iRacing has revealed a new roadmap for its long-awaited Career Mode, confirming that the feature will now launch in two phases. The first step, called AI Championships, will serve as the foundation. Once that system is in place, iRacing will expand into a full, structured Career Mode experience.
Phase 1: AI Championships
AI Championships will allow players to run their own season-style campaigns against AI drivers, complete with ladders that mimic the journey of a real-world driver. From grassroots oval racing to the heights of global prototypes and Grand Prix machinery, players will have the ability to chart their path and measure success in new ways.
This foundation mode is designed to arrive in 2025, bringing a major new dimension to iRacing’s single-player offerings.
Phase 2: Full Career Mode
Once AI Championships are live, iRacing plans to deliver the second phase: a full Career Mode. This stage will layer on the systems and interactions players expect from a career-style mode, including deeper progression, structured achievements, and persistent racing ladders.
iRacing has stressed that this phased approach will ensure that players get new content sooner while giving developers the time to refine the deeper systems.
Why This Matters
By splitting Career Mode into phases, iRacing ensures:
- Faster delivery: Players won’t have to wait until every system is finished to enjoy structured single-player racing.
- Stronger foundations: AI Championships will serve as a testbed for AI performance, Adaptive AI, and new persistence features.
- Future growth: Once Phase 1 is stable, Phase 2 can expand the experience into the complete vision.
Looking Ahead
With Phase 1 targeted for 2025, the countdown is officially on. AI Championships will mark the beginning of a new era for iRacing, and the foundation for one of the most requested features in sim racing history.
