iRacing Patch Notes: Latest Update (Oct 5, 2026)
Nick Guli|The latest iRacing update is “2026 Season 4 Patch 1 [2026.10.01.01],” which was posted on Steam on October 5, 2026. Now, the Car Damage Widget functions for all cars, displaying a wireframe model along with damage details. Although Road Course Start Zones and multiple pace car starts remain disabled, several fixes have been implemented, and testing is ongoing. Also, the old Companion App will cease to work after October 5, 2026.
What changed in 2026.10.01.01
Simulator and interface
- The old Companion App no longer works after October 5th, 2026. Players should update to the current version.
- AI Drivers have improved their racing skills with the Caterham Academy.
- The Car Damage Widget is usable for all cars, with wireframe models and damage information.
- If a class leader jumps the start, other competitors in that class can follow without a penalty.
- New pacing start UI and spotter messages tell drivers to "Form up!" and "Maintain speed!".
- The Track Rules tab opens automatically with an indicator when Road Course Start Zones are active.
- The Pit Summary widget shows time remaining on partially-completed optional repairs when exiting pit lane.
- 'Pedals Force Feedback' is renamed 'Pedals Haptics'.
Graphics, spotter and telemetry
- Overall opacity for dust, dirt, gravel and smoke is reduced.
- Dirt racing particle effects are substantially tuned, including spawn rates, opacity, intensity, sizes and wetness response.
- Fixed the issue where your Spotter can quit during a session.
- Spotter messages are no longer interrupted by replay scrubbing or code timing clock-smashes.
- The TrackPaceSpeed value in the session string is now in kph.
Car changes
- Many cars, including the Porsche 963 GTP and Ferrari 499P, get adjusted pit speed overspeed warning triggers to reduce dash flashing.
- BMW M4 GT3 shift lamps now more closely match the real car, with updated shift light RPM.
- Caterham Academy and 420R get updated front suspension collision parameters and a higher threshold for a 4x from contact.
- The sequential shifter is no longer invisible with hidden hands on the EURO NASCAR V8GP, FIA Cross Car and MX-5 Cup.
- Kia Optima full tank fill time is 48 seconds, except NEC rules, which stay at 120 seconds.
- Sprint Car brake bias adjustment is fixed, along with a rear axle issue and right-rear minimum tire pressure.
- NASCAR Legends, Dallara iR-01 and Ruf RT 12R Track setups are updated.
- A duplicate driver model is removed from the BMW M Hybrid V8 external view.
Track updates
- Road America gets a proper pit lane speed limit sign, corrected paddock elevation and many added detail objects.
- Road Atlanta gets collision on pedestrian bridges, grounded vehicles and crowds, and a fix for floating night lights in rain.
- Mid-Ohio's start stand and pedestrian bridge are now physically solid objects.
- Daytona no longer shows race day only objects during Test Sessions.
- The Milwaukee Mile gets material fixes, object setting improvements and polished surfaces and decals.
- Phoenix Raceway (Dirt Road and Rallycross) has some corner cut exploits fixed.
- Bristol, Charlotte and Summit Point get visual fixes to grandstands, lighting and crowds.
Read the full official patch notes on Steam.
Recent iRacing updates
| Date | Update | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 5, 2026 | 2026 Season 4 Patch 1 [2026.10.01.01] | Season 4 Patch 1 expands the Car Damage Widget to all cars, refines pacing and start rules, and fixes many car and track issues. | Official notes |
| Sep 11, 2026 | 2026 Season 4 Hotfix 1 [2026.09.10.02] | Hotfix 1 for 2026 Season 4 fixes two crashes and a pit stall exit problem affecting both Caterham cars. | Official notes |
| Sep 9, 2026 | 2026 Season 4 Release [2026.09.09.01] | iRacing 2026 Season 4 adds four cars, three rebuilt tracks, multi-threaded physics, new UI widgets, expanded AI racing and Launcher updates, starting September 15th at 0000 UTC. | Official notes |
| Jul 21, 2026 | 2026 Season 3 Patch 3 Hotfix 2 Release [2026.07.17.01] | This unplanned hotfix corrects caution state transitions in Race Control and also makes small changes to the Track Map, the Japanese spotter pack and the Dallara IR18. | Official notes |
| Jul 15, 2026 | 2026 Season 3 Patch 3 Hotfix 1 [2026.07.14.02] | This hotfix fixes a loading issue with the Acura NSX GT3 EVO 22 and renames the Formula Vee – Cutlass. | Official notes |
| Jul 14, 2026 | 2026 Season 3 Patch 3 Release [2026.07.10.04] | Patch 3 for 2026 Season 3 adds an early multi-class, multi-pace car start system for testing, new spotter packs, and fixes for cars, tracks and servers. | Official notes |
| Jun 25, 2026 | 2026 Season 3 Patch 2 Release [2026.06.24.02] | Official notes | |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 2026 Season 3 Patch 1 Release [2026.06.12.02] | Official notes | |
| Jun 10, 2026 | 2026 Season 3 Initial Release [2026.06.09.01] | Official notes | |
| May 21, 2026 | 2026 Season 2 Patch 4 Hotfix 1 Release [2026.05.20.05] | Official notes | |
| May 6, 2026 | 2026 Season 2 Patch 4 Release [2026.05.04.02] | Official notes | |
| Apr 22, 2026 | 2026 Season 2 Patch 3 Release [2026.04.21.01] | Official notes |
How often does iRacing get updated?
iRacing has had 5 patch announcements on Steam in the last 90 days and 21 in the past year, roughly one every 18 days.
iRacing patch notes FAQ
When was the last iRacing update?
The most recent iRacing update is "2026 Season 4 Patch 1 [2026.10.01.01]", posted on Steam on Oct 5, 2026.
What changed in the latest iRacing patch?
The Car Damage Widget now works for all cars, showing a wireframe model and damage information. Road Course Start Zones and multiple pace car starts stay disabled, but a series of fixes has been made and testing continues. The old Companion App stops working after October 5th, 2026.
How often does iRacing get patched?
iRacing has had 5 patch announcements on Steam in the last 90 days and 21 in the past year, roughly one every 18 days.
Where can I read the official iRacing patch notes?
The developer posts full patch notes on the game's Steam news page. We link each one in the table above.
More on iRacing
How we write these: Explosion summarizes the developer’s official Steam announcements and links the original notes. This page checks for new patches several times a day.
Nick Guli
Nick Guli is the founder and editor-in-chief of Explosion.com, which he launched in February 2012. With over a decade of experience in digital publishing, Nick oversees editorial direction across entertainment, gaming, technology, and lifestyle content. He is an avid gamer and movie enthusiast who brings a critical eye to coverage of industry trends, game reviews, and entertainment news.
