As is usual with iRacing’s seasonal updates, the service is adding several new vehicles with which you can take on your virtual opponents. Two of these come from a familiar brand: BMW.
The German marque has been a mainstay of racing for decades, having successfully taken on the likes of Formula 1, top-flight sports car racing, and touring car racing, among other disciplines.
As part of Season 3 2026, two popular BMW models within iRacing are getting updates. The single-make BMW M2 Cup is getting the latest iteration of the manufacturer’s M2-based racer, while its BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh machine is being transformed into its latest EVO spec.
This guide will run you through the changes you can expect with both of these revised vehicles.
- Sports, Formula & Oval iRacing Setups
- Race Telemetry - Brake, Throttle & Racing Lines
- Corner by Corner AI Coaching To Gain Seconds
- Challenge Racers on the Delta Leaderboards
Introduction To The BMW M2 G87 Racing
The BMW M2 G87 Racing was designed by BMW to take over from its BMW M2 CS, which was based on the F87 generation of its M2 road car. With the latter replaced by the G87 M2 in 2023, the time came for a new single-make racing version to be developed by the brand’s competition division. The car is eligible for a range of single and multi-class racing series in real life, and acts as a great entry point for drivers looking to get into GT3 or GT4 competition in the future.
While the M2 G87 Racing comes with a front splitter to produce downforce and aid cornering, the level of downforce is much lower than that of a higher-end GT racing car, such as its M4 GT3 Evo sibling. This means the cars can race bumper to bumper without being too badly affected by dirty air, ensuring racing remains close. Being a single-make car, providing tight racing was the number one priority for BMW, as opposed to ensuring peak raw performance.
Handily, iRacing has confirmed the car will be free for all players, slotting directly into the space left by the M2 CS Racing.
The Basic Car Setup
The M2 G87 Racing not only looks vastly different from its predecessor, but it also has a completely new engine. Out goes the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six found in the M2 CS, and in is a twin-turbo 2.0-litre inline-four powerplant that fires 313 horsepower to the vehicle’s rear wheels. Like the M2 CS, the G87 Racing utilises a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to get the engine’s power to the rear axle.
Another notable addition the G87 enjoys is a revised damper arrangement, which was designed using data garnered from BMW’s M4 GT3 project. The new setup ensures the car is more versatile over kerbs and bumps than its forerunner. While these remain unadjustable, the anti-roll bars can be altered to suit the driver and track demands.
Where To Race The New BMW M2 G87 Racing
With the M2 G87 Racing replacing the M2 CS, it will be eligible for all the same series as the older car. The primary fixture will be the single-make BMW M2 Cup, which only requires a Rookie licence to enter. The series makes use of only tracks that are included as part of the base iRacing subscription, meaning you won’t need to spend any money above that to complete a full season.
Beyond that, the M2 G87 can also be campaigned in the D Class BMW M Power Challenge series, which makes use of a mix of both free and paid circuits. For those after more fruity contests, there’s also the Production Car Challenge. This is a multi-class fixture that sees the car race alongside the likes of the Global Mazda MX-5, Toyota GR 86, and Renault Clio Cup categories on the same track. This is useful for those looking to take part in higher-ranked multiclass races in the future.
Finally, the M2 G87 can also be raced in multiple weekly endurance racing series, namely the Nurburgring Endurance Series and Production Endurance Challenge. These allow the chance to run the car over longer race distances, and potentially with teammates, should you so wish. Like the M Power Challenge, all the multiclass fixtures run a calendar that uses free and paid tracks.
Introduction To The BMW M Hybrid V8 Evo
BMW won the storied 24 Hours of Le Mans the last time it competed in top-flight prototype racing in the late 1990s, so expectations were high when it announced that it would make a return via the IMSA-sanctioned LMDh regulations for the 2023 motorsport season. The M Hybrid V8 was the brand’s chosen weapon, and it came packing a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine as it looked to take on the likes of Acura, Cadillac, and Porsche in the class. In 2024, it joined the World Endurance Championship field as it aimed to take on LMH racers built by Ferrari, Peugeot and Toyota for Le Mans honours.
The GTP, or Hypercar class in WEC categories are the pinnacle of sports car racing, and the M Hybrid V8 managed to claim a range of victories in the IMSA series during its first two seasons competing. While winless in the WEC, the car at least scored a couple of podium finishes during its first two years.
The car arrived in iRacing back at the end of 2022, before the car had even turned a wheel in anger. For 2026, BMW elected to make some changes to its distinctive prototype, and this evolution is now available within the service. It just grabbed pole for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans!
- The upgrade will be free for everyone who already owns the original M Hybrid V8
- For those who don’t yet own the vehicle, you’ll have to hand over $11.95
If you want to add to your knowledge of the M Hybrid V8, Coach Dave Academy’s guide to the machine will come in handy.
The Basic Car Setup
Named the M Hybrid V8 Evo, the car retains largely the same underpinnings as the first iteration, with the same turbocharged V8 hybrid powertrain providing the needed firepower. Like the other LMDh cars it races against, the M Hybrid V8 Evo uses a fixed-spec Bosch hybrid system and seven-speed semi-automatic transmission. All the power is shovelled to the rear wheels.
The most striking change to the car is its redesigned nose, which features narrower kidney grilles than its predecessor. This change was made to reduce the aerodynamic drag produced by the vehicle but without compromising total downforce, providing superior straight-line speed and fuel economy for longer tracks such as the Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe.
- Aside from reducing drag, the new aero was designed to provide a more consistent high-speed balance, which helps improve elements such as tyre wear
- The M Hybrid V8 also got a new set of headlights that provide superior visibility during the night
Where To Race The New BMW M Hybrid V8 Evo
As is the case with the M2 G87 Racing, the M Hybrid V8 Evo can be run in all the same fixtures as its forerunner. If you don’t fancy taking on multiclass grids with the car yet, the B Class Prototype Challenge is ideal. Racing against the other GTP vehicles featured in the title, you’ll take on a mixture of free and paid circuits, though the schedule favours the latter.
For drivers wanting a multiclass experience, you have the IMSA iRacing Series, which requires an A-Class sports car racing licence. Available in both Open and Fixed setup formats, you’ll take on your fellow GTP racers while sharing the track with the slower LMP2 and GT3 classes.
As a result, you’ll need to conquer being able to thread your way through traffic without losing too much time to your rivals, or making a mistake. Once again, the calendar is made up primarily of paid tracks, though some free venues do pop up every now and again.
There are also longer endurance races that you can take part in every couple of weeks, via the Global Endurance Tour and IMSA Endurance Series. As per, the schedules of these series are made up of free and premium venues, and are run to B-Class sports car licence levels.
Should becoming a high-ranking prototype pilot sound appealing to you, Coach Dave Academy’s guide to becoming one should be right up your street.
Final Thoughts
- Sports, Formula & Oval iRacing Setups
- Race Telemetry - Brake, Throttle & Racing Lines
- Corner by Corner AI Coaching To Gain Seconds
- Challenge Racers on the Delta Leaderboards
For the most part, you won’t feel a huge amount of difference with these new vehicles when compared to the machines they replace within iRacing. Both are evolutions of their successful predecessors, and it’s unlikely you’ll fall out of love with them versus their forerunners. If anything, both cars should offer a more compliant handling balance that makes it easier to strive for success.
The M2 G87 Racing is ideal for those looking to make the step into sports car racing, with the vehicle offering the chance to get used to the heavier machines you’ll find throughout the different levels of the category. Once you master it, you should feel more confident stepping up into vehicles built to GT4 or GT3 regulations. Away from that, the car will simply provide close and exciting racing in its own right, ensuring the M2 Cup remains one of the most fun and close-fought series in iRacing.
For when the time comes to step up the ladder, the M Hybrid V8 Evo is waiting to make your transition to the GTP field as straightforward as possible. The changes should make the car easier to drive over longer stints, as well as ensure the car perfectly matches its real-life counterpart in the virtual world.
Plus, they’re both free to those who already own them, which is everyone in the case of the M2. And who doesn’t love getting free stuff?
