iRacing

A lot of us Brits are looking forward to Brands Hatch being released next season.

iRacing’s Greg Hill has released this image of the work in progress (click for a larger image);

Since the last update our artists have begun to populate the track with objects. This shot highlights a few of the track’s landmark structures.

It seems to me that the recent tracks (Indianapolis / Mosport) have bumped up the already high track quality even higher, they look fantastic. Roll on BRands!

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Some more European content has been announced today, here’s hoping this is the start of the floodgates!

Anyone who raced Grand Prix Legends will be familar with the historic Zandvoort layout but it is the current modern layout that will be available in iRacing.

No release date has been set but I’d assume it will be released along with Brands Hatch and Oulton Park sometime in 2010.

BEDFORD, MA (July 6, 2009) – Most visitors to seaside sand dunes are there to swim and lounge on the beach; in the Netherlands, hard on the North Sea, they come to Circuit Park Zandvoort to race cars. Under the terms of an agreement jointly announced today by Exploitatie Circuit Park Zandvoort B.V. and iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations, LLC, drivers from all over the world will be able to experience the challenge of this classic European road-racing facility and compete with each other in organized races there just by logging onto the iRacing motorsport simulation service over the internet.

“The last Dutch Grand Prix was held in 1985, but as the host to 30 editions of the race, Zandvoort has more than its share of history,” said Divina Galica, iRacing’s director of partner relations. “We’re very pleased to be able to make the latest version of this great racing facility – now home to DTM, Formula 3 and many club events – available to iRacing’s membership. Last month we initiated the expansion of our track offerings beyond our base in North America with the addition in the UK of Brands Hatch and Oulton Park to Silverstone, which is already available to iRacing members. Circuit Park Zandvoort, the site of so much motorsport history, is a particularly appropriate first European track. Our members from all over the world will enjoy racing there.”

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I think Brands Hatch might be one of the most anticipated road courses, at least for us UK / Euro iRacers.

Here’s a taster of what we might get with an onboard lap of Brands in a Radical SR3.

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Image via Wikipedia

We got the promised announcement regarding non-US tracks and it’s welcome news, the UK’s Brands Hatch & Oulton Park have been announced for iRacing!

Data collection at the two tracks will begin in July and the finished versions are expected to be available on the service early next year.

“I’m particularly pleased that these two facilities are going to be the leading edge of the expansion of iRacing’s circuit inventory into the UK, Europe, Australia and Asia,” said Divina Galica, iRacing’s director of partner relations. Galica, a four-time member of the British Olympic ski team and former holder of the women’s downhill speed record, had a second successful career as an auto racer. “Oulton Park was the first place I ever drove a race car, and I worked for Brands Hatch for several years. I consider Brands my home track in the UK.”

MotorSport Vision, the owners of Brands Hatch & Oulton Park also own Snetterton, Cadwell Park and the Bedford Autodrome facility so they are likely candidates to come to iRacing at some point too.

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