iRacing Season 3 2025 set to include radically updated GT3 behaviour, alongside new content

The third season of iRacing, and the second released within 2025, will see a raft of new improvements, majoring on updates and changes rather than new content.

Not that there aren’t new cars and tracks, naturally, but the focus is on enhancing what’s already there, and there’s a lot to go through.

“The largest set of updates and improvements to existing content we’ve ever shipped at one time,” said Greg Hill, Senior Vice President and Executive Producer. Looking at the list, it’s hard to argue.

GT3 redevelopment

In our on-track testing is where we’ll verify these claims about improved GT3 car driving performance, especially as there is serious competition on the market for this popular class of vehicle.

However, iRacing is confident in its own improvements, maybe even to the point of hyperbole in its own praise: “our team has set the standard for GT3 racing in the entire sim racing landscape.”

That’s a big claim, and to back that it up, it has worked on a “comprehensive redevelopment” of “the entire class”. This includes, among other changes, completely new tyres (dry and wet) that should more more resilient to slides (so one slide should not ruin the rest of your run, according to iRacing), take further laps to build up temperature, and greater ability to conserve rubber.

The aerodynamic model is also said to be all-new, with differing yaw sensitivity, great rear wing change effect and great nuance between different aero packages. Most cars will now run a higher ride height, and rather obviously, all existing GT3 setups will be binned.

IndyCar improvements

Following the reinstating of an official IndyCar licence, iRacing has talked about improving the already authentic IR18 car – now, most of those changes will hit with Season 3.

That includes a new steering wheel, altered setup range limits, the option of barge boards and updated tyres for different feedback and behaviour. This also includes the wet tyre for inclement driving for the first time, but sadly not the 2025-spec hybrid system. More on that, later…

Gen4 NASCAR

The unintentional update is about to finally be rectified. Back in March 2023, iRacing mistakenly added more power to the then-ARCA cars. Those models ran old NASCAR chassis, so wih the extra firepower, in effect, it had created a Gen4 Cup Series vehicle.

Since then, however, in Season 2 2025, iRacing added the latest ARCA models and now, for Season 3 2025, it has gone back and re-scanned the actual 2003 Gen4 Cup cars. They will come in Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Ford Taurus forms, and with separate (but not separate purchases) Stockcar and Speedway Stockcar configurations.

Ferrari 296 Challenge car

Last year, the sim racing platform hinted at “another” Ferrari, following the release of the 499P LMH. Now, that is confirmed as the 296 Challenge (main article image) from the Corse Clienti programme.

This is the race-bred version of the 296 road car, which means slick tyres, a seven-speed gearbox, full race aero packaged and the loss of the hybrid system, relying solely on the tubocharged V6 engine.

This is used for one-make series around the world, predominantly for amateur drivers. In iRacing, this D-level car will now become the vehicle used in the Ferrari 296 Challenge series instead of the 296 GT3.

The Bend

Opening in 2018, it cost AUS $100 million and is second only to the Nürburgring Nordschleife in length for a permanent venue. It doesn’t look remotely like the German venue, as it’s basically in the middle of nowhere, and the surroundings are desolate.

As a modern, FIA-grade venue, it’s pretty flat and wide – however, some corners are super challenging, there are some odd cambers and, in the real-world, there are seven possible layouts. Also, it’s not longer called The Bend, but instead, Shell V-Power Motorsport Park at The Bend – eeew

One to test the Gen3 Supercars on, even if they have the wrong gearbox type….

Rescanned tracks

As opposed to an update of an existing model, the following venues have veen rescanned and remade – although, if all of them make the Season 3 build is yet to be confirmed. At least some of these will:

• Iowa Speedway
• Richmond Raceway
• Sonoma Raceway
• Worldwide Technology Raceway
• Charlotte Motor Speedway
• North Wilkesboro Speedway (new, current version)

Track improvements

The following venues have not been rescanned, but are set to receive some visual updates, such as more details grass or artwork. Again, if all of the finalised Season 3 lineup remains to be confirmed, but some, if not all, will:

• Circuit of the Americas
• Dalrington
• Daytona
• Indianapolis
• Lime Rock Park
• Phoenix
• Texas

More wet cars/tyres

As is common practice, you’ll be able to drive more cars in the rain – all road courses have the option of the incredible weather system, but not all cars, and iRacing is working through the list.

Next for the rain tyre is the aforementioned IndyCar IR18, the Lotus 79 and the Super Formula. Meanwhile, the F4, ahead of a new FIA F4 esports season, has a reworked rain tyre, and also a dry compound.

• IndyCar IR18
• Lotus 79
• SuperFormula

BMW M4 GT4 Evo

In the real-world, the current G82-generation M4 GT4 race car received an EVO update facelift. When it was announced for iRacing, the sim platform stated it would be the newer Evo spec, although the upgrades didn’t initially launch. Now, for Season 3, all owners (and new purchasers) will receive the changes.

Foveated rendering in VR

This tech, for those with RTX2000+ Nvidia GPUs and VR headsets, means higher fidelity where the racer is looking, and lower fidelity around the edge of the scene, seen in the likes of Gran Turismo 7 with the PSVR2.

It delivers, in theory, better performance, and according to iRacing, greater headroom for its upcoming new rendering engine.

What’s missing – hybrid

What’s not here is the new hybrid system of the IndyCar, despite its 2025-spec makeover, and the updated hybrid system for GTP and LMH cars, a source of contention since the Ferrari 499P launch last year, has been delayed and will no longer make this Season 3 build update.

Smaller tweaks

There will also be a host of smaller revisions, including the likes of further Adaptive AI tweaks, further 360 Hz support for certain wheels, and rain visual changes more “in line with actual wetness”. The BMW M Hybrid V8 GTP now has a 2025-spec steering wheel, too.

We’ll be back with the full patch notes and overview come its release in June.