The appogee of sim racing meet-ups, the ADAC SimRacing Expo returns for 2023 with a new location, a plethora of sim rigs to test and try plus live racing esports and meet-and-greets with some of your favourite content creators and drivers.
Here’s our guide to the must-visit event, starting with the basics.
What is the ADAC SimRacing Expo?
The ADAC SimRacing Expo is a yearly event celebrating the sim racing scene, with new equipment reveals, live interviews, content creator meet-ups and live racing esports.
When is the ADAC SimRacing Expo 2023?
The ADAC SimRacing Expo runs between Friday 13th October and Sunday 15th October 2023.
ADAC SimRacing Expo opening times
The ADAC SimRacing Expo 2023 is open between 10 am – 6 pm CEST.
Where is the ADAC SimRacing Expo?
The ADAC SimRacing Expo 2023 is within Halls 3 and 4 of the Messe Dortmund event space.
Messe Dortmund: Rheinlanddamm 200, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
ADAC SimRacing Expo ticket prices
Individual day tickets start from €24.50 with a family ticket at €54, while a weekend ticket starts from €58.
That’s the logistics covered, now let’s move on to what you can see and do while there.
2023 Exbihitors
There’s no better event to see up close the latest sim racing equipment, and in some cases test the latest releases. We expect there to be several new product announcements at the event, with Asetek SimSports in particular revealing new steering wheels. We recommend that you seek out RaceRoom Racing Experience too for the latest updates to the sim racing platform.
Elsewhere, we hope to hear more about Ascher Racing’s McLaren collaboration and there’s PXN’s entry into direct drive wheel bases. After we were impressed by Sabelt’s entry into the scene, visitors will now be able to try out its debut sim racing cockpits, and surely one of the most popular displays will be from Moza Racing as it continues to make waves.
Of course, if Fanatec is there, you’ll be able to test the recently launched QR2 system and CSL Universal Hub V2, plus could we be in for further surprises?
- Absolute Motorsports
- Acelith SimRacing Design
- Actoracer
- ADAC
- Ascher Racing
- Asetek SimSports
- Bavarian SimTec
- Conspit
- DBOX
- EFS The Racing Hub
- Eraser Medion
- Fanatec
- GetCloserRacing
- GRacing Total Immersion
- MECA
- ERAZER
- MME Simsport
- MOZA Racing
- NOVUS Racing Simulators
- P1 Sim
- PROSIMU
- PT Actuators
- PXN
- Race@Home
- RaceRoom
- Rennwelten
- Sabelt Sim Racing
- Senseit!
- SIIND
- Sim Department
- Sim Motion
- Simboostr
- SimGrid
- SimRacing Pro
- SimRaceShop.de
- SIMREP Engineering
- TailoredRig
- Tomas Enge Sim Racing
- TrackTime
- VRS
Watch the video embedded below to see the new equipment we spotted at the 2022 ADAC SimRacing Expo.
Live racing esports – Asetek SimSports Community Trophy
The Community Trophy racing esports competition is an opportunity for any budding sim racer from SimGrid groups to take part in a broadcasted event.
Two online rounds have already been broadcast, and the final and third round will be live from this year’s event. It will include two races in Assetto Corsa Competizione, both at Valencia. One will use the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) and the other the BMW M2.
They will be live online, but also those attending the event on Friday 13th October 2023.
- Community Trophy Race 1 – 13th October, 14:00 CEST
- Community Trophy Race 2 – 13th October, 16:00 CEST
Live racing esports – Professional Trophy
The second of three main competitions taking place at the ADAC SimRacing Expo this year is the Professional Trophy for established racing esports teams and drivers.
There have been three remote rounds already for this championship, which utilises Assetto Corsa Competizione, with a €5,000 prize pool up for grabs. So far, each of the Williams Esports‘ entries has taken a round win, but so has Veloce with ITB Racing and West Competition Racing BMW Romania snapping at their heels throughout.
There will be two races for the final round at the German event in-person, both at a virtual Silverstone and both on Saturday 14th October 2023. The title will be awarded to the best team across all five rounds, with one drop score factored in, so we expect this to go down to the wire.
- Qualifying 1 – 14th October, 11:00 CEST
- Race 1 (45mins) – 14th October, 11:38 CEST
- Qualifying 2 – 14th October, 15:25 CEST
- Race 2 (45mins) – 14th October, 16:02 CEST
Live racing esports – ADAC Digital GT500
Then there’s the stand-out single event, the ADAC Digital GT500 using iRacing. There’s €2,500 up for grabs here at this in-person, two-driver-per-car, 500km race. Like the Professional Trophy, there will be live commentary, coverage and stewarding.
Two qualification races will order the line-up for the main race, and teams entered include the likes of Dörr Esports, Falken Sim Racing, Williams Esports (Chillblast and Razer) and Tomas Enge Sim Racing.
- Qualification Race 1 (20min) – 15th October, 10:30 CEST
- Qualification Race 2 (20min) – 15th October, 12:30 CEST
- Main Race 500km – 15th October, 14:32 CEST
During the run-up to the event, there was a competition for community members to have the chance to commentate during some of the races.
Live stage
Visitors will be able to watch the aforementioned racing esports action in the live stage area. In-between racing there will also be guest interviews and announcements.
Highlights include some form of BMW Motorrad (motorcycle) esports announcement, sim racing turned professional driver (racing in the DTM this season) Tim Heinemann, Grid Finder’s podcast and TV automotive car culture personality Sidney Hoffmann. The latter will also be bringing along a RAUH-Welt (RWB) modified Porsche.
Friday
11:00 CEST – Opening Stage
12:00 CEST – Live Coaching by Rennwelten
13:00 CEST – Stage Panel – TBA
14:00 CEST – Community Trophy Race 1
15:00 CEST – BMW Motorrad Esports
16:00 CEST – Community Trophy Race 2
Saturday
11:00 CEST – Opening Stage
11:30 CEST – Professional Trophy Race 1
13:00 CEST – Tim Heinemann live on Stage with KW Automotive
14:00 CEST – F1 Mania – Content Creation and Streamers
15:00 CEST – SIIND – Sidney Hoffmann, Car Tuning and RWB Porsche
16:00 CEST – Professional Trophy Race 2
Sunday
10:00 CEST – Opening Stage
10:20 CEST – ADAC Digital GT500 Quali Race 1
11:30 CEST – The organisation of Sim Racing
12:30 CEST – ADAC Digital GT500 Quali Race 2
13:30 CEST – Sim Sundays Podcast by Gridfinder
14:30 CEST – ADAC Digital GT500 500Km Main Race
In addition to the live stage, author of The Motor Racing Book Suellio Almeida will be signing copies, a round of the Erazer Your Road to Victory competition will be held alongside a Rennwelten community meet-up.
Are you heading to the ADAC SimRacing Expo? Let us know in the comments below or on social media.
