iRacing's GT3 tire model update is a huge improvement (2025 Season 3 Build)

iRacing's GT3 tire model update is a huge improvement (2025 Season 3 Build)

The sim racing community has been buzzing with excitement since iRacing dropped its 2025 Season 3 update, and for good reason. After years of criticism and countless promises, iRacing has finally delivered a comprehensive overhaul of its GT3 tire model that addresses the most persistent complaints about the platform's handling of these popular racing machines.

The Long-Awaited GT3 Transformation

iRacing's latest 2025 Season 3 Update brought new content in the form of the Ferrari 296 Challenge, Gen 4 NASCAR stock cars and The Bend Motorsport Park. However, perhaps the most important addition was the rollout of a complete revamp of iRacing's GT3 category, a project that was apparently six months in the making. This wasn't just another incremental update – it represented a fundamental reimagining of how GT3 cars behave in the simulator.

The changes are comprehensive, ranging from a completely new tire model to overhauled aerodynamics, with a new Balance of Performance calculation designed to allow iRacing's GT3s to race in harmony. The GT3 tire model has been updated for improved accuracy and realism for both wet and dry tires. Tire warmer temperatures have been reduced.

Why This Update Was Desperately Needed

For years, iRacing's GT3 cars have been the subject of intense criticism within the sim racing community. To get the best out of iRacing's GT3 cars, drivers had to minimize tire temperatures, which required an unusual driving style. Ultra-smooth inputs were required to optimize laptime and stint-wide grip, with heat spikes, caused by a half-spin, for example, destroying tire potential across a stint.

This created a frustrating paradox where drivers had to drive unnaturally conservatively to extract maximum performance from their cars. It was in stark contrast to real-world GT3 racing, where drivers visibly push their cars to the limit on every lap with little performance drop-off.

The handling characteristics were particularly problematic in high-speed corners, where cars would seemingly randomly lose traction despite consistent driver inputs. High-speed corners were a lottery; I'd drive into the same corner multiple times, braking at the same point, turning in at the same point, and the car would randomly break traction, causing a spin and overheating the tires. Once this happened, the car would become nearly undriveable for the remainder of the stint.

Competition Driving Change

The timing of this update wasn't coincidental. Motorsport Games' Le Mans Ultimate also taps into this rich vein of endurance racing goodness, (it's the official game of WEC, after all), and this is perhaps another reason for iRacing's GTP and GT3 focus of late. LMU has become the favoured GT3 racing simulator among the community recently, surpassing Assetto Corsa Competizione in terms of player numbers, while also boasting a superb driving experience.

The competitive pressure from Le Mans Ultimate, combined with its own ambitious goals for realism, pushed iRacing to finally address the fundamental issues with its GT3 implementation. In a sense, then, iRacing doesn't want to be left behind by LMU in the GT3 (and Hypercar/GTP) racing stakes.

Technical Deep Dive: What Actually Changed

The technical changes implemented in this update are extensive and address multiple aspects of GT3 car behavior:

Tire Model Improvements

iRacing has stated it has overhauled the wet and dry tyre models for GT3 cars, employing real-world drivers to offer feedback. The new tire model features several key improvements:

  • Reduced Heat Sensitivity: Tires are now less susceptible to the dreaded "heat spiking" that would ruin entire stints
  • Improved Recovery: Performance doesn't permanently drop after heat spikes, allowing drivers to recover from mistakes
  • Enhanced Grip Characteristics: The rubber now possesses stiffer lateral spring rates and softer vertical rates to mitigate tire slip
  • Realistic Temperature Behavior: From the pitlane, GT3 tire temperatures are now lower and take a couple of laps to reach optimal operating windows

Aerodynamic Overhaul

All the GT3 cars (presumably barring Legacy models) have had their aero performance evaluated using computational fluid dynamics, with roll sensitivity and ride height changes more accurately affecting a car's aero balance. This means setup changes now have more predictable and realistic effects on car behavior.

Improved Handling Characteristics

The update aims to make GT3 cars both easier to drive at the limit and more recoverable when that limit is exceeded. iRacing hopes that by combining these changes, its GT3 cars will be both easier to drive on the limit and easier to catch when the limit is breached.

Areas Still Needing Work

Despite the significant improvements, some aspects of GT3 handling still need refinement. However, one aspect of the sim's handling model became more apparent, and it's how the cars behave in slow corners. This is where some say LMU replicates GT3 cars better, as you can feel the car 'bite' into first and second gear corners.

Low-speed corner performance remains an area where competitors like Le Mans Ultimate still hold an advantage. In iRacing, it often feels like the GT3 tires reach their lateral grip peak too quickly, before sliding along the track surface. This understeer behavior lacks the finesse found in other simulators and doesn't provide adequate feedback through force feedback systems.

Impact on the Sim Racing Community

The community response has been largely positive, with many long-time critics of iRacing's GT3 implementation finally finding the cars enjoyable to drive. I've gone from disillusionment to enlightenment after this update, and can genuinely see myself driving iRacing's GT3 cars for fun in future.

This transformation is significant because GT3 cars represent one of the most popular categories in sim racing, featured prominently in both professional esports competitions and casual racing leagues. The improved handling characteristics should make iRacing more competitive with other simulators that have traditionally been preferred for GT3 racing.

Technical Development Process

The six-month development timeline highlights the complexity of creating accurate tire models for simulation. One of the most persistent issues with the GT3 class in iRacing has been the tire model. The involvement of real-world drivers in the feedback process demonstrates iRacing's commitment to authentic driving experiences.

This collaborative approach between sim developers and professional drivers represents a growing trend in the industry, where real-world expertise is increasingly valued in creating virtual racing experiences that accurately reflect their physical counterparts.

Looking Forward: What This Means for iRacing's Future

This update represents more than just improved GT3 cars – it demonstrates iRacing's ability to fundamentally revisit and improve core aspects of their simulation. The success of this overhaul could pave the way for similar comprehensive updates to other car categories that have faced criticism.

The competitive pressure from simulators like Le Mans Ultimate has clearly pushed iRacing to elevate their standards. It's progress for sure, but it makes you wonder why it's taken several years to get to this point. This question reflects a broader industry dynamic where established simulators must continuously innovate to maintain their position against newer, more specialized competitors.

Conclusion: A Genuine Step Forward

After years of promises and incremental improvements, iRacing has finally delivered a GT3 update that addresses the fundamental issues that have plagued these cars since their introduction. While some areas still need refinement, particularly low-speed corner handling, the overall transformation is remarkable.

For most, there's no more knife-edge spins and no more hesitancy when driving at the limit; I can attack a track as aggressively as I can in LMU, ACC, et al. This represents a sea change in how iRacing's GT3 cars behave and should significantly improve the platform's competitiveness in the GT3 racing segment.

The success of this update will likely be measured not just in improved driving characteristics, but in increased participation in GT3 series and potentially the return of drivers who had previously abandoned iRacing's GT3 cars in favor of other simulators. Early indications suggest this comprehensive overhaul has achieved what years of smaller updates could not: finally making iRacing's GT3 cars genuinely enjoyable to drive at the limit.

For sim racers who have been waiting for iRacing to fix its GT3 implementation, the wait appears to finally be over. The question now is whether iRacing can apply the same level of comprehensive improvement to other problematic areas of their simulation, setting a new standard for how established simulators can reinvent themselves in an increasingly competitive market.

Sources: Traxion, James Baldwin, RandomCallsign

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