iRacing News

iRacing has released 2024 Season 2 Hotfix 1!

See the Release Notes below, or on the iRacing Forums here:
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/57375/2024-season-2-hotfix-1-release-notes-2024-03-06-01#latest


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This Hotfix Release contains a few critical fixes for the 2024 Season 2 Release. This includes the issue where rain-ready cars were unable to transition from Practice to Race, and the issue where rain-ready cars were unable to switch tire compounds in Fixed Setup events. Grab a change of socks while we’re down, and then come back and continue to enjoy the rain!


[h2]SIMULATION:
[/h2]--------------------------------------------------------------
Race Servers
Fixed a critical issue where drivers would crash out of the Simulation when transitioning from a Practice Server to a Race Server if a rain-ready car was in use.

Cars
Fixed a critical issue where rain-ready cars were not allowed to change tire compounds during Fixed Setup events.
Fixed an issue where some opponent cars could appear to wheelie as the downforce acting on them changed.

Tires
Fixed an issue with tire compound checkboxes not matching the correct status during a pitstop.
Fixed an issue where tire compounds would not appear correct after a driver change.

Graphics
Fixed a display issue with some types of trees when SSR was enabled.


[h2]CARS:
[/h2]--------------------------------------------------------------
Dallara F3
iRacing setups have been updated.

Dallara iR-01
iRacing setups have been updated.

Super Formula Lights
iRacing setups have been updated.

Super Formula SF23
iRacing setups have been updated.


[h3]TRACKS:
[/h3]--------------------------------------------------------------
Algarve International Circuit
Fixed a visual issue with tirewraps.

Lanier National Speedway
(Asphalt) - Track surface parameters have been updated slightly.

Millbridge Speedway
Entrance fence banners have been added.

Oran Park Raceway
(South) - Fixed a surface type issue with pit lane, fixed a track surface bump at Turn 7, and track marshals have appeared to continue to monitor the situation.

Slinger Speedway
Fixed an issue where some light poles would disappear at low detail levels.

The iRacing 2024 Season 2 Release is here! After years of extensive R&D efforts and significant iRacer anticipation, rain and the Tempest Weather system have arrived. Together with multiple new product features, an improved UI, new content, and buckets of updates and fixes, the 2024 Season 2 Release is truly a landmark moment for iRacing. We'll start things off with a week of fun in Week 13, and then official competition will commence on March 12th at 0000 UTC!

Tempest, iRacing’s brand-new weather system that allows for rain racing, is fully operational and ready to manage the meteorological simulation demands of iRacing. The Road License Type is being split into Sports Car License Type and Formula License Type to provide separate competition ladders for drivers and to improve participation, competition, and matchmaking. We’ve added a fun New Driver Onboarding Experience that will help all new customers get onto the track immediately, set up their controls, get them racing with AI Drivers, and provide instructions and a guide for their next steps. We’ve also refreshed the look and feel of iRacing to improve navigation.

Three new cars have been added to the iRacing paddock, including the Dirt Micro Sprint (2 models), SRX, and Super Formula Lights. Three new tracks have also been constructed for iRacing: Algarve International Circuit (4 configs), Millbridge Speedway, and Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli (5 configs). A new configuration has also been added to Kokomo Speedway (Tires Out) to provide a different racing line, and a new configuration has been added to Lime Rock Park (School) as part of a new educational experience. Additionally, several pieces of content have been added to the iRacing base package, making them FREE for all iRacing members, including Dirt Micro Sprint, Circuit de Lédenon, Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Snetterton Circuit, and Winton Motor Raceway.

The New Damage Model is enabled straight out-of-the-box on all three new cars, and it has been overhauled onto an additional FIFTEEN existing car models, including all GTE Class cars and all LMP1 Class cars. The AI training team has been hard at work conditioning AI Drivers to no longer fear water, allowing all rain-enabled vehicles to launch with fully tuned AI compatibility. Additionally, AI Drivers were able to master the Super Formula Lights, Algarve International Circuit (ALL), Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli (ALL), Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari - Moto, & Sebring International Raceway - Modified. Finally, our vehicle dynamics team has crafted hundreds of optimized vehicle setups, including a rain-ready setup for each rain-ready car. Flip down your visor and slip into your galoshes; iRacing 2024 Season 2 is pouring in!


Season highlights include:

• Dirt Micro Sprint (Winged & Non-Winged) [FREE!]
  
• SRX (Supports pavement and dirt)
  
• Super Formula Lights
  
• Algarve International Circuit (Grand Prix, Grand Prix - Chicanes, Moto, & Moto - Chicanes)
  
• Millbridge Speedway
  
• Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli (Grand Prix, Grand Prix 2007, Grand Prix - Historic, Club, & Truck)
  
• Kokomo Speedway - Tires Out
  
• Lime Rock Park - School
  
• Tempest Weather System
  
• Rain Racing
  
• Road License Type Split (Sports Car & Formula)
  
• New Driver Onboarding Experience
  
• iRacing Visual Refresh
  
• 3D Curbs at Fuji International Speedway & Sebring International Raceway
  
• 3D Foliage System at Algarve International Circuit & Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli
  
• New Damage Model for 19 vehicle models [Audi R18, BMW M8 GTE, Cadillac CTS-V Racecar, Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTE, Dirt Micro Sprint Car (Winged & Non-Winged), Dirt Midget, Ferrari 488 GTE, Ford GTE, Kia Optima, Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche 919, SRX, Super Formula Lights, VW Beetle, VW Beetle Lite, VW Jetta TDI Cup, [Legacy] Dallara DW12, [Legacy] Dallara IR-05]
  
• AI-Ready Rain Racing
  
• AI Racing for Super Formula Lights
  
• AI Racing at 11 track configurations [Algarve International Circuit (ALL), Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli (ALL), Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari - Moto, and Sebring International Raceway - Modified]
  
• Hundreds of expertly tailored iRacing vehicle setups (including a rain-ready setup)
  

Visit our 2024 Season 2 features page here: https://www.iracing.com/seasons/2024-s2/


Full 2024 Season 2 Release details can be found on the iRacing Forums here: https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/57032/2024-season-2-release-notes-2024-03-05-01

While it’s so good at simulating driving cars very fast that it actually stood in for the real thing during the Covid-19 pandemic, subscription-based racing game iRacing has long lacked a key thing that regularly affects real races - rain. Thankfully that’s not going to be a thing for much longer, and players are both excited and mildly anxious.

Yes, a racing sim so realistic that it’s used for competitive Esports, and is regularly played by real drivers including actual current F1 world champion Max Verstappen, has not had any rain in it since it came out. Soon, though, that’s going to change via a big build update that’ll make a lot of players wet and also deliver some precipitation.

“The Tempest weather system is ready for release and you will be racing in the rain in March,” reads iRacing’s latest development update post, which is very, very chunky and full of things. To be fair, a decent amount of it is spent bigging up the rain, with iRacing Senior Vice President and Executive Producer Greg Hill writing: “This is rain done the iRacing way; a true-to-life dynamic simulation of the multitude of physical and environmental factors experienced in racing in the rain, and how water interacts with both the racetrack and the tires of your race car.”

Read more

This Hotfix Release contains a critical fix for the 2024 Season 1 Release. The root of this fix stems from recent reports of drivers having car-to-car collisions when in close proximity, when no actual contact was made.


[h2]SIMULATION:[/h2]
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[h3]Cars[/h3]
Fixed a global bug with the steering behavior of opponent cars which could cause them to be in a different lateral position from their actual position.
- - This issue could cause phantom contacts where a driver may not appear to physically contact another car from their perspective, but according to the race server processing, contact was made. This effect was most noticeable in corners, where cars would be actively changing lateral position rapidly.

This Patch Release contains a variety of updates, fixes, and improvements for the 2024 Season 1 Release. The most notable change includes a full set of artwork updates to the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen Cars for the NASCAR 2024 Season.


iRACING:
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Paint Shop
Fixed an issue where some drivers were not taking the appropriate relaxed pose while modeling their suit.


SIMULATION:
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AI Racing
AI Drivers have received a special class on driving all of the GT3 Class cars, and they should be much better balanced.

Graphics
Fixed an issue where water appeared black and oily if SSR was enabled.

Pace Car
The Ford Mustang pace car textures have been updated.


CARS:
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NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen Cars
Vehicle artwork and textures have been updated to match the NASCAR 2024 Season.

Acura ARX-06 GTP
Fixed a texture blemish on the left-front fender.

Audi R8 LMS EVO II GT3
Driver and pedal animations have been updated.
Fixed an issue where the cockpit windshield banner was not appearing in non-cockpit cameras.

BMW M4 GT3
Fixed brake lights on the trunk that were not working.

Dallara IR18
Added Shell Fuel logo, revised Indy tire sidewall logo to match the 2023 season logo.

Ferrari 296 GT3
Engine torque has been increased slightly for improved BoP.

NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen Toyota Camry
Fixed an animation jitter when shifting gears.

NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Camry
Removed an errant steam blowoff effect that could sometimes appear.

[Legacy] Mazda MX-5 Cup & Roadster - 2010
This car, including both models (Cup and Roadster), is now FREE to all iRacing Members. This car is now part of the base content for iRacing, and has been added to all accounts.

[Legacy] Mercedes-AMG GT3
Fixed some issues with driver pedal animations.


TRACKS:
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Atlanta Motor Speedway
Fixed an issue where this track was closed for some time during the winter when in reality it is host to events all year long. Any date may now be selected when creating Hosted events here.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
(Open Wheel Oval) - Track grip properties have been updated slightly.

Nürburgring Grand-Prix-Strecke
(Grand Prix) - Fixed a text error with the track length information display.

Sebring International Raceway
(International) - Fixed a text error with the track length information display.