What is Sim Racing?|url=http://www.ricmotech.com/What_is_Sim_Racing_s/1553.htm|publisher=Ricmotech.com|access-date=20 December 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=II |first=Anthony Franklin |date=2024-11-16 |title=All Gas, No Brakes: Why Simulation Racing Isn't for Me |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/all-gas-no-brakes-why-simulation-racing-isnt-for-me/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-08 |title=A racing wheel makes driving sims — and learning to drive — much more realistic |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/a-racing-wheel-makes-driving-sims-and-learning-to-drive-much-more-realistic/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Best sim racing games on console |url=https://racinggames.gg/misc/best-sim-racing-games-on-console/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=racinggames.gg |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=This list will help you choose the racing game best suited to you and your equipment. |date=24 March 2020 |url=https://www.autoguide.com/top-5-racing-simulator-games}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Use Sim Racing to Improve on a Real-Life Racetrack {{!}} Blayze |url=https://blayze.io/blog/car-racing/how-to-use-sim-racing-to-improve-on-the-racetrack-in-real-life |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=blayze.io |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Holland |first=Robb |date=2020-08-20 |title=Here's How Sim Racing Can Make You Faster In the Real World |url=https://www.thedrive.com/news/35758/heres-how-sim-racing-can-make-you-faster-in-the-real-world |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=The Drive |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Charlie |date=2022-02-01 |title=The curious allure of sim racing |url=https://www.nme.com/features/gaming-features/the-curious-allure-of-sim-racing-3148150 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref> Even those who race in real-world competition use simulations for practice or for entertainment.<ref>{{cite web|title=Video Game Review|url=http://www.racerchicks.com/motor/Review_NASCAR4.html|publisher=racerchicks.com|access-date=2008-04-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011101054017/http://racerchicks.com/motor/Review_NASCAR4.html|archive-date=2001-11-01}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Returning for 2023, Gran Turismo™️ is a worldwide leading race-simulation game. |url=https://olympics.com/en/esports/olympic-esports-series/motor-sport}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-14 |title=Gran Turismo 7 to iRacing: Top 5 simulation games for car enthusiasts in 2023 |url=https://www.livemint.com/technology/gran-turismo-7-to-iracing-top-5-simulation-games-for-car-enthusiasts-in-2023-11678778138064.html |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=mint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ostler |first=Simon |date=2024-09-27 |title=The best sim racing games for 2023 |url=https://www.goodwood.com/grr/race/modern/2022/1/the-best-sim-racing-games/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Goodwood Road & Racing}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Forza Motorsport Will "Reset The High Bar" For Racing Sims, Head of Xbox Game Studios Says |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/forza-motorsport-will-reset-the-high-bar-for-racing-sims-head-of-xbox-game-studios-says/1100-6507102/ |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}</ref>

==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'',<ref>{{Cite conference |last1=Redmill |first1=K.A. |last2=Martin |first2=J.I. |last3=Ozgliner |first3=U. |date=2000 |title=Virtual environment simulation for image processing sensor evaluation |conference=International Conference on Intelligent Transportation |publisher=IEEE |pages=64–70 |doi=10.1109/ITSC.2000.881019 |isbn=978-0-7803-5971-0 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{KLOV game|id=9063|name=Pole Position}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hWSUAgAAQBAJ |title=The Video Game Theory Reader 2 |date=2009 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-96283-4 |editor-last=Perron |editor-first=Bernard |location=New York |pages=157 |language=en |access-date=2024-10-30 |editor-last2=Wolf |editor-first2=Mark J.P.}}</ref> 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".<ref name="EuroG">{{cite web |last1=Wild |first1=Kim |title=Pole Position |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/pole-position-review |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network |access-date=January 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010111459/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/pole-position-review |archive-date=October 10, 2019 |date=October 29, 2007}}</ref>[[File:ESports-SimRacing ADAC-Digital-Cup-2019 DAMC05 BMW Z4 GT3.jpg|thumb|Many cars are digitally recreated for sim racing, such as this BMW Z4 GT3 from ''Assetto Corsa''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=bmw_z4_gt3 |url=https://assetto-db.com/car/bmw_z4_gt3}}</ref>]]''Pole Position II'' was released in 1983 and featured several improvements like giving the player the choice of different race courses.<ref>{{KLOV game|id=9064|name=Pole Position II}}</ref> ''TX-1'', developed by Tatsumi in 1983,<ref>{{Cite web |title=TX-1 - Tatsumi (Video Game, 1983) - Japan |url=https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/videogames/show/5622 |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=The Arcade Flyer Archive |publisher=International Arcade Museum |language=en-US}}</ref> was licensed to Namco,<ref name="TX-1" /> who in turn licensed it to Atari in America,<ref name="TX-1" /> thus the game is considered a successor to ''Pole Position II''.<ref name="TX-1" /> ''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.<ref name="TX-1">{{KLOV game|id=10004|name=TX-1}}</ref>

Since the mid-1980s, it became a trend for arcade racing games to use hydraulic motion simulator arcade cabinets.<ref name="arcadeheroes">{{cite news |title=Sega's Wonderful Simulation Games Over The Years |url=https://arcadeheroes.com/2013/06/06/segas-wonderful-simulation-games-over-the-years/ |access-date=22 April 2021 |work=Arcade Heroes |type=Blog |date=6 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="Horowitz">{{cite book |last1=Horowitz |first1=Ken |title=The Sega Arcade Revolution: A History in 62 Games |date=6 July 2018 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=978-1-4766-3196-7 |pages=96–9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7qZhDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA96}}</ref> The trend was sparked by Sega's "taikan" games, with "taikan" meaning "body sensation" in Japanese.<ref name="Horowitz" /> 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Disappearance of Yu Suzuki: Part 1 |url=http://www.1up.com/features/disappearance-suzuki-part-1?pager.offset=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602020545/http://www.1up.com/features/disappearance-suzuki-part-1?pager.offset=1 |access-date=22 April 2021 |work=1Up.com |date=2010 |page=2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-06-02}}</ref> ''Hang-On'' was a popular Grand Prix style rear-view motorbike racer,<ref name="Hang-On">{{KLOV game|id=8068|name=Hang On}}</ref> was considered the first full-body-experience video game,<ref name="gamecentercx">{{Cite episode |title=Atlantis no Nazo (Mystery of Atlantis) |series=GameCenter CX |series-link=GameCenter CX |network=Fuji TV One |season=2 |number=1}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Hang-On" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fahs |first=Travis |date=2009-04-21 |title=IGN Presents the History of SEGA |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/04/21/ign-presents-the-history-of-sega?page=3 |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> Suzuki's team at Sega followed it with hydraulic motion simulator cabinets for later racing games, such as ''Out Run'' in 1986.<ref name="arcadeheroes" />

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.<ref>{{KLOV game|10383|WEC Le Mans 24}}</ref> 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.<ref name="GSpot-Papyrus" />

3D polygon graphics appeared in arcade racing simulators with Namco's ''Winning Run'' (1988) and Atari's ''Hard Drivin''' (1989),<ref name="Williams">{{cite book |last1=Williams |first1=Andrew |title=History of Digital Games: Developments in Art, Design and Interaction |date=16 March 2017 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-317-50381-1 |pages=175–6}}</ref> 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,<ref name="arcadeheroes" /> with arcade racers such as ''Virtua Racing'' and ''Daytona USA'' (1993) increasingly focused on simulating the speed and thrills of racing.<ref name="Williams" /> At the same time, arcade racing games gradually moved away from the more difficult simulation style of ''Pole Position''.<ref name="EuroG" /> 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.<ref name="GSpot-Papyrus">{{cite web|title=The History of Papyrus Racing – Page 2|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/6103365/p-2.html|website=GameSpot|access-date=2008-04-07}}</ref> With ''Indy 500'', players could race the full {{convert|500|mi|km}}, where even a blowout after {{convert|450|mi|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.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://ajisuke.fc2web.com/f1.htm | title = Basic overview of ''Fastest 1'' | publisher = FC2Web | access-date = 2012-06-27 | language=ja}}</ref>

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$150,000 or {{US$|{{To USD|150|AUS|year=1990|round=yes}},000|1990|round=-3}} per unit.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Japanese JAMMA Show |magazine=Leisure Line |date=November 1991 |page=5 |publisher=Leisure & Allied Industries |location=Australia |url=https://archive.org/details/Leisure_Line_1991-11_Leisure_Allied_Industries_AU/page/n4}}</ref>

The next major milestone was the 1992 release of ''Formula One Grand Prix'' 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 positions. This is the first sim in which drafting 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.02/ffdrivesim.html?topic=gaming&topic_set=newmedia|author=Rob Riddell|title=Hard Drive — The parallel universe of auto racing simulation is about to collide with reality|website=Wired.com|date=February 1997|access-date=2011-01-13}}</ref>

In 1993, ''Network Q RAC Rally'' was released as an authentic sim racer based specifically on rallying, albeit it was preceded by ''Lombard RAC Rally'' in 1988.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=November 1998 |title=Rally Round The Wicket, Boys! |magazine=Arcade |issue=1 |page=139}}</ref> Soon in 1995 Sega also released a rally game, ''Sega Rally Championship'', but this was originally an arcade game incorporating certain realistic elements of sim racers. Rally sim racers became highly popular after the 1998 release of ''Colin McRae Rally''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colin McRae Rally: On Virtual Stages with a Legend |website=Skoda Motorsport |url=https://www.skoda-motorsport.com/en/colin-mcrae-rally-virtual-stages-legend-legends-rally-gaming/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |website=Top Gear |url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/gaming/these-are-50-best-driving-games-all-time|title=These are the 50 best driving games of all time|access-date=12 March 2026}}</ref>

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.<ref name="GameSpot">{{Cite web |last=Ekberg |first=Brian |date=May 1, 2006 |title=The Greatest Games of All Time: Gran Turismo |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-greatest-games-of-all-time-gran-turismo/1100-6148640/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}[http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-greatest-games-of-all-time-gran-turismo/1100-6148640/ The Greatest Games of All Time: ''Gran Turismo''], GameSpot</ref> It introduced the racing simulation genre to home consoles,<ref name="GameSpot" /><ref name="IGN">{{cite web|last=Reilly |first=Luke |url=http://ign.com/articles/2015/04/03/the-top-10-most-influential-racing-games-ever?page=2 |title=The Top 10 Most Influential Racing Games Ever |website=IGN |date=3 April 2015 |access-date=2019-07-23}}</ref> becoming the basis for all modern racing simulations on video game consoles.<ref name="IGN" />[[File:Gran Turismo Screenshot.jpg|thumb|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, anti-aliasing, particle effects (such as 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 ''Grand Prix 2''. It 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. However, because of the two games' graphical and physical similarities, the game was popular with modders who were able to port tracks and cars directly into ''Grand Prix 3''.

Another milestone in sim racing came in 1998 with the release of Papyrus’ ''Grand Prix Legends'', which was based on the 1967 Formula One season. Despite the game's steep learning curve, which made gameplay difficult for casual players, it was hailed as outstanding in all areas, especially in its physics and sound design.<ref name="gspot">{{cite web |author=Poole, Stephen |date=December 17, 1998 |title=Grand Prix Legends Review [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000"] |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/grand-prix-legends-review/1900-2536263/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205091317/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/driving/grandprixlegends/review.html |archive-date=December 5, 2004 |access-date=September 3, 2023 |website=GameSpot |publisher=Fandom}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=St. Antoine |first=Arthur |date=2007-06-26 |title=The Greatest Computer Game Ever: Grand Prix Legends |url=https://www.motortrend.com/features/the-greatest-computer-game-ever-grand-prix-legends-792 |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=MotorTrend |language=en}}</ref> It was, however, a commercial failure, sometimes selling only as much as a thousand copies in select markets.<ref name="mahood">{{cite magazine |author=Mahood, Andy |date=December 2000 |title=Staying Ahead of the Game |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/columns/simcolumn/column_2001-07-27c.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030827062250/http://www.pcgamer.com/columns/simcolumn/column_2001-07-27c.html |archive-date=August 27, 2003 |magazine=PC Gamer |publisher=Imagine Media |volume=7 |issue=12}}</ref><ref name="gamesthatsell">{{cite book |author=Walker, Mark H. |author-link=Mark H. Walker |title=Games That Sell! |date=June 25, 2003 |publisher=Wordware Publishing |isbn=155622950X |page=194}}</ref> For many players, their first real experience of sim racing was through ''Grand Prix Legends'' or one of its many derivatives, such as ''NASCAR Racing 2003''.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}} To this day, modding teams have continued to work on the game, further improving on the game's physics and create third-party expansions for the following seasons, such as the 1969 Formula One season.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Davies |first=Dylan |date=2019-03-15 |title=Why I loved hardcore racing sim Grand Prix Legends |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/why-i-loved-hardcore-racing-sim-grand-prix-legends/ |access-date=2025-10-02 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref>

''Wired'' magazine wrote an in-depth article about racing sims called 'Hard Drive' in their February 1997 issue.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Riddell |first=Rob |date=Feb 1997 |title=Hard Drive |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.02/ffdrivesim_pr.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991009233743/https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.02/ffdrivesim_pr.html |archive-date=1999-10-09 }}</ref> 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 ''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.<ref>{{cite web|title=F355 Challenge: It's hard. It's hard. And it's hard. But god, is it worth it.|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/20/f355-challenge|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309201413/http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/20/f355-challenge|url-status=live|archive-date=March 9, 2014|website=IGN|access-date=February 21, 2026 |orig-date=Originally published September 19, 2000 |date=December 12, 2018}}</ref>

American independent developer Image Space Incorporated produced their own sim ''Sports Car GT'' in 1999, and later the officially-licensed ''F1'' series starting in 2000, all published by Electronic Arts. Compared to the Papyrus sims at the time, the physics were easily modifiable, and many communities were 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 some that were officially licensed by the FIA GT Championship and World Touring Car Championship, as well as the freemium racing simulator ''RaceRoom'' many years later in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Simbin Game titles|url=http://www.simbin.se/main/games.htm|publisher=simbin.se|access-date=2008-02-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222205448/http://www.simbin.se/main/games.htm|archive-date=2008-02-22}}</ref>

===Further developments (2003–present)=== Sim racing games since the 2000s began exploring more complex vehicle physics implementations. The earliest explorations focused on developing the tire model, later including other areas of the car, including suspension, aerodynamics, and internal components.

One of the earliest examples was ''Live for Speed'', created by ex-Lionhead Studios developers Eric Bailey, Scawen Roberts, and Victor van Vlaardingen in 2003, which implemented a complex tire model by creating a brush deflection model.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Speed |first=Live for |title=LFS - Tyre Physics Progress Report December 2010 |url=https://www.lfs.net/report-dec2010 |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=Live for Speed |language=en}}</ref> It was also one of the first games in the genre to feature online multiplayer. Its combination of online features, tire model, and user experience accessibility made ''Live for Speed'' a popular game at release.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGregor |first=Ross |date=2022-08-18 |title=20 years of Live for Speed: why it's still relevant |url=https://traxion.gg/20-years-of-live-for-speed-why-its-still-relevant/ |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-08-15 |title=Live for Speed, Version 0.7G |url=https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/112094 |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=Live for Speed |language=en}}</ref><ref name="whatislfs2">{{Cite web |title=LFS - Realistic Racing Simulator |url=https://www.lfs.net/whatislfs |access-date=2023-12-02}}</ref>

Credited as the first true rallying simulation, ''Richard Burns Rally'' by Warthog Games was released in 2004. 2001 World Rally Champion and namesake Richard Burns was involved in the development, giving feedback on handling dynamics in particular.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |author1=GamesRadar_ US |date=2004-01-10 |title=Richard Burns Rally developer diary: Part two |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/richard-burns-rally-developer-diary-part-two/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=gamesradar |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Hegevall |first=Petter |date=2023-11-20 |title=The history of the Richard Burns Rally |url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/the-history-of-the-richard-burns-rally-1329093/ |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=Gamereactor UK |language=en}}</ref> It initially received mixed reviews upon release, but the game gradually gained recognition for its multi-body physics engine, driving dynamics, and realistic portrayals of real-life courses, and is now generally considered the most realistic rally simulation in the genre despite its age.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McGregor |first1=Ross |date=5 June 2021 |title=Is Richard Burns Rally still the king of rally sims? |url=https://traxion.gg/is-richard-burns-rally-still-the-king-of-rally-sims/ |access-date=12 September 2021 |website=Traxion.GG}}</ref> Decades later, the game has remained active through sustained continuation efforts by modders, adding new cars, rally stages, features, and physics updates.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGregor |first=Ross |date=2024-09-03 |title=Richard Burns Rally at 20: Why is it still so good? |url=https://traxion.gg/richard-burns-rally-at-20-why-is-it-still-so-good/ |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref> Eero Piitulainen, the former physics lead of the now-defunct studio, has applauded these third-party efforts.<ref name=":5" />

''rFactor'' was notable for its initial download-only distribution model, and was originally released in 2005 by Image Space Incorporated with fictional cars and tracks. ''rFactor''<nowiki/>'s tire model was praised by critics upon release, crediting its slip angle, self aligning torque, and cornering force behaviors, however, it was also criticized for its difficult user interface.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Denton |first1=John |last2=SmokinBob |date=August 2005 |title=rFactor RC0973 Review |url=https://autosimsport.net/issues/autosimsport_v1i8.zip |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212222743/https://autosimsport.net/issues/autosimsport_v1i8.zip |archive-date=12 December 2007 |magazine=AutoSimSport |page=8 |volume=1 |issue=8}}</ref><ref name="honestgamers">{{cite web |last=Josua |first=Paul |date=November 20, 2007 |title=rFactor (PC) review |url=http://www.honestgamers.com/6501/pc/rfactor/review.html |accessdate=December 2, 2016 |work=honestgamers.com |publisher=HonestGamers}}</ref> Its physics basis was later used to create ''rFpro'', an industry-grade standalone version licensed exclusively to racing teams and car manufacturers for advanced driver-assistance systems, self-driving cars and vehicle dynamics.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About rFpro |url=https://rfpro.com/about-events-automotive/ |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=rFpro |language=en-GB}}</ref> ''rFactor''<nowiki/>'s 2012 sequel, ''rFactor 2'', featured updates to the engine, including overhauled tire physics, a graphics upgrade, and dynamic track conditions. It became the official simulator of the Formula E series in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reilly |first=Luke |date=2022-03-29 |title=Formula E Expands Partnership with Motorsport Games, rFactor 2 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/formula-e-expands-partnership-with-motorsport-games-rfactor-2 |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

David Kaemmer, co-founder of the now-defunct Papyrus Design Group,<ref>{{cite web |title=The History of Papyrus Racing – Page 1 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/6103365/index.html |access-date=2008-04-07 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> released ''iRacing'' in 2008, a multiplayer-oriented simulator run on a subscription model. ''iRacing'' was a project four years in the making; Kaemmer had worked on the game's ''NR2003''-based source code since 2004.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lerner |first=Preston |date=October 2021 |title=The man who made iRacing: Dave Kaemmer's smash hit |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-2021/106/the-man-who-made-iracing-dave-kaemmers-smash-hit |access-date=May 22, 2022}}</ref> 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 was changed, or was made completely new.<ref name="MastersofMass.">{{cite journal |last=Denton |first=Jon |date=August 2008 |title=The Masters of Mass. |url=http://www.autosimsport.net/index2/index.php/backissues/doc_download/9-autosimsport-magazine-vol-4-iss-4 |url-status=dead |format=PDF |journal=AutoSimSport |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=21–34 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723021513/http://www.autosimsport.net/index2/index.php/backissues/doc_download/9-autosimsport-magazine-vol-4-iss-4 |archive-date=2011-07-23 |access-date=2009-04-12}}</ref> ''iRacing'' is one of the longest supported racing games in the genre, and the game continually receives regular updates between 12-week competition seasons.<ref name="ASS41">{{cite journal |last=Denton |first=Jon |date=February 15, 2008 |title=iRacing.com Announce: Revolution |url=http://www.autosimsport.net/index2/index.php/online-article-list/98-ass-mag-v4i1 |url-status=dead |format=Flash |journal=AutoSimSport |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=19–30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116231151/http://autosimsport.net/index2/index.php/online-article-list/98-ass-mag-v4i1 |archive-date=January 16, 2009 |access-date=2009-04-12}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-21 |title=Is iRacing Worth It? Honest Reviews and Opinions from Sim Racing Fans |url=https://www.zleague.gg/theportal/is-iracing-worth-it-honest-reviews-and-opinions-from-sim-racing-fans/ |access-date=2025-09-12 |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2021, ''iRacing'' introduced a revamped damage model, implementing soft body physics and affecting vehicle behavior when players crash on track.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Melillo |first=Justin |date=2021-12-12 |title=Everything you need to know about iRacing's 'New Damage Model' |url=https://traxion.gg/everything-you-need-to-know-about-iracings-new-damage-model/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2024, ''iRacing'' introduced the "Tempest" dynamic weather system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raynal |first=Morgan |date=2024-03-05 |title=Rain finally arrives in iRacing |url=https://racer.com/2024/03/05/rain-in-iracing/ |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=RACER |language=en}}</ref>

Kunos Simulazioni began development on ''Assetto Corsa'' in 2010, a sim built on experience gained from their previous games ''netKar Pro'' and ''Ferrari Virtual Academy'' but with an entirely new engine. The game was officially released in December 2014.<ref name="steam_ac-release">{{cite web |date=19 December 2014 |title=Assetto Corsa V1.0 is now OUT! |url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/assettocorsa/announcements/detail/141066961014018953 |access-date=28 May 2016 |publisher=Steam}}</ref> 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 flexibility has allowed ''Assetto Corsa'' to be widely played for years beyond its lifespan and succeed as a hub for third-party mod creation,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bartholomew |first=Mike |date=2025-09-08 |title=Assetto Corsa Evo: Everything You Need To Know |url=https://www.carthrottle.com/news/assetto-corsa-evo |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=www.carthrottle.com |language=en}}</ref> which in turn has inspired developers to consider a proprietary marketplace for mods as a feature. This was the case with ''Rennsport'', ''Project Motor Racing'', and sequel ''Assetto Corsa EVO'', which all featured the concept in their respective road maps.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGregor |first=Ross |date=2025-12-29 |title=Sim racing mods are set to look rather different in the near future: Here's why |url=https://traxion.gg/the-future-of-modding-in-sim-racing/ |access-date=2026-03-04 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref>

Slightly Mad Studios, developers of the ''Shift'' and ''Shift 2'' installments of ''Need for Speed'' games, launched ''Project CARS'' in 2015. It was unique in that it was a crowdfunded effort, with CARS standing for "Community Assisted Racing Simulator". The game used an improved version of the Madness engine from the ''Need for Speed: Shift'' titles.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=19 May 2015 |title=Project Cars studio denies it intentionally crippled performance on AMD cards |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/project-cars-studio-denies-it-intentionally-crippled-performance-on-amd-cards/ |access-date=5 June 2015 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref> By taking advantage of newer hardware, ''Project CARS'' introduced a dynamic tire model that simulated the tire's carcass, tire tread, contact patch, and heat transfer. This model, called "Seta", replaced the steady-state version based on lookup tables seen in previous generation simulations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside Project CARS Seta Tire Model – World of Mass Development |url=https://wmdportal.com/projectnews/inside-project-cars-seta-tire-model/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412011954/https://wmdportal.com/projectnews/inside-project-cars-seta-tire-model/ |archive-date=2022-04-12 |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=wmdportal.com |language=en}}</ref> Slightly Mad Studios' ''Project CARS 2'' sequel in 2017 saw improvements based on community feedback.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Project CARS 2 Frequently Asked Questions {{!}} Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. |url=https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/project-cars-2-faq |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=www.bandainamcoent.com |language=en}}</ref>

Sim racing experienced an exponential rise in exposure in 2020, following the suspension of global racing series due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Furchgott |first=Roy |date=2021-01-18 |title=Pandemic Paved the Way for Sim Racing, but Will It Last? (Published 2021) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/18/business/sim-racing-enascar.html |access-date=2025-09-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}</ref> With no live races available, racing organizations, teams, and broadcasters turned to virtual competitions to maintain fan engagement. Live streams of sim racing games from official racing series drew as many as 400,000 viewers.<ref name=":2" /> ''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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=Tim |date=2021-10-01 |title=How iRacing drove realism to the next level |url=https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/features/iracing-nascar-made-in-america/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref>

Initially releasing in early access, Studio 397 and Motorsport Games released ''Le Mans Ultimate'' on 22 July 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oakley |first=Phil |date=2025-06-13 |title=Le Mans Ultimate leaving early access in July with 2025 content |url=https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/06/13/le-mans-ultimate-leaving-early-access-in-july-with-2025-content/ |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=Motorsport Week |language=en-GB}}</ref> an officially licensed simulation of the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. Built on an improved version of the isiMotor 2 physics engine from the studio's previous game ''rFactor 2'', it was praised for its detailed force feedback, in-depth Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh hybrid system simulation, and high-fidelity tire model behavior.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-07-23 |title=Le Mans Ultimate review: does this endurance racing sim have staying power? |url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/gaming/le-mans-ultimate-review-does-endurance-racing-sim-have-staying-power |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250728023638/https://www.topgear.com/car-news/gaming/le-mans-ultimate-review-does-endurance-racing-sim-have-staying-power |archive-date=2025-07-28 |access-date=2025-09-11 |work=Top Gear |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McGregor |first=Ross |date=2025-07-21 |title=Le Mans Ultimate review: Genre-leading physics, threadbare single-player |url=https://traxion.gg/le-mans-ultimate-review/ |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== 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 talent pipeline for drivers. Some players have established careers through sim racing such as William Byron,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodin |first=Andrew |date=2025-05-29 |title=Everything to Know About NASCAR Driver William Byron |url=https://www.usanetwork.com/usa-insider/everything-to-know-about-nascar-driver-william-byron |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=USA |language=en-US}}</ref> Rajah Caruth,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lindberg |first=Austin |date=2022-08-04 |title=How are NASCAR's drivers staying sharp away from the racetrack? Hours and hours of video games |url=https://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/id/34346535/how-nascar-drivers-staying-sharp-away-track-video-games |access-date=2025-10-01 |website=ESPN |language=en}}</ref> Tim Heinemann,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrison-Lord |first=Thomas |date=2025-09-26 |title=Track session among RaceRoom SimRacing Expo competition's €5,000 prize pool |url=https://traxion.gg/track-session-among-raceroom-simracing-expo-competitions-e5000-prize-pool/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref> Jann Mardenborough,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yu |first=Brandon |date=2023-08-25 |title=Before Gran Turismo Inspired a Movie, It Drove a Teenager to Greatness (Published 2023) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/movies/gran-turismo-game-jann-mardenborough.html |access-date=2025-08-03 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}</ref> and Lucas Ordóñez.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hanlon |first=Mike |date=2009-05-07 |title=Lucas Ordoñez - the first virtual-to-real race driver |url=https://newatlas.com/lucas-ordoez-the-first-virtual-to-real-race-driver/11623/ |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=New Atlas |language=en-US}}</ref> Others were able to relaunch their careers after previously pursuing motorsport at a young age, including James Baldwin,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kilshaw |first=Jake |date=2020-03-05 |title=WFG Winner Baldwin Gets Rocket RJN Drive |url=https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-challenge-europe/wfg-winner-baldwin-gets-rocket-rjn-drive/ |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=Sportscar365 |language=en-US}}</ref> Cem Bölükbaşı,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-25 |title=Cem Bölükbaşı, Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport renkleriyle Fransa'da yarışacak - Spor Haberleri |url=https://www.fanatik.com.tr/motor-sporlari/cem-bolukbasi-borusan-otomotiv-motorsport-renkleriyle-fransada-yarisacak-2067018 |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=Fanatik |language=tr}}</ref> Igor Fraga,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beer |first=Matt |date=2020-02-23 |title=Can an Esports star end Brazil's F1 drought? |url=https://www.the-race.com/gaming/can-an-esports-star-end-brazils-f1-drought/ |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=The Race |language=en}}</ref> and Chris Lulham.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Watkins |first=Gary |date=2025-03-06 |title=Max Verstappen expands own team into GT World Challenge Europe |url=https://www.autosport.com/gtwce-endurance/news/verstappen-expands-own-team-into-gtwc-europe/10700802/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250512013635/https://www.autosport.com/gtwce-endurance/news/verstappen-expands-own-team-into-gtwc-europe/10700802/ |archive-date=2025-05-12 |access-date=2025-08-03 |work=Autosport |language=en}}</ref> It has also grown to become a suitable training tool for drivers, such as with NASCAR driver Parker Kligerman,<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hardigree |first=Matt |title=Wanna Drive Like a Nascar Pro? Break Out the Video Games |url=https://www.wired.com/story/parker-kligerman-nascar/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> Super GT driver Rikuto Kobayashi,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022 |title=Straight Talk from e-Motorsports Top 3 Drivers {{!}} 2020 {{!}} SPECIAL {{!}} e-Motorsports |url=https://toyotagazooracing.com/e-motorsports/special/2022/driver_interview/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=Toyota Gazoo Racing |language=en}}</ref> Porsche factory driver Laurin Heinrich,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-03 |title=Can sim racing make you a better driver? |url=https://www.porsche.com/stories/mobility/meet-the-porsche-supercap-star-using-sim-racing-to-improve-his-driving-skills/ |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=www.porsche.com |language=en}}</ref> and Formula One driver Gabriel Bortoleto,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jaeggi |first=Erwin |date=2025-07-21 |title=How Verstappen helped Bortoleto on his journey to F1 |url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/how-verstappen-helped-bortoleto-on-his-journey-to-f1/10743961/ |access-date=2025-11-19 |website=Autosport}}</ref> who have each stated to use sim racing as a practice tool and consider it as a key part of their development.

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".<ref name="RacingNews365">{{cite web |date=11 January 2022 |title=How Verstappen uses sim racing to become a better driver |url=https://racingnews365.com/how-verstappen-uses-sim-racing-to-become-a-better-driver |access-date=16 January 2022 |website=RacingNews365}}</ref> He is a member of Team Redline; a multinational sim racing team,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Team Redline › Max Verstappen |url=https://www.teamredline.com/work/max-verstappen/ |access-date=22 January 2022 |website=Team Redline}}</ref> and has won several marquee ''iRacing'' events with the team since 2019. Verstappen's activities in sim racing have directly influenced the Nordschleife license system; following his debut in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie in 2025, the German Motor Sport Federation officially recognized participating in the NLS's official sim racing series, Digital NLS, as counting toward a Permit B license.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Jack |date=2025-11-24 |title=Sim Racing's Pathway to Legitimacy Continues as It Can Now Be Counted Towards a Nürburgring License |url=https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a69530266/sim-racing-nurburgring-nordschleife-track-license/ |access-date=2025-12-24 |website=Car and Driver |language=en-US}}</ref> His activities have also 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Coleman |first=Madeline |date=2025-04-05 |title=Inside Max Verstappen's long-term goal to make F1 drivers out of sim racers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6134190/2025/02/14/max-verstappen-sim-racing-f1/ |access-date=2025-08-03 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Noble, Ronald Vording |first=Jonathan |date=2024-07-23 |title=Red Bull: "Rubbish" to link Verstappen's F1 radio anger to 3am sim racing antics |url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-rubbish-to-link-verstappens-f1-radio-anger-to-3am-sim-racing-antics/10637494/ |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Motorsport}}</ref>

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. Formula One hosted ''Virtual Grands Prix'' on the official ''F1 2020'' video game following the cancellation of part of the 2020 Formula One World Championship due to the pandemic, which featured many Formula One drivers, such as George Russell, Lando Norris, and Alexander Albon.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Formula 1 launches Virtual Grand Prix Series to replace postponed races |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-launches-virtual-grand-prix-series-to-replace-postponed-races.1znLAbPzBbCQPj1IDMeiOi |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=www.formula1.com |language=en}}</ref> Other events from real-world series were also launched during the pandemic, including the eNASCAR ''iRacing'' Pro Invitational Series, IndyCar ''iRacing'' Challenge, and 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.<ref name=":03">{{cite web |date=January 26, 2021 |title=NASCAR, iRacing announce eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series return in 2021 |url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2021/01/26/nascar-iracing-announce-enascar-iracing-pro-invitational-series-return-in-2021/ |access-date=February 26, 2021 |website=NASCAR.com |publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=20 March 2020 |title=IndyCar iRacing Challenge announced |url=https://racer.com/2020/03/20/indycar-iracing-challenge-announced/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |work=RACER}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kimberley |first=William |date=2020-05-15 |title=The 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual {{!}} Race Tech Magazine |url=https://www.racetechmag.com/2020/05/the-24-hours-of-le-mans-virtual/ |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=Race Tech Magazine {{!}} |language=en}}</ref> These events typically featured notable drivers from series such as NASCAR, IndyCar Series, Supercars, and Formula One.

==Ranked multiplayer== {{see also|Matchmaking (video games)#Ranking}} 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.<ref name="traxionJuly2021">{{Cite web |last=Harrison-Lord |first=Thomas |date=2021-07-29 |title=How Ranked Multiplayer works in RaceRoom Racing Experience |url=https://traxion.gg/how-ranked-multiplayer-works-in-raceroom-racing-experience/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref>

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),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greer |first=Jordan |date=2016-06-22 |title=Gran Turismo Sport's "Advanced Matchmaking System" & "Sportsmanship Points" Detailed |url=https://www.gtplanet.net/gran-turismo-sports-advanced-matchmaking-system-sportsmanship-points-detailed/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=GTPlanet |language=en-US}}Jordan Greer [https://www.gtplanet.net/gran-turismo-sports-advanced-matchmaking-system-sportsmanship-points-detailed/ Gran Turismo Sport's "Advanced Matchmaking System" & "Sportsmanship Points" Detailed], at gtplanet.net, June 22, 2016 (updated Aug 3, 2016)</ref> ''Project CARS 2'' (Racecraft Ranking and Skill Rating),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-26 |title=Project CARS 2 – The All New Competitive Racing License Explained |url=https://www.bsimracing.com/project-cars-2-the-all-new-competitive-racing-license-explained/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Bsimracing |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Competitive Racing License |url=https://www.projectcarsesports.com/license.html |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Project CARS Esports |language=en}}</ref> ''RaceRoom'' (with Reputation Rating and Rating), and ''Assetto Corsa Competizione''. Other games have similar systems under development, like ''Automobilista 2'' and ''rFactor 2''.

=== Esports === [[File:Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile wordmark.svg|thumb|The FIA, the highest governing body for auto racing, use various platforms such as ''Gran Turismo'', ''Assetto Corsa Competizione'' and ''iRacing'' to host sanctioned events.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Motor Sport |url=https://olympics.com/en/esports/olympic-esports-series/motor-sport |quote=Returning for 2023, Gran Turismo is a worldwide leading race-simulation game. <br /> Once again Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Polyphony Inc. will give drivers a chance to compete in the Olympic Esports Series and take home the trophy!}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Corsa |first=Assetto |date=2022-07-26 |title=FIA Motorsport Games 2022 |url=https://assettocorsa.gg/fia-motorsport-games-2022/ |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=Assetto Corsa |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-20 |title=Esports aces to race for national pride on Assetto Corsa Competizione in FIA Motorsports Games |url=https://www.fia.com/news/esports-aces-race-national-pride-assetto-corsa-competizione-fia-motorsports-games |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=iRacing to Partner with FIA for Authentic Formula 4 Experience |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iracing-to-partner-with-fia-for-authentic-formula-4-experience-301837593.html |language=en |last=Simulations |first=iRacing com Motorsport |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=www.prnewswire.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=KevinB |date=2023-05-30 |title=iRacing to Partner with FIA for Authentic Formula 4 Experience |url=https://www.iracing.com/iracing-to-partner-with-fia-for-authentic-formula-4-experience/ |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=iRacing.com}}</ref>]] Some games also feature esports, including events hosted either directly by the developer or by other organizers, with premier series receiving official developer support. Some of these series can include large prize pools and may see participation from a number of high-profile esports organizations across the globe, which have included FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, Mouz, Team Falcons, Team Redline, Virtus.pro, and XSET.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicholson |first=Jonno |date=2023-01-23 |title=ESL FACEIT Group launches €500,000 sim racing series |url=https://esportsinsider.com/2023/01/esl-faceit-group-sim-racing-competition |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=esportsinsider.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=ZT |first=Hannah Marie |date=2025-07-08 |title=Esports World Cup Rennsport – BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes compete |url=https://esports-news.co.uk/2025/07/08/esports-world-cup-rennsport-bmw-porsche-mercedes/ |access-date=2025-11-21 |website=Esports News UK |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Melillo |first=Justin |date=2022-10-26 |title=eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series: Casey Kirwan scores the 2022 Championship |url=https://traxion.gg/enascar-coca-cola-iracing-series-casey-kirwan-scores-the-2022-championship/ |access-date=2025-11-21 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref> In some cases, these players are rewarded with test drives; Alpine and Mercedes-Benz grant winners of their respective events with an exclusive test of a race car from their brand's car lineup.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrison-Lord |first=Thomas |date=2022-03-31 |title=GT4 test up for grabs in 2022 Alpine Esports Series within Assetto Corsa Competizione |url=https://traxion.gg/gt4-test-up-for-grabs-in-2022-alpine-esports-series-within-assetto-corsa-competizione/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Harrison-Lord |first=Thomas |date=2024-08-14 |title=Mercedes-AMG Motorsport launches multi-platform sim racing competition with race car test prize |url=https://traxion.gg/mercedes-amg-motorsport-launches-multi-platform-sim-racing-competition-with-race-car-test-prize/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, the highest governing body in auto racing, formally incorporated an esports appendix into its International Sporting Code in 2024. The new regulatory section was introduced as Appendix E, providing a formal structure for both international and national esports events, and establishing the organizational requirements and conduct standards for competitions sanctioned by the FIA.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-20 |title=The inclusion of Esports in the International Sporting Code: a major opportunity of development for the future of the discipline |url=https://www.fia.com/news/inclusion-esports-international-sporting-code-major-opportunity-development-future-discipline |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile |language=en}}</ref> The FIA MENA Esports Championship, held on ''Gran Turismo 7'', was the first esports competition to utilize the new appendix in November 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrison-Lord |first=Thomas |date=2025-11-03 |title=FIA confirms maiden sanctioned esports racing championship |url=https://traxion.gg/fia-confirms-maiden-sanctioned-esports-racing-championship/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-03 |title=First fully FIA-sanctioned Esports Championship to drive fast-growing discipline to the next level |url=https://www.fia.com/news/first-fully-fia-sanctioned-esports-championship-drive-fast-growing-discipline-next-level |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile |language=en}}</ref> Prior to the introduction of the new esports appendix, FIA-sanctioned series and events were already in place; the ''Gran Turismo'' World Series was sanctioned by the FIA between 2018 and 2021, and ''Assetto Corsa Competizione'' hosted the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games Esports Cup.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-20 |title=Esports aces to race for national pride on Assetto Corsa Competizione in 2022 FIA Motorsport Games |url=https://www.fiamotorsportgames.com/news/112/esports-aces-to-race-for-national-pride-on-assetto-corsa-competizione-in-fia-motorsport-games |website=FIA Motorsport Games}}</ref>

==== Console-based tournaments ==== Some console racing games have featured major esports events, though they are less common than their computer-based counterparts. Two such notable franchises, ''Gran Turismo'' and ''Forza'', each have had organized events on their respective platforms. Since 2018, Polyphony Digital, developers of the ''Gran Turismo'' series, have hosted the ''Gran Turismo'' World Series,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 'Gran Turismo World Series' |url=https://www.gran-turismo.com/us/gt7/championships/2025/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=gran-turismo.com |language=en}}</ref> which was previously sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) from 2018 to 2021.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=FIA clarifies Gran Turismo relationship and future |url=https://www.motorsport.com/gaming/news/fia-clarifies-gran-turismo-relationship-and-future/10342126/ |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=www.motorsport.com |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, ''Gran Turismo'' also hosted the 'Motorsport' event in both editions of the Olympic Esports Series.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-22 |title=OLYMPIC ESPORTS SERIES 2023 FINALISTS TO COMPETE FOR GLORY IN SINGAPORE |url=https://www.fia.com/news/olympic-esports-series-2023-finalists-compete-glory-singapore |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile |language=en}}</ref> Turn 10 Studios, the creators of the ''Forza'' ''Motorsport'' series, organized the ''Forza'' Racing Championship between 2016 and 2018 in partnership with ESL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beckford |first=Andrew |date=2018-12-11 |title=The Rise of eSports Racing |url=https://www.motortrend.com/features/1812-the-rise-of-esports-racing |access-date=2025-11-21 |website=MotorTrend |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |title=Forza Motorsport - Forza Racing Championship Season 1 |url=http://forzamotorsport.net/en-us/news/forzarc_season1_announce |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807030331/http://forzamotorsport.net/en-us/news/forzarc_season1_announce |archive-date=2016-08-07 |access-date=2025-11-21 |website=forzamotorsport.net}}</ref> Unlike traditional events, however, which typically use a wheel and pedals, Turn 10 Studios had their players use game controllers.{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}

==== Officially sanctioned series ==== {{See also|Formula One Esports Series|iRacing#Competitions and eSports}} A number of real-world racing series and governing bodies have established officially sanctioned sim racing series across multiple platforms. Car manufacturers have also hosted tournaments of their own.<ref name=":3" />

''Assetto Corsa Competizione'' previously featured official tournaments hosted by governing body SRO Motorsports Group, utilizing the game's library of officially licensed Group GT3, SRO GT4, SRO GT2, and single-make sports car content. These competitions for the game were hosted under SRO Esports, which included esports tournaments for SRO-sanctioned series such as the Intercontinental GT Challenge, GT World Challenge America, GT World Challenge Europe, and GT World Challenge Asia, all sponsored by Mobileye.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGregor |first=Ross |date=2023-03-01 |title=2023 SRO Esports registration open now with €88,000+ prize pool on the line |url=https://traxion.gg/2023-sro-esports-registration-open-now-with-e88000-prize-pool/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref>

Formula One has annually hosted F1 Sim Racing since 2017, and is played on Formula One's official games during several shows in the late year. They have a current prize fund of $750,000 and all participating teams from the real-life Formula One championship select three drivers to represent them, with two of those drivers participating in select races. Jarno Opmeer holds the most titles with three, and Frederik Rasmussen holds the record for the most wins and pole positions.

''iRacing'' currently hosts numerous esports championships on its platform, including official series presented by major car manufacturers and governing bodies such as the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-12 |title=Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup |url=https://racing.porsche.com/series/porsche-tag-heuer-esports-supercup |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=Porsche Motorsport Hub |language=en}}</ref> World of Outlaws Pro Series,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-10-24 |title=iRacing, World of Outlaws Unveil All-New Pro Series Format for 2025-26 Season |url=https://worldofoutlaws.com/news/iracing-world-of-outlaws-unveil-all-new-pro-series-format-for-2025-26-season/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=World of Outlaws |language=en-US}}</ref> IMSA Esports Global Championship,<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGregor |first=Ross |date=2025-10-03 |title=IMSA Esports Global Championship returns for 2025, with cash prizes up for grabs |url=https://traxion.gg/imsas-iracing-based-esports-global-championship-returns-for-2025/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref> and the FIA F4 Global Esports Championship.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicholson |first=Jonno |date=2025-05-09 |title=FIA F4 Global Esports Championship returns for second season |url=https://esportsinsider.com/2025/05/fia-f4-global-esports-championship-2025-return |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=Esports Insider |language=en-GB}}</ref> eNASCAR is also hosted on ''iRacing'', including its premier championship, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola ''iRacing'' Series, which comes with a purse of $500,000, with $100,000 awarded to the champion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrison-Lord |first=Thomas |date=2025-02-10 |title=eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series: All you need to know about the $500k championship |url=https://traxion.gg/enascar-coca-cola-iracing-series-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-500k-championship/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=Traxion.GG |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Sim racing}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sim Racing}} Category:Racing simulators Category:Video game genres Category:Racing video games