iRacing 2026 Season 4 Patch 1 (2026.10.01.01) is live. The update brings the Car Damage Widget to every car in the service, advances progress on the return of Road Course Start Zones, and retires the old Companion App after October 5th, alongside numerous car and track refinements.
Car Damage Widget Now Available on Every Car
The Car Damage Widget is now usable for all cars in the service. Every vehicle displays its wireframe model and provides damage information to drivers. Several icons in the widget have also been improved.
Separately, the new Reference Car Input UI system has been fixed for VR users with foveated quad-views and for triple-screen setups, resolving rendering issues on those configurations.
Start Zones Return in Sight
Start Zones for Road Courses and multiple pace car starts remain disabled, but iRacing has completed a series of updates that are in internal testing. The developer reports progress toward re-enabling the feature.
Notable fixes include:
- If a class leader jumps the start, other competitors in that class can follow without also receiving a penalty. The leader is strongly encouraged to follow the pacing rules.
- Strict pace speed control is still required when the Maintain Speed dialog is active. Vehicles substantially over speed see their current speed in red with a “SLOW DOWN” message.
- New pacing start UI and spotter messages instruct drivers to “Form up!” and “Maintain speed!”.
- Second-plus car classes no longer receive “About to go Green, stay focused” as soon as the top class goes green.
- The Track Rules tab now includes more Start Zones information and opens automatically with an indicator when Road Course Start Zones are active.
Old Companion App Retired After October 5
The old iRacing Companion App no longer works after October 5, 2026, as iRacing retires the infrastructure supporting it. The updated Companion App launched in mid-August, and users who have not yet switched should update.
AI Improvements and Car Updates
Per the notes, AI drivers have improved their racing skills with the Caterham Academy. Both the Caterham Academy and 420R receive updated front suspension collision parameters, an increased threshold for receiving a 4x from contact, fixed wiper synchronization and improved garage tooltips. The Academy also gets improved windshield and wiper textures and adjusted engine audio, while the 420R’s brake valve adjuster is now mapped to Peak Brake Bias.
Other vehicle changes include:
- Pit speed warnings: Overspeed warning triggers were adjusted to reduce excessive dash flashing on the pit limiter in the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH, Ferrari 499P, Ford GTE, Mercedes-AMG GT4, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992), Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche 919, Porsche 963 GTP, and the Legacy Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991) and 911 GT3 R.
- BMW M4 GT3: Shift lamps now match the real car more closely, with updated shift RPM. iRacing’s tip: upshift when all lights turn red; two white center lights mean RPM is too high and the engine is out of its power band.
- BMW M Hybrid V8: A duplicate driver model was removed from the external view.
- Hidden hands fix: The sequential shifter is no longer invisible when the driver’s hands are hidden on the EURO NASCAR V8GP, FIA Cross Car and Global Mazda MX-5 Cup.
- Kia Optima: A fuel fill rate typo was fixed; a full tank takes 48 seconds, except under NEC rules, where it stays at 120 seconds.
- Sprint Car: Fixed a rear axle issue that could make the right-front tire lift, fixed brake bias adjustment, and corrected the right-rear minimum tire pressure.
- The NASCAR Legends Series, Dallara iR-01 and Ruf RT 12R Track received updated iRacing setups.
Graphics, Interface and Spotter Enhancements
Overall opacity for dust, dirt, gravel and smoke has been reduced. Dirt racing particle effects received substantial tuning, including spawning rates, opacity, intensity, sizes and how they appear based on track wetness.
Your spotter no longer quits during a session, and spotter messages are no longer interrupted by replay scrubbing or code timing clock-smashes. The Pit Summary widget now shows time remaining on partially-completed optional repairs when exiting pit lane, and an issue where additional service penalties persisted was fixed. Track Map Widget mouse-click usability has improved, the “Pedals Force Feedback” setting is now “Pedals Haptics,” and an issue when exporting setups was fixed. The TrackPaceSpeed value in the session string was fixed to report in kph.
Track Updates
Road America gets a proper pit lane speed limit sign, corrected paddock elevation, a corrected Elkhart Lake Lions Party Deck placement and many new detail objects. Road Atlanta adds orange brake mark tires and a tirewrap at Turn 5, collision on the pedestrian bridges, and a fix for floating lights in the night sky during rain.
Mid-Ohio’s start stand and pedestrian bridge are now solid objects, and Daytona no longer shows race-day-only objects during Test Sessions. Further fixes cover Bristol’s grandstand sync, Charlotte’s Turn 1 lights, Milwaukee Mile surfaces and objects, Phoenix Dirt Road and Rallycross corner cut exploits, and Summit Point’s stands and crowds.
Source: iRacing Forums – 2026 Season 4 Patch 1 Release Notes