I thought buying a load-cell brake pedal would finally teach me muscle memory, but all it really did was give my left calf a workout while I still lock up into the hairpin.
NEWS FLASH
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Without your support, we wouldn't be here today! Here’s how you can help us grow.
Grab some popcorn: The best of WEC for the 2025 season has been released. Ferrari captured their first World Sportscar Championship since 1972, anchored by a dominant run that included a 1-2 finish at Spa and a third consecutive Le Mans victory via the #83 AF Corse team. The 2025 season delivered plenty of variety, seeing Alpine score a historic maiden Hypercar win at Fuji and Cadillac taking top honors in Brazil. Although Toyota managed a commanding 1-2 sweep at the Bahrain finale, Ferrari’s consistent podiums ensured the manufacturer's title went back to Maranello.
Sim racing hits the desert: Abu Dhabi has secured the season opener for the 2026 Gran Turismo World Series, marking the elite sim racing championship’s first-ever live event in the Middle East. Scheduled for March 28 at the Space42 Arena, the competition coincides with the recent arrival of the Yas Marina Circuit in Gran Turismo 7, allowing millions of players to virtually experience the track’s famous twilight racing conditions. The move underscores a major push by Abu Dhabi Gaming and Polyphony Digital to establish the emirate as a central hub for the booming global esports economy.
The rollercoaster returns: Formula 1 is officially heading back to the sunny Algarve for the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2027 and 2028. The Portimão circuit, famous for its stomach-churning elevation changes, previously stepped up to host races during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. While Lewis Hamilton holds the bragging rights as the only active driver with a win on this track, the technical layout guarantees a wild ride for the rest of the grid.
SIM RACING SNIPPETS
Blast from the past: Publisher MicroProse is resurrecting Geoff Crammond’s legendary Grand Prix series on Steam in 2026, giving sim racers a chance to revisit the genre-defining classics under new "GCR" titles. While expired licenses mean the cars now sport wonky fake sponsors like “Orache,” the addition of Steam Workshop support effectively hands the keys to modders to restore the grid to its original Formula 1 glory.
Patch notes perfection: The latest LMU V1.2 update delivers a massive performance boost via new texture streaming technology while expanding the roster with the Ginetta LMP3 and Paul Ricard circuit. Online racing gets a serious tune-up thanks to the integration of Easy Anti-Cheat and a fresh Driver Badge system designed to monitor on-track conduct and experience.
Breathing life back into consoles: Gran Turismo 7 has surged to two million monthly active users, a milestone creator Kazunori Yamauchi attributes to a relentless stream of post-launch updates and game-changing PSVR2 integration. Despite lingering debates over online lobby sizes compared to previous entries, the game’s massive rebound proves Polyphony Digital has successfully steered the franchise back on track after a turbulent start.
Direct drive disruption: PXN is hitting CES 2026 in Las Vegas with a full arsenal of sim racing gear designed to undercut the establishment. The lineup features the new VD Series direct drive bases—ranging from a modest 4Nm to a hefty 11Nm peak—and the V10 bundle, which aims to bring smooth, direct drive physics to entry-level racers on consoles and PC. For the hardcore crowd, they’re debuting the modular GT One wheel and Vector X load-cell pedals to challenge the high-end ecosystem.
🏆Join The Roster: Ready to move from the public lobbies to the broadcast stage? SRN Esports is recruiting competitive drivers with a B-Class license and a minimum 2500 iRating to join our official roster. As a team member, you'll get access to free high-tier coaching, priority for sponsored events, and a clear path to grow within a supportive group of racers. Click the link below.
MOTORSPORTS REPORT
Grey areas spark controversy: Mercedes and Red Bull have reportedly discovered a loophole to bypass 2026’s stricter compression ratio rules by exploiting how engine materials naturally expand under extreme heat. Former technical director Gary Anderson insists this isn't cheating but rather elite engineering, noting that teams are simply maximizing performance since compliance is merely checked when the cars are sitting at ambient temperatures.
Start your engines: NBC Sports is revving up for 2026 with over 160 hours of IMSA coverage across broadcast and streaming, headlined by marquee events like the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Battle on the Bricks. Peacock remains the ultimate pit stop for fans with exclusive flag-to-flag access to every race, while the newly launched NBCSN network will simulcast key endurance finales and the Laguna Seca showdown.
Remote control wars: IndyCar’s 2026 schedule is setting up an awkward showdown with NASCAR, forcing fans to choose sides during two head-to-head broadcast overlaps on May 31 and August 9. With Fox holding the keys to both series, the network faces the tricky task of managing the split attention as open-wheelers in Detroit and Portland compete for eyeballs against stock car thunder in Nashville and Iowa.
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THE SPOTLIGHT
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The Cambridge Engineer Winning F1 With Math
In the high-speed circus of Formula 1, the difference between champagne and a DNF isn't just the driver's right foot. It's the algorithm running in the background.
Meet Hannah Schmitz, Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Principal Strategy Engineer. While Max Verstappen gets the glory for the wheel-to-wheel combat, Schmitz is the one pulling the strings from the pit wall, turning chaos into trophies using nothing but cold, hard probability.
The Human Algorithm
Schmitz isn't guessing. A Cambridge graduate in Mechanical Engineering, she cut her teeth leading solar car teams across the Australian Outback—a masterclass in efficiency and logic. Now, she utilizes "NASA-style" infrastructure and Oracle Cloud to run billions of Monte Carlo simulations before the lights even go out.
She views a Grand Prix as a collapsing wave of probabilities. Is the tire degradation 0.1s higher? What if a Safety Car hits on Lap 12? While others panic, Schmitz calculates.
The "Palms Down" Move
Making a call that could cost your team millions requires nerves of steel. Schmitz has a signature physical anchor for the pressure: she places her palms flat, face down on her desk. It’s her signal to switch from analysis to command.
The Highlight Reel
Her resume is a list of calls that looked crazy until they won the race:
Brazil 2019: She ordered Verstappen to pit from the lead—a terrifying risk—to get fresh tires. He overtook Lewis Hamilton to win, and Schmitz was sent to the podium to collect the trophy.
Hungary 2022: With minutes before the race, she scrapped the entire strategy based on driver feedback, switching tires on the grid. Verstappen won from P10.
Qatar 2025: While McLaren hesitated during an early Safety Car, Schmitz recognized the mathematical advantage instantly. She pitted both cars, catching the field napping and securing a 70th victory for Verstappen.
Schmitz is proving that in a sport fueled by ego and adrenaline, the most dangerous weapon on the track is a quiet engineer who knows the odds better than the house.
MEMBER FEATURE
Community Spotlight: Hyperion Racing
Start with seven guys in an Xbox lobby, add a healthy dose of obsession, and what do you get? Hyperion Racing.
Founded by a core group of seven owners—Nathan, Greg, Turner, Matt, Floyd, Alex, and Willy—this team skipped the corporate backing and built a powerhouse from the ground up. What began as casual laps in Assetto Corsa Competizione has mutated into a premier iRacing operation with 30+ drivers spanning 19 states and six countries.
The Resume: They aren't just filling grid spots; they’re collecting hardware.
Endurance Kings: Back-to-back 12 Hours of Sebring victories (2024 & 2025) and a top step at Petit Le Mans.
League Dominance: 2025 Precision Racing League Champions and double qualifiers for the 24H Series Esports.
But here’s the kicker: they’re bridging the gap between sim racing and reality. When they aren't helping organize the Sim Gaming Expo, they’re trading pixels for pavement. After tackling the 24 Hours of Lemons in Colorado, the team is currently prepping an entry for the IRL Champ Series.
For a team built on "passion and discipline" amidst busy real-world lives, Hyperion is proving you don’t need a factory deal to run with the wolves. You just need the drive.
Follow the journey: Hyperion Racing
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SRN RECAP AND UNFILTERED THOUGHTS
I’ve been testing Studioform Creative VR Comfort Mods and wow… the increase in comfort level for my VR headsets experiencing the comfort, velvety soft and moisture wicking gear has been such a gamechanger for me. I have the Pimax kit and the Big Screen Beyond 2 kit. I’ll be putting out a review here once I get both tested.
We have a new sponsor for the Esports team, Race to Approval is going to be joining our esports team for the 2026 season. Carey with RTA has been a huge supporter of Sim Racing Nation and we appreciate his support and love what he brings to the table with his current venture.
We have another exciting announcement coming soon as well. We’ve partnered with Sim Science to bring you live race data to discord. They’re currently testing their beta phase and this will bring some cool tools to discord to help you improve your lap time and see your race data on the go. Watch out for the announcement in our discord community.
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