iRacing already has the BMW M Hybrid V8. But with four cars in total, could more LMDh cars be coming to iRacing soon? According to the drivers, yes they are.
Image Credit: Porsche Newsroom
At the end of last year, iRacing introduced the BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh car. This brand-new endurance racer was built to compete in the top class of the IMSA Sportscar Championship and FIA WEC. When it joined the sim in December, it was yet to race, but has since taken an overall podium in the Sebring 12 Hours.
The BMW is one of four new cars in the top class of IMSA falling under the LMDh ruleset. A further five models race alongside LMDh cars in the FIA WEC’s Hypercar category. Brands like Porsche, Ferrari, Cadillac, Peugeot, Acura and Toyota all come together to create what everyone is calling a golden age of endurance racing.
The entire motorsport world is excited for this new era, and so too is the simracing community. Racing fans online have cried out for these cars to feature in racing games whilst just a handful have made it to various titles so far. However, rumours suggest more may be coming to iRacing shortly. Here’s what we know so far.
Porsche and Cadillac LMDh coming to iRacing?
In the run up to the Super Sebring weekend that took place this week, drivers have been spending time with their new chariots, showing off their fun online. However, two racers may have shared too much on social media.
Antonio Felix Da Costa, set to drive the Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963 and Cadillac Racing’s Renger Van Der Zande have both teased that their respective LMDh cars could be coming to iRacing soon.
In an Ask me Anything session on Instagram, Van Der Zande was asked if the Cadillac V-LMDh prototype was set to join a racing game any time soon. His response may not have impressed iRacing‘s development and marketing teams. He mentioned that the online racing service was close to getting the new car.
A few weeks ago, fans anxiously awaited Team Jota’s livery reveal for the new Porsche 963 LMDh car. In the heat of the moment, Antonio Felix Da Costa retweeted a teaser of the upcoming design mentioning Trading Paints, the online racing sim’s go-to livery program.
Whilst Da Costa’s overly excited retweet may not necessarily suggest the Porsche is destined for iRacing release, rumours have surrounded the car since it first started testing. iRacing and Porsche have a fantastic relationship giving players cars like the Mission R concept and various GT models. So it isn’t a far fetched idea that the Penske-run LMDh car will join the sim at some point.
Car limits change on the way?
Whether it is the Porsche and Cadillac that are set for release in iRacing is as yet unconfirmed. What we do know from within the iRacing team however is that more LMDh cars are coming. Steve Myers tweeted in January that more models from the top class were on their way, so it’s just a matter of time until the BMW gets some competition.
The big question now is how the new cars will affect the various multiclass series. Currently, iRacing limits the number of unique car models to just eight. In the IMSA series, those eight models include the BMW LMDh, the Dallara LMP2 as well as six GT3 cars. With an additional two LMDh cars, the GT class is sure to loose its great variety.
Add in an LMH car or two like the Ferrari 499P or Peugeot 9X8 and the GT class disappears completely. The only logical next step for iRacing is to allow for more unique car models on track at one time. The game limits this to ensure lower end computers can handle racing online. But with hardware improving on a daily basis, bumping the limit to ten models will surely maintain a good balance of variety and performance.
Which cars from the new era of sportscar endurance racing do you want to see in iRacing? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
