iRacing Reveals Impressive 2022 Season 1 Release Notes

iRacing 2022 Season 1 Build Notes 01.jpg
iRacing's first season of 2022 will include a large amount of new content and another major step forward in AI implementation.

The next season of iRacing will give players the chance to own some interesting new content, including news cars and new or improved tracks, plus practice racing against AI at a number of circuits that didn't previously support AI racing.

The likely headline-stealer will be the Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance Formula 1 car. The current generation of F1 cars are the fastest racing cars to ever compete in a series, and iRacing members will soon be able to get their hands on Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas' current car.

Two new TCR series cars are also being added: the Honda Civic Type R and the Hyundai Elantra N TC. TCR cars are a favourite amongst many sim racers due to their ability to be raced wheel to wheel with minimal effects from unintentional bumping.

Knockhill circuit is also coming to iRacing in the next major build. The Scottish circuit is a challenging 2 kilometer course featuring 9 corners. Watkins Glen is also cited in the season notes, as the American track will be given a major facelift using new laser-scan data from 2021.

Highlights of the upcoming build are below. Let us know in the comments what's got you most excited to race.

iRacing 2022 Season 1 Build Notes 02.jpg


Season highlights include:

  • Honda Civic Type R
  • Hyundai Elantra N TC
  • Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance
  • Knockhill Racing Circuit
  • Watkins Glen International (Fully re-scanned and re-built for 2021)
  • Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg - 4 New Track Configurations for the Porsche Experience Center
  • Ability to Require the use of Multiple Tire Compounds
  • Tire Scuffing Visual Effect
  • New “Ready to Race!” Button in the Simulator
  • New Damage Model has been enabled on the Dirt Street Stock, Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Elantra N TC, and the Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance
  • AI Racing for THREE New Cars (Dallara IR18, Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Elantra N TC)
  • AI Racing at NINETEEN New Track Configurations (Charlotte Motor Speedway - All 6 Non-Rallycross Road Configs, Homestead Miami Speedway - Indy Oval, Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Oval and IndyCar Oval, Knockhill Racing Circuit - All 4 Road Configs, Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway - Oval, Watkins Glen International - All 4 Configs, World Wide Technology Raceway - Oval)
About author
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

Comments

S1 hotfix.

iRACING UI:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Paint Shop

  • Custom paints and templates are now unavailable for use and download for both the Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance and the Williams FW31.
  • - - All paint schemes for these two cars have been reset.




SIMULATION:

--------------------------------------------------------------

AI Racing

  • Fixed an issue where some lower skill rating AI Drivers could sometimes fail to enter the pits on road courses entirely. They needed to rethink their “send it” strategy.


New Damage Model

  • The pit jack collision parameters have been adjusted, so it is far less likely for the jack to miss the ground when trying to service a vehicle and cause a car to become stuck in the pits since the tire change can’t be completed.


Monitor Configuration

  • Fix issue where the Monitor Setup screen would exit immediately when watching a saved replay.




CARS:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Audi RS 3 LMS

  • The jack placement location for pit stops has been improved.


Dallara IR18

  • The reflection and specular properties of the transparent halo have been adjusted to match the improvements seen in the Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance.


Ford Fiesta RS WRC

  • iRacing setups have been updated.


Honda Civic Type R

  • Fixed an issue where a reflectivity artifact could cause the windshield’s upper and lower halves to render differently.
  • The jack placement location for pit stops has been improved.


Hyundai Elantra N TC

  • Steering ratio may now be adjusted in Fixed Setup events.
  • Rotor glow texture has been added.
  • The jack placement location for pit stops has been improved.


Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance

  • Custom car paints, decals, and specular maps have been disabled for this vehicle.
  • - - The current paint pattern for all customers has been reset.
  • Fixed an issue where drivers could get stuck using the “Attack” deployment mode in Fixed Setup events.
  • - - An issue remains where the dashboard displays that you are in “Attack” mode, but are actually in “Balanced” mode.
  • Fixed an issue with the display of the deployment mode order on the dashboard.


NASCAR 1987 Class Cars

  • Fixed an issue where users could get stuck in their pit stalls when attempting to make a spring adjustment using a mapped control option. This adjustment is not allowed.


Subaru WRX STI

  • iRacing setups have been updated.


VW Beetle

  • iRacing setups have been updated.


VW Beetle Lite

  • iRacing setups have been updated.


Williams FW31

  • Custom car paints, decals, and specular maps have been disabled for this vehicle.
  • - - The current paint pattern for all customers has been reset.




TRACKS:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Daytona International Speedway

  • Some floating SAFER foam in Turn 1 has been tied down.
  • The Lake Lloyd water shader has been updated.
  • Some wall logos have been updated.


Knockhill Racing Circuit

  • (Rallycross) - Resolved an issue with some mysterious slowdowns on the dirt section exit and added a tire bundle.
  • Terrain details layer has been updated.


Nürburgring

  • Some new AMG advertisements have been added.


Snetterton Circuit

  • Loading screen track config maps have been updated.


Watkins Glen International

  • Smoothed a brutal bump in the center of the second-to-last turn.
  • (Classic) - Track rules have been updated.
  • Race marshal platforms have been updated.
  • Fixed an issue where a wall was penetrating the terrain at the esses.
 
Lame (W12)
The next step will be to disallow to use of orange, red, dark blue, white, dark green and marine blue in car swatches
:(:O_o:
Then they'll disable crash physics, because they don't want to see crash videos on YT
:roflmao:
 
Lame (W12)
The next step will be to disallow to use of orange, red, dark blue, white, dark green and marine blue in car swatches
:(:O_o:
Then they'll disable crash physics, because they don't want to see crash videos on YT
:roflmao:

It's not iRacing's decision to not provide a template for the W12.... it's in the license deal with Mercedes. They did the same with Polyphony Digital and the W08. Car cannot be edited in livery editor.

However, in iRacing, while there is no option to paint, no official template or option to load custom livery in Trading Paints, I have heard of users using a template from one of the other open wheelers and then adjusting to fit on the W12.

Watched a clip from Will Ford (Boosted Media) in a Week 13 race he did in the W12 at Spa, and there were a number of cars in that race that were not running the stock AMG Petronas livery.
 
Last edited:
It's not iRacing's decision to not provide a template for the W12.... it's in the license deal with Mercedes. They did the same with Polyphony Digital and the W08. Car cannot be edited in livery editor.

However, in iRacing, while there is no option to paint, no official template or option to load custom livery in Trading Paints, I have heard of users using a template from one of the other open wheelers and then adjusting to fit on the W12.

Watched a clip from Will Ford (Boosted Media) in a Week 13 race he did in the W12 at Spa, and there were a number of cars in that race that were not running the stock AMG Petronas livery.
your comment is a bit late.
iRacing has disabled using a local paint. That is what i refer to.
No custom possible anymor, since hotfix.
 
Within iRacing select paint shop and from the pics along the bottom scroll along to the right. Quite a few options, I have a nice blue, red and white combo. Bought after listening to the podcast interview with a chap from Mercedes’. Does feel nice and planted and easier to drive than the previous 2. However, extracting those extra couple of seconds out of a lap to reach the elite drivers is a big ask. I’ll be running the fixed series coming up for sure.
 
Hi Avenger,

Does it really matter what others think? As long as one prefers the iracing physics oneself, like I do as well on iracing (over rfactor 2, AMS2, raceroom and even over ACC) , is that not the most important?
For me it matters what drivers who race the car IRL think, because I would like a sim to simulate tires at least semi accurately. If they think tires do not behave like IRL then I might as well play GT or Froza or NFS Shift. Some people find those games more fun , but I’m after realism.
If both Mercedes F1 drivers try iRacing Mercedes F1 and give feedback that it handles by far the closest to the real
f1 car among commercial sims, tires behave similarly to real etc. then it’d make more people buy the car in iRacing.
On contrary, if they say e.g. it’s not like a real thing, because tires don’t behave like that at and over the limit etc. and AC’s RSS formula hybrid is much closer, then I would prefer to buy and drive RSS version.
 
Last edited:
Premium
This A/B comparison seems to indicate that iRacing does better F1 than AC by quite a margin.

He says that the FFB physics and dynamics feel much better in iRacing.

He claims that the Mercedes car in iRacing is rendered at a level higher then he's ever experienced in any other sim. He mentioned that the closest in quality he's experienced is the rFactor McLaren.

 
Last edited:
iRacing finally introduced Indycar AI and Indianapolis and they did not bother to mention it or marketing it beforehand? Like it actually is a an Indy500 game 2.0! After a bunch of years....32 years or something. :D
Something I hope iRacing does down the line when the AI is accessable to all content. Is break it into experience packages and sell it without a subscription...offline mode
Ex. An Indy ladder or GT experience...like what Raceroom did with the DTM and ADAC

Any AI packages you purchase would than be available online if you chose to purchase a subscription and vice versa.

It would draw more income as well as calm some and allow them to use there purchased content without a subscription.
 
2022 Season 1 hotfix 2

iRACING UI:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Paint Shop

  • The Global SimRacing Channel sponsor logo has been updated.




SIMULATION:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Physics

  • Fixed an issue where some complex physics data could exceed the allotted parameters, causing the Simulator to crash-to-desktop for users in heavily populated sessions, especially during full-field-style crashes using the New Damage Model.


AI Racing

  • AI Drivers have improved their racing skills with the Touring Car Class Cars.


Track Info

  • Fixed an issue where the Track Conditions information on the Info tab in the Simulator had disappeared.


Replays

  • Fixed an issue where older Replays with an animated pit crew would crash the Simulator.




CARS:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Dallara IR18

  • iRacing setups have been updated.


Global Mazda MX-5 Cup

  • Vehicle audio has been improved for startup blip and backfires.


Honda Civic Type R

  • Engine cooling has been updated.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.


Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance

  • Fixed a variety of issues with the starting state of the power unit, including:
  • - - Not starting Sessions in “Attack” mode when it was selected.
  • - - Starting a Race Session with either Qualifying modes selected resulted in the “Balanced” mode being selected.
  • - - Starting a Qualifying Session with any of the Race modes selected resulted in a random Qualifying mode being selected.
  • The downforce reduction for damaged wings has been increased slightly.
  • Steering wheel lights have had their RPM adjusted to more closely align with the Simulator rev lights.
  • Fixed an issue where the colors of opponent car tires could flicker.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.


NASCAR Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Fixed an issue where the nose number stamp was not being stamped correctly.


NASCAR Next Gen Class Cars

  • The front ride height sensors have been moved to the forward rub blocks location instead of the middle rub blocks location. This should allow for tuning ride heights more effectively.


Touring Car Class Cars

  • For the Touring Cars Class, garage options have been standardized for fixed setup races, and all sprint setups have been updated to use the optimal launch RPM for each car.




TRACKS:

--------------------------------------------------------------

Lanier National Speedway

  • Patched a terrain seam at the base of the Start/Finish booth.
 

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