Article Summary
- iRacing’s 2026 Season 3 update adds the BMW M2 Racing as free base content for all subscribers.
- The BMW M Hybrid V8 has been updated to the latest Evo specification, replacing the older version in the sim.
- The BMW M Hybrid V8 also arrives in Gran Turismo 7 this week, coinciding with Le Mans and a special BMW EV reveal.
BMW’s virtual racing footprint just got a little bigger. iRacing’s 2026 Season 3 update adds two important BMW Motorsport machines to the sim: the new BMW M2 Racing and the updated BMW M Hybrid V8. For BMW fans who use iRacing as the next-best thing to actual seat time, this is a pretty strong seasonal update.
New BMWs Come to iRacing
The more accessible of the two is the BMW M2 Racing, based on the G87-generation M2. In the real world, the M2 Racing is BMW M Motorsport’s newest entry-level customer race car, designed to replace the M2 CS Racing as a more modern, more approachable stepping stone into touring car and club-level racing. That makes it a natural fit for iRacing. It gives players a current-generation BMW race car without jumping straight into GT3 or prototype machinery, and it should slot nicely into the sim’s lower-to-mid-level sports car ladder.
Even better, the M2 Racing is being added as base content. That means it is free for all iRacing subscribers. iRacing’s ecosystem can get expensive quickly. Especially once cars and tracks start stacking up. So, adding a new BMW race car to the included content pool gives more players a chance to experience modern M Motorsport without immediately buying another piece of content. It isn’t too surprising. After all, the M2 CS Racing is already present, and it’s included, too.
At the other end of the spectrum is the BMW M Hybrid V8. iRacing already had the original M Hybrid V8, but Season 3 updates the car to the newer “Evo” specification. The “Evo” package comprised several technical changes to make the car more competitive. A smaller grille, modified airflow under the bodywork, and other tweaks brought the new car more in-line with production models. Hopefully made it a little bit faster, too. Early evidence seems to suggest so: the car took podium at 24 Hours of Daytona. iRacing players that own the car receive the updated car automatically, and going forward, the Evo becomes the only version of the M Hybrid V8 in the sim.
The M Hybrid V8 is BMW’s flagship prototype, competing in the top class of global sports car racing. Bringing the Evo model into iRacing keeps the sim aligned with the real-world car BMW currently races. That’s exactly the kind of thing serious sim racers care about. Smaller visual updates may not transform the driving experience on their own. But they make the car feel current — and in a simulator built around accuracy, that matters.
Updates Elsewhere, Too
BMW content is only part of the Season 3 story. iRacing is also adding the Euro NASCAR RC01 and two new Formula Vee body styles, while the existing Formula Vee becomes the Formula Vee Classic. Track updates are also substantial, headlined by the new Qualcomm Circuit at Naval Base Coronado and a fresh re-scan of Laguna Seca. Other tracks, including Oschersleben, Magny-Cours, Oran Park, Chicagoland, and Charlotte Motor Speedway, also receive updates or new layouts.
There are some notable platform improvements, too. Dirt racing AI debuts in Season 3, complete with AI heat racing. The rollout starts in limited form, but it is still a significant addition for oval and dirt fans. iRacing has also added new in-sim UI widgets, including a fuel calculator, incident tracker, and dynamic track map.
It has been a good week for BMW Motorsport fans in general, virtual or otherwise. Gran Turismo 7 also added the BMW M Hybrid V8 this week as part of its June update, putting BMW’s top prototype in front of an even broader racing game audience. Factor in Le Mans and an electric sedan of some sort debuting sometime this weekend, and life is good. Happy racing!