The new iRacing 2026 Season 2 update now has an official launch date. The racing simulation service will release this second major annual update on March 17 at 00:00 UTC, introducing new content, technical improvements, and a broad revision of vehicles and tracks.
As is typical with the simulator’s large quarterly updates, this version brings new cars, updated circuits, improvements to the in-game interface (HUD), and technical adjustments aimed at enhancing both realism and overall system performance.
Among the most notable additions are two new vehicles, the full debut of the St. Petersburg street circuit, and a complete rebuild of Barber Motorsports Park, along with a significant expansion of features in the simulator’s interface.
Two New Vehicles: Audi RS3 LMS Gen2 TCR and NASCAR Truck RAM
The update introduces two new models to the iRacing garage, expanding the range of categories available within the service.
On one hand, the Audi RS3 LMS Gen2 TCR joins the growing lineup of touring cars in the simulator. The car also arrives ready for rain racing, a feature that continues to gradually expand to more vehicles across the platform.
The second addition is the NASCAR Truck RAM, further expanding the NASCAR ecosystem within iRacing. As with most recent simulator content, both vehicles are fully compatible with AI racing from day one, allowing them to be used in official competitions as well as offline events.
St. Petersburg and Barber Motorsports Park Lead Track Updates
On the track side, the update introduces the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, the well-known street circuit used by IndyCar and several other American racing series. The circuit is now fully available for competition within the simulator and also supports AI racing.
Meanwhile, Barber Motorsports Park has been completely rebuilt from the ground up using new laser scan data. This redesign includes a comprehensive update to both the track surface and the surrounding visual environment.
The update also includes major visual improvements to several short oval tracks, specifically:
- Lanier National Speedway
- Langley Speedway
- USA International Speedway
These revisions are part of the service’s ongoing program to modernize the visual quality of classic circuits within the simulator.
New HUD Features: Layout Profiles, Visual Spotter, and Real-Time Telemetry
One of the areas that evolves the most this season is the in-sim interface (HUD), which receives several new tools designed to improve the information available during races.
Among the main features added are:
HUD Layout Profiles
Allows users to create, save, and share custom HUD layouts tailored to specific cars or racing classes.
Visual Spotter
Introduces a visual alternative to the traditional voice spotter, providing graphical information about nearby cars around the driver.
Throttle & Brake Timeline
A new visualization that displays throttle and brake inputs as a timeline, making it easier to analyze driving inputs during a session.
Standalone Widgets
Two new information modules are also included:
- Session Info
- Session Rules
Major Updates to Vehicle Physics and Classes
The update also introduces substantial revisions to multiple vehicle categories, aimed at improving simulation accuracy.
Classes that have received significant updates include:
- IMSA Vintage Series
- GTE cars
- TCR category
- NASCAR O’Reilly Series cars
- Lotus 49
Additionally, formula cars competing on short ovals have received targeted performance adjustments. At the same time, the Asphalt Oval Refresh project continues with improvements to how rubber builds up and spreads on track surfaces during races.
More Autonomous AI and Hundreds of New Setups
The artificial intelligence system has also received improvements. Starting this season, AI drivers can complete qualifying sessions and entire race events without any human players present, a feature particularly useful for offline leagues or full event simulations.
In addition, the update includes hundreds of new official setups created by the simulator’s internal test drivers, expanding the range of configurations available across multiple vehicles and tracks.
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