Sim Racing records & milestones

iRacing launched to the public

Subscription sim founded in 2004 by Dave Kaemmer (ex-Papyrus) and John Henry (Boston Red Sox owner); opened to the public Aug 26, 2008. · source

iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations

Aug 26, 2008 · 2008

Most eNASCAR iRacing championships

Only driver with four eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series championships (2011, 2012, 2016, 2018); the series' most successful driver. · source

Ray Alfalla

4 titles · 2011-2018

Most F1 Sim Racing World Championship titles

2020 (Alfa Romeo), 2021 (Mercedes) and 2025 (Red Bull) — first to win three, each with a different team, surpassing Brendon Leigh. · source

Jarno Opmeer (Netherlands)

3 titles · 2025

First F1 Esports Series World Champion

Won the inaugural 2017 Formula 1 Esports Series Grand Final at the Abu Dhabi GP, with a last-lap overtake; finished with 74 points. · source

Brendon Leigh (Great Britain)

74 points · 2017

First iRacing Rallycross World Champion

Won the inaugural iRacing (Thrustmaster) Rallycross World Championship, beating Joni Heikkinen by 10 points over the 11-round season; later moved into real-world racing. · source

Mitchell deJong (USA)

1 title · 2018

First back-to-back F1 Esports champion

Won the inaugural title in 2017 and defended it in 2018 (with Mercedes), the first repeat champion of the official F1 esports series. · source

Brendon Leigh (Great Britain)

2 titles · 2017-2018

Winningest eNASCAR iRacing driver

All-time race-win leader in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series (27 victories) in addition to his four championships. · source

Ray Alfalla

27 wins · 2010s

First 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual

Inaugural 24h Le Mans Virtual (Jun 13-14, 2020) on rFactor 2; mixed real F1/WEC stars with sim pros, won by Deletraz/Marciello/Wisniewski/Brzezinski. · source

Rebellion Williams Esports

50 teams / 200 drivers · 2020

Le Mans Virtual broadcast reach

Drew over 14.2 million cumulative TV viewers and 8.6 million online views across 57 countries, a benchmark audience for a stand-alone esports endurance race. · source

2020 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual

14.2M TV viewers · 2020

Largest eNASCAR iRacing prize pool

2024 prize package of $511,000 (champion takes $100,000) — the largest in series history; Coca-Cola entitlement in 2020 first lifted it to $300,000. · source

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series

$511,000 · 2024