About the Game
Summary
rFactor 2 is a realistic, easily extendable racing simulation from Studio 397. It offers the latest in vehicle and race customization, great graphics, outstanding multiplayer and the height of racing realism. rFactor 2 features mixed class road racing with ultra realistic dynamics, an immersive sound environment and stunning graphics, perfect for top-level esports and a rich single-player experience.
Race against a field of AI cars, or in multi-player mode against others. rFactor 2 supports a full day-night cycle as well as dynamically varying weather conditions such as rain which dynamically builds into puddles. Tracks feature "real-road" technology that changes the grip as more cars drive on it. You can run full 24 hour endurance events and in multi-player mode, driver swaps are also supported. Everything can be customized by the community, including adding new tracks and cars, and a wealth of add-ons are available on-line.Working with several partners, rFactor 2 has been used in hundreds of esport championships all over the world – in particular McLaren’s World’s Fastest Gamer and Formula E.
rFactor 2 is also an evolving product, which will be updated and added to for many years, so the list of features will expand!
Features
Physics
Updated to use multi-core CPU technology
Advanced physics engine
Newly updated tyre model
Driving surface construction, even painted line thickness, affects grip levels
Engine boost and Turbo modeling
Complex aerodynamics
Head physics, cockpit vibrations, detailed bump modeling
Dynamic Racing Experience
Real-time day/night lighting transitions
Realistic wet/dry weather transitions
Dynamically laid rubber increases grip throughout racing session(s)
Rubber chunks (“marbles”) roll off tyres and can affect grip
Tyres sustain damage from poor driving (such as "flatspotting" a tyre) or setups, affecting grip immediately and over time
Dynamically drying racing line after rain
Environments filled with animated events like planes, flag marshalls and more…
Graphics/Sound
Real-time day/night lighting transitions
Projected headlights for night time driving
Open VR support for multiple headsets
Look to apex and head motion tracking support
DX11 advanced graphics engine
Real-time day/night transitions
Adjust player and opponent volume ratio
See the apex with the Look Ahead slider
Adjust your seat and mirror while in the driver’s seat
Updating real-time scoring towers
Expanded and enhanced gauge and LCD features for vehicle cockpits
Improved loading times
Updated sound engine
Changing engine sounds based on upgraded vehicle performance
Gameplay
New AI who will race for and defend positions
Define AI opponent types, strength and aggression
Races can be lap based, time based or both
Vehicle upgrade system that affects both the appearance and performance of a vehicle
Camera/Replays
“Resume from Replay” allows you to resume a race from a saved replay
Full screen monitor and ability to rewind
Freely move camera from any position including the ever famous exclusive Swingman
Spectator mode
Multiplayer
Opponent car skins automatically transmitted
Completely new multiplayer engine
Dedicated server
Native voting system
Add AI to multiplayer games
Boot and ban player lists that can be passed around
Security checks to combat potential cheating
Open Architecture
Support for modder created car,track and plugin content
Fully adjustable Showroom, UI and HUD layouts
More Plugin Interfaces
Easy to use customizable multi-language support
Rules to simulate different types of racing
Completely customize your controller
Drop in new vehicle liveries
Cars and Tracks
Over 35 free and paid licensed cars and tracks includiing Silverstone, Renault, Formula E, McLaren, Mercedes, Bentley - the list goes on
Steam Workshop support for installing cars and tracks
For a current list of cars and tracks shipped with the simulation visit the Studio 397 website
Screenshots
27 images
Version Information
Steam Patch Notes
Official update history
Revamped Ranking System:
- Safety Rank: Your commitment to clean racing earns you marks of distinction. Start with a bronze badge and ascend to platinum by showcasing your sportsmanship on the track. This will help you unlock new events.
- Driver Rank: Your speed and skill could see you outpacing the competition. Kick off at bronze and chase down that platinum status as you overtake opponents and conquer the leaderboards.
Daily Races – Your Daily Dose of Adrenaline:
Fuel your racing addiction with events firing off every 1, 2, or 3 hours, tailored to suit every level of ambition, from beginner to advanced. These races are designed to be easier on your driver rank, allowing you to focus on the thrill of jumping into regular rFactor 2 races.The beginner races will only use FREE content* so there’s no excuse not to give it a go 😉
*keep reading for info on how to claim your FREE BMW M2 CS
Special Events – The Main Attraction:
Step into the spotlight with our Special Events, scheduled extravaganzas that promise more intensity and even greater impacts on your Safety and Driver Ranks. Utilise the weekly practice leaderboards to sharpen your skills and prepare for the grand stage.In-Game Server Hosting – Your Race, Your Rules:
- Harness the power to host your own races with our seamless in-game server hosting, giving you the freedom to select any car and track combination.
- For those who prefer a more hands-on approach, the traditional server hosting options remain at your disposal.
You can purchase bundles of server minutes to use. The pricing is as follows:
- 1 hour – €1
- 6 hours – €6
- 12 hours – €9
- 24 Hours – €13
You can now easily configure your own server inside the game for your friends, team or community
Exclusive Rewards & Incentives:
Choosing to register with our new online system is entirely up to you, but those who do will be welcomed with open arms and exclusive perks. Enjoy a free BMW M2 CS for your racing pleasure when you verify your email address – don’t say we don’t look after you 😉!If you choose not to sign up, you can still access community servers as usual.
Schedule, Community and Support:
Join the conversation and get the support you need directly through our Discord channel. Raise a ticket, share your experiences, or simply chat with fellow racers. It’s all happening here: rFactor 2 Discord.The races change weekly on a Tuesday and you’ll see the upcoming schedule every Monday on the rFactor 2 social media pages: Facebook, Instagram, X
As we wave the checkered flag on our beta phase, we’re thrilled to bring these features into the full release. It’s an exciting time to be part of rFactor 2 online racing, and we’re looking forward to seeing you on track. Strap in and prepare for an unparalleled racing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions – rFactor 2 Online
- How do I create an account – Open rFactor2 and navigate to the Online button – a notification screen will appear with instructions how to create an account.
- How do I change my name/email/nationality – You can do this in your profile by clicking on your name on the top navigation bar. Note: You can only do this once every 3 months otherwise you will need to open a support ticket on the rFactor 2 Discord
- I signed up, now what? – You’re free to register for any of the scheduled daily races and special events. Build up your driver and safety ranking to compete in intermediate and advanced races. You can also try out hosting a server and race anytime with your friends.
- Do I need to pay to use it? – Everything we’re releasing today for rFactor 2 online is free to use for everyone who owns the sim.
- What if I don’t want to register for rFactor 2 Online? You can still access community servers in the online menu > servers > community servers.
- What content comes with it? – By registering for rFactor 2 Online, users will be gifted the BMW M2 CS to their workshop. Users will only be able to drive content they own, but can still race others they do not own.
- Did someone say Career mode? – We are intending to develop a more in-depth league system (that we are calling “career mode”) but it does require more time and certainty of an expanded online player base for the sim and is not scheduled for release at this time.
- Do I need rFactor2 to use it? – Yes, rFactor2 Online is only available for players who own rFactor 2.
- Can I access any of the RaceControl information outside of the game? – Right now we don’t support this but in the future we aim to have a separate hub for this information.
- How do I increase my Safety Rank? – Your Safety Rank (SR) is dynamic and changes either up or down depending on how cleanly you race. Rating increases with clean laps and will decrease with collisions and penalties in qualifying and races.
- How do I increase my Driver Rank? – Driver Rank (DR) is calculated by your recent online race results. The system uses an ELO algorithm to determine your performance versus other competitors. Your ELO score is then translated into a rank you can see and then used to calculate which split you should be racing in. Special events generally have more rank points on offer than daily races.
- Can anyone race in a special event? – Different special events may have different entry requirements based on on your safety rating.
- Can I race with my own custom livery? – No not currently, you can only race online with official rFactor 2 content. We may explore this feature for potential future updates.
- Can I still race on my friend’s server? – Absolutely, the primary rFactor 2 open server list is still open to access through the online menus. Simply navigate to ‘servers’ to see the open list of official and community servers online.
- Can I make my own server for me and my team to practice on? – Yes, you can now host an online server through rFactor 2 Online. Time tokens can be purchased through the game or via the rFactor 2 steam store and redeemed through the ‘Host a server’ button in the server menu.
- How do I delete my account? – As detailed in the privacy policy when you sign up for an account you can do this through a request here.
Known Issues – rFactor 2 Online
- Having your Windows timezone set to manual instead of “auto” can result in the times for events being incorrect and not being able to join events.
- Practice servers are becoming too full too quickly and may give a timeout error – please be patient and try again in a few minutes or practice offline
- Some servers (particularly practices) are sometimes experiencing extreme latency (lag) usually when many users join at once. We advise leaving these servers and rejoining.
- Not all temporary mod files being deleted on boot – you may need to remove these manually
- Some larger circuits (such as Nurburgring), have the server start a few minutes later than expected – you may need to wait up to 4 minutes after a server is due to be started
Changelogs (from previous main build)
General- Fixed crash on AMD hardware with certain drivers
- New feature allows servers to specify that downloaded mods should be treated as temporary by the client
- The client can opt to mark all mods downloaded from servers as temporary
- Temporary mods are deleted on start-up
- Added extra options to Driving line aid for “Paddock” and “Paddock & Pit Entry”. The game defaults to paddock setting for all users.
- Added key assignment for toggling Driving line aid in the game.
- Improved Track Limits handling of illegal passes with regards to when a passed car goes too slow to be counted, but then later becomes valid. This should no longer become valid again.
- Reworked “Stabilize Horizon”-feature using a different method of filtering
- Added an additional step of stabilization
- Enabled roll stabilization for “High” and “Ultra” steps
- Added full horizon lock option
- Added an additional step of stabilization
- Fixed an issue that could cause AI to drive towards left walls while overtaking, causing collisions
- Added half a second grace when a penalty just becomes valid as we are about to score a violation
- Fix for track limits issues when a starting grid spot is inside the pit entry line
- Tweaked default parameters, to be harsher on distance and time spent off track.
- Added retry attempts and better logging when failing to connect to a server
rFactor 2 Online Changelog
- Added Daily Races online mode with practice servers
- Added Special Events online mode with practice servers
- Added Hosted Servers option with credit bundles available through the store
- Added Driver Profiles and Statistics
- Moved Store to the front page
- Moved Servers to Online > Servers
Client Build Id: 11164174
Dedicated Build Id: 11164181
We have been chomping at the bit in excitement and anticipation, ready to bring you our Q2 2023 Early Release Update and DLC drop. You may notice that this Q2 drop has slightly less content when compared to previous quarterly drops, but we believe the updates we are bringing are vital to the longevity and continued improvement of the rFactor 2 platform. We have moved this Q2 drop to an earlier date than was once planned to match with fundamental development across many different areas of the platform, such as electric motor systems and the multiplayer experience.
For all of the details on the new ABB FIA Formula E Gen3 car, how to get the most out of it, and the further plethora of updates - read our full blog post through this link: https://www.studio-397.com/2023/04/2023-q2-update-and-dlc-released/
Below is the full changelog and known issues of this Q2 update.
General
- Fixed assigned Screenshot button not working in UI in Retail
- Fixed Photo Mode depth option not working
- Linked Photo Mode Screenshot Format and Depth saving to player.json setting
- Removed non functional copy to clipboard screenshot player.json setting
- Disallow assigned Screenshot button in Photo Mode
- Allowed toggling of showroom background in Retail (via key 1 or via button).
- Added player.json setting “showroom background” for default state of rendering background.
- Added Sideview UI showroom for taking screenshots of cars for icons.
- Fixed UI resolution not setting correctly when switching from Windowed to Borderless in Game.
- Fixed crash when changing resolution options in VR
- Fixed intermittent crash when installing content
Configuration Application
- Updated Config file to save last used resolution and refresh rate rather than an enumeration of the used mode for more consistent handling of game resolution when adapters change.
- Setup a VR specific config file. This file will copy from the default file on first run of VR.
- Allowed the option to configure multiple files from the config application
- Fixed various inconsistencies in config app where by changing adapter or monitor would lose any previous setting changes
- Fixed windows version reporting in config app
- Updated displaying of PC Specs to show only relevant information in config app
- Removed various unused settings from config file
Physics
- Ensured that results files / ai report battery state when it’s the primary energy source
- Various fixes for battery energy consumption
Graphics
- Updated Dashboard Elements Shader to use IBL Setup for better lighting
- Added LowLumEmissive shader to replace old Dashboard usage on track assets (Start/Pit Lights etc) and in Car LEDs. The game will auto reassign these.
- Updated Cockpit Readout format to allow offsets, to render multiple readouts to the same background
- Added Cockpit Readout Icon format, which can render texture to background, with configurable number of elements, and options to change colours or uvw islands based on value, with options for Fuel, Battery, RPM, TC, TCActive, ABS, ABSLocked
- Added various extra cockpit readouts: FuelLastLap, FuelFinishAverage, BatteryLastLap, BatteryFinishAverage, CurrentLap, Delta, TCSlip, TCCut, BatteryRegenLevel, ElectricMotorMap
- Updated Moddev Tweak Bar displays for new options
- Updated method for sharing if a rain light is active over network, to ensure better consistency when it is used to show in the pit lane, battery regen or due to the weather.
- Enable rain light when battery is harvesting on throttle. Use CockpitInfo.ini params to configure:
- RegenLightRequireThrottle=1/0 (requires higher throttle than brake)
- RegenLightMinPowerWatts=15000 (requires 15kw regen to show the light)
AI
- Reworked AI throttle behaviour
- Less overshooting, more controlled deceleration
- Improved acceleration with less wheelspin
- Improved corner exits
- Eliminated even more sources of oscillation
- Improved laptimes for certain vehicles
- Pit speed limit won’t be overshot
- Stop positions (grid, pit box) will no longer be overshot
- Reworked AI reaction to other vehicles (road courses)
- AI will now properly slipstream other vehicles
- Overtaking occurs if AI can achieve overlap before the next corner, otherwise the AI will save fuel
- Multiclass: Faster classes will no longer slow down when trying to overtake slower classes
- Multiclass: Faster classes avoid overtaking unless they can get fully past before the apex
- Multiclass: Faster classes will attempt to carry more momentum, and lift off early if no overtaking opportunity exists
- AI will now be more cautious when other cars are around
- AI can now use more of the space following other cars, for proper drafting behaviour
- More cautious when yellow flags are ahead or under FCY
- Player and other cars will no longer be rear ended unless a sudden unexpected lane change makes a reaction impossible
- When cars ahead are in a fight, AI will now set up for an overtake on corner exit
- AI won’t hesitate to go 3-wide if the situation allows for it, but will pull out before the next braking zone if an overtake seems too dangerous
- Less incident prone with large grids
HUD
- Updated Default HUD with multiple options for different element combinations
- Added Battery State & Usage options, as well as LEDs for P2P and Battery
- Fixed HUD only rendering one gauge correctly
- Added Throttle, Brake and Clutch gauge options to HUD
- Added ability to change text colour in MFD in HUDs
UI
- Added Battery Unit setting (Percent or kW(h))
- Fixed multiplayer joining getting triggered again after changing graphics settings and restarting when joining with +connect
- Package Management
- Server now verifies that connected clients own the content they are using
Modding
Map Converter Updates
- Now checks for file updates every 500ms.
- -f (force all textures to update) command will only run once and exit.
- -o (once) command will only run once and exit
- DDS files are only copied from source folder on first pass.
- Improved output display with more information.
Mod Dev\Scene Viewer
- Added extra lighting debug information for fog and direct light direction
- Added toggling of shadow groups via shadow key (U) in scene viewer.
- Only allow one instance of the Scene Viewer to be open at a time (fixes issues with accessing Material Editor when previous instance doesn’t exit for some reason).
- Added missing Limit Path option to Static Cameras in Camera Editor
Material Editor Updates
- Added ability to set blend modes per material
- Added ability to set texture options for chroma and no detail reduction.
Known issues
- AI will fail to line up for FCY
- Formation lap speeds are capped too low, so if the grid gets pulled too far apart, the back will fail to catch up in time
- AI aren’t particularly good at evading cars parked on track and will slow down considerably, sometimes just lining up behind them
- AI behaves badly when there is a large performance delta between cars
- Auto Shifting on the FE Gen 3 will not shift out of neutral
We hope you have a lovely rest of your week!
John
Main Game: 10989730
Dedicated: 10989737
Current Release
15305357
Uploaded May 17, 2026
System Requirements
How to Install
rF Config.exe to play
Troubleshooting tips
• Run Redist/_CommonRedist installers if game won't start
• Add folder to Windows Defender exclusions
• Run as administrator
Download
Direct link available
2.7 GB
15305357
6A38DD3D
e493e9f34e517dff6581da10e35f6aafaa7a2b623c69bcffccdcff8c376257f2
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Download rFactor 2 for PC with a direct link or via torrent. Get the full version of rFactor 2 for free. rFactor 2 is a Racing released by Studio 397.