🏁 2026 Season 2 — Current Season
Live now — new cars, new track, and major AI improvements
Audi RS3 LMS Gen2 TCR
The three-time TCR Model of the Year joins the iRacing roster. A front-wheel-drive touring car that brings a different driving challenge to the platform. AI-enabled from day one.
Season 2 2026NASCAR Truck RAM
NASCAR's newest national series machine arrives. The RAM joins the truck series lineup, offering a fresh option for oval racing enthusiasts and adding to the NASCAR content library.
Season 2 2026NASCAR Cup Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 2026
The Cup Series Camaro ZL1 receives its 2026 update with the ZL1 performance package. Updated aero and performance characteristics to match the real-world 2026 season specifications.
Season 2 2026St. Petersburg Grand Prix
A new street course fresh off this year's INDYCAR season opener. Also a historic first-time venue for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, making it a versatile addition to the track roster.
Season 2 2026✨ The Future: iRacing’s New “Spark” Graphics Engine
A ground-up rewrite happening quietly beneath a service that never stops racing
While millions of laps are being completed every week, iRacing is carrying out one of the most ambitious — and most invisible — transformations in its history: a complete rewrite of its graphics engine and a large part of its internal architecture. The new engine is called Spark, and it is not a patch, not a visual update, not a tweak. It is open-heart surgery on a live, competitive simulator.
Unlike most studios, iRacing has deliberately chosen not to move to Unreal or Unity. Professional simulation needs very low latency, extremely high-frequency physics, millimeter-precise surface data, and absolute stability under heavy load — trade-offs that general-purpose engines cannot always make cleanly. Spark’s design philosophy is blunt: performance first, aesthetics second. And a major milestone has already been reached — the so-called vertical slice, where the engine can load a circuit, integrate a car, process the simulation and render the full scene end to end. It doesn’t have all its final polish yet, but it works. In engineering terms, that’s the moment a promising idea becomes a real foundation.
Hundreds of Dynamic Lights, Properly
Night has always been one of iRacing’s weaker visual areas — not for lack of ambition, but because the old engine simply couldn’t juggle dozens of cars with multiple dynamic light sources each. Spark changes that radically. Hundreds of dynamic lights can now be handled efficiently: brake lights, headlights, reflections on wet tarmac, projected shadows — all coherent parts of the scene rather than approximations. Night stops being a technical obstacle and becomes a visual opportunity.
Spark Engine · 2026Vegetation Finally Part of the Lighting System
In the old engine, trees and vegetation existed but weren’t truly integrated into global lighting — no consistent shadows, no real response to the surrounding scene. With Spark, vegetation receives light, casts shadows, and adds real depth. It’s not something anyone points to specifically, but the brain notices. Realism stops being a deliberate effort and starts being a natural sensation.
Spark Engine · 2026Genuine Multi-Threading, Finally
For years, iRacing’s biggest limitation wasn’t your GPU — it was its dependence on a single CPU thread. In complex situations (race starts, pile-ups, heavy traffic) that one core saturated and dragged everything down with it. Spark brings a proper multi-threaded architecture: physics and rendering work in parallel across multiple cores, freeing the main thread. The result is not just higher frame rates — it’s much better stability and consistency, especially when things get chaotic.
Spark Engine · 2026Spatial Reverb — 50% Less Audio Load
A welcome side-effect of the optimisation work: the audio system’s computational load has been reduced by more than 50%. The headroom has been used to add spatial reverberation — engines that sound different depending on their surroundings, real echoes in street circuits, far more nuanced mechanical detail. It’s not a checkbox feature, but you feel it the moment everything starts to sound right.
Spark Engine · 2026Foveated Rendering with Eye Tracking
In VR, every millisecond matters. Spark integrates one of the most advanced techniques available: foveated rendering with eye tracking. The system detects where you’re looking and concentrates maximum visual quality there, reducing detail in the periphery where your eye can’t tell the difference. The result is a massive optimisation with no perceptible quality loss — the difference between an acceptable VR experience and a truly immersive one.
Spark Engine · 2026New Tire Model: Asymmetric Asperity Pressure
Underneath the visuals, the simulation itself is evolving. A new tire model introduces concepts like asymmetric asperity pressure. Translated from engineering-speak: more predictable response, more coherent thermal behaviour, fewer abrupt grip-loss cliffs. In short, cars that behave more logically. You can have the best graphics in the world, but if the car doesn’t inspire confidence, none of it matters — and this is where the real simulation upgrade lives.
Spark Engine · 2026When will we see it? Spark won’t land in a single dramatic drop. iRacing is integrating it progressively, making sure each step is stable before the next — slower, but much safer for a service thousands of people depend on every day. If everything goes right, nobody will eventually talk about “Spark”: it will simply be taken for granted that the sim looks better, runs better, and feels more real. And that might be the greatest achievement possible — all this complexity dissolving into the simple sensation of being inside the car.
Source: BoxThisLap — Everything We Know About iRacing’s New Graphics Engine in 2026. Summary written by SimRacing Hub; no affiliation with BoxThisLap or iRacing.
🏁 The Month of May — iRacing Indy 500
The biggest oval event of the year — how it works, how qualifying decides everything, and how to take part
The month of May means one thing: it’s time for the iRacing Indy 500. The real-world 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday 24 May 2026 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — 200 laps, 500 miles, 33 cars on the grid. iRacing’s virtual recreation runs the same weekend in the Dallara IR-18 IndyCar on the same legendary 2.5-mile oval, with thousands of drivers worldwide.
Why race it? Oval racing at Indianapolis is some of the most intense competitive racing you can take part in — long, strategic, drafty, with a uniquely brutal qualifying procedure where qualifying is almost as important as the race itself. If you want one event to circle on your iRacing calendar each year, this is it.
200 laps · 500 miles · 33 cars
Dallara IR-18 IndyCar with the aeroscreen, around the Brickyard’s 2.5-mile rectangular oval. Maximum 33 drivers per session — the same grid size as the real race. Two flavours each year: a Fixed setup race (level playing field) and an Open setup race (engineer-it-yourself). Both run with unlimited tyre changes; pit stops are simultaneous-fill so a tyre change costs no extra time on top of the fuel.
Four-lap average — just like the real thing
Qualifying runs every hour through Race Week and ends when the first race time slot begins. Four laps per attempt; what counts is the average across all four. A super-quick first lap doesn’t help if the rest fall away — consistency is everything. Any aero contact or a wall touch on any of the four laps voids that run. You can re-attempt as many times as you like.
Top 33 in qualifying are generally guaranteed the front (premier) split. Without a qualifying time you’re placed behind everyone who did qualify, sorted by iRating — usually the toughest split to be in.
License, registration, time slots
You need a Class C license, an Oval Intermediate state, and the iRacing iD App 4.0+. No specific safety-rating prerequisites — but be honest, this car is hard to drive at these speeds.
Search the series page for “Indy 500” — both Fixed and Open have separate entries. Race sessions open for registration a full hour before the start; qualifying sessions only a few minutes before. Registering for qualifying drops you straight to a lobby that opens at start time — no warm-up, no surprise green flag.
📋 Full how-to guide for the iRacing Indy 500
Why this race is special
Indianapolis is one corner of the “Triple Crown of Motorsport” alongside Monaco and Le Mans. The 500 mile distance, the 33-car grid, the four-lap qualifying procedure — iRacing recreates all of it faithfully. It’s the one event of the year where the qualifying weekend feels like its own competition.
Qualifying — the rules in detail
- Hourly sessions through Race Week, stopping when the first race slot begins.
- Four laps per attempt. Your four-lap average is the time that counts.
- Any aero contact on any of the four laps voids that lap — and without four valid laps, no average. Avoid the wall, avoid contact.
- You can attempt qualifying as many times as you like — only your best four-lap average is kept.
- Standings live: Series page → Standings → switch the dropdown to Qualifying. Note that Fixed and Open Indy 500 are separate entries in the series — check you’re looking at the right one.
Splits & non-qualifier rules
- Maximum 33 drivers per split — the same grid size as the real race.
- Top 33 in qualifying are generally guaranteed the premier (top) split. With high signup it’s possible for 33-and-fast drivers to fill multiple splits.
- Generally the higher you qualify, the higher your split.
- No qualifying time? You can still race — you’ll be placed behind everyone who did qualify, sorted by iRating. The non-qualifiers and slowest qualifiers tend to mix together — usually the toughest split to be in.
- Your grid position inside your time slot is decided by your qualifying time. There is no qualifying inside the race session itself. If you didn’t set a time, your grid spot is decided by iRating.
Tyres, fuel and engine maps
- A tyre change costs no extra pit time on top of the fuel fill — if you’re stopping for fuel, take new tyres. Unlimited new tyres are available for the race.
- Tyre wear isn’t usually a huge factor at Indy in this car — but fresh tyres definitely matter in the Open.
- Fuel saving becomes critical on long green-flag stints. Tools are available in-car — learn the engine maps before race day.
- Engine maps: 1 = most aggressive, 5 = least. 6 and 7 are essentially the same conservation map. Don’t use 8 at racing speed — it’s for serious fuel saving and you can blow the engine if you push it.
- Yellow flag period decision: hold position for track-position advantage, or pit for fresh fuel and tyres? Both are valid. A longer second stint can be very helpful.
Fixed vs Open — what’s the difference?
- Fixed: the same static weather as the regular Indy Fixed Series weekly race. Level playing field; setup is provided.
- Open: weather is randomised between qualifying time slots (so a fortunate slot can pay off), and is dynamic during the race itself. Build your own setup — or grab one from a setup shop.
- Recommended setup shops: Majors and Apex Racing Academy. (Both offer 500-specific setups; Apex is widely used.)
- The car has tools to deal with dirty air: an adjustable front anti-roll bar and a weight jacker. Worth understanding before race day — these change the balance of the car so you can drive it actively in traffic.
Registration timing
- Race sessions: registration opens for a full hour before the start time.
- Qualifying sessions: registration opens just a few minutes before the start.
- Registering for a qualifying session doesn’t drop you into a practice. The system simply waits until the start time and then gives you the join button. Don’t panic if “nothing happens” immediately after registering.
- Time slots are fixed and shown in UTC. Convert to your local time before race day.
- The premier time slot is broadcast on the official cas/iRacing channels — if you qualify into it, your race may be on the air.
License & eligibility
You need a Class C license (oval) plus the Oval Intermediate state and iRacing iD App version 4.0 or higher. There are no minimum points or championship prerequisites — but the IR-18 at Indy speeds is unforgiving, so practising in hosted sessions before race week is strongly recommended.
Quick reference based on the community how-to guide for the iRacing Indy 500. Always cross-check the official series description on iRacing for the current year’s exact format and timings.
Editor’s take: If you’ve never run an oval in iRacing, the Indy 500 weekend is the right place to start — partly because the qualifying makes it serious, partly because the field will include real INDYCAR drivers most years, and partly because there’s simply nothing else like 33 IR-18s drafting at 220+ mph. Even if you don’t qualify, the Open splits give everyone a place to race.
🤖 Esports & Events
What's happening this week and beyond
Friday on iRacing — Skip Barber VIR Time Attack Window Opens Today, Porsche Supercup Round 3 at Suzuka Heads Into Saturday Session, NASCAR & INDYCAR Series Roll On Toward Detroit; Build Stable on Patch 4
Day 4 of Season 2 Week 11. Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 3 opens its Time Attack window today (Friday May 29) in the FIA Formula 4 at VIR — qualified iRacers post their best laps any time across the three-day window May 29–31, no live grid, fastest lap counts. The Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 3 at Suzuka has its next race-pacing session Saturday May 30, closing out the round. The 4 Hours at Thruxton TCR endurance one-off remains in the week's schedule (solo or team-up, runs through Sunday). NASCAR iRacing Series rolls through Week 14 of 36 and the INDYCAR iRacing Series stays on its 17-round slate — both running in step with the real-world IndyCar Detroit GP this Sunday May 31 on Belle Isle. The headline development item remains Spark: Vertical Slice complete, full-scene rendering in the new pipeline, with night lighting and full content portability the next milestones — still tracking for late 2026. Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), unchanged since the Patch 4 hotfix.
May 29, 2026 — Week 11 Day 4Thursday on iRacing — Skip Barber VIR Time Attack Opens Tomorrow, Porsche Supercup Round 3 at Suzuka Sessions Continue, NASCAR & INDYCAR Series Roll On; Build Stable on Patch 4
Day 3 of Season 2 Week 11. 2026 Season 2 Week 11 (May 26–June 1) rolls into Thursday with the spotlight shifting to the back half of the week. Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 3 opens its Time Attack window in the FIA Formula 4 at VIR from tomorrow, Friday May 29, through Sunday May 31 — qualified iRacers post their best laps over the three-day window. The Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 3 at Suzuka stays live with its next race-pacing session Saturday May 30. The 4 Hours at Thruxton TCR endurance one-off remains in the week's schedule (solo or team-up). NASCAR iRacing Series rolls on into Week 14 of 36; the INDYCAR iRacing Series continues its 17-round schedule alongside its real-world counterpart's Detroit GP this Sunday. The headline development note remains Spark: Vertical Slice complete, full-scene rendering in the new pipeline, next milestones night lighting and full content portability — still tracking for late 2026. Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), unchanged since the Patch 4 hotfix.
May 28, 2026 — Week 11 Day 3Wednesday on iRacing — Thruxton TCR 4h & Porsche Supercup Round 3 at Suzuka Headline Mid-Week, Skip Barber VIR Time Attack Opens Friday, Spark Engine Vertical Slice Done
Mid-week of Season 2 Week 11. 2026 Season 2 Week 11 (May 26–June 1) rolls into Day 2 with two stand-out specials on the schedule: 4 Hours at Thruxton TCR endurance — a one-off in the British touring car spirit that can be raced solo or with a team — and the Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 3 at Suzuka, with sessions tonight May 27 and again Saturday May 30. Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 3 moves to a Time Attack window: qualified iRacers post their best laps in the FIA Formula 4 car at VIR between May 29 and May 31. NASCAR iRacing Series rolls on into Week 14 of 36; the INDYCAR iRacing Series continues its 17-round schedule. Off-track, iRacing development released a fresh note on the Spark graphics engine: the Vertical Slice is complete, the new pipeline can now render a full scene end-to-end, and the team is focused on night lighting and content support next — still tracking for late 2026. Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), unchanged since the Patch 4 hotfix.
May 27, 2026 — Week 11 Day 2Tuesday on iRacing — Week 11 Opens, Post-Indy 500 Reset; Build Rotation Moves Past the Special Event, NASCAR & INDYCAR Series Roll On
The post-Indy 500 reset. 2026 Season 2 Week 11 (May 26–June 1) opens today on iRacing — the headline Indy 500 Special Event is behind us, the Dallara IR-18 race-week splits are done, and the regular series rotation steps back in. NASCAR iRacing Series rolls into Week 14 of 36; the INDYCAR iRacing Series continues its 17-round schedule; the GT/road series Tour and Sprint slates resume their normal cadence. Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 1 wrapped at Spa-Francorchamps over the weekend — Round 2 still ahead. Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4), unchanged since the Patch 4 hotfix; no mid-week hotfix flagged. The next major story on the horizon: Spark, iRacing's full graphics-engine and architecture rewrite, continues in background development.
May 26, 2026 — Week 11 Day 1Monday on iRacing — Headline Week 10 Closes Today, Indy 500 Splits & Charlotte World 600 Done, Week 11 Opens Tomorrow
iRacing's biggest week of the year reaches its final day. Week 10 (May 19–25) closes tonight after a weekend built around the Indy 500 race-week splits in the Dallara IR-18 — 200-lap, 33-car-style fields that ran in step with the real 110th Indianapolis 500, won Sunday by Felix Rosenqvist in the closest finish in the race's history. The Charlotte World 600 special wrapped across NASCAR iRacing Series Open and Fixed alongside NASCAR's longest real-world race, and the INDYCAR iRacing Series completed its Indianapolis Motor Speedway — OW Oval round. Week 11 opens tomorrow (Tuesday May 26), with the build rotation moving on from the Indy 500 Special Event. Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4) — no mid-week hotfix expected.
May 25, 2026 — Week 10 Day 7Friday on iRacing — Indy 500 Race-Week Splits Run Toward Sunday's Real 500, Charlotte World 600 Builds, SimRacing Expo USA Opens in Charlotte
Friday in iRacing's headline week. Week 10 (May 19–25) rolls into Day 4 with the Indy 500 race-week splits still packing the Dallara IR-18 — 200-lap, 33-car-style action mirroring the real 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24, where pole-sitter Alex Palou heads the field at 232.248 mph. The Charlotte World 600 special rolls on across NASCAR iRacing Series Open and Fixed ahead of NASCAR's longest race of the year, and the INDYCAR iRacing Series stays on its Indianapolis Motor Speedway — OW Oval round. Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 is in the books after last night's broadcast from WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Off-track, SimRacing Expo USA opens its first U.S. edition today in Charlotte, North Carolina (May 22–24), with collegiate teams contesting the eNASCAR College Sim Racing Expo Showdown. Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4) — no mid-week hotfix expected.
May 22, 2026 — Week 10 Day 4Thursday on iRacing — Skip Barber Round 2 Hits Laguna Seca Tonight, Indy 500 Race-Week Splits Build Toward Sunday's Real 500
Thursday in iRacing's headline week. Week 10 (May 19–25) rolls into Day 3 with the Indy 500 race-week splits still packing the Dallara IR-18 — 200-lap, 33-car-style action mirroring the real 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24, where pole-sitter Alex Palou heads the field at 232.248 mph. Tonight's broadcast headline: Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (19:00 ET) — round two of the reborn six-race series, with a path to the real-world Skip Barber Formula Race Series and a prize package valued at over $500,000 on the line. The Charlotte World 600 special continues across NASCAR iRacing Series Open and Fixed, and the INDYCAR iRacing Series stays on its Indianapolis Motor Speedway — OW Oval round. Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4) — no mid-week hotfix expected.
May 21, 2026 — Week 10 Day 3Wednesday on iRacing — Indy 500 Race-Week Splits in Full Swing, Skip Barber Round 2 at Laguna Seca Tomorrow, Charlotte World 600 Rolls On
Mid-week in iRacing's headline build. Week 10 (May 19–25) rolls on with the Indy 500 race-week splits packing the Dallara IR-18 — 200-lap, 33-car-style action mirroring the real 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24, where pole-sitter Alex Palou heads the field at 232.248 mph. The INDYCAR iRacing Series sits on Race #7 of 17 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — OW Oval, and the Charlotte World 600 special continues across NASCAR iRacing Series Open and Fixed. Next broadcast event: Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca tomorrow (Thursday May 21, 19:00 ET). Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4) — no mid-week hotfix expected.
May 20, 2026 — Week 10 Day 2Week 10 Live: Indy 500 Race Week Splits Today on iRacing, Charlotte World 600 Joins NASCAR Service, Skip Barber Round 2 at Laguna Seca Thursday
Tuesday on the iRacing build rotation. Week 10 (May 19–25) opens today — the headline week of the iRacing year. The iRacing Indy 500 race-week splits roll in the Dallara IR-18 across the build, with 33-car-style 200-lap action mirroring the real-world 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24. NASCAR fans get the Charlotte Motor Speedway World 600 special across both NASCAR iRacing Series Open and Fixed (Race #13 of 36) — the iRacing equivalent of NASCAR's longest race of the year. The INDYCAR iRacing Series hits Race #7 of 17 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — OW Oval, dovetailing perfectly with the real-world Indy 500 weekend. Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 heads to WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca on Thursday May 21 (19:00 ET broadcast). Porsche Esports Supercup moves from Round 1 advancement to Round 2 prep. Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4); no mid-week hotfix expected.
May 19, 2026 — Week 10 Day 1Monday on iRacing — Week 9 Indy 500 Open-Setup Wraps Tonight, PESC Round 1 Results Trickle In, Real Indy 500 Race Sunday
The build rotation closes its Week 9 (May 12–18) on Monday night. The iRacing Indy 500 Open-Setup race week — the back half of iRacing's flagship Special Event — ran its main 33-car split races over the weekend and will roll through final qualifying-trim splits before the timeslot closes. Setup shops Majors and Apex Racing Academy are already trimming their open packages for next-week run-outs ahead of the real-world 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24 — where real-world pole-sitter Alex Palou heads the field at 232.248 mph. Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 1 closed its second window at Spa-Francorchamps Saturday; advancement and Round 2 details to follow on iracing.com/pesc. Next on the iRacing calendar: Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Thursday May 21 (19:00 ET broadcast). Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4) — no mid-week hotfix expected.
May 18, 2026 — Week 9 Day 7Sunday on iRacing — Week 9 Indy 500 Open-Setup Race Day, PESC Round 1 Closes, Real Indy 500 Pole Sunday in Indianapolis
Race day on the build rotation. The Week 9 (May 12–18) Indy 500 Open-Setup race week hits its main race-day splits today — 200 laps in the Dallara IR-18, 33-car splits, dynamic weather, with most front-running iRacing leagues fielding squads. Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 1 closes after its second-window Saturday session at Spa-Francorchamps; results and advancement to Round 2 will trickle out on iracing.com/pesc through the week. On the real-world side, Indy 500 Pole Day has been compressed into a single Sunday after Saturday's rainout — first session 12:00 ET, Top 12 ~16:30 ET, Firestone Fast Six 18:00 ET for pole and the $100k. Next up on the iRacing calendar: Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Thursday May 21 (19:00 ET broadcast). Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4).
May 17, 2026 — Week 9 Day 6Saturday on iRacing — PESC Global Qualifier Round 1 Day 2 at Spa, Indy 500 Open-Setup Race Week Heads Into Race-Day Splits
Saturday in the service. The Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 1 runs its second window today at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps — the door to a 32-driver World Championship with a $30,000 prize pool and a Porsche-Motorsport-backed real-world ride. The Indy 500 Open-Setup race week stays live through Sunday — 200 laps in the Dallara IR-18, 33-car splits, dynamic weather, top setup packages from Majors and Apex Racing Academy still being refreshed daily ahead of the real-world 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24. Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Round 2 follows at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca on Thursday May 21 (19:00 ET). Live build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4); no mid-week hotfix expected.
May 16, 2026 — Week 9 Day 5iRacing Connect Launches on Apple Vision Pro — Free App, Foveated Streaming Over Wi-Fi, ARKit Hand Pass-Through
iRacing's visionOS client landed in the App Store on Tuesday May 12, 2026. The new iRacing Connect app is free and pairs with the standard PC client over Wi-Fi: physics & rendering still run on the user's PC, frames are encoded and streamed wirelessly to the headset. The flagship trick is Apple's new foveated streaming in visionOS 26.4 — full quality only where the eyes look — built on NVIDIA's CloudXR. ARKit pulls the user's real hands into the rendered cockpit, so the physical wheel and rig stay visible. Spec: Apple Vision Pro on visionOS 26.4+, an NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti+ / 5070 Ti+ on driver 580+, Wi-Fi 6+ at >1000 Mbps on 5 GHz. iRacing president Tony Gardner: a level of immersion and fidelity “never before seen in sim racing”.
Sources: iRacing.com · 9to5Mac
May 12, 2026 — visionOS 26.4Official iRacing DTM Series — Maiden Round in the Books at Red Bull Ring
The official iRacing series aligned with the 2026 DTM season ran its maiden round last night at the virtual Red Bull Ring (Thursday April 23, 20:00 CET) — 24 hours before the real-world DTM opens on the same circuit today. 55-minute races, mandatory pit stop, synchronised 20:00 starts across CET / ET / PT / AEDT, open to all licences. First official European touring car championship partnership on the iRacing platform, running mid-week before every DTM round this year.
April 23, 2026eNASCAR Coca-Cola Qualifying Series
The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series expands to 24 races in 2026. The Qualifying Series runs February through April, with the Championship Series starting May 19. The champion wins $100,000 from over $500,000 in total prizes.
April 2026PESC Round 1 Day 1 Live Today at Spa — Indy 500 Open-Setup Race Week Day 2, Skip Barber Hits Laguna Seca Thursday May 21
Wednesday on the iRacing service. Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 1 opens its first window today at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps — the door to a 32-driver World Championship with a $30,000 prize pool and a Porsche-Motorsport-backed real-world ride. The second window of Round 1 runs Saturday May 16. The iRacing Indy 500 Open-Setup race week rolls into its second day — 200 laps in the Dallara IR-18, 33-car splits, dynamic weather. Top setup shops Majors and Apex Racing Academy have packages out; CrewChief, Garage 61 and the usual stack of telemetry tools are all properly trimmed for the 500. Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series heads to WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca for Round 2 on Thursday May 21 (19:00 ET broadcast). Build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4); no mid-week hotfix expected.
May 13, 2026 — Week 9 Day 22026 S2 Patch 4 Deployed (Build 2026.05.04.02) — Replay Raceline Toggle, Weather Radar Fix, Pace Car AI Improvements
iRacing pushed 2026 Season 2 Patch 4 at 08:00 EDT on Wednesday May 6, mid-week of the Indy 500 Fixed-Setup window. Headline fixes: the raceline toggle keybind (Ctrl+Alt+L) is now usable in Replay mode; the Weather Radar no longer renders incorrect track-map dimensions; a crash-to-desktop when advancing sessions is fixed; and Fred the pace car has notably better awareness of the lead car — especially in AI-driver fields. Plus track-specific tweaks across several venues. Recommended download for everyone running Season 2 content this week.
May 6, 2026 — Build 2026.05.04.02Week 9 Live: Indy 500 Open-Setup Race Week Opens, Porsche Esports Supercup Global Qualifier at Spa Tomorrow
Tuesday morning, Week 9 (May 12–18) is on the build rotation. The iRacing Indy 500 Open-Setup race week opens today — 200 laps in the Dallara IR-18, 33-car splits, dynamic weather between qualifying slots and during the race, full strategy depth. Front-running setup shops Majors and Apex Racing Academy have refreshed their 500-specific packages overnight. Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Global Open Qualifier Round 1 runs Wednesday May 13 and Saturday May 16 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps — the path to the World Championship final ($30,000 pot and a Porsche-Motorsport-backed real-world ride) begins this week. Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series heads to WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca on Thursday May 21 for Round 2 (broadcast 19:00 ET on iRacing's official channels). Build remains 2026.05.04.02 (Patch 4).
May 12, 2026 — Week 9 Day 1Porsche Esports Supercup 2026 Returns — Global Open Qualifier Round 1 at Spa May 13 & 16, $30,000 Prize Pool
Porsche has confirmed the return of the Porsche Esports Supercup (PESC) for 2026 with a global qualification path and an upgraded prize structure. 32 drivers will advance to the World Championship via regional qualifiers running on iRacing. Global Open Qualifier Round 1 takes place at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on May 13 (Wed) and May 16 (Sat) — same circuit as last week's WEC round. The series carries a $30,000 prize pool and, more importantly, a path from sim racing to a Porsche-Motorsport-backed real-world drive. Entry requirements published on iracing.com/pesc; full qualifier calendar runs from May through summer.
May 12, 2026 — PESC 2026 OpensiRacing Indy 500 — Open-Setup Race Week Starts Tuesday, 200 Laps in the Dallara IR-18
iRacing's flagship Special Event hits its main act. The open-setup race week opens on the Tuesday build rotation: full-distance 200-lap Indy 500 in the Dallara IR-18, 33-car split races, full-session qualifying drama, and the highest level of draft and strategy on the platform. The schedule lines up with the real-world 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 24 — many real INDYCAR drivers run the iRacing version, and the build of fixed-setup laps from this week translates directly into open-setup race-day pace.
Race Week opens Tue May 12, 2026iRacing Nürburgring 24h 2026 Wrapped Saturday Night — Five-Class Field, Thrustmaster-Presented
The iRacing Nürburgring 24 Hours presented by Thrustmaster ran 1–3 May across the GP/Nordschleife combined layout, and the chequered flag fell on Sunday afternoon. Five classes on track this year: GT3, Porsche Cup (992.2), GT4, TCR and BMW M2 CS Racing. As always, the official iRacing race precedes the real-world ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring on 14–17 May — the event remains the platform's biggest non-IMSA endurance Special. Provisional class results and stewards' reports are being published on iRacing.com and forum threads through the week; expect class winners to feature in iRacing's roundup post.
May 1–3, 2026iRacing × Microsoft Research — Large Action Models for AI Coaching
iRacing's previously announced collaboration with Microsoft Research on Large Action Models (LAMs) remains the core driver of the AI roadmap. The work targets foundation models capable of complex tasks in physical and virtual environments, feeding future AI drivers, AI coaching and crew chiefs inside iRacing. Long-time INDYCAR driver and engineer Oriol Servia is the lead domain collaborator. No standalone consumer AI coach product yet — this is foundational research, with Season 2's "AI completes qualifying" milestone the first visible output.
Ongoing — 2026IMSA Classic 500 Moves to Laguna Seca
iRacing has confirmed the IMSA Classic 500 Special Event has been relocated from Road America to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The classic sports-car field (Nissan GTP ZX-T, Audi 90 Quattro GTO) now takes on the iconic Corkscrew.
April 2026AI Racing: Major Milestone
AI Drivers can now complete qualifying and finish race events without any humans present. All new content comes AI-enabled right out of the box, including the Audi RS3 LMS Gen2 TCR and St. Petersburg.
Season 2 2026📜 Season 1 Recap
What arrived in the previous season
FIA Cross Car
Free to the entire user base, the FIA Cross Car is iRacing's first RWD rallycross car and a key part of the refreshed Rookie experience. Low barrier to entry makes it perfect for newcomers.
Season 1 2026Porsche 911 Cup (992.2)
Packing 520 horsepower, the latest Porsche Cup car arrived ready for both AI racing and rain conditions. A favorite for one-make racing series with its challenging rear-engine dynamics.
Season 1 2026🏆 Special Events & Esports
Community events and competitive highlights
IMSA Classic 500 at Laguna Seca
Travel back to the golden era of sports car racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Race the Nissan GTP ZX-T or Audi 90 Quattro GTO in this classic endurance event. Full details and schedules are now published on iRacing.com.
April 2026eNASCAR Coca-Cola Series: 24-Race Season
The 2026 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series expands to 24 total races with 11 weeks of qualifying competition. The series continues to be the premier esports destination for oval racing enthusiasts worldwide.
2026 SeasonNASCAR iRacing Series: Week 9 at Kansas
The NASCAR iRacing Series (Open and Fixed Setup) follows the real-world NASCAR Cup schedule. Week 9 of 36 takes the Gen 7 Stock Cars to Kansas Speedway for another week of competitive oval racing action.
April 14-20, 2026Sunset Splash: Tournament Round 6
The eNASCAR College iRacing Series wraps up the 2025-26 season with the Sunset Splash tournament. 120 students competed for 39 qualifying spots at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Time trials ran from March 31 to April 9.
April 2026🏆 iRacing DTM Series 2026
Official partnership with DTM — race the real calendar on Thursdays before each real-world event
What is the iRacing DTM Series?
A brand-new official collaboration between iRacing and DTM. The series runs alongside the real 2026 DTM season with 8 rounds at iconic European circuits. Each virtual race takes place on Thursday, days before the real-world DTM event at the same track. Open to all iRacing members — no minimum license required.
Official DTM Series PageRace Format & Rules
Races last 55 minutes (matching real DTM format). A limited fuel tank forces pit strategy — you'll need to manage fuel under pressure. GT3 cars from the official 2026 DTM roster are used. Races start simultaneously at 8 PM in CET, ET, PT, and AEDT for global participation.
55 min + Pit StrategyWhy This Matters for European Racers
DTM is Europe's premier GT3 championship. This series brings the real DTM experience to iRacing with European circuits, Thursday evening race times at 8 PM CET, and the authentic DTM race format. Perfect for European sim racers who want to race the same tracks the pros do, days before they see it on TV.
8 PM CET ThursdaysHow to Join
The series appears to be accessible to all iRacing members regardless of license class. You need an active iRacing subscription and ownership of the GT3 cars and tracks used. Check the official DTM series page for exact requirements and registration details.
Open to All📅 iRacing DTM Series 2026 — Full Schedule
| Round | Date | Circuit | Country | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | April 23 | Red Bull Ring | Austria | ✅ Complete |
| Round 2 | May 21 | Circuit Zandvoort | Netherlands | 🏁 Next Up |
| Round 3 | June 18 | Spa-Francorchamps* | Belgium | 🕒 Upcoming |
| Round 4 | July 2 | Brands Hatch* | United Kingdom | 🕒 Upcoming |
| Round 5 | July 23 | Motorsport Arena Oschersleben | Germany | 🕒 Upcoming |
| Round 6 | TBA | Nürburgring | Germany | 🕒 Upcoming |
| Round 7 | TBA | Sachsenring | Germany | 🕒 Upcoming |
| Round 8 | TBA (Oct) | Hockenheimring | Germany | 🕒 Finale |
* Spa-Francorchamps and Brands Hatch replace the Lausitzring and Norisring (not available on iRacing).
🎫 How the License System Works
From Rookie to Pro — understanding iRacing's progression system
The License Ladder
iRacing has separate license progressions for Road, Oval, Dirt Road, and Dirt Oval. Each has 5 levels: Rookie (R), Class D, Class C, Class B, and Class A. Above A there is Pro and Pro/WC (World Championship) for the very best. Higher licenses unlock more series and cars.
License ClassesHow to Get Promoted
To move up a license class, you need a Safety Rating (SR) of 3.0 or higher at the end of a season (or a 4.0+ SR for instant "fast track" promotion at any time). You must also complete a minimum number of races or time trials in your current license class — typically 4 races for Rookie, and participation requirements for higher levels.
Promotion RulesMPR — Minimum Participation Requirement
Each license level requires a Minimum Participation Requirement (MPR) before you can be promoted. In Rookie, this is typically 4 races or time trials. For D and above, you need to participate in at least 4 official sessions during the season. You can race "above" your license in some series if you meet the SR requirement.
Good to KnowRacing Above Your License
iRacing allows you to race in series one class above your current license if your SR is 4.0+. For example, a D-class driver with 4.0+ SR can enter C-class races. This is a great way to practice in higher series while still working on your promotion. Your license number shown is X.XX where X is your sub-level within the class.
Advanced🎫 License Class Overview
| License | Color | Promotion Req. | Example Series (Road) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie (R) | Red | SR ≥ 3.0 + 4 races | Mazda MX-5 Cup, BMW M2 Cup |
| Class D | Orange | SR ≥ 3.0 + MPR | GT4 Challenge, Ferrari 296 Challenge, Production Car Challenge |
| Class C | Yellow | SR ≥ 3.0 + MPR | IMSA Pilot Challenge, Porsche Cup, GT3 Fixed |
| Class B | Green | SR ≥ 3.0 + MPR | IMSA Endurance, GT Endurance, GTE Sprint |
| Class A | Blue | Top performance | IMSA iRacing Series, iRacing Grand Prix Tour |
| Pro / Pro WC | Black | Invitation / Top splits | eNASCAR, iRacing World Championship |
🛡 How Safety Rating (SR) is Calculated
Your SR determines license promotion and reflects your clean driving ability
What is Safety Rating?
Safety Rating (SR) is a number from 0.00 to 4.99 within each license class (e.g., C 3.45). It measures how cleanly you drive. A higher SR means fewer incidents relative to corners turned. SR determines whether you get promoted, stay, or get demoted at the end of a season.
SR BasicsIncidents Per Corner (Inc/C)
SR is based on your incidents per corner ratio. iRacing tracks every corner you complete and every incident point you accumulate. Fewer incidents over more corners = higher SR. The system uses a rolling average of your recent sessions, weighted toward the most recent ones.
The FormulaIncident Points (0x, 1x, 2x, 4x)
0x — Off-track (minor). 1x — Loss of control (spin, wall tap). 2x — Contact with another car. 4x — Heavy contact / collision. All incidents affect SR equally per point. A 4x hurts exactly 4 times as much as a 1x. Contact incidents (2x) are assigned to both cars regardless of fault.
Incident TypesTips to Improve Your SR
Race cleanly and consistently — finishing without incidents matters more than finishing position. Longer races with more corners are more valuable because they dilute any incidents over more corners. Avoid first-lap chaos by being patient. Even if you get hit, the 2x still counts against you, so defensive awareness is key.
Pro Tips🛡 CPI Scaling by License Class
The CPI (Corners Per Incident) required for a given SR value increases with each license class. Higher licenses demand cleaner driving over a larger rolling window of corners.
| License | Corner Window | CPI for SR 3.0 | CPI for SR 4.0 | What This Means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie | ~1,125 corners | 15 | 20 | 1 incident every 15 corners for SR 3.0 — most forgiving |
| Class D | ~1,350 corners | 22.5 | 30 | Must drive 50% cleaner than Rookie for same SR |
| Class C | ~1,620 corners | 33.8 | 45 | One 4x incident takes more corners to recover from |
| Class B | ~1,944 corners | 50.5 | 67.5 | Significantly cleaner driving required over more corners |
| Class A | ~2,333 corners | 76 | 101 | Very few incidents tolerated over a large window |
| Pro | ~2,600 corners | 114 | 152 | Elite-level clean driving over the largest window |
Note: iRacing does not publicly disclose the exact formula. These values are community-derived approximations and may change with updates. CPI = total corners ÷ total incident points over the rolling window.
Why CPI Scaling Matters
A Rookie with 1 incident per 15 corners earns SR 3.0. But a Class A driver needs 1 incident per 76 corners for the same SR. This means a single 4x collision in Class A takes roughly 300 clean corners to recover from, compared to about 60 in Rookie. The system rewards consistently clean driving and gets progressively stricter as you advance.
Understanding CPIThe Rolling Average Explained
iRacing tracks your last ~1,125 to ~2,600 corners (depending on license). Older corners gradually drop off as new ones are added. This means a bad race won't haunt you forever — but it also means a good race alone won't fix a low SR. Longer races at tracks with many corners add more data points, smoothing out individual incidents faster.
How It Averages📈 How iRating Works
iRacing's skill-based matchmaking system — race against drivers of your level
What is iRating?
iRating (iR) is a numerical skill rating that determines who you race against. Every new driver starts at 1350 iRating. It goes up when you finish ahead of expectations and down when you finish below. iRating is used to split races into groups of similarly skilled drivers for fair, competitive racing.
iR BasicsThe Elo-Style System
iRating uses a system similar to chess Elo ratings. Before each race, the system predicts your expected finish based on everyone's iRating. If you beat that prediction, you gain iR. If you finish below it, you lose iR. The amount gained or lost depends on how much you over- or under-performed versus the field's strength.
How It WorksSplits & SOF (Strength of Field)
When more drivers register than a single race can hold, iRacing creates splits. The top split has the highest iRating drivers, the second split the next tier, and so on. SOF (Strength of Field) is the average iRating of all drivers in your split. Higher SOF races offer more iRating for a good finish.
Race SplitsiRating Ranges & What They Mean
Below 1000 — Beginner. 1000–1500 — Below average. 1500–2000 — Average to above average. 2000–3000 — Experienced and fast. 3000–5000 — Very fast, top split regular. 5000+ — Elite, potential pro-level driver. The average across all iRacing drivers sits around 1500.
iR Scale📈 iRating Quick Reference
| iRating Range | Level | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| < 1000 | Beginner | Learning the basics, expect frequent incidents in your split |
| 1000 – 1500 | Below Average | Developing consistency, mid-to-lower splits |
| 1500 – 2000 | Average | Solid racecraft, competitive mid-split racing |
| 2000 – 2500 | Above Average | Upper splits, good pace and awareness |
| 2500 – 3500 | Fast | Top split regular, consistent and quick |
| 3500 – 5000 | Very Fast | Top split front-runners, potential special event contenders |
| 5000+ | Elite | Pro-level pace, World Championship caliber |
📅 This Week in iRacing — Season 2, Week 11
May 26 – June 1, 2026 — Selected series and tracks across all disciplines
🏁 Road & GT Series — This Week
| Series | Cars | Track | Race Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT3 Challenge – Fixed by Fanatec ⭐ | GT3 (All manufacturers, fixed setup) | Thruxton Circuit | 20 min |
| GT Sprint Series by Simucube ⭐ | GT3 (All manufacturers, open setup) | Thruxton Circuit | 40 min |
| Global Mazda MX-5 Cup by Fanatec | Mazda MX-5 | Tsukuba Circuit – 2000 Full | 12 min |
| BMW M2 Cup by Nitro Concepts | BMW M2 CS | Tsukuba Circuit – 2000 Full | 12 min |
| GT4 Falken Tyre Challenge | GT4 (Mustang, AMG, BMW, Porsche, McLaren, Aston Martin) | Fuji International Speedway – No Chicane | 20 min |
| iRacing GT3 Regional Tour – Americas | GT3 (All manufacturers) | St. Petersburg Grand Prix | 20 min |
| iRacing Porsche Cup – Fixed by CONSPIT | Porsche 911 Cup (992.2) | Adelaide Street Circuit | 19 laps |
| IMSA iRacing Series – Fixed | GTP + GT3 (Multiclass) | Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle | 35 min |
| GTE Sprint Series | Ford GTE, Ferrari 488, BMW M8, Porsche RSR, Corvette C8.R | Silverstone Circuit – Grand Prix | 45 min |
| GT Endurance Series by Simucube | GT3 (All manufacturers, Team) | Thruxton Circuit (Sat May 30 / Sun May 31) | 180 min |
| IMSA Endurance Series | GTP + GT3 (Multiclass, Team) | Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle (Sat May 30 — Round 6 of 6, season finale) | 160 min |
🏁 Oval Series — This Week
| Series | Cars | Track | Race Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| INDYCAR Series – Oval Fixed | Dallara IR18 | Week 11 schedule — see Week Planner | 80 laps |
| NASCAR 1987 Legends Cup | NASCAR Legends (Monte Carlo, Thunderbird, etc.) | Week 11 schedule — see Week Planner | 90 laps |
| NASCAR iRacing Series – Fixed ⭐ | Gen 7 Stock Cars | Nashville Superspeedway — Race #14 of 36 | real-world race distance |
| NASCAR iRacing Series – Open ⭐ | Gen 7 Stock Cars | Nashville Superspeedway — Race #14 of 36 | real-world race distance |
🏁 Formula Series — This Week
| Series | Cars | Track | Race Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 1600 Rookie by Asetek Racing | Ray FF1600 | Week 11 schedule — see Week Planner | 12 min |
| FIA F4 Esports Regional Tours | FIA F4 | Challenge: Okayama International Circuit – Full Course · Americas: Lime Rock Park – Classic · Asia-Pacific: Tsukuba Circuit – 2000 Full · Europe: Oulton Park Circuit – International | 15 min |
| Skip Barber Race Series | Skip Barber Formula 2000 | Lime Rock Park – Classic | 24 laps |
| Dallara Formula iR | Dallara iR-01 | Week 11 schedule — see Week Planner | 30 min |
| INDYCAR iRacing Series ⭐ | Dallara IR18 | Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle — Race #8 of 17 | Road-course format |
| iRacing Formula A – Cosworth Cup Grand Prix | Mercedes-AMG W13 E Performance | Off this week — iRacing Grand Prix Tour resumes Week 12 at Long Beach Street Circuit (Race #8 of 24) | Bi-weekly format |
Showing selected popular series. For the complete schedule of all 130+ series, use the tools below.
Source: Official iRacing Season Schedule PDF
iRacing Week Planner
View the complete current week schedule for all 130+ series. Filter by license class, car, and track. The go-to tool for planning your races.
Open Week PlannerBraking Lab Planner
Calendar view with series filtering and track ownership tracking. Great for season planning and finding what you own.
Open Braking LabSimdeck Calendar
Advanced planner with filters by license, car, and track. Includes setup reminders and session info.
Open SimdeckiRacing Season 2 Page
Official iRacing 2026 Season 2 page with full schedule PDF, new content, and season details.
iRacing.com