With the latest update to Assetto Corsa Competizione, the addition of Circuit Ricardo Tormo brings the total of tracks to 23. But there are many that haven’t been added that probably should have been.
Image Credit: Kunos Simulazioni
Assetto Corsa Competizione has been on the market since the latter half of 2018. In the years since release, it has become one of the leading racing simulation games in part thanks to its focus on GT3 racing.
Marketed as the official game of the GT World Challenge, ACC‘s partnership with the SRO Motorsports Group means they can rely on data from all their series across the world. Not only GT World Challenge, but also the Intercontinental GT Challenge and British GT.
With this limited scope, it means tracks that SRO don’t have any of their championships racing at have never been in contention to join the sim. Unless SRO take control of the 24 hours of Le Mans and Nürburgring events, Circuit de la Sarthe and the Nordschleife are never going to be added to ACC.
But there are tracks where SRO do hold races that really should have been added to the platform. Here are just five we believe should have at least come to Assetto Corsa Competizione.
The track was selected to host the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games back in 2019, an event sanctioned in part by the SRO Motorsports Group. That original event even had a sim racing competition, albeit held on Gran Turismo Sport.
The delayed second edition of the event was at Paul Ricard, and the organisers switched the sim racing platform to Assetto Corsa Competizione. Next year, the third running of the FIA Motorsport Games will be held at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, which is perhaps why it got added before other circuits that have also been on SRO schedules for longer.
Even though ACC wasn’t the game used in the first edition, it would have been fitting to have added Vallelunga in the run-up to the 2022 games. If nothing else, the fact that Kunos was formerly based in a pit building at the Vallelunga track should earn it a spot. But also because it’s just a great track to drive.
The track is used in the GT2 European Series, the cars from which are set to be added to ACC later this year. So maybe it could in fact happen. What’s more, it should be easier to recreate it as they already have the scan data from the original Assetto Corsa.
When the 2020 GT World Challenge Europe season was compromised by COVID, two tracks that previously weren’t on the schedule were added, Magny-Cours and Imola. Kunos then added Imola to ACC but not Magny-Cours, most likely because they didn’t have a laserscan of the track already and couldn’t go there to scan it since there were heavy travel restrictions at the time.
So could Red Bull Ring realistically be added in time for the GT2 car pack? If not, it would be a missed opportunity.
Whilst very few circuits could ever be up to the task of filling the slot vacated by the beloved Spa-Francorchamps track, Algarve certainly is and then some. Before it was used in 2020 to revive the Portuguese Grand Prix, the circuit flew under many motorsport fan’s radars. But afterwards, it got the plaudits it truly deserved.
Its undulation and flow make it an immensely enjoyable circuit to drive. Particularly the section between Turns 8 and 12, it would be more at home in a theme park as it is certainly a rollercoaster. The elevation change can create a lot of alternative lines in that section, as Lando Norris put to good use in the 2021 Grand Prix against Esteban Ocon.
Algarve is a true hidden gem, and it would be great to have in ACC.
But regarding Asia, only Suzuka is currently in the game. So, looking at the GT World Challenge Asia schedule, it includes the Chang circuit in Thailand that hosts MotoGP, Japanese tracks Okayama, Motegi, Fuji and in past seasons, the Shanghai International Circuit in China. But if we could only have one, it would have to be Sepang.
The former Malaysian Grand Prix venue still holds a special place in many motorsport fan’s hearts. It may have not held an F1 race since 2017, but its everlasting impact is undeniable. The track layout features plenty of long flowing corners, with Turns 5-6 and 12-14 being the most notable.
Coupled with many long straights, heavy braking zones and with it being very wide, the racing is great no matter the discipline. So there’s no reason that ACC couldn’t deliver the same level of action on this track.
This was because of the Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series, where the real-world drivers would race on ACC at Endurance Cup rounds to bag some extra points for their teams. That never ended up happening, as they instead held a fan vote to pick one out of four pre-existing tracks: Indianapolis, Kyalami, Bathurst and the eventual winner, Suzuka.
The track may have long since abandoned its old configuration where the cars disappeared into the forest, but it lost none of its charm. The modern layout has many corners that can host plenty of side-by-side action like Turns 7-10 and then 11-16 is ultra-satisfying to nail on a fast lap.
These are just five of the many tracks SRO visit that ACC racers can’t race on. It’s a shame, but as we approach the release of the Assetto Corsa follow-up in Spring 2024, we can look forward to not only many of the same tracks as in both the original Assetto Corsa and ACC, but potentially many more as well.
Which of these circuits would you want to drive on ACC? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
Image Credit: Kunos Simulazioni
Assetto Corsa Competizione has been on the market since the latter half of 2018. In the years since release, it has become one of the leading racing simulation games in part thanks to its focus on GT3 racing.
Marketed as the official game of the GT World Challenge, ACC‘s partnership with the SRO Motorsports Group means they can rely on data from all their series across the world. Not only GT World Challenge, but also the Intercontinental GT Challenge and British GT.
With this limited scope, it means tracks that SRO don’t have any of their championships racing at have never been in contention to join the sim. Unless SRO take control of the 24 hours of Le Mans and Nürburgring events, Circuit de la Sarthe and the Nordschleife are never going to be added to ACC.
But there are tracks where SRO do hold races that really should have been added to the platform. Here are just five we believe should have at least come to Assetto Corsa Competizione.
Vallelunga
First one on this list is a bit of an anomaly, as it is currently not on any SRO-sanctioned championship’s schedules. The ACI Autodromo Vallelunga appears in the original Assetto Corsa, its flowing and high speed layout makes it a particular favourite among many drivers.The track was selected to host the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games back in 2019, an event sanctioned in part by the SRO Motorsports Group. That original event even had a sim racing competition, albeit held on Gran Turismo Sport.
The delayed second edition of the event was at Paul Ricard, and the organisers switched the sim racing platform to Assetto Corsa Competizione. Next year, the third running of the FIA Motorsport Games will be held at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, which is perhaps why it got added before other circuits that have also been on SRO schedules for longer.
Even though ACC wasn’t the game used in the first edition, it would have been fitting to have added Vallelunga in the run-up to the 2022 games. If nothing else, the fact that Kunos was formerly based in a pit building at the Vallelunga track should earn it a spot. But also because it’s just a great track to drive.
Red Bull Ring
Like Vallelunga, the Austrian Grand Prix venue was in the original Assetto Corsa and it also holds a slot on an SRO series’ schedule. The Red Bull Ring is a short, yet varied track with long straights, heavy braking zones that provide passing opportunities, and high speed corners that are satisfying to get right.The track is used in the GT2 European Series, the cars from which are set to be added to ACC later this year. So maybe it could in fact happen. What’s more, it should be easier to recreate it as they already have the scan data from the original Assetto Corsa.
When the 2020 GT World Challenge Europe season was compromised by COVID, two tracks that previously weren’t on the schedule were added, Magny-Cours and Imola. Kunos then added Imola to ACC but not Magny-Cours, most likely because they didn’t have a laserscan of the track already and couldn’t go there to scan it since there were heavy travel restrictions at the time.
So could Red Bull Ring realistically be added in time for the GT2 car pack? If not, it would be a missed opportunity.
Algarve
The Algarve International Circuit is another track currently occupying a slot on the GT2 schedule that isn’t already in ACC. Not only does it host the GT2 European Series but also British GT, being their sole annual mid-July trip abroad.Whilst very few circuits could ever be up to the task of filling the slot vacated by the beloved Spa-Francorchamps track, Algarve certainly is and then some. Before it was used in 2020 to revive the Portuguese Grand Prix, the circuit flew under many motorsport fan’s radars. But afterwards, it got the plaudits it truly deserved.
Its undulation and flow make it an immensely enjoyable circuit to drive. Particularly the section between Turns 8 and 12, it would be more at home in a theme park as it is certainly a rollercoaster. The elevation change can create a lot of alternative lines in that section, as Lando Norris put to good use in the 2021 Grand Prix against Esteban Ocon.
Algarve is a true hidden gem, and it would be great to have in ACC.
Sepang
In terms of tracks on ACC when it comes to GT World Challenge series across the continents, Europe has by far the most representation. Prior to the American Track Pack, America only had Laguna Seca. However, the DLC saw the additions of Indianapolis, Circuit of the Americas and Watkins Glen.But regarding Asia, only Suzuka is currently in the game. So, looking at the GT World Challenge Asia schedule, it includes the Chang circuit in Thailand that hosts MotoGP, Japanese tracks Okayama, Motegi, Fuji and in past seasons, the Shanghai International Circuit in China. But if we could only have one, it would have to be Sepang.
The former Malaysian Grand Prix venue still holds a special place in many motorsport fan’s hearts. It may have not held an F1 race since 2017, but its everlasting impact is undeniable. The track layout features plenty of long flowing corners, with Turns 5-6 and 12-14 being the most notable.
Coupled with many long straights, heavy braking zones and with it being very wide, the racing is great no matter the discipline. So there’s no reason that ACC couldn’t deliver the same level of action on this track.
Hockenheimring
Many people give Hockenheim the same level of love as Sepang, as it hasn’t hosted a Grand Prix since 2019. The German track was added to the GT World Challenge Europe calendar in 2021 and replaced the Nürburgring on the Endurance Cup portion of the schedule. That led many to assume it was inevitably going to be added to ACC.This was because of the Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series, where the real-world drivers would race on ACC at Endurance Cup rounds to bag some extra points for their teams. That never ended up happening, as they instead held a fan vote to pick one out of four pre-existing tracks: Indianapolis, Kyalami, Bathurst and the eventual winner, Suzuka.
The track may have long since abandoned its old configuration where the cars disappeared into the forest, but it lost none of its charm. The modern layout has many corners that can host plenty of side-by-side action like Turns 7-10 and then 11-16 is ultra-satisfying to nail on a fast lap.
These are just five of the many tracks SRO visit that ACC racers can’t race on. It’s a shame, but as we approach the release of the Assetto Corsa follow-up in Spring 2024, we can look forward to not only many of the same tracks as in both the original Assetto Corsa and ACC, but potentially many more as well.
Which of these circuits would you want to drive on ACC? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
