This was a long-awaited update, with some even saying it has been in development since the days of Grand Prix Legends, released by Papyrus Design Group in 1988. Finally, iRacing brings the latest physics technologies to the Lotus 49, offering obvious dynamic improvements to a car highly cherished by the community.
Starting with the new season, the Lotus 49 will use iRacing’s newest tire model (All-Weather'), exploring its potential in both dry and wet conditions. While based on the simulator’s current physics model, these tires are designed to reflect the performance of the cars of that era, so handling on slippery surfaces is expected to be challenging.
The car also sees evolution in its suspension, with a fully redesigned model. The goal is for the suspension behavior to be as close as possible to the real car from that period.
There is also a thorough review of the Lotus 49’s braking system, aiming to make it more faithful to the original. Using period-correct brake pad compounds and properly sized calipers, the iRacing development team expects to deliver braking balance consistent with what existed on the Lotus 49, reflecting how these cars were driven in the late 1960s.
