The legendary Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya track is coming to iRacing.
The news was revealed courtesy of a tweet by iRacing Vice President of Art and Production Greg Hill (via bsimracing).
Hill reveals that some members of the iRacing development team are currently at the famous Spanish track capturing laser scan data and photographs. You can view Hill’s tweet below.
The @iRacing crew is on site at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya @Circuitcat_eng capturing millimeter accurate laser scan data and photographs. We’re excited to start working on the track and to bring it to iRacing in the future. #laserscan #SimRacing pic.twitter.com/zVKTMGVPYT
— Greg Hill (@greghi11) February 9, 2019
This data will enable the development team to recreate the track with pinpoint accuracy bringing the track to life in the virtual world of iRacing.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was built in 1991 and hosted the Spanish Grand Prix the very same year. The circuit has been a frequent testing ground for Formula One drivers over the years.
In 2007 the circuit underwent a major revision which saw the fast final turn replaced with a very slow chicane. The reason for the change was to provide a better overtaking opportunity for drivers who have struggled in recent years due to turbulence created by the leading car thanks to advancements in aerodynamics.
As the iRacing team are still collecting data we could be many months (or possibly years) away from actually seeing the track in the PC racing sim. We’ll bring you more on this story as it develops.