The Season 4 2023 of new content and quality-of-life updates for iRacing has been released and includes a new oval venue, classic NASCAR content, a contemporary GTP contender and a present-day Formula 1 venue.
Here’s everything we know about iRacing Season 4 2023, including the fresh paid DLC and platform updates.
iRacing Season 4 2023 new content
- Porsche 963 LMDh/GTP
- Acura ARX-06 GTP
- Ferrari 296 GT3
- 1987 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR
- Super Formula SF23 – Toyota
- Kern County Raceway Park (four configurations)
- Zandvoort (updated layout)
- Circuit de Lédenon
New cars
The IMSA GTP class for 2023 is now complete! In addition, the 1987 NASCAR Cup Series Season will near a full set with a General Motors classic.
Season 3 2023 included the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), Ligier LMP3 and Cadillac V-Series.R (GTP) totalling three new optional purchases – let’s see if Season 4 can top that.
Porsche 963 LMDh/GTP
Stuttgart’s contender in the LMDh, and for the US IMSA series ‘GTP’, category of hybrid prototype racing, the Porsche 963 will be the third model available for iRacing – following the aforementioned Cadillac V-Series.R and BMW M Hybrid V8.
Teased in August and then formally unveiled in August, the mid-engined racer combined a 4.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 with a motor-generator unit and a minuscule 1.35-kWh battery. It’s built by US engineering form Multimatic and the main entries are run by Penske.
In the 2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship, the car has won two races, so far, at Long Beach and Road America.
Acura ARX-06
While the Porsche is a welcome addition, it doesn’t quite complete the entire 2023 IMSA top-class grid.
No matter, because the championship-leading Acura ARX-06 certainly does, and it too will be available to mark the launch of Season 4 2023 on iRacing.
So, the big question is, Porsche or Acura? Or rather, which is your favourite IMSA GTP machine available for iRacing?
[yop_poll id=”9″]1987 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR
Used by the likes of Rusty Wallace and Richard Petty in the 1987 NASCAR Cup Series Season, this Pontiac Grand Prix has been a year in the making, since Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared iRacing team members scanning the vehicle at the Petty’s Garage.
It joins three other cars from this particular season already available for iRacing: the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Ford Thunderbird and Buick Lesabre, plus that season’s North Wilkesboro Speedway. Once this is released, it leaves only the Oldsmobile Delta to complete the set.
Ferrari 296 GT3
Ditching V8 power and now using a turbocharged V6, Ferrari’s latest GT3 weapon, the 296 will also join the fold.
It’s already been proven to be a potent packaging, winning the 2023 real-world Nürburgring 24 Hours and will line-up alongside the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo and Porsche 991 GT3 R (992).
Super Formula SF23 – Toyota
If you’d have said at the start of the year that the current Super Formula cars would be on the way to iRacing, we’d have wagered a first-class ticket to Tokyo that it wouldn’t be the case.
Yet, here we are, with Japan’s leading single-seater championship present not just in Gran Turismo 7, but now in a PC-only subscription-based simulator too.
In the real world, while the chassis and suspension are the same for each car on the grid, there’s a choice of Toyota or Honda engine, and it appears that only the former will be available here so far.
These cars are wicked, with more power – and a push-to-pass/defend – system and aero than a Formula 2 car. In fact, were you impressed by Liam Lawson’s debut in Formula 1 so far? He’s also competing in SF this season…
New tracks
It’s not just the car roster that is expanding for iRacing‘s Season 4 2023 content update, with new venues also part of the upcoming available DLC.
Once again, there’s an eclectic mix of diverse motorsport tastes.
Kern County Raceway Park
Two ovals for the price of one, here, as both of Kern County’s Californian tracks will be included in the one purchase: the main asphalt track, plus the neighbouring dirt oval.
Then, each will have a shorter variation too, so four configurations of the diminutive venue will be added – ideal for Legends and Late Model Stock Car racing.
Updated Zandvoort
One of the Netherlands’ premier racing venues, and current home to the Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort went through a significant overall in 2020. This, in particular, added significant levels of banking to Hugenholzbocht ad Arie Luyendijk Bocht.
To date, these changes have not been reflected within iRacing, however, that is set to change in September, with a re-scan set for completion and release.
For subscribers who own the existing version, the fresh update will arrive for no additional cost. If you purchase the coastal venue after the update launch, it will also include the now-classic layout.
Circuit de Lédenon
An obscure venue, Lédenon is sued primarily for club-level racing and some regional championships such as the FFSA Tourisme.
3.151 km in length, it’s a modern facility with mostly asphalt run-off area after the kerbs. However, there are significant elevation changes to add to the challenge.
Dare we say it looks like a French Laguna Seca at times, if you can’t find your reading glasses…?
New features and races
Draft Master Series
While rain is a definite ‘maybe’, what is confirmed is a new racing series – Draft Master.
Making its debut in iRacing’s Season 4 2023, and alongside Season 3 debutant Ring Meister, the new addition will feature just Daytona and Talladega venues, but each week, a new car.
It reminds us of Dave Cam’s recent video series for Traxion, Done and Dusted, where he experimented to see if changing disciplines each week affected his ability to race. Only, in this car, you stick very much within the oval scene.
Across the 12 weeks, there will be a new oval-based vehicle to race in, with Daytona taking the first six events and Talladega the latter half.
The Ricmotech Ring Meister will also continue, seemingly passing its initial probation period, with a new GT3 car each week around the Nürburgring Nordschleife – although both series are still listed as ‘pilots’.
Further AI racing cars and tracks
The list of cars and tracks you’ll be able to use will also expand in iRacing’s Season 4 2023 build. No surprise, most of the additions are new content released at the same time, such as the Super Formula or the updated Zandvoort.
But there are further changes to existing content too, as the Audi 90 GTO, Nissan GTP ZX-T and NASCAR Gen 4 Cup join the available roster, plus the Nürburgring Grand-Prix Strecke, the shorter versions of Road Atlanta, The Milwaukee Mile and 2008’s Silverstone rendition.
AI racing car additions
- Acura ARX-06 GTP
- Audi 90 GTO
- Ferrari 296 GT3
- NASCAR Gen 4 Cup
- NASCAR Pontiac Grand Prix – 1987
- Nissan GTP ZX-T
- Porsche 963 GTP
- Super Formula SF23
AI racing track additions
- Circuit de Lédenon
- Circuit Park Zandvoort: Grand Prix, Grand Prix w/chicane, Nationaal, Oostelijk
- Kern County Raceway Park: Asphalt Oval, Legends
- Nürburgring Grand-Prix Strecke: Grand Prix w/out Arena, Kurzanbindung w/out Arena, Sprintstrecke
- Road Atlanta: Club, Short
- The Milwaukee Mile
- [Legacy] Silverstone Circuit – 2008: Grand Prix, Historical Grand Prix, International, National, Southern
Goodbye Bathurst jump
For a long time, it was a tradition of going straight on at The Chase around Mount Panorama on the cool-down lap and then jumping over a tyre stack after hitting a pile of gravel.
However, following the Season 4 update, this is sadly no more and the gravel slows you down too much. Let’s all watch Julie, aka Mrs Dave Cam’s, recent race and jump in memory of this now departed ‘feature’.
iRacing Season 4 2023 release date
iRacing’s 2023 Season 4 content was released on Wednesday 6th September.
iRacing Season 4 2023 changelog
This is a long one, so, to read the full details, we recommend you hit up the iRacing forums.
