In iRacing‘s latest developments update blog post, they mentioned that their scanning team would be making their way to the United Kingdom to scan two new tracks. Which ones could they be?
With 2024 Season 2 of iRacing on the horizon, new tracks are inbound. The season will see the introduction of the 0.25-mile dirt oval Millbridge, Misano, which hosts the San Marino MotoGP, and the Algarve circuit that held the Portuguese GP for two seasons.
Also in that post, the iRacing team confirm they are working on implementing Navarra, Sachsenring and Oswego Speedway both in paved and dirt forms. But they go on to say that their team is travelling to the UK to scan two new tracks.
Oulton Park has been enjoyed across many series by pretty much all road racing members due to being base game content, and Snetterton is also about to become free as of next season. It is also worth mentioning Knockhill but, of course, that is in Scotland and not England.
We will not dedicate a section explaining the UK’s geography, but it is worth mentioning so tracks like Anglesey in Wales probably will not count. But what could? Here are our best guesses, from least to most likely.
It has even been in a few racing games, namely Gran Turismo 5 and every Forza Motorsport game from 4 to 7. The fastest lap time from a car that fits Top Gear’s rules of a road car was the Ferrari SF90 Stradale which went round in 1:11.3, whilst the fastest ever time set in any car was by Heikki Kovalainen in the 2004 Renault F1 car which did it in 59 seconds.
It would be amazing to have, but as many of you can probably tell, it would not be an ideal place to host actual races due to it being a figure-of-8 track. Unlike Suzuka, it actually crosses onto itself rather than over and under.
The last thing any iRacing driver wants is to get smacked into and a 4x as a result, and it will happen a lot more often with the crossovers. The facility is now getting redeveloped as a housing estate, so even if it cannot be used in actual races, it would be nice to have it immortalised in iRacing.
Nevertheless, it is probably very unlikely.
With the BTCC licence held formerly by Motorsport Games, rFactor 2 devs Studio 397 implemented plenty of content centred around the BTCC including Croft. The track is popular amongst the drivers, praising its variety of corners including fast sweeps, hairpins and chicanes.
When it comes to if Croft will make its way to iRacing, we would say it is unlikely. Outside the BTCC context, Croft would probably end up doing even worse in terms of sales than Snetterton, and that has British GT racing thus making it a bit more renowned.
It was already a bit obscure for rFactor 2 to add as official content but since it was packaged with three other tracks in a BTCC Pack, it undoubtedly helped its sales. iRacing sell all their content individually, so Croft probably would not make sense to add to the service. At least not for free.
When it comes to MSV tracks not in iRacing, there are really only two. One is Bedford Autodrome which sees no high level racing, so we can rule that out. The other though? If you saw the movie Rush, do you remember the F3 race that Hunt and Lauda take part in? The movie claims it is Crystal Palace in London, but you cannot fool racing fans. It is, in fact, Cadwell Park.
Whilst a track like Silverstone is wide and flowing, Cadwell is the antithesis to it. The best way to describe it is “relentless”, there is not a moment to breathe with the corners and dramatic elevation change coming thick and fast. Paired with the thin track width, it presents a real challenge and feels like an oversized kart track.
It mainly hosts British Superbikes, which is quite the spectacle when crowds station themselves at The Mountain corner which sees the motorcycles leap off the ground momentarily. The track would certainly provide some interesting racing in cars, and it has appeared in the likes of Race 07, rFactor and most recently, the Project CARS games and Automobilista 2.
Cadwell Park may be a bit out there for iRacing, but much like motorcycles at The Mountain, it is still pretty much up in the air as to whether it could be a good option for the sim.
Thruxton is perhaps the truest definition of the term ‘high speed circuit’, because unlike tracks like Monza where it is broken up by slow corners, Thruxton does not grant drivers that same privilege. Even the slower corners require a lot of momentum.
On a circuit of highlights, one corner inparticular is remarkably special, Church. A very fast flick taken at near enough top speed, where even those driving downforce cars will be trying their utmost to hold on at the exit.
If any motorsport venue in England was going to come to iRacing, it would have to be Thruxton. Just imagine the races that could happen here, no matter the car type being raced. But perhaps this is still only the second most likely, with the next one we are certain will be a very popular inclusion into iRacing if it does get added.
It is not like there is not a precedent for iRacing having never added a hillclimb before, with Mt. Washington being on the sim. Plus, the Goodwood Hillclimb previously appeared in Gran Turismo 6.
It is probably the only motorsport event in the UK that can hold a candle to the Grand Prix, so it makes so much sense to add it into iRacing. It could lend itself amazingly well to an iRacing Special Event, although the open nature of it would make it a massive undertaking to determine how the car classes are broken up.
The difficulty there would be figuring out how to prevent people from just entering with the same car that is the undisputed fastest car in iRacing, whatever that may be (probably the Mercedes W12). Nevertheless it would be a truly special event that all the iRacing community would want in on.
What other English tracks do you think could be added to iRacing? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
With 2024 Season 2 of iRacing on the horizon, new tracks are inbound. The season will see the introduction of the 0.25-mile dirt oval Millbridge, Misano, which hosts the San Marino MotoGP, and the Algarve circuit that held the Portuguese GP for two seasons.
Also in that post, the iRacing team confirm they are working on implementing Navarra, Sachsenring and Oswego Speedway both in paved and dirt forms. But they go on to say that their team is travelling to the UK to scan two new tracks.
Make sure you do not go to Buckingham Palace for tea and crumpets during your trip to England, you will be turned away, guys! Image credit: iRacing.com
England has many amazing tracks, plenty of which are already in iRacing. These include the widely known ones that host international competition like Silverstone, Donington and Brands Hatch of course. But there are some other hidden gems.
Oulton Park has been enjoyed across many series by pretty much all road racing members due to being base game content, and Snetterton is also about to become free as of next season. It is also worth mentioning Knockhill but, of course, that is in Scotland and not England.
We will not dedicate a section explaining the UK’s geography, but it is worth mentioning so tracks like Anglesey in Wales probably will not count. But what could? Here are our best guesses, from least to most likely.
Top Gear Test Track
From 2002 to 2020, BBC’s Top Gear would do their tests, power laps by The Stig and celebrities would do laps around the Dunsfold Aerodrome. The track was designed by Lotus on an old airfield to test cars in all kinds of corners, and became an iconic mainstay in households across not only the UK but pretty much the entire world.It has even been in a few racing games, namely Gran Turismo 5 and every Forza Motorsport game from 4 to 7. The fastest lap time from a car that fits Top Gear’s rules of a road car was the Ferrari SF90 Stradale which went round in 1:11.3, whilst the fastest ever time set in any car was by Heikki Kovalainen in the 2004 Renault F1 car which did it in 59 seconds.
It would be amazing to have, but as many of you can probably tell, it would not be an ideal place to host actual races due to it being a figure-of-8 track. Unlike Suzuka, it actually crosses onto itself rather than over and under.
The last thing any iRacing driver wants is to get smacked into and a 4x as a result, and it will happen a lot more often with the crossovers. The facility is now getting redeveloped as a housing estate, so even if it cannot be used in actual races, it would be nice to have it immortalised in iRacing.
Nevertheless, it is probably very unlikely.
Croft
Ever since 1997, the Croft Circuit has hosted the British Touring Cars and used to host British Superbikes, British GT and British F3 (in which future F1 driver Sergio Pérez set the lap record of the track back in 2008). It is also the closest track to article writer Luca, who has attended many BTCC rounds there over the years.With the BTCC licence held formerly by Motorsport Games, rFactor 2 devs Studio 397 implemented plenty of content centred around the BTCC including Croft. The track is popular amongst the drivers, praising its variety of corners including fast sweeps, hairpins and chicanes.
When it comes to if Croft will make its way to iRacing, we would say it is unlikely. Outside the BTCC context, Croft would probably end up doing even worse in terms of sales than Snetterton, and that has British GT racing thus making it a bit more renowned.
It was already a bit obscure for rFactor 2 to add as official content but since it was packaged with three other tracks in a BTCC Pack, it undoubtedly helped its sales. iRacing sell all their content individually, so Croft probably would not make sense to add to the service. At least not for free.
Cadwell Park
MotorSport Vision are an organisation operated by former F1 driver Jonathan Palmer that own a load of racetracks in the UK. These include Brands Hatch, Donington, Snetterton and Oulton Park. They also own a couple of circuits outside the UK, including Navarra in Spain that iRacing have confirmed that they will be adding.When it comes to MSV tracks not in iRacing, there are really only two. One is Bedford Autodrome which sees no high level racing, so we can rule that out. The other though? If you saw the movie Rush, do you remember the F3 race that Hunt and Lauda take part in? The movie claims it is Crystal Palace in London, but you cannot fool racing fans. It is, in fact, Cadwell Park.
Whilst a track like Silverstone is wide and flowing, Cadwell is the antithesis to it. The best way to describe it is “relentless”, there is not a moment to breathe with the corners and dramatic elevation change coming thick and fast. Paired with the thin track width, it presents a real challenge and feels like an oversized kart track.
It mainly hosts British Superbikes, which is quite the spectacle when crowds station themselves at The Mountain corner which sees the motorcycles leap off the ground momentarily. The track would certainly provide some interesting racing in cars, and it has appeared in the likes of Race 07, rFactor and most recently, the Project CARS games and Automobilista 2.
Cadwell Park may be a bit out there for iRacing, but much like motorcycles at The Mountain, it is still pretty much up in the air as to whether it could be a good option for the sim.
Thruxton
Here we have another rather obscure British Touring Cars venue that was added to rFactor 2. But where Croft is perhaps a bit of a chameleon and not hugely memorable relatively speaking, this track is the complete opposite. Many drivers who start their careers in the UK tend to have very fond memories of this venue inparticular.Thruxton is perhaps the truest definition of the term ‘high speed circuit’, because unlike tracks like Monza where it is broken up by slow corners, Thruxton does not grant drivers that same privilege. Even the slower corners require a lot of momentum.
On a circuit of highlights, one corner inparticular is remarkably special, Church. A very fast flick taken at near enough top speed, where even those driving downforce cars will be trying their utmost to hold on at the exit.
If any motorsport venue in England was going to come to iRacing, it would have to be Thruxton. Just imagine the races that could happen here, no matter the car type being raced. But perhaps this is still only the second most likely, with the next one we are certain will be a very popular inclusion into iRacing if it does get added.
Goodwood Hillclimb
All of you will have seen this one coming. Ever since 1993, the Goodwood Festival of Speed has been the go-to event for the most intense of racing fanatics, and the Hillclimb is the highlight of the weekend. All kinds of cars go powering up the 1.16-mile run, the fastest of which was the McMurtry Spéirling at 39.081 seconds.It is not like there is not a precedent for iRacing having never added a hillclimb before, with Mt. Washington being on the sim. Plus, the Goodwood Hillclimb previously appeared in Gran Turismo 6.
It is probably the only motorsport event in the UK that can hold a candle to the Grand Prix, so it makes so much sense to add it into iRacing. It could lend itself amazingly well to an iRacing Special Event, although the open nature of it would make it a massive undertaking to determine how the car classes are broken up.
The difficulty there would be figuring out how to prevent people from just entering with the same car that is the undisputed fastest car in iRacing, whatever that may be (probably the Mercedes W12). Nevertheless it would be a truly special event that all the iRacing community would want in on.
What other English tracks do you think could be added to iRacing? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
