2023 Season 1 – Release Notes

F3-related extract from the official release notes.

Dallara F3

  • Nothing new this season


Track Surface Model

  • A new dynamic track surface parameter system is now enabled: Track Polish
    – – Track Polish is the process by which an asphalt track’s surface is slowly polished by the tires running over its surface, smoothing the aggregate asphalt. This happens most often along the racing line, where many thousands of tires pass by. Depending upon tire conditioning and weather conditions, this can affect racing.
    – – When racing on or near the racing line, grip should be roughly the same as it has been. However, as your move away from the optimal racing line, grip will gradually reduce in dry conditions.
    – – Track Polish does not include other factors such as track age or rubber depositing on the track surface – Track Polish is independent of other track surface properties.

Soft Surface Model

  • All types of off-track soft surfaces now behave with more realism – grass, dirt, gravel, and sand are all softer and allow tires to sink into the surface slightly. These surfaces are all more naturally bumpy than their previous versions.

Custom Paint Schemes

  • A new vehicle texture layer has been added to all vehicles which simulates an acrylic clear coat for all custom paint schemes.
  • – – This new texture layer allows you to put a clear shell over the existing paint scheme of the car with its own specular qualities separate from the underlying material. This is meant to replicate automotive paint jobs where the underlying car paint is overlaid with an acrylic clear coat.
  • – – To implement this on your custom paint schemes, adjust the blue channel on your existing specular maps (this channel in our spec maps was previously unused). This works in a very similar way to the green roughness channel that you may use currently to determine how shiny or dull the pixel will be. The shininess is determined by the color value of the pixel in the channel, across a spectrum of intensity.
  • – – The color values for this channel are as follows:
  • – – – – 0 to 15 RGB (black) = no clear coat
  • – – – – 16 RGB (nearly black) = 100% reflectivity, very shiny
  • – – – – 255 RGB (white) = 0% reflectivity, no shine
  • – – For existing Custom Paint Schemes, the value for this channel was 255 RGB, providing you with a fully shiny acrylic clear coat. To keep the pre-2023 Season 1 look for your Custom Paint Schemes, you will need to set this channel to have a 0 RGB value.
  • – – – – All of our Custom Car Paint Scheme Templates have been updated with this season’s release to have the blue channel set to a 0 RGB value.

Audio (Bass Shakers)

  • Harmonics have been added to the LFE effects to make them easier to feel on certain smaller shakers.

Force Feedback (FFB)

  • – – Customers with inverted FFB signals have been reset, and the ability to invert the FFB signal via the “app.ini” file has been removed.
  • – – – – A warning dialog will appear if a user had their FFB signal inverted prior to this update. If you receive this warning, it is important that you contact customer support immediately so we can work out why it was set. Users that had this set will be unable to use the Simulator until this is fixed, as their wheel could spin out of control the next time you enter the car.
    – – By default this is setup to remove unwanted high frequency noise from the signal before downsampling and sending it off to the wheel. But by increasing the value you can further smooth out the signal at the expense of a little added latency. Note that this can not be used to stop your wheel from oscillating – in fact the more smoothing you add the more likely it is to oscillate. You can set the smoothing value to 0 to turn it off completely and return to the old behavior.
  • A new low-pass smoothing filter has been added for the force feedback signal.
    – – By default this is setup to remove unwanted high frequency noise from the signal before downsampling and sending it off to the wheel. But by increasing the value you can further smooth out the signal at the expense of a little added latency. Note that this can not be used to stop your wheel from oscillating – in fact the more smoothing you add the more likely it is to oscillate. You can set the smoothing value to 0 to turn it off completely and return to the old behavior.
  • Linear mode is now the default for the force feedback effects. Non-linear mode is useful for weaker wheels like the Logitech G29, but linear mode works better for stronger wheels.

iRacing Credits

iRacing Classic Member Site Retired


Simulation

  • A new feature is now available for iRacing, Active Reset, to repeatedly practice any track section offline.
    – – Active Reset does not have any default key controls bound – be sure to select your desired keys in the Controls tab of the Options Menu.
    Full details in the release notes


New track – Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours

  • A new Road Course, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, is now ready for racing!
  • Built in 1960 and originally the host of the famous Winfield Racing School, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours has been a constant presence on various national and international open-wheel and GT calendars for decades. Global motorsport fans know Magny-Cours best for hosting the French Grand Prix for nearly two decades from 1991 to 2008, where Michael Schumacher became the first-ever driver to win a single Grand Prix eight times at the same circuit in 2006.


Graphic Update – Sebring International Raceway

  • A full artwork overhaul, including new surface bumpmaps, models, textures, and terrain has been completed at this track!
  • Laid out on the runways of a World War II air base and the adjacent roadways, Sebring International Raceway is the oldest permanent road-racing circuit in the United States. It hosted its first race on New Year’s Eve, 1950, a six-hour handicap event won by a diminutive Crosley Hotshot two-seat roadster. The first “12-Hour Grand Prix of Endurance” was held two years later, and for several years Sebring was the site of America’s only real international races. In 1959 Sebring was the site of the first United States Grand Prix before the event found a permanent home at Watkins Glen. For nearly 60 years the world’s top racers have competed for victory at this storied track nestled in central Florida’s orange groves.


Updated free track – Virginia International Raceway

  • This is an early announcement about the upcoming release of a brand new version of Virginia International Raceway, coming before the end of the year!
  • – – This version will be entirely brand new, with 2022 laser scan data and will be fully rebuilt with new artwork to bring this track into the modern age.
  • This new track will be included as part of the Base Content for iRacing, meaning it will be 100% FREE for all iRacing Members!
  • – – Members who purchased the original Virginia International Raceway between 91 and 365 days ago have been granted a partial refund value of $5.00 in iRacing Credits.
  • – – IMPORTANT NOTICE: As part of Retirement, old Replays at this version of the track will no longer be viewable. Please collect any screenshots and videos you desire of the existing Virginia International Raceway before it is retired before the end of the year!

Full release notes at

https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/32710/2023-season-1-release-notes-2022-12-06-01