With its latest updates and content, RaceRoom has seen renewed interest among some sim racers - and it could carve out its own niche that it already has a better base for than most: DTM.
Its variety of cars and tracks is one of RaceRoom's biggest strengths, especially when it comes ot lesser-known European circuits. However, the sim also clearly leans into the direction of THE domestic series in Germany - DTM.
Plenty of content can already be found in the RaceRoom store, and the 2024 DTM pack will expand this lineup even further. The pack is delayed because of manufacturer approval, but developer KW Studios has secured the final go-ahead in the meantime - so the 2024 grid including the title-winning Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 will be available on November 14.
But the 2024 DTM pack alone will not make RaceRoom the ultimate DTM sim - there are other elements that I think could really elevate the title to that status.
Image: KW Studios
These classic cars are usually much more fun to race at the tracks they actually raced on in their day - and this is something developer KW Studios looks to have found as well. With the release of the September update and DTM 1995 pack, three vintage tracks hit the sim as well, those being classic Hockenheim, the AVUS in its 1994 and 1998 configurations, and Diepholz.
Combined with period-correct cars such as DTM 1992 or DTM 1995, these tracks are enormous fun and serve as a great throwback. For RaceRoom to become the ultimate DTM sim, more of this is needed - a pre-Mercedes Arena Nürburgring, for instance, which is somehow hardly to be found anywhere in modern sims.
Imagine full, authentic calendars for the 1995 or 1992 seaons, including tracks like Wunstorf, the Alemannenring in Singen, or the streets of Helsinki. While we're at it, retro "skins" for the tracks that are already there but have not changed their layouts since, like the Norisring, would be another welcome addition.
For the longest time, the AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse (front) was the only 1995 DTM car in RaceRoom - until the Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI and Opel Calibra V6 4x4 (not pictured) finally gave it some company. Image: KW Studios
Anyway, like the 1995 grid used to be, there are a few classic seasons that are only represented by a single car thus far, like 2003 and 2005. In their case, just two more vehicles would complete the grid, as the manufacturer battle at the time was fought between Mercedes, Audi and Opel.
The 2003 season featured an exciting mix of drivers that were well on their way to becoming DTM legends, such as Mattias Ekström, Martin Tomczyk, Gary Paffett or Marcel Fässler, alongside icons like Bernd Schneider or Manuel Reuter. Other popular names included Jean Alesi, Karl Wendlinger, Laurent Aïello or Christijan Albers - quite the high-caliber grid.
2005 even topped this with Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mika Häkkinen or Tom Kristensen behind the wheels of DTM cars. For these two seasons, most of the tracks on their calendars have not changed much, if at all, in the meantime, so the addition of the missing cars would already do a lot for their representation in RaceRoom.
One of the stars of the earlier DTM years, the Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth was taken to championship glory by Klaus Ludwig in 1988. Image: Axel Schwenke via Wikimedia Commons, available under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license
Variety was also high, for instance in the 1988 season. With BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Chevrolet and Toyota on the grid, some manufacturers even with different models, there would be plenty to choose from - including iconic cars like the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth or the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16. And who could forget the Opel Kadett GSi 16V fielded by Kissling Motorsport and Opel Haider? They may not have been successful, but they were certainly fan favorites.
The earlier years of DTM tend to be a bit overlooked in sim racing, so RaceRoom could change that by being a trailblazer in this regard.
For a proper DTM experience, this would need to change. You do not even have to look any further than the 2024 season for an example of how this would add some spice: The sudden arrival of rain in the final third of race 1 at the Norisring very much shook up the order, demoting pole sitter and then-race-leader Jack Aitken to P9 at the checkered flag. Never mind race 1 at the Lausitzring that even became properly chaotic once the floodgates were open.
This element of unpredictability is part of DTM and motor racing as a whole, of course. A proper dynamic weather system would not just elevate DTM races in the sim, of course, but that of other classes as well. And with the original DTM having raced on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife up until 1993, proper weather would make for a much more authentic experience on the big circuit.
Even better: Go one step further and add the seasons' respective calendars as well, with accurate race dates and numbers of laps. For historic F1 seasons, this type of information is easy to find, but for DTM seasons, especially older ones, some digging is required. Again, it comes down to a more convenient way to race.
For the 2013 and 2014 DTM seasons, this is already in place, at least as rule presets. They were released as standalone spin-offs, but are in RaceRoom as well, including their full grids and all tracks that were on the calendar. Maybe even a separate DTM mode within RR would be a possibility for those who want to tackle historic seasons in offline mode.
What other elements would you like to see to make RaceRoom the ultimate DTM sim? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our RaceRoom forum!
Its variety of cars and tracks is one of RaceRoom's biggest strengths, especially when it comes ot lesser-known European circuits. However, the sim also clearly leans into the direction of THE domestic series in Germany - DTM.
Plenty of content can already be found in the RaceRoom store, and the 2024 DTM pack will expand this lineup even further. The pack is delayed because of manufacturer approval, but developer KW Studios has secured the final go-ahead in the meantime - so the 2024 grid including the title-winning Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 will be available on November 14.
But the 2024 DTM pack alone will not make RaceRoom the ultimate DTM sim - there are other elements that I think could really elevate the title to that status.
Image: KW Studios
1 - More Historic Tracks
RaceRoom has a decent amount of historic cars already on board, including Group C, Group 5 and classic DTM. These grids are usually quite in-depth or have interesting variants of cars that are rarely available elsewhere, such as the Porsche 962C as run by Team Joest in IMSA in 1993.These classic cars are usually much more fun to race at the tracks they actually raced on in their day - and this is something developer KW Studios looks to have found as well. With the release of the September update and DTM 1995 pack, three vintage tracks hit the sim as well, those being classic Hockenheim, the AVUS in its 1994 and 1998 configurations, and Diepholz.
Combined with period-correct cars such as DTM 1992 or DTM 1995, these tracks are enormous fun and serve as a great throwback. For RaceRoom to become the ultimate DTM sim, more of this is needed - a pre-Mercedes Arena Nürburgring, for instance, which is somehow hardly to be found anywhere in modern sims.
Imagine full, authentic calendars for the 1995 or 1992 seaons, including tracks like Wunstorf, the Alemannenring in Singen, or the streets of Helsinki. While we're at it, retro "skins" for the tracks that are already there but have not changed their layouts since, like the Norisring, would be another welcome addition.
For the longest time, the AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse (front) was the only 1995 DTM car in RaceRoom - until the Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI and Opel Calibra V6 4x4 (not pictured) finally gave it some company. Image: KW Studios
2 - More Fleshed-out Grids
For the more modern years of DTM, specifically the Class1 years, RaceRoom already has full grids, and it looks like it is aiming to do the same for the more modern GT3 grids - which are not the "real" DTM, depending on who you ask.Anyway, like the 1995 grid used to be, there are a few classic seasons that are only represented by a single car thus far, like 2003 and 2005. In their case, just two more vehicles would complete the grid, as the manufacturer battle at the time was fought between Mercedes, Audi and Opel.
The 2003 season featured an exciting mix of drivers that were well on their way to becoming DTM legends, such as Mattias Ekström, Martin Tomczyk, Gary Paffett or Marcel Fässler, alongside icons like Bernd Schneider or Manuel Reuter. Other popular names included Jean Alesi, Karl Wendlinger, Laurent Aïello or Christijan Albers - quite the high-caliber grid.
2005 even topped this with Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mika Häkkinen or Tom Kristensen behind the wheels of DTM cars. For these two seasons, most of the tracks on their calendars have not changed much, if at all, in the meantime, so the addition of the missing cars would already do a lot for their representation in RaceRoom.
One of the stars of the earlier DTM years, the Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth was taken to championship glory by Klaus Ludwig in 1988. Image: Axel Schwenke via Wikimedia Commons, available under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license
3 - A 1980s Season
DTM turned 40 years old in 2024, with its first two seasons being run as DPM (Deutsche Produktionswagen Meisterschaft/German Production Car Championship). Throughout the 1980s, the series kept increasing its popularity, with German touring car aces like Klaus Ludwig, Roland Asch, Joachim Winkelhock or Olaf Manthey behind the wheels.Variety was also high, for instance in the 1988 season. With BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Chevrolet and Toyota on the grid, some manufacturers even with different models, there would be plenty to choose from - including iconic cars like the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth or the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16. And who could forget the Opel Kadett GSi 16V fielded by Kissling Motorsport and Opel Haider? They may not have been successful, but they were certainly fan favorites.
The earlier years of DTM tend to be a bit overlooked in sim racing, so RaceRoom could change that by being a trailblazer in this regard.
4 - Changeable Weather
There has been some progress in this area recently with the dynamic cloud coverage, but that, of course, still is not a proper weather system. It could be the base, of course, but for now, all racing in RaceRoom is held in the dry - no exceptions.For a proper DTM experience, this would need to change. You do not even have to look any further than the 2024 season for an example of how this would add some spice: The sudden arrival of rain in the final third of race 1 at the Norisring very much shook up the order, demoting pole sitter and then-race-leader Jack Aitken to P9 at the checkered flag. Never mind race 1 at the Lausitzring that even became properly chaotic once the floodgates were open.
This element of unpredictability is part of DTM and motor racing as a whole, of course. A proper dynamic weather system would not just elevate DTM races in the sim, of course, but that of other classes as well. And with the original DTM having raced on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife up until 1993, proper weather would make for a much more authentic experience on the big circuit.
5 - Championship Presets
RaceRoom offers a plethora of settings to customize your race weekends, including weekend structure and a number of rules. For a more convenient hit of DTM goodness, more presets relating to the different seasons in RaceRoom would be a welcome addition. Finding out which rule set was used when might prove difficult or need a lot of research - the presets would eliminate that.Even better: Go one step further and add the seasons' respective calendars as well, with accurate race dates and numbers of laps. For historic F1 seasons, this type of information is easy to find, but for DTM seasons, especially older ones, some digging is required. Again, it comes down to a more convenient way to race.
For the 2013 and 2014 DTM seasons, this is already in place, at least as rule presets. They were released as standalone spin-offs, but are in RaceRoom as well, including their full grids and all tracks that were on the calendar. Maybe even a separate DTM mode within RR would be a possibility for those who want to tackle historic seasons in offline mode.
What other elements would you like to see to make RaceRoom the ultimate DTM sim? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our RaceRoom forum!
