Studio 397 have announced their first content for the 2022 Q3 pack. This Illinois-based oval racetrack may be a sign of what's to come for rFactor in the upcoming months. And the track has even been laser-scanned.
As part of this release, both the oval course and the in-field road course have been scanned and will be released as layouts of one circuit.
About the Circuit
Formerly known as Gateway Motorsports Park, the 1.25 mile (2 km) oval with a 2 mile (3.2 km) infield course, the circuit was built instead of another circuit that existed before then. St. Louis International Raceway was demolished in 1996 to make space for Gateway.The track has featured both NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar Series races.
Despite the size of the track, it still features 3 different layouts. Apart from the 2 aforementioned layouts, there is also a shorter infield layout of 1.6 miles (2.6 km).
What This May Mean For rFactor 2
A new oval circuit on the calendar for rFactor 2 is an interesting decision. This could mean the almost decade-old sim is planned to receive a new focus on ovals. For many race fans around the world, having an alternative to iRacing for oval stuff is quite the promise.This, however, will need a bit of work on the AI too. As this is one of the few points people still have issues with, a DLC requiring AI improvements seems either off or promising.
Off, because if no AI update comes, this circuit would just show and facilitate the "adventurous" AI.
Promising, because one could hope the free update for Q3 would be the long-awaited AI-overhaul.
And on this hopeful bombshell, what do you think about this reveal? Please, let us know in the comments down below!