The hits keep coming for iRacing. This calendar year iRacing have announced licenses with McLaren MP4-30, Mercedes-AMG GT3, Blancpain Series, Le Mans and now Renault in the form of the Formula Renault 2.0 and 3.5 open wheelers.
The Formula Renaults will serve the same purpose in iRacing as they do in the real world, acting as a ladder to the top, Formula 1. Currently, iRacing has a hole in this ladder. Open wheel drivers jump from the Skip Barber to the Star Mazda, then must jump to either the Dallara DW12 Indycar or the Williams FW31 F1 car (soon to be replaced by the McLaren MP4-30). That’s a pretty significant leap.
This is where the Formula Renaults come into play, specifically the 3.5 model. The Formula Renault 3.5 runs in the World Series by Renault and has become – somewhat strangely – a primer series for F1. The last two 3.5 Series champions, Carlos Sainz and Kevin Magnussen, have gone directly from the series to seats in F1. With a carbon monocoque, 530 hp V8 and only 623 kg (1,373 lbs) to propel (without fuel), the 3.5 is a proper open wheel car.
Unlike the 3.5, the 2.0 positioning in the iRacing ladder system is a little less clear. With a 4-cylinder, 210 hp, engine and a curb weight of 506 kg (1,115 lbs), the 2.0 closely mirrors the Star Mazda’s 240 hp and 517 kg (1,140 lbs) curb weight. I doubt there’s any real world lap time comparison since Formula Renault 2.0 races in Europe and the Star Mazda stays in the US, but with the Renault’s more advance aero and the Mazda’s power-to-weight advantage, I’d bet they run very similar lap times. Makes you wonder what iRacing’s plan for the cars are?
My hope is that this leads to a breaking up of the “road” and “oval” licenses into more categories, such as “NASCAR”, “F1”, “Indycar”, “prototype”, “sports cars”. Heck, the iRacing website is already previewing this type of direction. Now just divide the open wheel cars into an F1 ladder and Indycar ladder, add the Dallara IL-15 Indy Lights car to act as the jump between the Star Mazda and DW12 – as it is in real life – and call it a day.
See, this game development isn’t that hard! I kid, I kid.
No release time frame yet for the Renault’s but the design work for the 2.0 is already underway. Will be interesting to see if it leap frogs any of the new content mentioned above in queue, which also includes the Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Corvette Daytona Prototype and, of course, the Nurburgring.
So much work, so little time.
Very interesting. I’m not a huge open wheel fan but I do enjoy the Star Mazda on occasion. I’d love to see what iRacing would do with these Renaults. Certainly good news for open wheel fans.
My guess, is that they will replace the Star Mazda. That will force us to buy one more car and have one more wasted sitting idle in the garage.
I remember when I drove a real Formula Renault 2000 in the Vallelunga circuit (I was doing the Scoula Federale CSAI back in the 2003 – just like an ordinary ‘racing school’).
And, I must advise you to fall not in the trap of fan-realism, setting a very high force in your wheel: the F.2000 it’s easily maneuvarable and has a LIGHT wheel, it only gives stronger feedbacks when driven on kerbs. Please remember It has a servo-assisted wheel (well at least they were ten years ago… I don’t know if they drop off this tech since then).
So, the only effort while driving comes in maintaining a high concentration and in the ‘dance of feet’ game.
😉
Enjoy!
p.s.: I found the Formula Renault 1.600 to be funnier. But that’s because I had a problem with the seat – they hadn’t an ordinary seat back then, just driver-shaped foams (but this should’ve remained the same). Just guess my problem to drive in a proper position while driving with a series of worn out cushions only……… And God if I am one who can’t stand to sit uncomfortably!
Wow…with all the new content announced and coming eventually to iRacing, one can’t but help wonder whether all this is to future proof their Sim against all the competitors in the likes of R3E, AC, rFactor 2, GSCE etc….because when I joined iRacing a long way back, I asked the Officials ‘Are you going to get Bathurst’…the reply came back..’We know it would be popular, but we do not expect it any time soon’…as back then iRacing was king of the hill and rFactor 1 was the only other Sim of choice that I knew of…..so what’s changed?…the extra competition from some of the above mentioned Sims, and I would be ignorant in assuming these would not be any competition as they have Multiplayer (to a degree), weather transitions, AI, Car set ups, great to amazing graphics, great FFB which all these have on my T300rs…these are just what I look for in today’s Sim as others may favor having only good Multiplayer, which iRacing is still the king….but is that enough!!
….only my ignorant personal 2 cents worth…all this is typed with a smile on my face, and not meant to be a fuming rant…LOL
Competition breeds innovation. I do think this is happening. A lot of titles out there today vying for our time and money.
Yes , you are correct,,,,which can only be more exciting for the Sim Racing community