One of rFactor 2‘s biggest weaknesses has been its online racing scene. Studio 397’s sim has lacked the kind of online matchmaking service which makes iRacing so popular, with advanced stat-tracking giving players a way to gauge their progress as sim racers.
However, recently Low Fuel Motorsport (LFM) added rFactor 2 to its online service, instantly boosting the sim’s popularity with streamers like our very own Dave Cam and Michi Hoyer getting in on the action and having a great old time.
Below, we explain what LFM is and how to sign up for rFactor 2 races and get out on track with like-minded people in an organised fashion.
What is Low Fuel Motorsport (LFM)?
Low Fuel Motorsport (LFM) is a sim racing community that runs a huge variety of sim races for both Assetto Corsa Competizione and rFactor 2 (rFactor 2 implementation is currently in a beta phase currently, which is worth bearing in mind). Races are split into Seasons, Cup and Endurance events, with some events requiring a certain licence level in which to enter.
To sign up for LFM you must link your Steam account to your profile. Ideally, you should also provide your full name – just like you would in iRacing.
What is a LFM licence?
LFM users start their racing journey in the Rookie class, where they can only compete in Rookie level races. You will be promoted out of Rookie if you take part in at least 10 ranked races. If your safety rating drops below 4.0 then you will be demoted to the Rookie class no matter what.
By driving clean and performing well players can increase both their safety and Elo ratings. Players begin with an Elo rating of 1500 and a safety rating (SR) of 3.5 with several factors contributing to the increase or decrease of these scores.
Elo and SR are used to match up players of similar performance, ensuring close racing no matter your ability. Rage quitting is frowned upon within sim racing in general, but doing so in LFM races will severely affect your SR and ability to enter certain races.
LFM’s rankings and licence requirements are detailed below (source: LFM website):
- IRON: For the IRON licence you need 10 ranked races and at least 4.0 SR
- IRON+: like “IRON”, but min. 1000 Elo
- BRONZE: min. 1300 Elo, 10 ranked races and min. 4.0 SR
- BRONZE+: like “BRONZE”, but min. 1500 Elo
- SILVER: min. 1700 Elo, 25 ranked races and min. 5.0 SR
- SILVER+: like “SILVER”, but min. 2000 Elo
- GOLD: min. 2500 Elo, 50 ranked races and min. 6.5 SR
- GOLD+: like “GOLD”, but min. 3500 Elo
- PLATINUM: min. 5000 Elo, 100 ranked races and min. 6.5 SR
- LEGEND: min. 6000 Elo, 150 ranked races and min. 6.5 SR
- ALIEN: min. 8000 Elo, 200 ranked races and min. 6.5 SR
How much does it cost to join LFM?
LFM is free to join and the races are also free to enter. LFM does, however, offer incentives for players who wish to donate via Patreon or Streamelements, including more detailed profile statistics and other bonuses. LFM is otherwise run and paid for by volunteers.
How do I join a rFactor 2 practice session through LFM?
First of all, ensure all content is subscribed to on the Steam Workshop or purchased via rFactor 2’s (rF2) in-game store before starting your chosen event.
If you wish to join a practice server as shown, click on ‘join practice server’ and a prompt will appear asking if you have rF2 running or not. You can let LFM open rF2 for you, in which case Steam will show another prompt, which when accepted allows LFM to launch the game.
If rF2 is already running the LFM server should load automatically. Next, choose your car and hit the track for a practice session. Note: your lap times and incidents will not be logged during these sessions.
How do I join a rFactor 2 race session through LFM?
In order to join a race session, you will first have to sign up for an event. In this example, I’m running a Rookie-level BTCC race at Donington Park National.
After picking the race you will be prompted to accept LFM’s terms and conditions and code of conduct. Again, LFM will prompt you to start the game based on whether rF2 is running or not. For race sessions, it’s recommended to open rF2 before allowing LFM to take control.
The free practice session before qualifying is only to allow players to join the event – LFM advises not to leave the garage until qualifying begins. After qualifying, you will form up on the grid and race as normal.
Once the race is finished the results will be logged and will show up on your profile a short time later. Rinse and repeat. And enjoy!
Which driving simulations are available on LFM?
At the moment, Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) is fully supported and rFactor 2’s support is in a beta phase.
ACC requires players to complete seven consecutive clean laps on a dedicated server. Completing this process gains players a rookie ACC licence. Meanwhile, rFactor 2 players automatically have a rookie licence and do not have to go through the same process (for now, at least).
Which rFactor 2 events are available on LFM?
Currently, BTCC, Alpine Cup, LMP2 and GTE races are available – undoubtedly there will be more variety in future.
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