Indycar, BTCC, F1 and even SRO Motorsport. These real world championships all have – or will have – their own racing sim. But, there are many other exciting forms of motorsport that deserve a dedicated racing game. Here are some of the best candidates.
Image Credit: Kunos Simulazioni
Racing games such as Assetto Corsa, iRacing and rFactor 2 have amassed huge success thanks to the wide array of content they offer. But this style of racing game can often leave fans of certain real-world championships disappointed, as they search for an accurate representation of their preferred series. This is where titles like ACC and F1 22 come in. They accurately portray specific championships in their own sim games.
This high-detail form of game design often caters to offline racing, as players get to run through entire seasons of their favourite championships. There’s nothing better than racing the driver you look up to in an intense battle for victory. It’s this immersion I’d want to see more of in simracing. So with that in mind, here are some championships that need their own sim titles.
Australian Supercars Deserve some of the Spotlight
With famous races like the Adelaide 500 and Bathurst 1000, it’s a surprise the Australian Supercar Championship doesn’t already have its own sim. But this regional series has rarely even featured in simracing as a whole, bar its unpopulated races in iRacing.
Combining some of the best tracks you’ve never heard of with mighty-fast V8 muscle cars, this is an amazing championship. Furthermore, the Super2 and SuperUte championships that run alongside it would make for excellent career progression and diversity within an official game.
As seen in the Automobilista series of games, a regional championship can definitely provide the base for a popular game. I’d love to see an Australian developer tackle the task of making an Australian Supercars game.
How about a Pre-War Grand Prix Car Dedicated Game
Back in the early days of simracing, historic motorsport had a greater presence. GT Legends recreated historic touring car and GT racing. GP Legends threw back to the golden age of Formula 1. But never have we had a simulator dedicated to the early days of motorsport.
Pre-War Grand Prix racing was a sport full of danger and excitement. These lightweight bath tubs pushed round high-speed street circuits by massive, explosive engines need to be experienced. Assetto Corsa features many mods highlighting these cars, but a full racing sim utilising the tracks and cars of the time would amaze me.
In fact, third-party mods vary in quality meaning it’s difficult to get an accurate representation of the era. But if a studio spent the time to research motorsport in the 1930’s and put out high-quality content, I believe it would be a fantastic experience. Unfortunately, though, this is probably the most niche suggestion on the list, so I doubt it will ever happen.
A Super GT Standalone Title
Throughout Gran Turismo‘s life cycle, countless Super GT and JGTC cars have featured in the series. Though on this list, we’re looking for championships to get their own racing sim and I think Super GT would be a great contender to get one.
Travelling across Japan and much of Asia, Super GT is a fast-pace multiclass GT racing series. In the lower echelons of the championship is the GT300 class made up of GT3 machinery and some oddball Japanese creations. The GT500 class on the other hand sees machines visually similar to road cars race at speeds exceeding those of most prototypes.
This racing series is an establishment in Japan, often more popular than even Formula 1. Seeing the racing, one can understand why. More often than not, these races provide some of the most intense battles anywhere in racing, something I would love to see in simracing. With prior experience with these cars and tracks thanks to GT, Polyphony Digital is best placed to realise this pipe dream of mine.
Formula E needs an F1 22 Equivalent
Every FIA World Championship deserves its own sim. Formula 1 has one. WRC has one. Even the World Ralycross Championship features entirely in Dirt Rally 2.0. But Formula E is yet to be immortalised in a dedicated title.
Yes, the cars and tracks often release on rFactor 2, but these are small bits of content in an immense sea of releases. Just like Formula 1, I’d like to see the electric single-seater series get its own game. Being its own standalone title, it would be able to better simulate the energy management aspect of the series.
Tailoring the electric systems to each track through setup and optimising your battery usage would be very satisfying. Furthermore, the game would include the Attack Mode feature which, although many consider a gimmick, is a large part of race strategy. Despite the races not being as exciting as other championships in the real world, I can see a Formula E game being very involving and fun.
Does the World Endurance Championship need its own sim?
Much like the British Touring Car Championship and Indycar Series, the FIA World Endurance Championship is licensed to Motorsport Games. In fact, in 2021, it was announced that an official game would release at some point in 2023. Well, we’re here now, and still no closer to any of the Motorsport Games releases.
That doesn’t mean we can’t dream of the perfect endurance racing game. In recent years, the WEC and IMSA Sportscar Championship have become much closer. The GTP and LMH classes sitting at the top of each respective championship are pretty much identical. As such, it would be an amazing opportunity to create a worldwide endurance simulator.
Players would get to start out as a young racer in one of the many sportscar feeder series. From there, I envisage a career mode which lets the player choose which races they want to run. Before long, they might enter full championships in either the US or Europe as they climb the ranks. This progression could even include references to the Bronze through Platinum driver rating system.
Imagine competing in a full-scale Le Mans 24 from the comfort of your own home with all the cars, liveries and rules. Hurry up and get your WEC game out, Motorsport Games. Otherwise, I’ll commission another team to recreate my vision.
What championship do you think deserves its own racing sim? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
