Its that topic again as cheating and exploits rises its head in the iRacing Daytona 24hr, or was it all ok and nothing to see here?
Does the rules apply and exist in sim racing as some see it as cheating and exploits in the iRacing Daytona 24 hour event. It may have been the biggest sim racing event of the year, but the Williams Esports pole position car of Alxander Spetz was going onto the apron to gain an advantage during the qualifying session. Not only that, more evidence has come forward of shady racing etiquette.
The apron is not part of the racing line or competitive area where vehicles race, it can be seen as an “out of bounds area” that is separate to the active racing line.
iRacing stated that they would not give any penalties to vehicles using the apron as it is used for “cars limping back to the pit lane”. However, it is totally clear that Spetz used this to their advantage without any action to be taken whilst the event was live. It has got many people furious in the sim racing community, with many asking how life like sim racing to the motorsport world is, or shall we call a divide and make it a separate partnership. Even Tony Kanaan spoke out on his frustration to the incident and asked for clarity.
An active hot lap in Qualifying by Spetz that warranted pole position
Racing legend and sim racer Tony Kanaan speaks out
I need help from my SIM racers friends. Is it a game or it’s SIM racing ? I’m so confused .
— Tony Kanaan (@TonyKanaan) January 22, 2023
We try to grow SIM racing, we work hard to get a reputation and then this. And that’s why some of this kids will never succeed in real race life. You do that on a real qualy for the biggest event of the year and you are out of the paddock the moment you park your car https://t.co/ColGOSBwXY
— Tony Kanaan (@TonyKanaan) January 22, 2023
Seb Hawkins Williams Esports Team Manager ” I understand the point and frustration but as an Esports team we have obligations to win races for the partners and brands that invest in us. If the game allows it we take it, or we get outplayed by those that do it to us. Really the game needs to be stricter”.
Can we blame Williams Esports driver Spetz for doing this, or does the finger clearly point at iRacing to allow this to happen where anyone could do a smash and grab.
To date, iRacing has wrapped up the event, declared the winners and that’s that, they will make sure it does not happen again. So this is what sim racing generally is now, cut corners, cheat, take advantage via exploits and move on and don’t do it again in any racing title. Calling it out from our side here at Simrace247, iRacing was not strict enough on its rules and the driver took full advantage, anyone could have done it and it was allowed to happen.
An investigation should be under way as to why it was allowed to happen, even if the driver used this method just for qualifying, it does not set a good example moving forward to professional racing teams and participants in the sim racing genre. Spetz just took full advantage when no one else did, did iRacing know of anyone using this method during practise week, or did Spetz go for the gamble knowing it was ok?
Pablo Araujo exposes many more points and aspects
Is iRacing the ultimate racing simulator or is it a place where you get sent to the naughty corner only to return with open arms. It does not set a good example to anyone, including sponsors and big name brands and teams. THE RULES ARE THE RULES, NO IFS, NO BUTS.
iRacing Speaks out
Whilst many can look at the Motorsport Games situation with Virtual Le Mans 2023 and point the finger, iRacing pushed an incident quietly under the rug and let it slide. If we are going to set an example as sim racing being a close partnership and reflection of real world motorsport, more work needs to be done. I do believe sim racing is here to stay with so much going for it, but we cannot be a watered down product that changes as and when we please. We either set this in stone now or allow it to be an open book that is fully misunderstood where exploits and rule breaking is the norm.
If we allow the later to happen, sim racing will be seen as a joke of a genre, investors and sponsors will see it as a volatile place and look elsewhere. It is in our hands to apply pressure to the big sim racing brands and games within this genre. Sim racing has come so far to get to where we are now, lets stay focused people!
