With the Motorsport Games title unlikely to see the light of day, IndyCar fans continue waiting for a dedicated game. However, there are IndyCar game alternatives – here are our favorites.
The top rung of the American Open Wheel ladder has not seen a dedicated racing game since 2004. Codemasters’ IndyCar Series 2005 hit consoles in 2004 and let players race in the 2003 season of the Indy Racing League. Yes, that is confusing – but it fits with the chaos that was the second American Open-Wheel Split.
Either way, 20 years later, IndyCar may not have had a standalone game in the meantime, but that does not mean that its cars and some of its tracks have not been available in other games and sims. While mods make almost anything possible, official content is also available in numerous titles. Here are our favorite IndyCar game alternatives as of late 2023.
IndyCar in rFactor 2
Of course, the obvious pick on this list has to be rFactor 2. While the future of IndyCar content in the sim is in serious doubt due to the series looking to terminate its licensing agreements with Motorsport Games, the current version of the Dallara IR-18 is available in the sim. Even if it gets pulled, it is likely to continue life as a mod.
At the time of writing this article, the car is still available for purchase in the Steam Store. If you are looking to recreate the 2022 or 2023 IndyCar grid, you can do so with the rF2 version of the IR-18. Additionally, the following tracks from the 2023 calendar are available, either as offical or mod content.
rFactor 2 IndyCar Tracks
- Texas Motor Speedway – Mod
- Long Beach – Official
- Barber Motorsports Park – Mod
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Oval & Road) – Mod
- Road America – Mod
- Mid-Ohio – Mod
- Toronto Street Circuit – Mod
- Iowa Speedway – Mod
- Gateway – Official
- Portland – Official
- Laguna Seca – Official
A version of the St. Petersburg (Florida, not Russia) street circuit is available as well, but was initially released in 2016. Users have reported crashes when trying to load the track, so it is likely no longer compatible. The Detroit and Nashville street circuits are not available.
In addition to this, carsets for several more recent seasons can be found in the Steam Workshop. For fans of historic IndyCar racing, the 1998, 1990 and 1985 CART seasons offer some nice variety.
It is important to note that the quality of the mod content can vary significantly. Some of the older creations may have issues that require workarounds or fixes after downloading.
IndyCar Game Alternatives: Automobilista 2
Known for its abundance of Formula One content, Automobilista 2 also has no less than four IndyCar seasons available. Well, sort of – they are called Formula USA in the game, and the 2023 car is a fictionalized version. Developer Reiza Studios had an accurate vehicle ready to release, but could not come to a licensing agreement with IndyCar. Hence, sim racers got a slightly altered car in the Racin’ USA Pt. 3.
As part of the Racin’ USA Pt. 2 DLC, sim racers get access to the 1995 (Gen 1), 1998 (Gen 2) and 2000 CART (Gen 3) season cars. Numerous American tracks are either part of the base game or of DLC packs.
Automobilista 2: IndyCar Tracks
2023
- Long Beach (Racin’ USA Pt. 1 DLC)
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Oval & Road Course – Racin’ USA Pt. 3 DLC)
- Road America (base game)
- Gateway (Racin’ USA Pt. 3 DLC)
- Laguna Seca (Racin’ USA Pt. 1 DLC)
Historic
- Long Beach (used in 2000, different layout than in 1995 and 1998)
- Rio/Jacarepagua Oval (base game – 1998/2000)
- Gateway (1998/2000)
- Cleveland (all Gens – Racin’ USA Pt. 2 DLC)
- Road America
- Laguna Seca (all Gens)
- Fontana (1998/2000 – Racin’ USA Pt. 2 DLC)
Oval racing in AMS2, especially against the AI, still has room for improvement, but does feature full-course yellows, pace cars and adjustable weight jackers. As a result, exciting high-speed battles are possible in the sim. The cars automatically switch to the respective aero configuration needed for short ovals and speedways.
If you prefer an authentic-looking Dallara IR-18, however, a high-quality mod is available on RaceDepartment. It also includes different aero configurations plus a working push-to-pass system, as well as all liveries and AI files for the 2023 grid.
The RD download section has livery packs including AI drivers for the 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2023 seasons available, too.
IndyCar Game Alternatives: iRacing
While also not officially-licensed anymore, the car is still in iRacing as well. In official events and series, it cannot be run on IndyCar tracks currently. This does not prevent private events to be held on those circuits, however. Plus, iRacing does feature high-quality AI racing, making it a good IndyCar game alternative.
As the service is based in the US, it should come as no surprise that a majority of the 2023 IndyCar circuits are available. Coupled with market-leading oval racing, iRacing shpuld be worth a closer look for fans of the series.
iRacing: 2023 IndyCar Tracks
- Texas Motor Speedway
- Long Beach
- Barber Motorsports Park
- Indianapolis (Oval & Road)
- Road America
- Mid-Ohio
- Iowa Speedway
- Gateway
- Laguna Seca (base content)
Additionally, the Detroit Belle Isle street circuit is part of iRacing‘s track roster. It was used until 2022, with IndyCar switching to a layout in the downtown area for 2023 onwards.
IndyCar Game Alternatives: Assetto Corsa
Of course, the seemingly omnipotent Assetto Corsa could not be omitted from our list of IndyCar game alternatives. While the sim does not feature IndyCar out of the box, there are several mods for current and past vehicles available. In an un-modded state, AC only features Laguna Seca when it comes to IndyCar tracks. A lot more have been created by the community, though. Here are the current IndyCar circuits you can find on RaceDepartment, plus select historic ones.
2023
- St. Petersburg (plus 2023 track skins by Vittorio Bassi and Daniel Paez)
- Road America (2021 and 2022 track skins available)
- Toronto (plus 2023 track skin)
- Nashville
- Laguna Seca (base game)
Historic
- Long Beach 1998
- Cleveland (last updated in 2018, could lead to issues)
- Surfers Paradise
- Milwaukee Mile
Unfortunately, Assetto Corsa does not support rolling starts or full-course yellows, so your experience will not be quite as authentic.
What do you think of our IndyCar game alternatives? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
