Racing Simulations

RENNSPORT Doubles Private Custom Contests to 24 Cars in Its Next Update, With Longer Race Sessions

RENNSPORT is set to double the capacity of its private Custom Contests from 12 to 24 cars in its next update, giving leagues and communities room for fuller grids. The same update extends the maximum race-session length — part of a steady push on online play ahead of the studio’s SimRacing Expo content reveal.

Source: BoxThisLap — RENNSPORT 24-car lobbies

Race Sim Studio Releases the Formula Hybrid 2026 for Assetto Corsa: a 2026-Spec Open-Wheeler With Active Aero, the New Hybrid Deployment Ruleset and a Spoken Race Engineer

Modding team Race Sim Studio (RSS) has released the Formula Hybrid 2026, a 2026-regulations Formula 1-style car for the original Assetto Corsa. It models active aero and the so-called “Macarena wing” along with the series’ hybrid energy ruleset, and ships with the RSS Control Centre and RSS Race Lab apps for building electrical deployment profiles and analysing laps, plus an RSS Engineer app with over 350 spoken phrases, four liveries with paint templates, and a full user manual. It needs Custom Shaders Patch v0.2.11 or later and costs £4.19 from RSS’s website.

Source: Traxion — RSS Formula Hybrid 2026

Kunos Reveals Assetto Corsa EVO’s Free Roam at an October 7 Keynote: an Eifel Open World Arrives First in the V0.10 Build, and the Lamborghini Temerario Turns Its First Laps

Kunos Simulazioni used an October 7 keynote to show Assetto Corsa EVO’s long-promised free roam mode, which will land as the first part of the V0.10 Early Access update. It opens an Eifel-region open world — built as a 1:1 replica and eventually spanning 1,600 km² — playable in single-player and multiplayer with changeable weather and time of day and toggleable AI traffic. Confirmed features include a walk mode with NPCs and animals, refuelling, car washing and tyre fitting, off-roading, Time Attack challenges and a world map with navigation and teleport. The new Lamborghini Temerario — confirmed on October 6 and the only new car that isn’t a Mercedes-Benz — was shown in motion for the first time. Kunos is expected to confirm the V0.10 release date at the SimRacing Expo in Frankfurt (October 16–18).

Source: Traxion — AC EVO free-roam keynote

Polyphony Dates Gran Turismo 7’s Free Spec IV Update: Part 1 Lands October 15 With the Returning Sportsland SUGO and Six New Cars, Part 2 Follows in December

Polyphony Digital has put firm dates on the two-part Spec IV update for Gran Turismo 7, one of the game’s biggest free content drops yet. Part 1 arrives October 15 and brings back Sportsland SUGO — the Japanese circuit absent since Gran Turismo 6 — along with six new cars: the Ferrari F355 Berlinetta (1994), Honda Civic SiR Group A (1987), Citroën 2CV 6 Charleston (1986), Honda STEP WGN Spada (2023), Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Evo (2026) and the Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo. New features include Vintage (a storefront for cars no longer sold new), a Car Concierge ordering service, an Experience mode of brand-specific challenges, a Car Viewer and a raised Collector Level cap. Part 2 follows in December with the Autumn Ring, a revised GT Sophy AI and a new Family Mode — twelve cars in all across both parts.

Sources: Traxion — GT7 Spec IV Part 1, Gran Turismo — Spec IV announcement

Straight4 Studios Confirms Further Job Losses at Project Motor Racing, Including COO Ryan Hoey, as Ian Bell Steps Down and Kevin Boland Takes Charge

Months on from a troubled launch, Straight4 Studios has confirmed another round of departures at Project Motor Racing. COO Ryan Hoey has left, and founder Ian Bell has resigned as a director of the studio and its subsidiaries, leaving Kevin Boland as CEO across all three entities; several further roles were cut, among them a producer, two artists, an audio engineer and the head of marketing. Boland framed the move as a restructure — “difficult decisions” aimed at putting “the right organisation in place for the long term” — and said the team remains “firmly focused on PMR’s continued development.”

Sources: Traxion — PMR further job losses

Digital Bros Sets the Clock: Assetto Corsa EVO and Assetto Corsa Rally Are Both Bound to Leave Early Access for Full Release in the First Half of 2027

Kunos’ parent company has put a date range on both of its sims. In its FY2025–26 financial report (published September 24), Digital Bros confirmed that Assetto Corsa EVO (in early access since January 2025) and Assetto Corsa Rally (in early access since November 2025) are both scheduled to reach full 1.0 release in the first half of 2027, listed alongside Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement in the group’s next-fiscal-year line-up. Content updates are expected to continue after launch, and console versions (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S) remain in development. It is the clearest release-window commitment Kunos has given for either title.

Sources: Traxion — EVO & Rally EA exit

NASCAR 26 Launches Today From iRacing Studios, as Le Mans Ultimate Dates Its Long Beach and Road Atlanta Track Pack for September 22 and Tokyo Game Show 2026 Fills the Show Floor

A busy Friday on the software side. NASCAR 26, the standalone stock-car title from iRacing Studios, launches today, September 18 after months of countdown. Le Mans Ultimate has confirmed its second US Track Pack — Long Beach and Road Atlanta — for September 22, arriving with update V1.4.2 and 90+ fresh 2026 Le Mans and ELMS liveries. Meanwhile Tokyo Game Show 2026 (September 17–21) is running its driving-simulation showcase, and Assetto Corsa EVO keeps bedding in its competition update. Reiza’s Automobilista 2, fresh off the AI-focused v1.6.9.95, continues teasing its 1970s Le Mans theme.

Sources: BoxThisLap — LMU US Track Pack 2 · BoxThisLap — Tokyo Game Show 2026

Automobilista 2 Ships v1.6.9.95 With a Major AI Overhaul and the Free Panoz Esperante GTR-1, as iRacing’s Season 4 Goes Green Tomorrow and NASCAR 26 Counts Down to September 18

Reiza opens the week with a substantial release. Automobilista 2 v1.6.9.95 (September 13) is led by AI work — the first of three changes carrying toward v1.7 — overhauling how AI drivers detect track edges and usable racing space to cut needless off-track excursions, curb-clipping and wall contact, alongside a batch of fixes. The free content headliner is the Panoz Esperante GTR-1, and Reiza has teased a 1970s Le Mans theme for future updates. Elsewhere, iRacing’s 2026 Season 4 competitive season goes green tomorrow (September 15, 00:00 UTC) after the Week 13 transition; NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) launches September 18; and Assetto Corsa EVO keeps bedding in its competition update.

Sources: BoxThisLap — AMS2 September Dev Update · Reiza Studios — Dev Update

The Sim Release Run Begins in Earnest: iRacing’s Season 4 Build Is Due This Week, NASCAR 26 Lands September 18, and Le Mans Ultimate’s Clean-Up Patch Precedes Its Next US Tracks

The autumn schedule turns live. iRacing’s 2026 Season 4 build is expected this week (~September 8), with the competitive season starting around September 15 — bringing single-player Career Mode, the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH, Bahrain, Circuit Bugatti, Track Reverb audio and phase one of the multithreaded physics overhaul. NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) then launches September 18 on PC and console, the first full sequel of the rebooted series. Le Mans Ultimate’s September update stays a stability-and-quality pass — bug fixes, netcode, protests and practice servers — ahead of its second US Track Pack due this month, while Assetto Corsa EVO keeps bedding in its 0.9 competition update (reworked GT slick tyre model, mandatory pit stops, hotlap Special Events).

Sources: iRacing — August 2026 Dev Update · Traxion — LMU September update

The September Sim Calendar Takes Shape: iRacing’s Season 4 Build Due Next Week, NASCAR 26 Two Weeks Out, and Le Mans Ultimate’s Clean-Up Patch Incoming

With gamescom behind us, the autumn release run comes into focus. iRacing’s 2026 Season 4 build is due in early September (~September 8) with single-player Career Mode, the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH, Bahrain and a physics-multithreading overhaul worth up to 50% more headroom. NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) launches September 18 on PC and console, the first full sequel of the rebooted NASCAR series. Le Mans Ultimate’s September update is a stability-and-quality pass — bug fixes, netcode, protests and practice servers — ahead of its second US Track Pack this month. Assetto Corsa EVO continues bedding in its 0.9 competition update (new GT slick tyre model, mandatory pit stops), with INDYCAR Racing The Game still on the horizon for early 2027.

Sources: BoxThisLap — iRacing 2026 Season 4 · NASCAR series — release timeline · Traxion — LMU September update

Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.9 Lands: Three New Cars, a Reworked GT Slick Tyre Model and Mandatory Pit Stops Sharpen the Competition Focus as gamescom 2026 Runs On

KUNOS Simulazioni and 505 Games rolled out Assetto Corsa EVO Early Access 0.9 on August 26, tilting the sim firmly toward competition, multiplayer and strategy. Three cars join the roster — the Audi R8 LMS GT2, the Audi R8 V10 performance quattro and the Mazda RX-7 FD Spirit R (Type A). Under the surface, KUNOS rolled out a new racing-slick tyre model across its GT cars (from the MX-5 Cup up to the Ferrari F40), aiming for more consistent, predictable handling. On the competitive side, a selectable mandatory pit-stop requirement arrives for timed multiplayer races over 20 minutes, and new hotlap Special Events let you pick nearby drivers on the leaderboard and race their delta. Elsewhere, Le Mans Ultimate keeps refining Hypercar cold-tyre performance after its US Track Pass (Daytona, Laguna Seca), and NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) counts down to September 18.

Sources: Operation Sports — ACE 0.9 update · AssettoCorsa.gg — news

gamescom 2026 Runs in Cologne as Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8 Settles, Le Mans Ultimate Builds on Its US Track Pass and NASCAR 26 Counts Down to September 18

The summer sim wave is on the show floor. gamescom 2026 (August 26–30) is underway, with MOZA’s six-simulator stand and its freshly unveiled licensed wheels drawing crowds. On the software side, Assetto Corsa EVO’s Early Access 0.8 is settling in after adding three licensed cars (including the KTM X-Bow GT2), server-side SHA verification, an entry-list capability and external livery creation. Le Mans Ultimate keeps refining after its v1.4 update and the US Track Pass — Daytona and Laguna Seca arrived July 28 as the first two of six US venues, alongside a reworked Hypercar tyre model and a new brake-heating system. KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update / DTM 2026 Pack is bedding in. Next up: NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) on September 18 — cross-platform, Kyle Larson on the cover, a new San Diego street circuit and “Physics 2.0” — and iRacing’s own Season 4 build in early September.

Sources: Traxion — LMU US Track Pass · Traxion — NASCAR 26 features

gamescom 2026 Opens Tomorrow as Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8 Beds In and NASCAR 26 Counts Down to September 18

The summer sim wave reaches Cologne. gamescom 2026 (August 26–30) — traditionally a launchpad for sim and hardware reveals — opens tomorrow, with MOZA’s six-simulator stand and a teased Mercedes-Benz product among the draws. On the software side, Assetto Corsa EVO’s Early Access 0.8 (August 21) is bedding in, having added three licensed cars including the KTM X-Bow GT2, server-side SHA verification, an entry-list capability and external livery creation. Le Mans Ultimate continues reliable-UDP netcode testing after the v1.4 rollback, while KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update / DTM 2026 Pack settles. Next up: NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) on September 18 and iRacing’s own Season 4 build in early September.

Sources: OverTake — gamescom 2026 sim racing · Assetto Corsa — EVO 0.8 now available

Show Week Nears: gamescom 2026 Opens August 26 as Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8 Settles and NASCAR 26 Counts Down to September 18

The summer sim wave points squarely at Cologne. gamescom 2026 (August 26–30) — traditionally a launchpad for sim and hardware reveals — is now two days out, with MOZA’s six-simulator stand and a teased Mercedes-Benz product among the draws. On the software side, Assetto Corsa EVO’s Early Access 0.8 (August 21) is bedding in, having added three licensed cars including the KTM X-Bow GT2, server-side SHA verification, an entry-list capability and external livery creation. Le Mans Ultimate continues netcode testing after the v1.4 rollback, while KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update / DTM 2026 Pack settles. Next up: NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) on September 18 and iRacing’s own Season 4 build in early September.

Sources: OverTake — gamescom 2026 sim racing · Assetto Corsa — EVO 0.8 now available

Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8 Adds the KTM X-Bow GT2 and Opens Server SHA Verification and External Liveries, as gamescom 2026 (August 26–30) Nears and NASCAR 26 Counts Down to September 18

The summer sim wave keeps building toward show week. Assetto Corsa EVO’s Early Access 0.8 (August 21) adds three licensed cars including the KTM X-Bow GT2, plus a server-side SHA verification layer that lets organisers confirm every car on the grid is exactly what it claims, a new entry-list capability for league starting orders, and external livery creation as the next stage of the UGC roadmap. Le Mans Ultimate continues netcode testing after the v1.4.1 rollback and its August Community Update roadmap, while KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update / DTM 2026 Pack settles in. All eyes now turn to gamescom 2026 (August 26–30, Cologne), traditionally a launchpad for sim and hardware reveals, before NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) arrives on September 18 and iRacing’s own Season 4 build lands in early September.

Sources: Assetto Corsa — EVO 0.8 now available · BoxThisLap — gamescom 2026

The Summer Sim Wave Settles as gamescom 2026 (August 26–30) Nears — iRacing Arcade Now Live on Console, Le Mans Ultimate Details Its Protest and Netcode Roadmap, and NASCAR 26 Counts Down to September 18

A quieter Saturday points toward the year’s big show week. iRacing Arcade is now live on PS5 and Xbox after Friday’s launch, with its free content drop also live for PC. Le Mans Ultimate’s August Community Update sets out a new replay-based protest system and revised LiveSteward, plus continued netcode testing after the v1.4.1.3 rollback. Elsewhere the summer wave keeps maturing — Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8.1 and its growing Le Mans Hypercar mods, and KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update / DTM 2026 Pack. All eyes now turn to gamescom 2026 (August 26–30, Cologne), traditionally a launchpad for new sim and hardware reveals, before NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) arrives on September 18 and iRacing’s own Season 4 build lands in early September.

Sources: BoxThisLap — gamescom 2026 · Le Mans Ultimate — August Community Update

iRacing Arcade Brings the Sim World to the Living Room Today (August 21) — PS5 and Xbox Series X|S Get the Stylised Spin-Off for €/$24.99, With a Free Content Drop for PC Players

Sim racing reaches the couch. iRacing Arcade — the studio’s deliberately approachable, cartoon-styled take on real cars and circuits — launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S today for €/$24.99, keeping iRacing’s signature fuel and tyre modelling under the playful surface and adding a campus-building career mode. The console debut doubles as a free update for existing Steam owners: four-player split-screen across all platforms, four new cars and four new circuits (five layouts), plus local two-player split-screen on console. Elsewhere the summer’s sim wave keeps settling — Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8.1 and its growing Le Mans Hypercar mods, KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update / DTM 2026 Pack, and Le Mans Ultimate’s post-v1.4 fixes — while NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) counts down to September 18.

Sources: iRacing — Arcade launch · Gematsu — Arcade Aug 21

Assetto Corsa EVO’s First Complete Le Mans Hypercar Mod Season Arrives — the Ferrari 499P Headlines a Growing Wave of Endurance Content as the Summer’s Big Sim Drops Keep Settling

The modding scene keeps pushing Assetto Corsa EVO forward. The first complete Le Mans Hypercar season has landed for the platform, introducing the Ferrari 499P LMH as its centrepiece — part of a broader endurance-content push building on the game’s 0.8 Kyalami/VR update and 0.8.1 stability-and-AI patch. Alongside it, the summer’s official releases continue to bed in: KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update and €29.99 DTM 2026 Pack (rebuilt COSMO HUD, 2026-spec Nordschleife, Lamborghini Temerario GT3’s sim debut), Le Mans Ultimate’s v1.4 and first US Track Pass, and Assetto Corsa Rally’s roadmap teasing VR and three new 4WD cars. On the release calendar, NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) counts down to its September 18 launch.

Sources: Assetto Corsa Mods — EVO Hypercar · Assetto Corsa Mods — August 2026

Assetto Corsa Rally Teases VR Support and Three New Cars in a Community Q&A — Game Director Irvin Zonca Confirms One French and Two German 4WD Rally Machines Are on the Way, With VR Targeted for Late 2026

Supernova Games Studio has given early-access players a fresh roadmap steer. In a community Q&A on Discord, game director Irvin Zonca confirmed that VR support is being worked on with a target of late 2026, and teased three new cars for an upcoming update — one French and two German four-wheel-drive rally cars. The news follows Update 0.4, which added two 1990s icons, pushed the dynamic snow system further and kicked off an official collaboration with WRC driver Jon Armstrong. Elsewhere the summer’s big drops keep settling: RaceRoom’s Summer Update and DTM 2026 Pack, Le Mans Ultimate’s v1.4 US Track Pass, and Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8.1 patch, while NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) counts down to its September 18 launch.

Sources: OverTake — AC Rally VR & new cars · Traxion — next update

RaceRoom’s Summer Update and DTM 2026 Pack Bed In Across the First Week as Le Mans Ultimate’s v1.4 Settles — Four New GT3s, a Rebuilt COSMO HUD and a 2026-Spec Nordschleife Now in Players’ Hands, With NASCAR 26 Pre-Orders Open for September 18

A week on from launch, the summer’s big drops are settling into rotation. KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update — the sim’s most substantial release in years — and the €29.99 DTM 2026 Pack continue to bed in, with the community working through the fully customisable, Flash-free COSMO HUD, the 2026-spec Nordschleife, a reworked Monza, optimised dedicated-server netcode (up to 99 cars) and the pack’s four new GT3s — the Ford Mustang GT3 Evo, Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, Porsche 911 GT3 R and the debuting Lamborghini Temerario GT3. Alongside it, Le Mans Ultimate’s v1.4 and its first US Track Pass (laser-scanned Daytona and Laguna Seca) keep settling, while Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8.1 maintenance patch and Assetto Corsa Rally’s 0.5.1 hold steady. NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) keeps pre-orders open ahead of a September 18 launch, with iRacing’s 2026 Season 3 and Automobilista 2 holding the weekly baseline.

Sources: OverTake — RaceRoom Summer Update tested · Bsimracing — Summer Update & DTM 2026 Pack

Assetto Corsa EVO’s 0.8.1 Patch Beds Down With Stability, AI and Dedicated-Server Fixes as RaceRoom’s Summer Update and DTM 2026 Pack Settle In a Day After Launch, While NASCAR 26 Keeps Pre-Orders Open Ahead of Its September 18 Release

A quieter midweek, with two of the summer’s big builds now bedding in. Assetto Corsa EVO’s Update 0.8.1 — the follow-up to the content-heavy 0.8 (Kyalami, the KTM X-Bow GT2/GT4, the VW Golf 8 R and a major VR overhaul) — is a maintenance-focused patch headlined by stability improvements, refined AI behaviour, better dedicated-server reliability and a range of multiplayer and modding fixes rather than new content. Meanwhile KW Studios’ RaceRoom Summer Update and the €29.99 DTM 2026 Pack are settling in a day after their Tuesday launch, with the community putting the rebuilt COSMO HUD, 2026-spec Nordschleife, reworked Monza and the four new GT3s (including the debuting Lamborghini Temerario GT3) through their paces. NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) keeps pre-orders open ahead of a September 18 launch, Assetto Corsa Rally presses on after its 0.5.1 patch, and iRacing’s 2026 Season 3 and Automobilista 2 hold the weekly baseline.

Sources: OverTake — AC EVO 0.8.1 patch · BoxThisLap — 0.8.1 AI & multiplayer fixes

RaceRoom’s Summer Update and DTM 2026 Pack Are Live — the Rebuilt COSMO HUD, a 2026-Spec Nordschleife and Reworked Monza Land Free While the €29.99 DTM Pack Adds Four New GT3s, Headlined by the Lamborghini Temerario’s Sim-Racing Debut

KW Studios has shipped its RaceRoom Summer Update and the paid DTM 2026 Pack today (Tuesday, August 4). The free update centres on a fully customisable, rebuilt COSMO HUD — every element can be moved, resized and toggled — alongside a 2026-spec Nordschleife (reworked surfaces, kerbs, barriers, buildings and trackside detail) and a refreshed Monza (asphalt and kerb pass over the pristine 2024 resurfacing). Dedicated-server netcode has been heavily optimised, with KW claiming up to 99 cars theoretically possible on a single server (50 tested internally without issue). The €29.99 DTM 2026 Pack adds four new GT3 machines — the Ford Mustang GT3 Evo, Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, Porsche 911 GT3 R and the Lamborghini Temerario GT3, which makes its sim-racing debut anywhere — plus 2026 liveries and mid-season BoP. NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) keeps pre-orders open ahead of a September 18 launch, Assetto Corsa Rally presses on after its 0.5.1 patch, and iRacing’s 2026 Season 3 and Automobilista 2 hold the weekly baseline.

Sources: OverTake — RaceRoom Summer Update tested · Traxion — new HUD, Nordschleife & DTM · BoxThisLap — Summer Update overview

RaceRoom’s Summer Update and DTM 2026 Pack Drop Tomorrow (August 4) — the New HUD, Reworked Monza and Nordschleife and Four Fresh GT3s Are Hours Away, While NASCAR 26 Pre-Orders Run and iRacing’s Season 3 Holds the Weekly Baseline

The week’s biggest sim release is now one day out. KW Studios rolls out its RaceRoom Summer Update and the paid DTM 2026 Pack on Tuesday, August 4. The free side brings a brand-new HUD and reworked laser-scan passes of Monza and the Nordschleife; the €29.99 DTM pack adds seven 2026 championship cars — four of them all-new GT3s, including the Lamborghini Temerario GT3’s sim-racing debut anywhere alongside the Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Ford Mustang GT3 Evo and Porsche 911 GT3 R. Elsewhere, NASCAR 26 (iRacing Studios) keeps its pre-orders open ahead of a September 18 launch, Assetto Corsa Rally presses on after its 0.5.1 patch with native VR targeted for late 2026, and iRacing’s 2026 Season 3 and Automobilista 2 remain the steady weekly baselines.

Sources: OverTake — RaceRoom Summer Update tested · Traxion — DTM 2026 & new HUD

RaceRoom’s Summer Update and DTM 2026 Pack Land August 4 — a New HUD, Reworked Monza and Nordschleife, and Four New GT3 Cars Including the Lamborghini Temerario’s Sim-Racing Debut

KW Studios has confirmed its next major RaceRoom platform update for Tuesday, August 4. Headlining is the long-awaited DTM 2026 Pack — seven cars from the 2026 championship, four of them all-new GT3 machines: the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 (the brand’s RaceRoom debut), the current-spec Ford Mustang GT3 Evo, the Porsche 911 GT3 R and the Lamborghini Temerario GT3, which makes its sim-racing debut anywhere. The build also brings a brand-new HUD, reworked versions of Monza and the Nordschleife (both free), mid-season BoP updates and fresh 2026 liveries. The four-car DTM 2026 pack is priced at €29.99. Assetto Corsa Rally and iRacing’s 2026 Season 3 remain the steady weekly baselines, with NASCAR 26 pre-orders live ahead of a September 18 launch.

Sources: OverTake — RaceRoom Summer Update tested · Traxion — DTM 2026 & new HUD

Assetto Corsa Rally Builds On Its 0.5.1 Patch With Native VR Targeted for Late 2026 and Three New 4WD Cars Planned, While iRacing Studios’ NASCAR 26 Opens Pre-Orders Ahead of a September 18 Launch

Two of the summer’s standalone stories move forward. Assetto Corsa Rally continues to build on its Early Access 0.5.1 patch (July 16), which added the 1993 Subaru Impreza S3 Gr. A and the Alpine A110 plus the Monte Carlo and Greece locations (Elatia and Loutraki gravel stages) and the first phase of online multiplayer. Supernova has confirmed that native VR is now being accelerated for a late-2026 release, with three new four-wheel-drive rally cars (one French, two German) planned for upcoming updates. Meanwhile, NASCAR 26 — the official stock-car title from iRacing Studios — has opened pre-orders (July 29) ahead of its September 18 launch on PC and console. Automobilista 2 and iRacing’s 2026 Season 3 remain the steady weekly baselines.

Sources: OverTake — AC Rally VR & new cars · 505 Games — AC Rally 0.5.1 patch

Assetto Corsa EVO's 0.8 Update Arrives — Kyalami, the KTM X-Bow GT2 & GT4 and the VW Golf 8 R Headline a Build Built Around a Major VR Overhaul, Modded Cars in Online Races and Reworked Tyre-Grip Physics

Kunos's Assetto Corsa EVO Update 0.8 lands this week, with the maintenance window (July 7–9) closing to bring the build online. The headline feature is a major VR rework aimed at making the headset experience far more consistent, alongside the change modders have waited for: modified cars can now be used in online races, gated by an SHA verification layer that checks each car and version before it reaches the grid to keep competitive lobbies fair. Content-wise, the South African Kyalami circuit joins the roster together with the GT2 and GT4 KTM X-Bow variants and the road-going Volkswagen Golf 8 R. Under the hood, driving physics get several tweaks focused on how tyres interact with the surface for more consistent grip evolution, and the update adds official external-livery support, selectable number plates and league-friendly entry-list grid ordering. Automobilista 2's V1.6.9.9 and iRacing's 2026 Season 3 stay the steady weekly baselines.

Source: Steam — What's Coming in AC EVO Update 0.8 · OverTake — AC EVO v0.8 Details

Automobilista 2's V1.6.9.9 and Historical Endurance Pack Pt. 2 Are Out — Reiza Overhauls Wet-Weather Physics and AI Wet Lines, Adds a Visible Drying Line, and Drops a Batch of Mid-2000s GT Cars (Free During Launch Week)

Reiza has shipped Automobilista 2 V1.6.9.9 alongside the Historical Endurance Pack Pt. 2 DLC. The headline is a substantial wet-weather overhaul: the AI now recognises that the rubbered-in dry line turns slick in the rain and moves outward onto unrubbered tarmac to find grip, and it steers around standing water and deep puddles to avoid aquaplaning, while a clearly visible drying line plus reworked spray, shader and lighting effects sharpen changing-conditions racing. The DLC adds a fresh batch of mid-2000s GT cars to the GTR2-throwback endurance theme and is free for all users during the initial release days. Elsewhere, Assetto Corsa EVO's 0.8 (adding Kyalami) is still expected mid-to-late July, and iRacing's 2026 Season 3 stays the weekly baseline.

Source: Steam — AMS2 V1.6.9.9 Released · BoxThisLap — AMS2 V1.6.9.9

Weekend Snapshot — Assetto Corsa EVO's 0.8 (With Kyalami) Nears for Mid-to-Late July While Automobilista 2's Historical Endurance Pack Pt. 2 Is Due the July 11–12 Weekend; iRacing's Season 3 Stays the Baseline

The July content run is taking shape. Assetto Corsa EVO's next early-access update, 0.8, has been confirmed to add the South African Kyalami circuit — complete with its high-speed Cheetah corner — and, given Kunos's steady cadence, is expected to land mid-to-late July, building on the 0.7 build's official modding SDK, four new cars and the proximity-based EVO Safety Rating. Over at Reiza, Automobilista 2's Historical Endurance Pack Pt. 2 DLC is slated for the weekend of July 11–12, continuing the GTR2-throwback classic-endurance theme on top of the recent v1.6.9.8 physics revisions (wet and intermediate tyres overhauled, standing water back on the racing line). iRacing's 2026 Season 3 remains the steady weekly baseline.

Source: bsimracing — ACE 0.8 Kyalami · OverTake — AMS2 Historical Endurance Pt. 2

Rennsport 2026: 45% Price Cut & AI Overhaul in May

Competition Company has dropped the Rennsport Deluxe Edition to €38.49 / $39.99 — a 45% cut that bundles all paid content packs through September. The reworked physics-based AI — modelled on real driver inputs rather than rail-following — lands in May. Track modding tools enter beta in August; Endurance Classics Pack 1 arrives mid-year.

Assetto Corsa Competizione

ACC remains one of the top-rated sim racing experiences, particularly for GT3 and GT4 endurance racing. Its physics, force feedback, and official SRO license make it the gold standard for competitive GT racing with a dedicated and active community.

rFactor 2

rFactor 2 continues to serve the dedicated sim racing community with its renowned physics engine and force feedback precision. Popular for GT3 endurance and open-wheel events, it remains a staple for racers who prioritize driving feel above all else.

Richard Burns Rally (Modded)

The modded version of Richard Burns Rally remains the definitive rally simulation in 2026. Community-maintained with extensive car and stage packs, it offers unmatched rally physics that modern games still struggle to replicate.

Gran Turismo 7 April Update — Three New Cars, Engine Swaps & Power Pack Challenges

Polyphony's April 2026 update for Gran Turismo 7 adds three new cars (a Chinese hypercar, a French city car, and another iteration of a long-running sports car staple), along with expanded engine swaps, new events, and Power Pack challenges. Not a sim in the strict sense, but GT7 remains the single biggest console gateway into the wider sim racing world.

Automobilista 2 Roadmap: v1.7.0 the Big Drop, F1-Style DLC First

Reiza is sticking to a 1–2 month update cadence with v1.7.0 as the year's headline drop, scheduled for the end of Q2. The first 2026 DLC pack is a series of F1-inspired single-seaters, followed by two further historical endurance packs. New platform features queued: mid-race saving, virtual safety cars, ballast, class points, animated marshals, tow/repair delays, plus joining ranked races from third-party services in-game. Career mode rolls out in phases once that platform work lands — first element by end of 2026.