2026 Season 4 Patch 1 Release Notes [2026.10.01.01]
iRacing Companion App
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With the release of the updated Companion App in mid-August, we are retiring the infrastructure supporting the old version. If you have not updated already, please do so today. For a list of all the updates in the latest version of the app, check out this post in our forums:
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/98983/iracing-companion-app-3-0
The old app will no longer work after October 5th, 2026.
iRacing Simulator
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AI Racing
AI Drivers have improved their racing skills with the Caterham Academy.
Race Control
While the Start Zones for Road Courses and multiple pace car starts remain disabled, we have completed a series of updates for this feature and have been in internal testing. We are making progress towards re-enabling this feature! Fixes include:
In cases where a class leader jumps the start, all other competitors in that class will be permitted to follow the leader without also receiving a penalty. We strongly encourage the leader to follow the pacing rules to avoid penalties.
All competitors must still maintain strict pace speed control when the Maintain Speed dialog is active. This is denoted by ‘Maintain Speed’ in the upper right corner of the pacing dialog and the Pace Speed text line changing to yellow in color. A vehicle that is substantially over speed will see their current speed in red with a ‘SLOW DOWN’ message similar to that seen in the pit lane speed widget.
New pacing start UI and spotter messages have been added instructing drivers to "Form up!" and “Maintain speed!”.
Fixed an issue where the second plus car classes were receiving the "About to go Green, stay focused" as soon as the top car class went green.
User Interface
For the Car Damage Widget, this feature is now usable for ALL CARS in the service!
All cars will now display their wireframe model and provide damage information to you.
Improved some icons in the Car Damage Widget.
For the new Reference Car Input UI system, fixed the issues where they were not rendering with foveated quad-views for VR users, and rendering incorrectly for triple-screen setups.
For the Pit Summary widget, the time remaining on partially-completed optional repairs is now shown when exiting pit lane.
For the Pit Summary widget, fixed an issue where additional service penalties would persist.
Additional info about Start Zones has been added to the Track Rules tab.
Additionally, the Track Rules tab will be automatically opened and an indicator will be present at the top of the window if Road Course Start Zones are active. Clicking this notice will open a Help dialog with more info.
For the Rules Tab, fixed an issue with it displaying after getting out of the car when it was already open.
Some styling has been updated for the "SLOW DOWN" text and "over speed limit" icon in the Pacing widget.
Improved some mouse-click usability of the Track Map Widget.
Renamed the 'Pedals Force Feedback' setting to 'Pedals Haptics'.
Fixed an issue when exporting setups.
Graphics
Overall opacity for dust, dirt, gravel, and smoke has been reduced.
Some substantial tuning has been completed specifically for dirt racing particle effects, including dust, debris, dirt, and gravel. Adjustments have been made to the spawning rates, opacity, intensity, sizes, and how these effects appear based on the wetness level of the track surface itself.
Spotter
Fixed the issue where your Spotter can quit his job during a Session.
Adjusted the Spotter playback system so that Spotter messages are no longer interrupted by scrubbing during a Replay or code timing clock-smashes.
Telemetry
Fixed the TrackPaceSpeed value in the session string. It is now in kph.
Cars
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<Car Class> NASCAR Legends Series
iRacing setups have been updated.
Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH
Adjusted the angle of the cockpit camera view.
Changed the 'Headlight Color ID' label in the garage to be 'ID light color'.
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while on the pit limiter.
BMW M4 GT3
Adjusted how the shift lamps turn on to more closely match the real car, and updated the shift light RPM.
Pro Tip - Upshift when all the lights turn red. Two white lights in the center mean RPM is too high and the engine is no longer in its power band!
Removed some duplicate faces from the front windshield.
BMW M Hybrid V8
Removed a duplicate of the driver model from the external view of this car. The driver’s seat only holds 1 person.
Caterham Academy & 420R
(BOTH) - Front suspension collision parameters have been updated.
(BOTH) - The threshold for receiving a 4x due to contact has been increased.
(BOTH) - Fixed an issue where the wiper blades and their effects on the windshield were not in sync.
(BOTH) - Improved several garage tool tips.
(Academy) - Improved the windshield and wiper effects textures.
(Academy) - Adjusted the in-car engine audio.
(420R) - Mapped the brake valve adjuster to the Peak Brake Bias driver control to match behavior seen in other cars that use a similar adjuster.
Dallara iR-01
iRacing setups have been updated.
EURO NASCAR V8GP
Fixed an issue where the sequential shifter was invisible if the option to hide the driver's hands was enabled. The driver does not have a shifter for a hand.
Fixed a visual issue with the top wiper swipe.
FIA Cross Car
Fixed an issue where the sequential shifter was invisible if the option to hide the driver's hands was enabled. The driver does not have a shifter for a hand.
Ferrari 499P
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while on the pit limiter.
Ford GTE
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while on the pit limiter.
Global Mazda MX-5 Cup
Fixed an issue where the sequential shifter was invisible if the option to hide the driver's hands was enabled. The driver does not have a shifter for a hand.
Kia Optima
Fixed a typo in the fuel fill rate, a full tank will take 48 seconds to fill except for NEC rules which will remain unchanged at 120 seconds.
Mercedes-AMG GT4
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992)
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
Porsche 911 RSR
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
Porsche 919
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
Porsche 963 GTP
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
Ruf RT 12R Track
iRacing setups have been updated.
Sprint Car
Fixed an issue on the rear axle that could cause the right-front tire to lift and wave.
Fixed an issue where the brake bias was unable to be adjusted. Proper limits have also been added to the garage menu.
Fixed the right-rear minimum tire pressure, and adjusted the brake bias controls.
[Legacy] Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991)
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
[Legacy] Porsche 911 GT3 R
Adjusted the pit speed overspeed warning triggers to prevent excessive flashing of the dash screen while the pit limiter is enabled.
Tracks
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Bristol Motor Speedway
Fixed an issue where the main grandstand could appear and disappear out of sync with the adjacent grandstand elements based on camera distances and rendering settings.
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Realigned the light sources with the poles better in Turn 1.
Daytona International Speedway
Fixed an issue where many objects that should only appear during a race day were appearing during Test Sessions.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
The start stand and pedestrian bridge are now physically solid objects. Avoid driving into them.
The Milwaukee Mile
Fixed a few issues with drivable surfaces outside the main track being identified as the wrong material types.
Improved the object settings for the outer wall gates so that they do not dramatically pop into view as a camera approaches.
Adjusted several environment objects around the track.
Adjusted and polished several materials, track surface decals, and added a gapfiller.
Phoenix Raceway
(Dirt Road & Rallycross) - Fixed some corner cut exploits.
Road America
A proper speed limit sign has been posted in pit lane.
Paddock elevation has been corrected.
The placement of the Elkhart Lake Lions Party Deck has been corrected. Party on!
A variety of track detail objects, decorations, signs, ads, and small missing items have been added, including: a Sunoco sign at the gas pumps, flagger fences, trash bins at the beach, storage boxes, flagpoles, billboards, planters, hill-side stands, and the powerbox corvette.
Road Atlanta
Added orange brake mark tires and a tirewrap to Turn #5.
Added collision to the pedestrian bridges.
Better aligned some fences with the ground and with each other.
Grounded several floating visiting vehicles and crowd members.
Adjusted some track marshals.
Fixed an issue where floating lights could appear in the sky at night during rain. Definitely nothing extraterrestrial to see here, move along.
Summit Point Raceway
Realigned some stands and crowds so no one is buried, floating, or uncomfortably bisected.