Sim racing games have gained huge popularity among racing enthusiasts in recent years. With a wide range of sim racing games to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which sim racing games are the best. With realistic graphics, accurate physics and a wide range of cars and tracks, these games offer an immersive and challenging experience. In this comprehensive article, we will explore our top 7 best sim racing games, including a brief explanation of each game and its key features. Each with unique features and impressive depth.
Whether you are an experienced racing fan or a curious beginner, these virtual racing experiences will surely satisfy your need for speed and competition. So brace yourself and let's get started with our top 7 best sim racing games!
#1 iRacing
iRacing is known as one of the most realistic and competitive sim racing games on the market. With a subscription model, iRacing offers an extensive online racing community and an impressive range of officially licensed cars and tracks. The accurate physics, crash modelling and advanced tyre modelling make for a super realistic and unrivalled driving experience in my opinion.
iRacing is hugely popular for its challenging multiplayer racing and excellent safety rating, competitions. If you show unsportsmanlike behaviour on the track or ignore the rules, you can be banned. In addition, iRacing has a Safety Rating (SR) and iRating (iR) system that most drivers strive for in order to gain access to bigger and better championships. You also have the opportunity to compete against real drivers around the world. Among others, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Tony Kanaan are avid racers on this platform.
In terms of online competition, I think iRacing is by far the best game out there. The game is constantly being updated with new tracks, cars and features, such as the recent introduced rain, which is truly a phenomenal experience! These major updates take place after each season of 13 weeks place. What is also good about this game is the huge community behind it and custom built racing liveries makes. So you will always drive in a unique livery that suits you.
Price and available DLC content
iRacing is one of the most expensive sim racing games and works with a subscription model. Costs vary, but an annual subscription can cost around $110. For new members you pay only $66. The game consists of a large amount of base content, but if you want to compete in online series and championships, you will have to buy additional tracks and cars. These are quite expensive, paying $11.95 per car and $14.95 per circuit. As you buy more cars and circuits, you get permanent discounts. Want to save money? Then deliberately pick cars you want to race a lot.
Key features:
- Extensive online racing community and multiplayer races
- Professionally organised championships and races
- More than 100 officially licensed cars and tracks
- Realistic game physics, damage and tyre modelling
#2 Automobilista 2
Automobilista 2, developed by Reiza Studios, is an advanced sim racing game that focuses on delivering a realistic and immersive racing experience. Partly due to its enormously wide range of diversity and content, the game ranks a well-deserved number two on my list.
The game offers a wide range of racing classes, ranging from karts, Brazilian Stockcars, touring cars to Formula cars and prototypes. With a focus on authentic vehicle dynamics and accurately modelled tracks, it suggests Automobilista 2 players to experience the excitement and challenge of different disciplines of motorsport. The game uses the Project Cars 2 engine, which makes for stunning graphics.
One of Automobilista 2's strengths is its advanced physics engine. The game uses advanced algorithms and simulations to deliver realistic vehicle dynamics and handling. Each car reacts accurately to changes in weight distribution, tyre grip and aerodynamics, giving players an in-depth and immersive driving experience.
In terms of tracks, Automobilista 2 offers an impressive collection of accurately modelled and detailed tracks from different parts of the world. Whether you want to race on historic race tracks like Interlagos and Spa-Francorchamps or modern tracks like Kyalami and Imola, Automobilista 2 has it all.
Another notable feature of Automobilista 2 is its dynamic weather simulation. Players can experience races under different weather conditions, including rain, cloudy skies and sunny days. This looks breathtakingly beautiful! Automobilista 2's online multiplayer is in all fairness not the best looking, but offers plenty of fun and challenge. With regular events and challenges, players can test their skills against other sim racers around the world.
Price and available DLC content
Automobilista 2 is available on the Steam platform and costs around €34.99. In addition to the base game, there are several paid DLC packages available that add extra cars, tracks and other content to the game. For around €115 euros, you have a season pass that includes all the content! This is definitely worth considering and something you won't regret.
Key features:
- Wide range of racing classes and authentically modelled tracks
- Advanced physics engine for realistic vehicle dynamics
- Dynamic weather simulation for changing race conditions
- Lively online community for multiplayer races and competitions
#3 Le Mans Ultimate
At number 3 on my list is Le Mans Ultimate. Le Mans Ultimate has made a big impression on the sim racing community in a short time. Focusing entirely on the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), this game brings an unparalleled experience to endurance racing enthusiasts. The reason why this game is my number 3? Simple: the physics, the cars and the constant updates make this a title not to be missed if you love long-distance racing.
What makes Le Mans Ultimate so special is its dedication to the FIA WEC. The game is not a generic sim racer with endurance content; no, here everything revolves around the WEC championship. From the hypercars and LMP2 cars to the iconic GT classes, everything is perfectly portrayed. Since its release in Early Access the game is constantly evolving, with regular updates and new DLCs which continually refine the experience.
The physics are an absolute highlight. The handling of the cars feels realistic and dynamic, with a great balance between challenge and fun. Tyre models and car tuning require a strategic approach, especially in longer races where tyre weartage and fuel management play a big role. If you are a fan of Le Mans and endurance racing, this is the game to play.
While the potential of this game is huge, there are of course drawbacks. Because this game focuses on a specific championship, the selection of cars and tracks is minimal. Enough to keep you entertained in the most realistic championship possible. Want more content with more variety? Then choose iRacing or Automobilista 2, which also features hypercars, LMP2 and GTE and GT3 cars!
Price and available DLC content
Le Mans Ultimate is currently available in Early Access for €34.99 on Steam and is gradually being expanded with new content. Although the game in Early Access still has some rough edges at times, the regular updates ensure the game's price is relatively accessible, and with the expansions you can make the experience as complete as you like.
The base game already offers a strong selection of WEC cars and tracks, but with the DLC expansions, more and more cars and tracks are added. This makes the game increasingly complete and allows you to experience the latest WEC seasons.
- Le Mans Ultimate DLC Pack 2024 - Part 1 costs €11.99
- Le Mans Ultimate DLC Pack 2024 - Part 2 costs €11.99
- Le Mans Ultimate DLC Pack 2024 - Part 3 costs €16.99
- Le Mans Ultimate DLC Pack 2024 - Season Pass costs €46.99
- Le Mans Ultimate BMW M Hybrid V8 is free of charge
- Le Mans Ultimate - McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo is free of charge
Key features:
- Full FIA WEC experience - All the official teams, cars and circuits of the World Endurance Championship.
- Realistic physics - One of the best driving models in today's sim racing world.
- Regular updates and new content - The developers continue to improve and expand the game.
- Challenging endurance races - Tyre weartage, fuel strategy and long-distance racing make this a real test for serious sim racers.
- Beautiful circuits - All the iconic circuits of the WEC, including of course Circuit de la Sarthe, home of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Le Mans Ultimate deserves this spot in my list because it offers a pure, authentic endurance racing experience you won't find anywhere else. With constant improvements and expansions, this will be a game that will only get better in the future.
#4 Assetto Corsa Competizione
Do you like awesome graphics and fast and roaring GT3 cars? Then Assetto Corsa Competizione absolutely for you! Assetto Corsa Competitzione is one of my all-time favourites. ACC focuses specifically on GT3, GT4, GT2 and Porsche Cup racing and offers an unrivalled simulation of the official Blancpain GT Series championship.
With licensed cars, accurately modelled tracks and advanced graphical effects, Assetto Corsa Competizione offers an immersive and realistic GT3 racing experience. Advanced tyre physics and dynamic weather conditions add an extra layer of challenge to gameplay.
Whereas Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) was one of my absolute favourite sim racing games for a long time, I notice that the game is starting to lose ground lately. This is mainly due to increasing competition from other titles as well as the announcement of Assetto Corsa EVO, which seems to slow down ACC's continued development. The supply of new content is minimal and updates lag behind compared to the stiff competition.
Still, ACC remains a rock-solid sim. The GT3 and GT4 races still offer one of the most authentic and immersive driving experiences, and the physics and force feedback remain top-notch. The game has a great multiplayer community and is still used for serious online competitions and platforms like Low Fuel Motorsport.
However, my fear is that ACC will slowly but surely decline in popularity, especially as more sim racers switch to newer titles. But for now, it remains one of the most solid GT racing experiences you can get.
Price and available DLC content
Assetto Corsa Competizione is available for PC, PS4/PS5 and Xbox One. The game costs around €39.99. There are also paid DLC packs available with additional cars and tracks. Here is a list of all Assetto Corsa Competizione cars. Developer Kumos keeps adding new features and DLC content to the game. This makes this game better and better and keeps it fun to play.
Key features:
- Official Blancpain GT Series simulation
- Accurately modelled tracks and licensed GT3 and GT4 cars
- Advanced tyre physics and dynamic weather conditions
#5 RaceRoom Racing Experience
RaceRoom Experience, developed by Sector3 Studios, is perhaps one of the most underrated sim games right now. And that's a shame! After all, the game is surprisingly good and offers a large amount of officially licensed cars and tracks. The range and diversity of content is extremely good! The game focuses on DTM and 90s cars, but also has the official DTM licence. So plenty on offer!
The game focuses on realism and and detailed models of cars and tracks, and the online multiplayer races are one of the better ranked systems! RaceRoom is a bit of a hidden gem in the world of simulation racing and is often overlooked or forgotten. I too made that mistake. In fact, this game is absolutely worth considering! In fact, in terms of Force Feedback and car handling, this game is one of the better ones. The force feedback is very smooth and the cars react fantastically. It is a real pleasure to tear around the track in these cars.
RaceRoom also offers a wide variety of racing classes, including touring cars, GT3, DTM, WTTC, WTCR and Formula cars and more allowing you to explore different disciplines.
Unfortunately, the game engine is severely outdated, making it no longer the prettiest game in terms of graphics. Although they gave the graphics engine a major and welcome update in 2024, it is sadly insufficient to come along anno 2025. In addition, the User Interface (UI) is also severely outdated. What I personally find very unfortunate about this game is the lack of a good damage model. You hardly see any damage to the cars after a hard crash. Too bad!
While the game certainly has its necessary shortcomings, RaceRoom is definitely recommended. By the way, the game is free. Yes, for free! One of the biggest pluses of this game is that you can try out all the DLC with a test drive. This is a feature you - unfortunately - don't see anywhere else.
Price and available DLC content
RaceRoom is free downloadable at Steam and comes with a number of free cars and tracks. However, there are paid DLC packages available that add additional cars, tracks and other content.
Key features:
- Free game!
- Officially licensed cars and tracks
- Huge range of DLC with focus on 90s!
- Realistic graphics and detailed models
- Variety of racing classes
- Superior force feedback and car handling
#6 Assetto Corsa
Assetto Corsa is an acclaimed 2014 sim racing game known for its accurate physics, realistic driving experience and extensive customisation options. Developed by Kunos Simulazioni, the game emphasises precision and authenticity in simulating the handling of different cars.
One of the biggest strengths of Assetto Corsa is the precise physics engine. The cars in the game behave very realistically, reacting to subtle changes in grip, weight transfer and aerodynamics. This makes for an in-depth and satisfying driving experience, with players really feeling like they are behind the wheel of a racing car.
Assetto Corsa offers a wide range of cars, ranging from classic street cars to modern racing cars. Each car is modelled down to the smallest detail, with attention paid to both appearance and internal technical aspects. Players can choose their favourite cars and customise them according to their personal preferences, such as tyre choice, aerodynamics settings and suspension.
In addition, Assetto Corsa features a wide range of tracks, including well-known international race tracks and unique locations. Each track is meticulously modelled with attention to detail and offers different challenges for players. Assetto Corsa, like rFactor 2, is known for its massive modding community and large quantity mods. This gives players access to an extensive library of community-created cars, tracks and other content. This makes the game very interesting in offerings and tweaks!
Price and available DLC content
Assetto Corsa is available at Steam and costs around €19.99. The game also offers several paid DLC packs, such as the Dream Pack, Porsche and Ferrari 70th anniversary expansions, which add extra cars and tracks to the game. All official DLC packs cost around €60.
Key features:
- Precise physics engine for realistic driving behaviour
- Extensive selection of cars, from street cars to racing cars
- Ability to customise vehicles
- Variety of precisely modelled circuits
- Support for modding
- Stunning graphics and VR support
#7 rFactor2
rFactor 2 was once a leading sim racing game and was known for its outstanding physics engine, realistic handling and deep simulation quality. For a long time, this game was among my personal all-time favourites. Its advanced physics and dynamic weather conditions made rFactor 2 one of the most realistic sim racing experiences you could get.
Yet these days, the game is all but dead in terms of further development. Studio 397's full focus is now on Le Mans Ultimate, meaning rFactor 2 will no longer receive any significant updates or improvements. This also means that investing in DLC content is no longer advisable, as the game's future is uncertain. Whereas rFactor 2 was once known for its constant improvements and expansions, it has now degenerated into a game that stands still while the competition keeps evolving.
The multiplayer community was one of rFactor 2's great strengths for a long time, especially when combined with Low Fuel Motorsport. The organised leagues and realistic racing formats attracted serious sim racers looking for challenging and competitive racing. Unfortunately, the lack of updates is causing more and more players to switch to other platforms, reducing online activity.
Another criticism the game has always had is the user interface (UI). Compared to other modern sim racers, the UI feels outdated and clunky. For new players, it can be quite a hurdle to master everything. And while the game offers an impressive degree of customisability, the poor interface sometimes makes it frustrating to fine-tune settings to your liking.
What kept rFactor 2 alive for a long time was the fantastic modding community. Players could create and share new cars, tracks and other modifications, which kept the game constantly fresh. But without further development of the base game, this community is also running into limits. Where once there was a constant flow of new content, that too is slowly starting to diminish.
Despite everything, rFactor 2 still remains a great sim in terms of driving experience and physics, but the lack of future perspective makes it difficult to recommend this game wholeheartedly anymore. It feels like we have to say goodbye to a legendary sim that once set the standard, but is now slowly fading into oblivion.
Price and available DLC content
rFactor 2 is available at Steam and costs around €28.99. The game offers many DLC packs, such as the GT3 Pack, Formula E, BTCC and Endurance Pack, which add extra cars, tracks and other content to the game. These DLC packs vary in price depending on their content.
Key features:
- Dynamic weather and day/night system
- Advanced physics engine
- Active modding community
In conclusion: The Appointing Worth
Assetto Corsa EVO
Besides the established sim racing titles, Assetto Corsa EVO a special mention. This brand new game was recently released and while it is too early to make a final judgement, the undeniable potential.
Assetto Corsa EVO builds on the solid foundation of its predecessor and promises an even more realistic driving feel, improved physics and next-gen graphics. The question, however, is how the game will evolve and whether it lives up to the community's expectations. At the moment, it is too early to give the game a place in my personal rankings, but time will tell if Assetto Corsa EVO will be a real gamechanger in the sim racing world. I am keeping a close eye on developments and am curious to see if this game can compete with the absolute best.
F1 24
This game really shouldn't be missing from this list, even though opinions are divided on whether this F1 game should be counted as a real simulation. I don't think so, and never play it.
Nonetheless, the F1 franchise is and will always be unique of its kind and fun to play. Even though F1 2022 was a missed opportunity, I hope that F1 24 is about to take a serious step. F1 24, developed by EA Sports, is the ultimate choice for Formula 1 fans who want to experience the thrill of racing in the highest class of motorsport.
With official licences from the FIA Formula One World Championship, F1 24 offers an authentic and immersive Formula One experience. Players can race on all the official tracks of the current F1 season and have access to a wide range of teams and drivers. The price of F1 24 varies depending on the edition you choose. The Standard Edition costs €69.99 and you will pay €89.99 for the Championchip Edition.
Key features:
- Official licences of the FIA Formula One World Championship
- All official circuits of the current F1 season
- Wide range of teams and drivers
Other Games
Also worth mentioning are some other notable racing games that are definitely not to be missed. Gran Turismo 7, a long-awaited title for PlayStation 5, offers stunning graphics, an extensive career mode and a wide range of cars to explore. Do you race on a Playstation? Then this game, alongside Assetto Corsa Competizione, is an absolute must-have.
Forza Motorsport, exclusive to Xbox, is known for its stunning visual presentation and extensive car collection. However, this game is more arcade than a true sim.
Project Cars 2 offers a versatile racing experience with a wide range of cars, tracks and challenging AI opponents. Each of these games adds its own unique elements to the sim racing genre and certainly deserves the attention of racing enthusiasts. Unfortunately, this game is no longer supported and is no longer available through official shops like Steam. Too bad, because PC 2 was my absolute favourite a few years ago when I was still gaming on a console! Which sim is your absolute favourite? Have fun racing
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