If you run more than one steering wheel rim in iRacing, you know the workflow. Swap the hardware, boot the sim, realize the inputs are all wrong, close the sim, locate the correct .cfg file, rename it, move it to the right folder, relaunch. Season 3 ends that process. iRacing Control Profiles lets you save, load, and delete input configurations directly in the sim UI, with no file management required.
➡️ iRacing Season 3 2026: Full Build Breakdown
The Problem iRacing Control Profiles Solve
iRacing stores your control configuration in a .cfg file, and for most members that is fine. However, drivers with multiple steering wheel rims or separate oval and road racing setups have traditionally managed these files manually. The standard approach involved keeping separate .cfg files named for each configuration and swapping them out when changing hardware. iRacing had no UI system to manage this. As a result, it fell entirely to the user to keep track of files, avoid accidentally overwriting a configuration, and know which file to load for each setup.
This affected primarily two groups. The first is drivers with multiple rim adapters or quick-release hubs who maintain different force feedback and button mapping profiles for different car types. The second is anyone who switches between completely different input devices. For example, a wheel for road racing and a separate wheel for oval racing, each with its own button layout and dead zone calibration.
How the System Works
iRacing Control Profiles extend iRacing’s existing UI Profile System, which already handled HUD layout and widget configuration profiles. The system works the same way for controls. A dropdown in the Options screen shows your available profiles. From there, you can switch between them, save a new one, or delete an existing one. The entire operation happens within the sim without closing or restarting.
When you first update to Season 3, your existing default control configuration is automatically imported and labeled as Baseline. Any car-specific control configurations you have set up are also imported and named after the relevant car. From there, you can edit configurations, save new ones under descriptive names, and load them whenever your hardware changes. The naming is freeform, so you can label profiles however makes sense for your setup.
Part of a Broader Controls Roadmap
iRacing framed Control Profiles as a step in a longer process. The team is working on additional improvements to per-car controls and force feedback settings beyond what shipped in Season 3. Control Profiles lay the groundwork for a system where different hardware configurations can be stored, recalled, and eventually linked to specific car types. That deeper per-car controls integration is not in Season 3, but the profile management layer is now in place.
For now, the practical benefit is immediate for anyone who touches more than one steering wheel. The .cfg file juggling is gone. The workflow is switching a dropdown, which takes about three seconds. For drivers with a dedicated oval rim and a road rim on the same base, this alone makes the Season 3 update worthwhile.
