VR in iRacing: A Complete Guide

Virtual reality has long been destined to be the next game-changing technology within gaming and the workplace. However, it wasn’t until the past few years that VR has had the impact that was promised. Sim racing in particular is leading the charge for VR in gaming, with games such as iRacing and Le Mans Ultimate implementing it extremely well.

With other sim racing titles such as Assetto Corsa Competizione, AC Evo and the F1 games all supporting VR, I wanted to look at the pros and cons of VR, specifically in the most popular sim racing title, iRacing.

In this guide, I’ll explore why iRacing and virtual reality are a match made in heaven. The pros and cons of using a VR headset with iRacing, and I’ll look at the costs and set up process involved when switching to VR. Hopefully, the information in this guide will help you make a decision on whether iRacing in VR is for you.

Why choose VR for iRacing?

For many sim racers, virtual reality is by far the closest we’ll get to race a real race car. Sim racing is one aspect of gaming, where increasing the immersion can lead to a highly realistic experience. Virtual reality helps achieve this immersion more than almost any other piece of sim racing gear you can buy.

While we can surround ourselves with triple screens, add a motion platform to our sim rig and buy the most realistic racing wheels. Virtual reality headsets are the one piece of technology that can transport us directly behind the wheel and into the cockpit of any race car.

iRacing is one of the most realistic driving simulators around, so adding a VR headset for sim racing in iRacing can result in one of the most immersive sim racing experiences available.

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How does VR work in iRacing?

VR in iRacing is seamlessly integrated. You will require a monitor to launch the iRacing UI where you can choose your car, track or event. But as soon as you go to launch the session, you can switch entirely over to using your VR headset.

When launching a session you’ll have the option to do so in VR. If you select that, the in-game iRacing menu will be shown through your VR headset. You will be able to adjust various settings such as your field of view, and graphics settings directly through the iRacing menu. And then you’ll be able to go racing right away.

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Pimax: The official VR partner of iRacing

The majority of my time sim racing in iRacing with a VR headset, has been done using the Pimax Crystal Super. This is high-end VR headset that promises the best visual clarity with incredible resolution. I have been using an RTX 4090 primarily to run iRacing in VR, and this has allowed me to maximise the 3840 × 3840 pixel resolution in each eye.

While the Pimax Crystal Super is an incredibly impressive headset, it is one of the more premium models available. Priced at over £1300 or $1400, it is firmly in the premium price range. Especially when compared to a Meta Quest 3S at under £300 or $300.

However, this isn’t a fair comparison, as cheaper headsets like the Meta Quest 3S cannot deliver the same visual fidelity as the Pimax Crystal Super. And using a headset like the Quest can be rather offputting while sim racing.

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Pimax do also have their own more affordable headset available, the Crystal Light, which is around half the price of the Super. The overall design of the Light is almost identical to the Super, and it still delivers a fantastic experience in titles such as iRacing and ACC.

In 2026, Pimax announced that they had partnered with iRacing to become the official iRacing VR partner.

Watch my full review of the Pimax Crystal Super below

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VR vs single or triple screens

The debate between VR and monitors is a big debate, especially among sim racers. There are plenty of sim racers who exclusively race in VR, and would never not race in VR, as the increased immersion adds a lot to the overall experience.

Then there are those who much prefer single or triple screen monitors for iRacing. This approach removes the variables of having to configure a VR headset and any shaking or movement that comes from a VR headset.

This is the preferred approach for those who stream or record videos as it can be tricky to record and broadcast VR, and in many cases, it is easier to watch a 2D stream.

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Using monitors is also good for those who suffer from VR sickness, or like to race in longer endurance races. It can be much more comfortable to do this using a monitor to ensure you don’t feel sick during a race.

The decision on whether you race in VR or use monitors comes down to personal preference. And for those who have never tried VR, I would recommend giving it a go if possible to experience it. The immersion is incredible, and I can still remember the first time I raced in VR, as it was almost game-changing for me.

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The best VR headsets for iRacing

There are a good number of VR headsets available, including a range of headsets across different budgets. Headsets such as the Meta Quest 3s offer decent entry-level performance at a lower price point. These are idel for those looking to dabble in VR.

Moving up towards the higher-performing VR headset range, you have headsets such as the Pimax Crystal Light and Super. These are more premium VR headsets, designed to perform incredibly well with much higher resolution and specs.

My original experience sim racing in VR was with an older Meta Quest 2. At the time, I wasn’t a fan due to the visible pixelation, blurring and overall low quality resolution. It took me a good year or two to revisit sim racing in VR, and the second time around I did so using the Pimax Crystal Super.

This was a huge step up in quality. The visible screen door effect was gone, the resolution was incredibly high, making the experience night and day compared to my first attempt.

Since then, I’ve exclusively used Pimax headsets while sim racing, and we have also had the chance to work with Pimax on collaborations, reviews and partnerships.

For a detailed guide on the best VR headsets for iRacing, I’d recommend reading our ultimate VR headset buyers guide. In that guide, I run through all of the best options for sim racing in VR, and provide recommendations across a range of budgets.

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How to set up VR in iRacing

The set up process to get VR up and running in iRacing is relatively simple.

• Step 1: Connect your VR headset
  The first thing to do is connect your VR headset to your PC and ensure it is all connected, switched on and working. This process varies across different headsets but generally involves connecting the headset via a cable, powering it on and launching the required software such as the Oculus App.
• Step 2: Launch iRacing
  Once your VR headset is up and running, open up the iRacing UI, and select the session you wish to start or join. Then go to launch the sim like you normally would. Before the session launches, you’ll be given a choice of whether to launch using your monitor or your VR headset. Select your VR headset.
• Step 3: Tweak your settings
  It is almost a certainty that you will need to adjust your VR graphics settings to ensure iRacing is running optimally in your headset. There are a lot of settings that you can tweak, but your priority should be to create a stable framerate of 60fps+.

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• Written by Rich Article updated on February 4, 2026 Tags: Gaming, iRacing

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