You'll soon be able to drive the BMW M Hybrid V8 using iRacing's platform

German automaker BMW plans to take its Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) car, the BMW M Hybrid V8, to the iRacing driving simulation platform. Race fans will have the chance to get behind the wheel - only digitally, of course - and see what they can do on the same Le Mans tracks the drivers use.

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BMW and iRacing have a relationship that has developed over a few years, as the German automaker must trust its technology partner. The company is currently sharing technical car details, such as CAD data and simulator/racetrack results, with iRacing. This additional information should allow for a significantly more realistic virtual driving experience for motorsports fans.

Both companies have teamed up to take cars like the M8 GTE, M4 GT4, and M4 GT3 from the real-world into the virtual world. Direct support from automakers helps create an even more realistic experience with the immersion of cars identical to the ones we watch race around the track on TV.

iRacing bills itself as the premier motorsport racing simulation system for PC players. In addition to the racing capability, the company also has a centralized competition service to officiate online racing on virtual tracks.

As noted by Steve Myers, EVP at iRacing, said in a press statement: "We're incredibly excited to confirm that the BMW M Hybrid V8 will be coming to iRacing in the coming months. We've been eagerly anticipating the LMDh class for a few years now, and BMW M Motorsport's support has been indispensable in helping us to bring both their entry and the new class to iRacing. Building this car in the sim has been a joy for our team, and we can't wait to see the community's response upon release."

The BMW Hybrid V8 will make its race debut during the 24 Hours of Daytona in January 2023. Until then, BMW continues to test - and monitor - how the car performs in the United States.

Here are some highlights of how iRacing looks: