Scheduled for 6 June, the 2023 Season 3 update for iRacing is just around the corner. With new cars, new tracks, series reshuffles and major updates, here’s everything coming to iRacing in 2023 season 3.
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The current iRacing season is coming to a close as it finishes off its final week of official competition. From Tuesday 6 June, the game goes into its 13th week of non-official races as a plethora of new features and content pieces join the game. In fact, the developers have already given notice that the game will go offline on 6 June to enable a mass update.
According to the past few weeks’ worth of teasers and announcements, this 2023 Season 3 update for iRacing is set to be particularly large, especially on the content front. No fewer than two cars and two tracks will arrive in the game, whilst a particularly long-awaited improvement is also rumoured to be incoming.
iRacing 2023 Season 3: Sports Cars Inbound
With the world famous Le Mans 24 Hour race taking place next weekend, the first major content arrival will be much appreciated by racers. The Cadillac V-Series.R is a fan-favourite Le Mans Hypercar, with its bellowing V8 motor. This American take on the new class regulations will sit alongside the already present BMW LMDh in the top class of endurance racing.
Sticking to endurance sports car racing, the second car to drop in the 2023 Season 3 update for iRacing is the Ligier JSP3 LMP3 car. This entry-level prototype features most prominently in the IMSA Sportscar Championship. However, European endurance fans will also recognise it from the European Le Mans Series. This car will also run on the La Sarthe track this weekend, but in the Road to Le Mans support race rather than the full event.
Known best online as the vehicle of choice for dentist drivers, iRacers will hope to not carry on that tradition. The term describes bronze rated drivers that pay for their seat. Whilst slower than the fully professional drivers, it is these pay-drivers that keep motorsport alive. Racing fans will finally understand how hard it is to drive these cars fast.
Whilst prototypes are fun, it’s GT racing that gets the numbers in iRacing. Fans of the Stuttgart brand will have a choice to make this season in the GT3 class. In fact, whilst the 991.2 Porsche GT3R has only featured in the sim for a few seasons, its replacement is already here. The 992 variant of GT3 models is already present in Assetto Corsa Competizione. So, not to be outdone, iRacing will also add the newest 911 in its car list this season.
iRacing Season 3 Tracks
Alongside a selection of new cars coming to iRacing in Season 3 of 2023 is a pair of fantastic circuits. Following on from the title’s push for European circuits like Knockhill, Jerez and Magny-Cours, Motorland Aragon will arrive on Tuesday. This Spanish venue is very popular among bike racers but GT and Touring Cars also race there.
Across the pond, the iRacing team announced many years ago that it was working on bringing Willow Springs to the service. Well, after spending several years hiding on a shelf, the Californian road circuit will finally make its way to iRacing next week.
The developers announced that putting together this circuit required new approaches to foliage and terrain rendering. These are techniques that will reportedly find their way into existing iRacing tracks, in turn improving the entire game graphically.
Major Updates
iRacers will be all too aware of the grid limitations present in the game. As it stands, only eight different car models can make up a field. But it seems that will change. Announcing the upcoming 6 Hours of the Glen endurance Special Event, a post on the game’s website clearly shows that nine models will compete in the race.
This change allows the service to facilitate the entry of the newly added cars. The Cadillac is certain to join the BMW in the GTP class. The LMP3 Ligier will sit in its own category completing the real-world IMSA class line-up. This change, whilst not world-changing, will be a great relief to sim racers.
Moving stateside, iRacing has long been a trail blazer in the world of off-road dirt driving physics. With this new update, the bar is set to rise significantly. A major refresh for Dirt Oval racing is on its way. This new physics model will implement greater variety in the surface condition between a fully fresh surface and a used surface.
One feature many fans of the title are hotly anticipating is rain. This is one update that is certainly not coming this time around. In a blog post a few months ago, the team mentioned that wet weather is still not ready for full-scale implementation. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until at least Season 4 of this year for the chaos displayed in this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.
New iRacing Series in Season 3
Aside from the major changes inbound for iRacing in Season 3 of 2023, there are some other minor additions included in the update.
First, one of the most popular cars in iRacing in recent times has been the iR-04. This entry-level formula car is based on the current Formula 4 cars that race around the world. This model will get a new name this season thanks to a collaboration between iRacing and the FIA. Finally, the car can bear the F4 name as it becomes the FIA F4. This name change will also reflect in the series it competes in, which will also be called FIA F4.
Following a successful iRacing Nurburgring 24 Hour event, the Green Hell will host its own weekly series in Season 3. A total revision to the standard series format, it will always take place on the same circuit. However, it is the car list that will rotate each week. The RicmoTech Ring Meister Series will start out as a trial run. But if it proves popular, iRacing may implement more series like it.
Are you excited for the 2023 Season 3 update for iRacing? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
