Your Daily SimRacing Briefing

Detroit Weekend Opens — IndyCar Belle Isle Sunday With Palou Still +37, Skip Barber VIR Time Attack Window Live Today, F1 Mid-Monaco Break, Le Mans 16 Days Out

The race-week countdown shortens by a day. IndyCar opens its Chevrolet Detroit GP weekend on the 1.645-mile, 9-turn Streets of Detroit on Belle Isle — practice and qualifying Saturday, race Sunday May 31 (12:30 ET, FOX). Alex Palou still leads the title chase by 37 points over David Malukas, with Felix Rosenqvist riding the high of his record-setting Indy 500 win. Formula 1 stays on its two-week in-season break ahead of the Monaco GP (June 5–7) — Kimi Antonelli's four-in-a-row run heads to the Principality. WEC on break before the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 13–14), now 16 days away; the final 62-car entry is locked in (18 Hypercars with the debut Genesis GMR-001 twins, 19 LMP2, 25 LMGT3) and the new two-stage Hyperpole format takes effect. DTM rests before Lausitzring (June 19–21); Maro Engel leads after the Zandvoort split. Sim side: iRacing 2026 Season 2 Week 11 (May 26–June 1) hits its second half — the Skip Barber Formula iRacing VIR Time Attack window opens today (May 29) in the FIA F4 car, and the Porsche Esports Supercup Round 3 at Suzuka closes out tomorrow. The Spark engine Vertical Slice remains the headline development item this week. Live builds unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, Le Mans Ultimate May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the iRacing, Beyond the Sim and Simulations pages.

Three Days to Detroit — IndyCar Belle Isle Sunday With Palou Still Up 37 Points, F1 Counts Down to Monaco, WEC Le Mans Under 17 Days Away; iRacing Week 11 Mid-Stretch, Sim Builds All Stable

A quiet Thursday with the calendar tilting fully toward the next weekend. IndyCar heads to the Chevrolet Detroit GP presented by Lear on Sunday May 31 (12:30 ET, FOX) — the 1.645-mile, 9-turn Streets of Detroit course on Belle Isle. Alex Palou still leads the title chase by 37 points over David Malukas, with Felix Rosenqvist riding the high of his record-setting Indy 500 win. Formula 1 remains on its two-week in-season break ahead of the Monaco GP at Circuit de Monaco (June 5–7) — Kimi Antonelli's four-in-a-row run heads into the streets of the Principality with the championship still wide open. WEC on break before the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 13–14), now under 17 days away, with the 62-car final entry list locked: 18 Hypercars including the debut Genesis GMR-001 twins, 19 LMP2 and 25 LMGT3. DTM rests before Lausitzring (June 19–21); Maro Engel leads after Zandvoort. Sim side: iRacing 2026 Season 2 Week 11 (May 26–June 1) is in its mid-week stretch — the 4 Hours at Thruxton TCR and Porsche Esports Supercup Round 3 at Suzuka still in the schedule, and the Skip Barber Formula iRacing VIR Time Attack window opens tomorrow May 29. iRacing's Spark engine Vertical Slice remains the headline development update of the week. Live builds unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, Le Mans Ultimate May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the iRacing, Beyond the Sim and Simulations pages.

Mid-Week Quiet — iRacing Week 11 Settles In With Thruxton TCR 4h and Porsche Supercup Round 3 at Suzuka Tonight; Spark Engine Vertical Slice Done, Detroit IndyCar Sunday, F1 Still on Monaco Countdown

The morning after the post-triple-header reset. iRacing 2026 Season 2 Week 11 (May 26–June 1) moves into its first mid-week stretch — the headline one-offs are the 4 Hours at Thruxton TCR endurance (solo or team-up, British touring car flavour) and Porsche Esports Supercup Round 3 at Suzuka, with sessions tonight May 27 and again May 30. The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series opens its VIR Time Attack window May 29–31 in the FIA F4 car. iRacing's Spark graphics engine is back in the headlines this morning: the team confirms the Vertical Slice is complete, with focus now on night lighting and full-scene rendering — still tracking for late-2026. Formula 1 stays on its two-week in-season break ahead of the Monaco GP (June 5–7); IndyCar rolls into the Chevrolet Detroit GP this Sunday May 31 (12:30 ET) on the Belle Isle streets, with Alex Palou still leading the championship and Felix Rosenqvist riding the high of his record-setting Indy 500 win. WEC on break before Le Mans (June 13–14); DTM before Lausitzring (June 19–21). Live builds unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, Le Mans Ultimate May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the iRacing, Beyond the Sim and Simulations pages.

Post-Triple-Header Reset — iRacing Week 11 Opens Today, F1 Heads Into Monaco Break, Detroit GP Sunday; Verstappen-Red Bull Setup Rift Lingers, AC EVO 0.6.3 Live

The morning after the busiest racing weekend of spring. iRacing 2026 Season 2 Week 11 (May 26–June 1) opens today — the post-Indy 500 reset, with the NASCAR series rolling on and the regular GT/road series back in full swing. Formula 1 heads into a two-week in-season break before the Monaco GP at Circuit de Monaco (June 5–7) — with race-week analysis still digesting Kimi Antonelli's fourth straight win and a quietly tense Verstappen vs Red Bull setup disagreement from the Canadian GP weekend (Max ran a team-chosen setup he openly disagreed with, took P3 on the road). IndyCar rolls straight on: the Chevrolet Detroit GP presented by Lear runs Sunday May 31 (12:30 ET) on the Belle Isle streets — Alex Palou leads the standings by 37 points over David Malukas heading into round 7. DTM is on a break before Lausitzring (June 19–21); WEC on break before the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 13–14) with a final 18-Hypercar entry list and Genesis debuting in the top class. Live builds unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, Le Mans Ultimate May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the iRacing, Beyond the Sim and Simulations pages.

The Morning After the Triple-Header — Rosenqvist Wins the Closest Indy 500 Ever, Antonelli Takes a Fourth Straight in Canada, DTM Zandvoort Split; SimRacing Expo Charlotte Wraps

The biggest racing weekend of the spring delivered on every front. At the 110th Indianapolis 500, Felix Rosenqvist won the closest finish in the race's history — just 0.0233s over David Malukas after a last-lap pass — giving Meyer Shank Racing a maiden “500” win in a race that set an all-time record of 70 lead changes. Scott McLaughlin, Pato O'Ward and Marcus Armstrong completed the top five; pole-sitter Alex Palou finished seventh and later took a post-race tech penalty (front-wing height) — a $10,000 fine and 5 entrant points, no disqualification. In Formula 1, Kimi Antonelli won the Canadian GP for his fourth straight victory, by 10.7s, after team-mate George Russell retired from the lead with a technical failure; Lewis Hamilton took second for Ferrari and Max Verstappen third — his first podium of the season. DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort was split: Matteo Cairoli won Race 1, Kelvin van der Linde took Race 2 (his first DTM win for BMW) with Ben Dörr scoring McLaren's first-ever DTM podium, and Maro Engel reclaimed the championship lead. Sim side: SimRacing Expo Charlotte wrapped its first-ever U.S. edition — Simagic's Zeus wheels launched (Formula $499, GT $349, Sport $329) plus the magnetic MagicDash 4 ($199), VPG Sim revealed the Mission Sim wheel, and Trak Racer showed a motorcycle sim. iRacing Week 10 (Indy 500 splits, Charlotte World 600) closes today; Week 11 opens tomorrow. Live builds unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, and Le Mans Ultimate's May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, Hardware and iRacing pages.

Triple-Header Saturday — Russell Takes Canadian GP Sprint Pole, Indy 500 Carb Day Done & Race Tomorrow, DTM Zandvoort Race 1 Today; SimRacing Expo Charlotte Day 2, Simagic Zeus Wheels Launch With Full Pricing

The spring's biggest weekend hits its busiest day. Formula 1's Canadian GP at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve ran Sprint Qualifying on Friday: George Russell took sprint pole on a 1:12.965, edging Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli by just 0.068s for a Mercedes 1–2, with Lando Norris P3 from Piastri, Hamilton and Leclerc. Fernando Alonso crashed in SQ1, and Lawson and Albon sat the session out with practice damage. Today brings the Sprint race and main GP qualifying; the Grand Prix runs Sunday. Real-world Indy 500: Carb Day is done at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — final practice plus the Pit Stop Competition — with the 110th Indianapolis 500 taking the green tomorrow, Sunday May 24 (12:45 ET) from pole-sitter Alex Palou (four-lap average 232.248 mph). DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort runs Race 1 today, with Preining and Engel tied at the top. Sim side: SimRacing Expo USA reaches Day 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina — Simagic launched its Zeus steering wheels with confirmed pricing (Formula $499, GT $349, Sport $329) and the new magnetic MagicDash 4 ($199); iRacing Week 10 runs on with the Indy 500 race-week splits and the Charlotte World 600. Live builds unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, and Le Mans Ultimate's May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, Hardware and iRacing pages.

Triple-Header Weekend Is Here — Carb Day at Indianapolis Today, Canadian GP & DTM Zandvoort Open; SimRacing Expo USA Live in Charlotte, iRacing Week 10 Indy 500 Splits Run On

The spring's biggest weekend has arrived. Real-world Indy 500 race week reaches Carb Day today (Friday May 22) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — the final hour of on-track practice plus the traditional Pit Stop Competition — ahead of the 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24 (12:45 ET), with pole-sitter Alex Palou (four-lap average 232.248 mph) heading the field. Formula 1 opens its Canadian GP weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (May 22–24) with Friday practice — Kimi Antonelli leads 100–80 over Russell — and DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort shares the same dates, with Preining and Engel still tied at the top after the Red Bull Ring opener. Sim side: SimRacing Expo USA opens its first-ever U.S. edition today in Charlotte, North Carolina (May 22–24) — NASCAR's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. joins the stage at 11:00 ET, with the collegiate eNASCAR College Sim Racing Expo Showdown across the weekend. iRacing Week 10 (May 19–25) runs on with the headline Indy 500 race-week splits and the Charlotte World 600 NASCAR special; Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 ran at Laguna Seca last night. Sim side also sees Virtual Driving School reach Steam today. Live builds unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, and Le Mans Ultimate's May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, iRacing and Simulations pages.

Eve of the Triple-Header — Carb Day, Canadian GP & DTM Zandvoort All Tomorrow; F1 25's 2026 Expansion Revealed, Project Motor Racing 2.0.0.4 Live, Skip Barber Round 2 at Laguna Seca Tonight

The day before the spring's biggest weekend. The whole racing world points at the May 22–24 triple-header. Real-world Indy 500 race week reaches Carb Day on Friday May 22 — the final hour of practice plus the traditional Pit Stop Competition — ahead of the 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24, with pole-sitter Alex Palou at 232.248 mph heading the field. Formula 1 returns from its in-season break for the Canadian GP at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (May 22–24) — Kimi Antonelli leads 100–80 over Russell — and DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort shares the same weekend, with Preining and Engel still tied at the top after the Red Bull Ring opener. Sim side: EA gave a first look at F1 25's 2026 Season Expansion Pack on May 20, and Project Motor Racing shipped Update 2.0.0.4 the same day. iRacing Week 10 (May 19–25) is live with the headline Indy 500 race-week splits, and Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 hits Laguna Seca tonight (Thu May 21). The Sim Racing Expo lands in Charlotte, North Carolina for the first time May 22–24, with collegiate students racing the eNASCAR College Sim Racing Expo Showdown. Live builds unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, and Le Mans Ultimate's May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, iRacing and Simulations pages.

Indy 500 Race Week Builds Toward Carb Day — A Triple-Header Weekend Looms: Canadian GP, DTM Zandvoort & the 110th Indy 500 All May 22–24, iRacing Week 10 Indy 500 Splits Live

The mid-week reset before the biggest weekend of the spring. With the N24 and Indy 500 qualifying both behind us, the racing world points everything at May 22–24. Real-world Indianapolis 500 race-week practice rolls on at IMS — pole-sitter Alex Palou at 232.248 mph heads the field toward Carb Day on Friday May 22 (the final running before lights out, plus the traditional Pit Stop Competition) and the 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24. Formula 1 returns from its in-season break for the Canadian GP at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (May 22–24) — Kimi Antonelli leads 100–80 over Russell. DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort shares the same weekend, with Preining and Engel still tied at the top after the Red Bull Ring opener. Sim side: iRacing Week 10 (May 19–25) is live with the Indy 500 race-week splits — the platform's headline weekend of the year — and Skip Barber Round 2 hits Laguna Seca on Thursday May 21. Live builds are unchanged: iRacing 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3, and Le Mans Ultimate's May 12 stability patch.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, iRacing and Simulations pages.

Post-N24 Reset — Verstappen Breaks Silence “We'll Be Back”, Indy 500 Race Week Opens at IMS; iRacing Week 10 Indy 500 Race Week Live, F1 Canada Up Next

The morning after the great Nordschleife heartbreak. Max Verstappen finally addressed his N24 DNF, calling the late driveshaft failure on the leading #3 Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo “a very bitter pill to swallow” and signing off with a now-viral “We'll be back, mate” to teammate Jules Gounon — widely read as confirmation of a 2027 N24 bid. Victory, of course, went to the sister #80 Winward Mercedes-AMG of Engel / Stolz / Schiller / Martin, ahead of the #84 Abt Lamborghini and #34 Walkenhorst Aston Martin. Stateside, Indianapolis 500 Race Week opens proper today — pole-sitter Alex Palou at 232.248 mph headlines an oval practice day at IMS before Carb Day Friday May 22 and the 110th Indy 500 on Sunday May 24. Sim side: iRacing Week 10 (May 19–25) opens today with the Indy 500 race week splits — the headline weekend of the year on the platform; Charlotte World 600 joins the NASCAR series; live build 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4). Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5 remains the live AMS2 build; Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3 live since May 6; Le Mans Ultimate stability patch from May 12 still current. Race-week countdown: Canadian GP at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (May 22–24); DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort same weekend; Skip Barber Round 2 at Laguna Seca Thu May 21 (19:00 ET).

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, iRacing and Simulations pages.

N24 Stunner — Verstappen DNF in the Lead, Mercedes Winward #80 Wins the 24h; Palou Snatches Indy 500 Pole at 232.248 mph

The biggest motorsport weekend of the spring delivered drama. At the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring, Verstappen Racing's #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo (Verstappen / Gounon / Juncadella / Auer) was comfortably leading by ~30 seconds with three hours to go when a driveshaft failure ended the race. Victory instead went to the sister #80 Winward Mercedes-AMG of Maro Engel / Luca Stolz / Fabian Schiller / Maxime Martin, ahead of the #84 Abt Lamborghini and the #34 Walkenhorst Aston Martin. The Black Falcon Fanatec Porsche 992 GT3 Cup with Jimmy Broadbent / Super GT / Charoudin / Metzger completed the race, an emotional finish for the sim-racing YouTuber lineup. Stateside, Alex Palou snatched Indy 500 pole in a stunning Firestone Fast Six run — four-lap average 232.248 mph, his second Indy pole — from Alexander Rossi (P2, first front row since 2017) and David Malukas (P3, career-first). Felix Rosenqvist had to settle for fourth despite topping both earlier sessions. Sim side: Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5 remains the live AMS2 build; iRacing 2026 S2 Patch 4 (2026.05.04.02) the active iRacing build; Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3 live since May 6; Le Mans Ultimate stability patch from May 12 still current. Race week: Carb Day Friday May 22, 110th Indy 500 Sunday May 24; Canadian GP May 22–24; DTM Zandvoort May 22–24.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, iRacing and YouTube pages.

N24 Finale Today at 15:00 CEST — Verstappen Racing's #3 Mercedes Leads Mercedes 1–2 With 7 Hours to Go, Indy 500 Pole Day Compressed Into One Sunday

The biggest finish line of the spring closes today. After a dramatic night at the Nordschleife, Verstappen Racing's #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo (Verstappen / Gounon / Juncadella / Auer) heads the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring by roughly 14 seconds over the sister #80 Winward AMG of Engel / Martin / Schiller / Stolz — a German manufacturer 1–2 with about seven hours left. Verstappen's decisive pass at the front came shortly after 02:00 local; three overnight DSQs cleaned up the order behind. The #911 Manthey "Grello" Porsche is out (Kevin Estre crash, Brünnchen). Race ends Sunday May 17 at 15:00 CEST. Stateside, Indy 500 qualifying has been compressed into a single day after Saturday's rainout: 12:00 ET single four-lap attempts set 16–33, 16:30 ET Top 12, 18:00 ET Firestone Fast Six for pole and the $100k prize. On the sim side, Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5 remains the live AMS2 build; iRacing 2026 S2 Patch 4 (2026.05.04.02) the active iRacing build; Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6.3 live since May 6. F1 stays on break before the Canadian GP (May 22–24) — Antonelli leads 100–80 over Russell.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, iRacing and Simulations pages.

N24 Race Day — Verstappen Racing's #3 Mercedes Starts P4, Lights Out 15:00 CEST; Indy 500 Time Trials Day 1 Today, AMS2 v1.6.9.5 Live

Race day at the Green Hell. Verstappen Racing's #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo (Verstappen / Gounon / Juncadella / Auer) starts the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring from P4 after Top Qualifying 3 — Dani Juncadella ended TQ3 with an 8:12.005, with the Nick Yelloly Team Abt Lamborghini setting the early benchmark in TQ2. Verstappen's 8:11.614 in TQ2 was already quicker than last year's overall pole. Lights out: Saturday May 16 at 15:00 CEST, 161-car record-tying field, first-ever sold-out weekend. Stateside, Indy 500 Time Trials Day 1 runs 11:00–17:50 ET at IMS — single four-lap attempts set positions 16–33, with the fastest nine locking straight into Sunday's Top 12. Sim side: Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5 shipped yesterday (May 15) with handling tweaks and AI fixes; Le Mans Ultimate stability patch from Tuesday May 12 remains the live build; iRacing Connect for Apple Vision Pro is live in the App Store. F1 stays on its in-season break before the Canadian GP (May 22–24); DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort shares that weekend.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, iRacing and Simulations pages.

N24 Top Qualifying Today — Verstappen's #3 Mercedes Hunts a Better Grid Slot, Indy 500 Qualifying Tomorrow, LMU Patch Live

The grid takes shape today. ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring — Top Qualifying runs Friday May 15 from 10:45 CEST, an F1-style three-part knockout (Top-Q1 / Top-Q2 / Top-Q3) reserved for the top classes. Verstappen Racing's #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo (Verstappen / Gounon / Juncadella / Auer) carries forward a three-place grid penalty from the Qualifiers and currently lines up P9 — the goal today is to claw it back. The 161-car record-tying entry and a sold-out paddock head toward race lights out Saturday May 16 at 15:00 CEST. Stateside, Indy 500 Practice Day 4 rolls at IMS before Time Trials Day 1 on Saturday May 16 (11:00–17:50 ET) and the Firestone Fast Six Sunday. On the sim side, Le Mans Ultimate shipped a fresh stability patch on Tuesday May 12, and iRacing Connect for Apple Vision Pro remains live in the App Store. F1 stays on its in-season break before the Canadian GP (May 22–24); DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort shares that weekend.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, LMU and iRacing pages.

N24 Qualifying Day Opens Today — Verstappen's Nordschleife Debut Live From 13:15 CEST, iRacing Lands on Apple Vision Pro

The biggest race weekend of the spring starts this Thursday afternoon. ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring Qualifying Day 1 runs 13:15–15:15 CEST, then again in near-darkness from 20:00–23:30 CEST — for Verstappen Racing's #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo (Verstappen / Gounon / Juncadella / Auer) the night run is the real prize, banking Nordschleife laps after sundown before Top Qualifying 1 tomorrow at 10:45. The record-tying 161-car entry and a first-ever sold-out weekend push the event to its biggest commercial scale since 2014. On the sim side, iRacing Connect for Apple Vision Pro went live in the App Store Tuesday May 12 — foveated streaming, ARKit hand pass-through onto a real rig, RTX 4070 Ti+ / Wi-Fi 6 minimum spec, free to download. iRacing Week 9 Indy 500 Open-Setup race week remains live; F1 is on an in-season break before the Canadian GP (May 22–24); real-world Indy 500 practice rolls into Day 3 at IMS ahead of Time Trials May 16–17. Main 24h race lights out: Saturday May 16, 15:00 CEST.

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, iRacing and Hardware pages.

Alex Zanardi (1966–2026) — Two-Time CART Champion, Four-Time Paralympic Gold Medallist, Dies at 59

Italian racing legend Alex Zanardi passed away on the evening of Friday, 1 May 2026 at the age of 59. His family announced on Saturday that he died “suddenly”, but “peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family and friends” — no cause of death given. Zanardi raced in Formula 1 between 1991 and 1999, won back-to-back CART titles in 1997 and 1998 with Chip Ganassi Racing, lost both legs in the Lausitzring accident of 2001, returned to compete in adapted touring cars, and went on to win four Paralympic golds in handcycling (London 2012, Rio 2016). Few drivers shaped a generation the way he did.

Full tribute on the Beyond the Sim page.

Porsche Esports Supercup Round 1 Live Today at Spa — Indy 500 Practice Day 2, ADAC 24h Nürburgring Race Weekend Opens Tomorrow

Mid-week racing day. iRacing Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 1 opens its first session today at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps — the door to a 32-driver World Championship, a $30,000 prize pool and a Porsche-Motorsport-backed real-world ride. Round 1 returns Saturday May 16. Real-world Indy 500 Practice Day 2 ramps up at IMS, with the 33-car field — Mick Schumacher, Dennis Hauger and Caio Collet all in their first oval week — pointed toward Time Trials May 16–17. iRacing Week 9 Indy 500 Open-Setup race week continues in the Dallara IR-18. F1 is on an in-season break ahead of the Canadian GP (May 22–24). The big news on the horizon: the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring race weekend kicks off tomorrow (Thu May 14) with the record-tying 161-car entry — Verstappen / Auer / Gounon / Juncadella line up P9; main race Saturday May 16, 15:00 CEST. DTM Round 2 at Zandvoort follows May 22–24 — Preining and Engel tied at the top of the standings after the Red Bull Ring opener.

Full breakdowns on the iRacing and Beyond the Sim pages.

Indy 500 Practice Opens Today at IMS — iRacing Week 9 & Indy 500 Open-Setup Race Week Go Live, Porsche Esports Supercup Qualifier Opens Tomorrow at Spa

The Month of May hits its racing core. Real-world Indy 500 practice opens at Indianapolis Motor Speedway today (Tuesday May 12) with the 33-car field — including rookies Mick Schumacher, Dennis Hauger and Caio Collet — building toward Time Trials on May 16–17. INDYCAR also detailed the expanded Indy 500 qualifying format: Day 1 (Sat May 16, 11:00–17:50 ET) sets positions 16–33, with the fastest nine locking into the Top 12; Day 2 (Sun May 17) runs the Final 15 for the remaining three spots, then the Firestone Fast Six for pole and a $100,000 prize. iRacing Week 9 (May 12–18) opens today with the Indy 500 Open-Setup race week in the Dallara IR-18 — 200 laps, 33-car splits, the back half of iRacing's flagship Special Event. Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 1 runs tomorrow May 13 and Saturday May 16 at Spa — the path to a Porsche Motorsport-backed World Championship (and a $30k pot) begins on iRacing this week. Race-week countdown: F1 Imola GP 15–17 May, ADAC 24h Nürburgring 14–17 May.

Full breakdowns on the iRacing and Beyond the Sim pages.

The Big Week: ADAC 24h Nürburgring & F1 Imola Headline, iRacing Indy 500 Open-Setup Race Week Opens Tuesday

The busiest race week of the spring opens this Monday. ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring runs 14–17 May with a record-tying 161-car entry — Verstappen Racing's #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo (Verstappen / Gounon / Juncadella / Auer) lines up P9 after a post-qualifiers grid penalty. Formula 1 returns at Imola (15–17 May), with Kimi Antonelli leading the standings 100–80 over Russell after his Miami hat-trick. iRacing Week 9 (May 12–18) kicks off tomorrow with the Indy 500 Open-Setup race week — the back half of iRacing's flagship Special Event, leading into the 33-car split races on race weekend. Real-world Indy 500 practice opens Tuesday May 12 at IMS; Time Trials May 16–17, Carb Day May 22, the 110th Indy 500 Sunday May 24. WEC standings update: BMW's Spa 1–2 closes the manufacturer gap; Toyota's lead over Ferrari is now narrow heading to Le Mans (June 13–14).

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim and iRacing pages.

BMW Wins Maiden WEC Hypercar Race at Spa — Lundgaard Breaks Drought at IMS, iRacing Indy 500 Open-Setup Week Opens

A landmark Saturday for the real-world racing pages. BMW M Team WRT took its first overall WEC victory at the 6 Hours of Spa: the #20 M Hybrid V8 of Robin Frijns / René Rast / Sheldon van der Linde beat the sister #15 Magnussen/Vanthoor/Marciello by under two seconds for a stunning BMW 1–2, after starting only 10th and 11th. Ferrari #50 recovered from a wheel-nut overstay to round out the podium. Garage 59 McLaren #59 won LMGT3. In IndyCar, Christian Lundgaard ended a near-three-year drought to win the Sonsio Grand Prix on the IMS Road Course from David Malukas, with pole-sitter Alex Palou only fifth. The Indy 500 Month now ramps up: real-world Practice opens Tuesday May 12, Time Trials May 16–17. iRacing Week 8 (May 5–11) rolls into the Indy 500 open-setup race week. Coming up next weekend: ADAC 24h Nürburgring (14–17 May) and F1 Imola GP (15–17 May).

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim and iRacing pages.

WEC Spa FP1 at 11:00 CEST — Skip Barber Series Reborn Opens Tonight, Indy 500 Fixed-Setup Week Live

Three big things this Thursday morning. The TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps — WEC Round 3 — finally hits the track today: FP1 at 11:00 CEST, FP2 at 15:40 CEST, with FP3 (10:10), Qualifying and Hyperpole on Friday May 8, and the race itself Saturday May 9 at 14:00 CEST. Toyota leads Hypercar 40–27 over Ferrari, with BMW (16) and Alpine (13) chasing; Aston Martin's Valkyrie returns to high-speed Spa as the WEC warms up for Le Mans. iRacing's Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series returns tonight (May 7) for its six-race revival schedule, kicking off at Lime Rock Park. The iRacing Indy 500 Fixed-Setup Week remains live through Sunday.

Full breakdowns on the iRacing and Beyond the Sim pages.

FIA Goes Rally Esports — Assetto Corsa Rally Becomes Official Platform for Global FIA Tour, Online Qualifiers Start May 12

The big sim-racing announcement of the week: the FIA has chosen Assetto Corsa Rally as the exclusive official platform for its first-ever FIA Esports Global Rally Tour. Online qualifiers run from May 12 to May 25 and will narrow the field to 56 drivers — eight per region across Europe, MENA, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific and Africa. Regional shootouts then run knockout rounds (Asia-Pacific opens at the FIA Conference in Macau on June 23, Europe in Frankfurt on October 16–18) before the live Grand Final on December 12 at the FIA Awards Ceremony, watched by 2026's F1 and WRC champions. It's the first time rallying gets a properly-resourced, FIA-sanctioned esports tour — and a major win for Kunos.

Full breakdown on the Simulations page.

Indy 500 Month Is Live — iRacing Indy 500 Fixed-Setup Week Opens Today, Real-World Practice Starts May 12

The biggest fortnight of the sim & real-world racing calendar starts now. iRacing Week 8 (May 5–11) is live, and with it the iRacing Indy 500 Fixed-Setup qualifying week — the first half of iRacing's flagship Special Event, with the open-setup race week to follow. On the real side, the 110th Indianapolis 500 Open Test wrapped April 28–29 with Josef Newgarden 2nd overall at 226.223 mph and rookies Mick Schumacher, Dennis Hauger and Caio Collet all completing the Rookie Orientation Program. Real-world practice opens Tuesday May 12, Time Trials May 16–17, Carb Day May 22, the 110th Indy 500 on Sunday May 24. Also this week: WEC 6 Hours of Spa (7–9 May), IndyCar GMR Grand Prix at the IMS Road Course (Saturday 9 May), and iRacing Skip Barber Series revival opens at Lime Rock on Thursday 7 May.

Full breakdowns on the iRacing and Beyond the Sim pages.

Antonelli Wins Miami GP — Third Win in a Row, Championship Lead Out to 20 Points

Andrea Kimi Antonelli took his third consecutive Grand Prix victory on Sunday night in Miami, holding off Lando Norris after a hectic opening that featured a Turn-1 lock-up by Antonelli, Verstappen and Leclerc and an early Safety Car for crashes by Hadjar and Gasly. Norris finished +3.264 s, Piastri +27 s, Russell P4, Verstappen P5 (with a five-second penalty), Hamilton P6. Antonelli is now 20 points clear in the standings and the first driver in F1 history to convert his first three pole positions into wins. Up next: WEC 6 Hours of Spa (7–9 May), IndyCar GMR Grand Prix at IMS Road Course (9 May), ADAC 24h Nürburgring (14–17 May), DTM Zandvoort (22–24 May), Indy 500 (24 May).

Full breakdowns on the Beyond the Sim, LMU and iRacing pages.

Antonelli Survives Turn-1 Lockup, Beats Norris to 3rd Win — Verstappen P5 With Penalty

From pole, Antonelli locked up alongside Verstappen and Leclerc at Turn 1 in a three-way scrap, regathered, then resisted heavy late pressure from Norris over a 57-lap thriller. The Mercedes rookie also managed gearbox concerns in the closing stages without losing the lead. Two early-race incidents (Hadjar, Gasly) brought out the Safety Car. Piastri P3 (+27 s); Russell P4 (+43 s); Verstappen P5 (+49 s, including a five-second penalty); Hamilton P6 (+53 s); Colapinto P7 in the Alpine; Leclerc P8 with a 20-second penalty. McLaren's race pace was real, but Antonelli's qualifying ace plus front-row track position made the difference.

Full report on the Beyond the Sim page.

Norris Won the Saturday Sprint — Setting Up Antonelli's Pole-and-Win Sunday

Saturday's Miami Sprint went to Norris from pole, with Piastri and Leclerc rounding out the podium. Antonelli was demoted from P4 to P6 by a 5-second track-limits penalty, then turned the weekend around with main-quali pole and Sunday's GP win. McLaren's Miami floor upgrade is real — race pace was right there with Antonelli, but couldn't break front-row track position.

Full report on the Beyond the Sim page.

Scherer-PHX Audi Wins Nürburgring 24h Qualifiers Race — Manthey "Grello" 3rd, N24 Test Box Ticked

The #16 Scherer Sports PHX Audi R8 LMS GT3 of Ben Green / Alexander Sims / Christopher Haase took victory in Sunday's four-hour 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers race, finishing +28.024s clear of the #84 Abt Lamborghini. The #911 Manthey EMA "Grello" Porsche 911 GT3 R of Thomas Preining / Matt Campbell rounded out the podium, holding off a late charge from the #80 Winward Mercedes. Lucas Auer was back in the car later for additional N24 setup laps. Main 24h race: 14–17 May.

Full report on the Beyond the Sim page.

Sim-Lab DDS TorqueSync Pre-Orders Live — DDS26 €1499, DDS39 €1999, Founders Edition with Xero-Play QR v2

Sim-Lab opened pre-orders for its newest direct-drive line on May 1: the DDS26 TorqueSync at €1499 and DDS39 TorqueSync at €1999. Both ship with an exclusive Founders Edition — the new Xero-Play Quick Release v2, a collector's booklet, individually-numbered serial engraving — reservable with a refundable deposit. First units ship throughout late June 2026. The DDS slots in below the recently-launched DDX line in price while keeping the patented TorqueSync control loop, putting Sim-Lab squarely in the mid-range Direct Drive bracket against MOZA, Simagic and Asetek.

Full breakdown on the Hardware page.

Simagic P700 Pedals Out Now — 150 kg Load Cell, Modular, From $189

Simagic kicked off its 8th-anniversary campaign on May 1 with the launch of the P700 modular pedal system. The brake uses a 150 kg load cell with Full-Range Adaptive Sensing that auto-adjusts signal gain across the braking range, and pricing is aggressive: $189 for the dual-pedal set, $209 for the three-pedal set, with the C-P700 clutch module standalone at $59. Aimed at the entry/mid-tier slot below Alpha Mini and against MOZA's CRP2/SRP and Fanatec's CSL Elite V2 pedals.

MOZA Racing Named Official Sim Racing Hardware Partner of GRIDLIFE 2026

Announced April 30: GRIDLIFE will run MOZA Racing direct-drive bases, wheels and pedals as the official sim racing hardware of the 2026 GRIDLIFE Arcade — the festival's centrepiece sim experience that travels to every event. The deal puts MOZA in front of grassroots time-attack and drift fans across the U.S. season — a notable expansion of MOZA's brand-partnership push following the Porsche Mission R wheel earlier this year.

Lenovo Renews F1 Sim Racing World Championship Partnership for 2026

Lenovo will once again power the Formula 1 Sim Racing World Championship in 2026, supplying every official rig with Legion Tower 5i desktops and Legion Pro 32UD-10 4K gaming monitors. The deal extends an existing F1 partnership and gives the world championship esports drivers identical, competition-grade hardware across all rounds — a meaningful step for fairness in the series.

Fanatec ClubSport Formula V3 Unveiled — Bigger Display, 290 mm Rim, Swappable Grips

The headline reveal of Fanatec's April 28 Spring Showcase: the long-leaked ClubSport Formula V3 is official. Diameter grows from 270 to 290 mm; the centre display is much larger and gets an Intelligent Telemetry Mode with switchable layouts (lap times/deltas, tyre temps, fuel). The thumb rotaries now push, the central rotary expands to 12 positions, and the grips can be swapped for community-designed alternatives. PS5/PC at launch, Xbox version in development.

Fanatec Spring Showcase Live — Wheel Hub, Podium Formula Pedals at €699.95 & Free DD Power Boost

Beyond the Formula V3 reveal, VP and GM Tobi used the live show to drop four more announcements. New Fanatec Wheel Hub: a slim adapter that lets third-party wheels (VPG carbon wheels confirmed as launch partner) bolt cleanly onto any Fanatec base — no emulator boxes. Podium Pedals Formula Edition at €699.95: patented air-cell brake compression, contactless Hall-sensor throttle/clutch, custom curves in the Fanatec App, tool-free adjustment, carbon faceplates. Free firmware updates: extra torque headroom unlocked on ClubSport DD & DD+ next week, and Full Force FFB coming to CSL DD and GT DD Plus at no cost in the coming months.

Full breakdown on the Hardware page.

MotoGP 26 Out Today — Rider-Based Handling, Dynamic Ratings, 3D Paddock Career

Milestone's MotoGP 26 launches today across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 1+2, Steam and Epic ($59.99). The new Rider-Based Handling Technology moves control from the bike to the rider's body, with weight management driving cornering and braking. Career mode adopts a fully 3D paddock with press conferences and a personal manager; dynamic rider ratings update through the real 2026 MotoGP season. Race Off mode adds a Production Bikes 1000cc category alongside Motard, Flat Track and Minibikes.

WEC 6 Hours of Spa Next Weekend — Toyota vs. Ferrari, Round 3 of 2026

The TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (7–9 May) is round three of the 2026 WEC season. Reigning champion Ferrari heads to the Ardennes still smarting after Toyota's narrow win at Imola; Toyota's TR010 Hybrid arrives with a strong qualifying record at Spa. The Hypercar entry is 17 cars across eight factory teams; Cadillac drafts in Louis Delétraz, and Eduardo Barrichello returns to Heart of Racing in LMGT3.

Full preview on the Beyond the Sim page.

Palou Wins Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach — First Long Beach Win, 22nd Career Victory

Alex Palou (#10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) took his first-ever win at the streets of Long Beach on Sunday, after pole-sitter Felix Rosenqvist (#60 Meyer Shank) lost the lead during the final round of green-flag pit stops and finished second, +3.97s back. Scott Dixon rounded out the podium ahead of Kyle Kirkwood and Pato O'Ward. With three wins in the opening six rounds of 2026, Palou reclaimed the championship lead, +17 over Kirkwood. Round 7: Indianapolis Road Course (May 9), then the Indy 500 (May 24).

Full report on the Beyond the Sim page.

Engel Wins DTM Race 2 at Red Bull Ring — Wittmann 2nd, Auer 3rd

Pole-sitter Maro Engel (Winward Mercedes-AMG) bounced back from his Saturday pit-stop drama to win DTM Race 2 on Sunday at the Red Bull Ring. Marco Wittmann (Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 Evo) crossed the line second, with Lucas Auer (Mercedes-AMG) third — an all-Mercedes-and-BMW podium. Combined with Thomas Preining's Race 1 victory the day before, the championship leaves Spielberg effectively level: Preining and Engel tied at the top, Auer the only other consistent podium-grabber. Next round: Zandvoort, 22–24 May.

Full breakdown on the Beyond the Sim page.

Sim-Lab DDX TorqueSync — I Drove Both at the SimRacing Expo Dortmund

Sim-Lab is moving from rigs and pedals into the wheelbase game with the DDX26 (26 Nm) and DDX39 (39 Nm) TorqueSync — and I got to drive both of them back-to-back at the SimRacing Expo in Dortmund. The FFB is razor-sharp and noticeably faster to communicate kerbs and grip loss than anything else I tried at the show.

Patented TorqueSync™ control loop at 100 kHz, 350 V servo bus, 24-bit encoder, internal 1,200/1,500 W PSU, USB 3.0 passthrough, Quick-Release V2. Italian ISO manufacturing, TÜV SÜD approval, 4-year warranty. Pre-orders open; stock windows still tight.

AC EVO v0.6: Four Days In, Sebring & Six New Cars Are Reshaping Leagues

Four days after launch, Assetto Corsa EVO v0.6 has cemented itself as the biggest leap since early access opened. Sebring International Raceway is already producing some of the best racing on the platform, while the six new cars — Ferrari 296 GT3, Ford Mustang GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 R Rennsport, Audi R8 LMS GT4 Evo, Ferrari GTO and Lamborghini Countach — are in heavy rotation in public lobbies. Dedicated servers via Steam Tools, official MoTeC support, and the rebuilt multilink suspension model are quietly the biggest wins for league racers this weekend.

iRacing Nürburgring 24h Just Concluded — Five-Class Field, Real-World N24 Two Weeks Away

The iRacing Nürburgring 24 Hours presented by Thrustmaster ran 1–3 May across the GP/Nordschleife combined layout and wrapped on Sunday afternoon. Five classes shared the track: GT3, Porsche Cup (992.2), GT4, TCR and BMW M2 CS Racing. The event traditionally lines up perfectly with the real-world ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring (14–17 May), with many real-world entrants using the iRacing race as final prep. Provisional class results, stewards' reports and the official iRacing recap will trickle out during the week.

Full details on the iRacing page.

Week 7 Live: GT3 at Brands Hatch GP, GP Tour to Miami, Skip Barber Returns May 7

Week 7 (April 28 – May 4) opens with GT3 at Brands Hatch GP across GT3 Challenge Fixed by Fanatec, GT Sprint by Simucube and GT Endurance by Simucube. The iRacing Grand Prix Tour heads to the Miami International Autodrome ahead of next weekend's real F1 round. The reborn Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series opens its six-race schedule on Thursday May 7 at Lime Rock Park. Patch 3 (build 2026.04.21.01) remains the live build — no hotfix expected mid-week.

Fanatec GT World Series Wheel: Free Firmware Adds Power & New Display Mode

Alongside the Spring Showcase, Fanatec rolled out a free software update for the licensed Gran Turismo wheels: a power increase across the GT DD Pro / Extreme bundles and a new on-wheel display mode. Existing owners get the upgrade at no cost — the kind of post-launch tuning the community has been asking for since the original release.

SimHub Plugin Wave: Daniel Newman Racing v5.9, NeoRed v1.6 & RSS Ultimate Dash

April brought a steady SimHub plugin cycle. Daniel Newman Racing v5.9 (April 16) added LED settings, Lift & Coast on/off plus a global colour, and a Chrono Dashboard v1.1.0 refresh. The popular NeoRed SimHub plugin/dashboard for LMU updated to v1.6.0.1 on April 15. Race Sim Studio released the Ultimate SimHub Dashboard (V020426) with profiles for the full RSS roster including Formula Hybrid Alpine 2025, Formula Supreme, GT-M Protech P92 F6, Hyperion V8 and Furiano 96 V6.

MOZA HMA150 & Motion Manager — Full Ecosystem Taking Shape

A month after its GDC 2026 reveal, MOZA's HMA150 Motion Actuator is starting to appear in early-backer rigs. The fully in-house linear actuator pairs with the new Motion Manager software and an AI-powered motion engine that generates effects even for sims without official telemetry output. Paired with the R21/R25 bases, this positions MOZA as the first mainstream brand offering a one-stop wheel-pedal-motion ecosystem under a single software roof.

Next Level Racing Reveals FIA-Licensed Elite Formula Seat (EFS)

Next Level Racing has unveiled the Elite Formula Seat — an FIA Official Licensed sim racing seat reverse-engineered from real Formula race seats, with 73 mounting configurations and a 250 kg load rating. Priced at $499 / €499. Built for serious open-wheel rigs running active pedals and aggressive load cell brakes.

Rennsport 2026: 45% Price Cut, AI Overhaul Lands in May

Competition Company has pushed the Rennsport Deluxe Edition down to €38.49 / $39.99 (a 45% cut, including all paid content packs through September). The reworked physics-based AI — modelled on actual driver inputs rather than rail-following heuristics — is targeted for May 2026. Track modding tools enter beta in August, and the Endurance Classics Pack 1 lands mid-year.

LMU v1.3.2 Live — Barcelona BoP Pass, Jump-Start Penalties Fixed

Studio 397 shipped Le Mans Ultimate v1.3.2 on April 28: a targeted performance balance pass at Circuit de Barcelona across Hypercar and LMGT3, plus a long list of bug fixes. Jump-start penalties are no longer capped at +10s, the formation-lap speed limit no longer mis-displays as 120 kph, watch-screen wipers now work, and the freeze when entering Car Setup with many custom setups is gone. Coach Dave Academy has added an official Barcelona setup pack alongside the patch.

CrewChief, SimHub & iRaceControl Keep Race Control Sharp

CrewChief v4.19.1.42 ships with full AC EVO v0.6 compatibility. SimHub's Translation Assistant now covers 80-90% of the UI in 15+ languages thanks to DeepL and Google suggestions. iRaceControl — the league stewarding platform with auto-sequencer, incident logging and PDF stewards' reports — continues to gain traction in the European league scene.

Asetek Takeover Complete — CQXA Holdings Confirmed

The $85M acquisition of Danish manufacturer Asetek by Chinese firm CQXA Holdings has officially closed with 95.3% of shares transferred. CEO André Sloth Eriksen confirms continuity of the La Prima, Forte and Invicta product lines, with console-compatible peripherals firmly on the roadmap.

Jimmy Broadbent & Super GT to Race Black Falcon Porsche at NLS 2026

YouTube heavyweights Jimmy Broadbent and Steve "Super GT" Alvarez Brown step up the real-world ladder again — this time in a Fanatec-branded Black Falcon Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car for NLS 2026 at the Nürburgring, alongside Misha Charoudin. Big build-up race for the N24 (May 14-17). Sim-to-real continues to be the defining narrative of the era.

CAS Leagues: GT3-WCT, IEC & Combined Cup in Mid-Season

The CAS-iRacing Community's GT3 World Championship Tour, IEC Endurance Championship, Combined Cup, SFL Cup, PCCD and TSS GT4 are all deep into their seasons. Clean, well-organised, non-commercial league racing — with Team CTP coaching and live Twitch streaming. The IEC will adopt iRaceControl for next season.

SimRacing Expo USA: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Confirmed — Charlotte, May 22-24

NASCAR Cup Series driver and 2023 Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has been added to the SimRacing Expo USA line-up, joining the team on stage at 11:00 on Friday May 22. Exhibitors include Asetek Racing, Fanatec, Sensit Haptics, DOF Reality and Trak Racer. The Golden Ticket bundles NASCAR Hall of Fame access and Coca-Cola 600 grandstand seats.

Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5 Live — AI & Stability Tweaks on the Road to v1.7.0

Reiza pushed Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.5 on May 15 — a smaller hotfix focused on AI behaviour and general stability ahead of the big v1.7.0 drop targeted for end of Q2. v1.7.0 brings the structural items: mid-race saves, virtual safety cars, ballast, class points, animated marshals, tow / repair delays, the new HUD and joining ranked races from third-party services from inside the game. First 2026 DLC remains a series of F1-inspired single-seaters; two more historical endurance packs queued for later in the year.