🍑 Bottas Getting Cheeky? +SRN Presents..

The main skill I've transferred from sim racing to real life is the ability to sit in the same chair for eight consecutive hours during a 24 hour endurance race. It’s a game-changer for my 9-to-5.

NEWS FLASH

Join the Public SF23 Session, Saturday, July 5, 2025 at 8:30pm GMT / 4:30pm EST to have a chance at getting into the Top Split Super Formula SF23 Series Broadcasted and Commentated by VSpeed at Silverstone!

Congrats to Sim Racing Nation member Lolo Vera who is the first rookie at the DTM Esports Championship to score a podium and the youngest ever to score a podium in the championship too. Jason Glass from the SRN community designed his car livery and SRN had their logo on the hood of the car as well. Such a great surprise to see Lolo absolutely knock it out of the park. Be sure to catch the replay here.

Bottas getting cheeky: Valtteri Bottas is playfully hinting at a potential move to the new Cadillac F1 team, which is set to join the grid in 2026. The former Mercedes driver, who is currently a reserve, posted a social media video where he cheekily commented on a Cadillac's "nice seat" and noted there were "two free seats," sparking speculation about his future. While nothing is official, signing a veteran with 246 races under his belt would be a significant move for the General Motors-owned team in its debut season.

FIA jumping into the mix: In a major move to inspire the next generation of racers, motorsport's governing body, the FIA, is officially adding a dedicated regulatory framework for esports events. This new addition to the International Sporting Code will allow national authorities to set up their own sanctioned esports competitions and, for the first time, issue competitors an FIA-recognized international Esports licence. The ultimate goal is to open the floodgates for more accessible racing competitions by removing many of the traditional barriers to entry.

Delayed celebrations at the Nurb: The 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hour winner was decided in the stewards' room long after the checkered flag, as a post-race penalty completely changed the winner. The #911 Manthey Porsche, which crossed the finish line first, was handed a hefty time penalty for causing a dramatic collision that left an Aston Martin on its roof. With the Porsche team's protest officially dismissed, the victory was awarded to the #98 ROWE BMW, marking their first win at the event since 2020.

SIM RACING SNIPPETS

• Project Motor Racing, is officially launching on November 25th, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox, bringing with it a game-changing feature: full mod support on all platforms from day one. The detailed single-player career mode will also shift the focus from simply winning to strategically managing cash reserves and complex sponsor relationships to fund your path through the racing world.

• Will we see an official McLaren wheel finally? Building on their partnership that began in 2017, McLaren Racing and Logitech G have signed a multi-year deal to co-develop a new line of pro-quality sim racing hardware. This collaboration will leverage McLaren's real-world expertise to create new gaming wheels, pedals, and racing seats designed to blur the lines between virtual and real-world racing.

• To help its teams sharpen their AI algorithms, the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) has launched the SIM-Sprint Challenge, a new virtual racing series. This isn't just a practice session; the hyper-realistic simulation is a full-fledged part of the A2RL championship where teams can earn points and prize money for their AI's performance.

MOTORSPORTS REPORT

• Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel is in early talks about a Formula 1 comeback, but not in a racing seat, as he's discussing the possibility of eventually succeeding Helmut Marko as Red Bull's senior advisor. While Vettel confirmed the contact, he noted the talks are not yet in-depth, and any potential move depends on whether the 84-year-old Marko steps down when his contract expires at the end of 2026.

• Porsche has officially opened its much-anticipated Porsche Experience Centre (PEC) in Pickering, marking the first time a carmaker has launched such a facility in Canada. Operating year-round, the centre gives enthusiasts a chance to get behind the wheel on a two-kilometre circuit with an instructor, tackle a drift circle, and experience elements inspired by iconic global racetracks.

• In a fiery media session ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen expressed his frustration with what he called "childish" and relentless questions regarding his 11 penalty points and his future with Red Bull. Despite the probing, the Dutch driver affirmed his commitment to Red Bull through the 2028 season, though he remains on thin ice, risking a race ban if he missteps.

• IMSA season debutant Dan Harper, along with co-driver Max Hesse, claimed his maiden GTD Pro victory for Paul Miller Racing at the Six Hours of the Glen. The win was especially sweet as Harper had to overcome a costly 60-second stop-and-go penalty for running a pit exit red light, but he praised his team's "bang on" strategy for getting them back to the front.

MEMBER FEATURE

Meet Jason Landry, a driving force in our community all the way from Ottawa! While many of you know him from his incredible on-track performance, there's more to Jason than just raw pace. After a stellar professional esports career, he's shifted gears to focus on what matters most: running the Sports Car Endurance League (SCEL) and enjoying some good-natured racing with friends.

Jason's trophy case isn't empty, either. His most notable achievement is a seriously impressive 2nd place overall finish in the TGR86NA Esports series, which he capped off by taking a commanding win in the final race of the season.

So, what's next for a retired pro? For Jason, it's all about the joy of the sport. He's embracing new challenges by diving more into the world of oval racing to switch things up and keep his skills sharp.

Off the track, his passion for vehicles continues with a major restoration project on his classic 1984 Toyota Landcruiser. When he's not turning wrenches or on the virtual track, you can find him enjoying the great outdoors, whether he's snowboarding, paddle boarding, or biking. A true jack-of-all-trades, Jason also gets his kicks from airsoft and unwinds with a good book. His future plans? More paddle boarding and eventually buying a sailboat to conquer the water, not just the asphalt.

How cool is it to see a top-tier competitor transition from pro-level intensity to fostering a community and enjoying the fun of racing?

Catch Jason on Instagram HERE - https://www.instagram.com/RetroOverland/

SRN RECAP AND UNFILTERED THOUGHTS

• Congrats to Todd! He just won the pair of Rigmex Sim Racing Gloves from Syncmesh. He’s been contacted and we can’t wait to see the goods once he receives them!

• A discord trivia game I created called “Grid Geeks” has been forced upon the moderator chat in SRN, I’m just hashing out the bugs, but it should be ready to launch very soon once it’s stable.

• Pimax sent me a comfort pad, it appears to reduce some of the issues I was initially having, although the headset feels rather bulky still, the pad does help alleviate a lot of comfort issues. It doesn’t change the audio quality though…

• Our Esports teams are actively running the W6 catch them over on Twitch and watch for the announcements on our discord. https://www.simracingnation.com will get you to it!

AROUND THE WEB

That’s neat: Proving he's more than just an actor in his new "F1: The Movie," Brad Pitt hit the track in Austin last week and ripped a 2023 McLaren F1 car up to a blistering 197 mph.

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