Another Sim Incoming? Project Motor Racing Throws Its Hat in the Ring!
In recent years us sim racers have been spoiled for choice. Between amazing new hardware and a fantastic roster of games, such as the ever improving iRacing, the newly released Assetto Corsa Evo, AMS2, Lemans Ultimate and more.
Now sadly one title has seemed absent, Project Cars, after a rocky start with Project Cars 1, Project Cars 2 proved to be a solid and very enjoyable sim racing game that had an excellent range of content. However with the disastrous release of Project Cars 3 and Project Cars Go plus the stillborn Madbox gaming console, Slightly Mad Studios was sold off the Codemasters before having the Project Cars series officially killed off by EA in 2022.
However, if the name Project Motor Racing sounds like a sequel, you’re not completely wrong.
Straight4 Studios, spearheaded by none other than Ian Bell – yep, the guy behind the Project CARS series is teaming up GIANTS Software, the studio known for Farming Simulator series to release an all new Sim racing franchise slated to release by Fall 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
So, what’s the big promise? Straight4 says they’re gunning for a super high-fidelity sim experience that really nails the “passion, beauty, and intensity of professional motorsport.”
However with some success under their belt and foundational knowledge from Ian Bell; however inconsistent he has been over the last decade, definitely has us interested.
So, What’s Under the Hood?
They recently dropped a reveal trailer that laid out some pretty ambitious plans, and it sounds like they’re not holding back.
For starters, they’re looking to launch with 70 cars spanning a cool 10 different classes ranging from 1970s sports cars, turn-of-the-century GTs, to everyone’s favorites like GT3’s and LMDh. The track selection doesn’t sound sparse either, there are supposed to be 27 scanned global track layouts.
But what good are all those cars if they don’t feel right? This is where we have both hope and reservations. Project Cars 2 was a very solid foundation before Project Cars 3 completely changed the direction of the series. Despite this we have reasons to be hopeful.
Project Motor Racing is built on Straight4’s very own “Hadron” physics engine. While initial announcements mentioned a general physics update at an already impressive 720Hz, diving into the tech details reveals some truly next-level numbers.
According to Straight4 themselves, their modular drivetrain simulation is crunching numbers at an astounding 7,200Hz! And for the all-important tyres, the tread simulation can hit up to a mind-boggling 10,000Hz, aiming for incredibly realistic water handling and aquaplaning effects. They say the aim is “unmatched handling realism,” a more natural feel on throttle feel, and proper Force Feedback that’s directly derived from tie-rod calculations.
With these kinds of refresh rates on key components, it could seriously change how connected we feel to the sim.
Although this all sounds great, we’ve heard our fair share of lofty goals and hype coming from Ian Bell before, so we’re staying cautiously optimistic.
Now, beyond the raw physics and car count, they’re also pushing hard on immersion. Think “living cockpits”. Supposedly they will visually react to G-forces, complete with details like heat haze.
Throw in dynamic weather systems, a full 24-hour day/night cycle, and their “True2Track” technology for adaptive track conditions (so you’ll see those crucial drying lines appearing), and it sounds like they’re ticking a lot of the right boxes to make you feel like you’re really there, and give you all of the information you need to deal with changing conditions when racing.
Now something I’m particularly excited for is the hinted at potential esports integration down the line.
Where Does it Fit in This Crowded Market?
It sounds like Straight4 and GIANTS are aiming high, positioning Project Motor Racing as a serious contender that wants to offer deep realism but still be approachable.
They’re talking about good out-of-the-box peripheral optimization alongside those hardcore physics. Ian Bell himself said, “This is not about driving. It’s about racing.
We’re curious to see where it fits in at release, especially how it compares to the newly Released AC Evo.
When does it come out and how much does it cost?
Now supposedly it comes out in Fall 2025 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Pre-orders are already popping up. There’s a “Year 1 Bundle” that bags you the base game, a season pass for the first year of content, and an exclusive “GTE Decade Pack” with 7 GTE cars if you pre-order.
Cost wise this is where some might have issues, Project Motor Racing seems to be launched with DLC from the start, the “Project Motor Racing – Year 1 Bundle” costs $89.99 during the pre-order, and $59.99 for the base game.
Now although we think there are good reasons to be cautiously optimistic, we would still advise against pre ordering any video game.