24h Le Mans
For the last week, fans of the iRacing sim racing game have been getting to grips with the Circuit de la Sarthe, the track that plays host to the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. i-Racing have produced a version of the track that is true down to the finest details, giving gamers a chance to experience all the thrills and emotions of a flesh-and-blood endurance driver.
Since the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife was added a year ago, the community of 65,000 iRacers have been eagerly awaiting the introduction of the Le Mans circuit. The wait is over! Sim racing fans all over the world can now tackle the famed 13.6-km track and it’s proving to be a real hit too. Thousands of gamers have attempted to emulate top drivers in 24-minute races.
“The release of the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans culminates more than a year’s worth of work by our outstanding artists and software engineers,” said Tony Gardner, President of iRacing.com. “The result is the only fully-produced and complete laser scanned version of the track. It’s truly a work of art, one I am sure sim racers everywhere will enjoy and which will dramatically enhance the rapid growth of endurance sim racing pioneered by iRacing.”
Five-time Le Mans winner Frank Biela, and José Maria Lopez, recently crowned WTCC champion for the third time, have already tested themselves on this virtual Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans.
Some players have enjoyed coasting around the circuit in slow motion to discover the advertising hoardings, the differences in surfacing, and the modelling of trackside buildings in full detail.
Why not log on to iRacing.com and experience the 24 Hours of Le Mans for yourself?
Nicolas Gwen, alias Partaille, published this video (in French) giving a great insight into the world of sim racing.
