Patch Notes: Kings of the Ring DLC

Game Version: 1.2.15

Hello Racers,

This update focuses on strengthening the core foundation of RENNSPORT, shaped directly by the priorities you shared with us earlier this summer.

Alongside new content, this patch introduces initial refinements to Force Feedback, broader wheel hardware support, adjustments to the cockpit experience, and a wide array of stability fixes.

A significant portion of our work has centred on AI behaviour. Rather than promising perfection, our focus for this release is establishing a more reliable baseline. We have worked to eliminate erratic line changes, sudden braking on straights, and unprovoked contact. AI development remains an ongoing, iterative process that will continue well beyond this milestone, but this update represents a practical step towards our design target of smart racing and zero stupidity. We look forward to your grounded feedback once you have put laps in against the updated grid.

The Kings of the Ring DLC officially deploys tomorrow, 24th September. As previously confirmed, this expansion is included completely free for all owners of the Deluxe Edition.

To deploy the update, our servers will go offline tomorrow morning at 10:00 CEST for approximately three hours of scheduled maintenance.

The Paid Content: a Homage to the Racing Community

Motorsport has never been polite. It is noisy, violent, and utterly indifferent to human hesitation. When you sit in the cockpit of a machine engineered to test physical limits, you either meet it with complete focus or it dismantles your confidence in the first corner.

With Kings of the Ring we’ve added three new machines that stake their claim on the asphalt, each with a legacy lovers of racing will appreciate.

Starting with a new King of the road.

Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo

Some machines follow sporting regulations; others exist solely to demonstrate what happens when engineers throw the rulebook into an incinerator. The 919 Evo is motorsport's apex predator, an unrestricted hybrid missile that reshaped our understanding of lap times at Spa and the Nordschleife. It is not merely fast. It operates in a regime of downforce and acceleration so violent that human reflexes struggle to keep pace.

Drivers who have strapped into the 919 Evo in our test builds all come back with the same wide-eyed look. The car does not float or slide. Ground effect and active aero clamp the carbon floor to the tarmac with tyrannical force. You brake at markers that your instincts swear will kill you, and you could swear that you felt the smell of burnt rubber, yet the hybrid powertrain and four-wheel drive haul the car through the apex before your brain has finished processing corner entry.

The 919 Evo demands absolute commitment. If you lift out of fear, you bleed downforce; if you stay flat, physics somehow bends to your will. It is an electrifying, breathless masterclass in modern engineering supremacy.

Drag Reduction System (DRS)

The Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo introduces an active Drag Reduction System (DRS). Engaging DRS trims the car's aerodynamic surfaces, dumping downforce and shedding drag to unlock a substantial increase in straight-line top speed down long straights like the Döttinger Höhe. Because trimming that downforce significantly reduces high-speed braking stability and grip, you will need to time your deployment carefully. Note that DRS is not automatic; you will need to bind the DRS action to a button on your wheel or controller in the settings menu before taking to the track.

We’re so convinced that once you’ve experienced driving it on the Nordschleife in RENNSPORT, it will put a smile on your face.

BMW M1 Procar

Developed for the iconic one-make championship supporting European Formula 1 rounds in 1979 and 1980, the BMW M1 Procar reflects a distinct era of analogue circuit racing. Powered by Paul Rosche’s naturally aspirated 3.5-litre M88/1 inline-six, the car delivers its power linearly and comes without modern driver aids, traction control, or ABS.

The mid-engine layout demands respect for basic chassis dynamics. Lap time comes from disciplined weight transfer on corner entry, measured downshifts to avoid locking the rear axle and smooth throttle modulation on exit. It is an honest, mechanical handling model that rewards clean inputs and precision over aggressive overdriving.

KTM X-BOW GT2

Built around a carbon-fibre monocoque and powered by Audi’s 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine, the KTM X-BOW GT2 represents a distinct design philosophy within the GT2 class. With a lower overall kerb weight than typical GT3 machinery, it relies on aerodynamic efficiency and power-to-weight performance rather than high downforce or large displacement.

On the circuit, the reduced mass translates to agile direction changes and direct feedback through the front axle. Finding consistent pace requires smooth steering inputs and disciplined throttle application to manage turbo boost on corner exit. It is a platform that rewards clean positioning, tidy lines, and carrying minimum corner speed rather than aggressive overdriving.

The Green Hell: Nürburgring Nordschleife

There are racetracks, and then there is the Eifel forest. Sir Jackie Stewart did not coin the term "Green Hell" as a romantic experience; he said it because after winning the treacherous, fog- and rain-soaked 1968 German Grand Prix, he came up with the name because this place will bite your head off the moment your focus slips.

Over twenty kilometres of broken tarmac, blind crests, deceptive cambers, and zero run-off. It is the ultimate proving ground, an asphalt gauntlet where mechanical balance and driver grit are tested to destruction.

We already brought you the modern version of the Grand Prix circuit before, the Deluxe Edition drivers have battled day and night on the combined 24-Hour endurance layout. Now, we are serving up the beast in its purest, rawest form: the standalone Nordschleife, stripped clean of the Grand Prix loop. Just your machine, the curbs, and an unrelenting ribbon of tarmac daring you to keep your foot planted through Flugplatz and down the Döttinger Höhe (that's Döttinger Heights for us non-german-speaking folks).

A quick word on how you get the keys:

Deluxe Edition Owners get this standalone Nordschleife experience at zero extra cost. Consider it our salute to your early commitment; it drops straight into your garage as part of this pack (alongside the aforementioned cars, of course).

Standalone DLC Purchasers get the full pack, including this pure Nordschleife alongside full access to all pre-existing Nürburgring layouts, including the 24-Hour endurance configuration.

No half-measures. Strap in tight, trust your rear axle, and respect the forest.

The Free Content: a More Stable Baseline

Our mission has shifted slightly since the first half of this year. With our players’ feedback in the recent survey it was clear that we needed to address RENNSPORT’s fundamentals. 

We agree that it’s not enough to keep adding new features and content on top of shaky grounds, so besides the content we are also addressing several of our community's requested topics.

Let’s talk about them!

A New Baseline for Artificial Intelligence

Our design target for single-player racing remains focused on smart racing and zero stupidity. That means steadily eliminating erratic behaviour such as random braking on straights, sudden stops, and unprovoked collisions. For the Kings of the Ring update, the AI engineering team focused on establishing a solid baseline rather than declaring a finished product. Teaching computer-controlled cars to race convincingly takes steady iteration, and this release represents a practical step forward.

Spatial Awareness and Track Respect

Competitors now show greater mutual respect for one another and for the player. The field exercises better spatial awareness when running in packs, giving more room during close-quarters racing and reducing unnecessary contact.

Racing Lines and Throttle Application

The AI adheres more consistently to optimal drivelines. Drivers now commit to full throttle when the track ahead is clear, which translates to cleaner launches off the grid and stronger straight-line pace, while remaining more measured and cautious as they navigate corners.

Difficulty and Class Tuning

The team spent dedicated development time tuning behaviour across the difficulty settings, smoothing out the curve to provide a more consistent challenge. In addition, work went into refining how the AI behaves across our different car classes to ensure the competition feels appropriate to the vehicle you are driving.

Work on artificial intelligence remains an ongoing process that will continue well beyond this release. The team looks forward to your grounded feedback once you have put laps in against the updated field.

**Wheel base and Force Feedback Improvements **

Following the feedback from Community Debrief #2, our hardware focus for this patch was on delivering more granular detail and removing artificial friction between your inputs and the car.

We recalibrated the baseline torque output curves for wheelbases on console platforms, with targeted tuning for PlayStation 5. This adjustment provides a broader dynamic range, allowing subtle front-tyre slip angles and kerb strikes to come through with greater clarity rather than clipping or feeling muffled.

We’ve also resolved an issue where certain third-party wheelbases and pedals were not recognised upon initial connection, ensuring your hardware is detected reliably on boot.

Additionally, we eliminated an artificial software delay previously present when rowing through gears on an external manual H-pattern shifter. Downshifts and upshifts now register the moment the physical gate is engaged.

Enhanced Cockpit Experience

In our recent debrief, drivers pointed out that cockpit visibility during dusk, dawn, and night sessions felt restrictive due to poor beam throw and hard shadow transitions. This patch introduces our first round of visual adjustments focused directly on track awareness from behind the wheel.

**Lighting, Skybox, and Shadows **

We also have made an adjustment pass on ambient lighting and skybox values across daytime and nighttime conditions, tuning colour, saturation, and overall brightness. Shadow contrast was lifted slightly to recover detail in dark corners and cockpit interiors that previously felt crushed.

For night sessions, we reduced the intense headlight glare caused by cars behind you. Dashboards, and digital displays have been improved , though reflections on the windscreen and external side mirrors still require work in upcoming passes.

In addition, incorrect lighting modes across classic machinery (including the BMW M3 E30, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 EVO II, Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI, and HWA EVO.R) have been corrected for night competition.

Motion Blur Toggle on Consoles

PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S can now toggle motion blur off in the graphics settings. Disabling this provides a crisper cockpit view, clearer mirror visibility, and cleaner edge definition through rapid direction changes.

Competitive Integrity and Contest Access

Fair, dependable competition requires rules that enforce racecraft consistently across every split. We addressed several competitive loopholes and restrictions highlighted by our league hosts and daily racers.

The penalty logic for gaining an advantage off-track has been overhauled. Previously, the system only penalised a single position gained when cutting the circuit. The system now tracks and penalises every position gained while off the racing surface. Furthermore, off-track slowdown penalties in qualifying sessions are now served immediately rather than banking until the chequered flag.

High-ranked drivers with safety and skill ratings above 5000 are no longer inadvertently locked out of joining player-hosted Custom Contests.

Closed an exploit in competitive multiplayer sessions where players were able to switch to an exterior camera angle when the server host strictly mandated cockpit view.

The full technical changelog is detailed below:

New Content

Vehicles

• Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo

• KTM X-BOW GT2

• BMW M1 Procar

Circuits

• Nürburgring Nordschleife (Standalone Layout)

Core System Updates

Artificial Intelligence

• Increased spatial awareness between AI competitors and the player, reducing unprovoked contact during close racing.

• Refined driveline tracking for cleaner launches off the grid and improved straight-line pace.

• Tuned throttle logic to run full throttle on clear straights while remaining disciplined in braking zones and corners.

• Balanced performance scaling across difficulty settings and refined behaviour across individual car classes.

Force Feedback and Controls

• Recalibrated wheelbase torque output curves on consoles for clearer dynamic range and kerb detail.

• FFB strength has been increased 

• Improved baseline Force Feedback behaviour on PlayStation®5.

• Removed the input delay when shifting with an external manual H-pattern shifter.

• Fixed controller navigation when binding an action to "None".

• Fixed an issue preventing PlayStation 5 players from assigning a single action to the DualSense trackpad, and corrected default trackpad bindings for headlights and pit limiter.

• Fixed an issue where connected peripheral hardware was occasionally not detected on startup.

Competitive and Gameplay Systems

• Overhauled track limit penalties: the system now calculates and penalises all positions gained off-track, rather than only a single position.

• Off-track slowdown penalties in qualifying sessions are now applied immediately rather than at the end of the session.

• High-rated drivers (5000+ rating) can now join player-hosted Custom Contests.

• Closed an exploit that allowed players to switch to external camera views when the server host enforced cockpit view.

• Fixed an issue where gear selection failed to reset upon restarting a Time Trial session.

Cars Tuning

• Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo (DRS) - Implemented a functional Drag Reduction System (DRS) to trim downforce and increase straight-line velocity. Players will need to manually bind the DRS input in their control settings.

• BMW M2 CS Racing: Reworked Physics and Setup

• **Porsche 911 GT1 '98: **New Default Setup

• Mercedes-Benz CLK LM: New Default Setup

• Porsche 956: New Default Setup

• Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: New Default Setup

• **Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport: **New Default Setup

• Mercedes C-Class V6 DTM: Engine Power adjustment

• BMW M3 E30: Engine Power adjustment

• Ford Mustang GT3: Power adjustment

Graphics and Visuals

• Added an option on consoles to toggle motion blur on or off.

• Adjusted daytime and nighttime ambient lighting balance, skybox colour palettes, saturation, and brightness levels.

• Lifted harsh shadow levels to improve visibility across dark track sections and cockpit interiors.

• Reduced trailing headlight reflections across the dashboard, digital screen (windscreen and side mirror refinements remain in progress for a future update).

Added Liveries

• 52x Standard Liveries [RENNSPORT Cup / Full Carbon]

• 41x Premium Liveries

Bug Fixes

Crashes on Xbox S

• Fixed an out-of-memory issue that caused crashes, particularly on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Vehicles

• HWA EVO.R: Corrected headlight modes, repaired dashboard display rendering on Medium and Low view distances, fixed the refuelling sequence, and resolved damaged mesh geometry errors.

• Classic Touring Fleet: Corrected headlight illumination modes on the BMW M3 E30, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 EVO II, Mercedes-Benz C-Class V6 DTM, and Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI.

• Car Selection: Resolved an issue where body components would momentarily render before the full vehicle model loaded.

Tracks and Environment

• Nürburgring Nordschleife: Fixed an issue causing extended loading times and freezes when entering sessions.

• Hockenheimring GP: Fixed broken white boundary line markings at the hairpin turn.

• Thermalito: Fixed the racing line display incorrectly appearing entirely red for specific vehicle classes.

• Kuala Lumpur: Corrected a racing line kink located at the start/finish straight.

• Founder's Track: Restored missing collision geometry along track boundaries.

Championships

• Fixed an issue where all AI opponents in the HWA championship loaded with identical liveries.

• Corrected track variant typography colour, round padding, and vehicle restriction lists.

• Resolved inconsistent lock icon statuses across championship menu pages.

• Fixed an issue where abandoning an active stage redirected players to the Home screen rather than the Championship hub.

• Corrected the display name for the Touring Generations Classic championship.

Pit Stops and Replays

• Fixed an issue where pit crews failed to animate if car settings were changed inside the pit box.

• Fixed missing wheel geometry and inaccurate pit crew animations during replay playback.

• Fixed an issue where quitting a race abruptly could corrupt the active replay file and cause a black screen.

• Improved general replay playback stability and performance on consoles.

User Interface and Storefront

• Added an explicit confirmation prompt when enabling or disabling cross-play.

• Added a "Show Password" toggle on private lobby password entry screens.

• Corrected layout errors in Custom Contest setting menus and Official Contest summary cards.

• Fixed an issue where the Official Contests directory disappeared after completing registration.

• Fixed player list pagination and column alignment issues across lobby and pit screens.

• Fixed misaligned session countdown timers when launching Practice or Qualifying.

• Resolved an issue where headlight warning banners remained stuck on screen during night Quick Sessions.

• Fixed visual layout formatting issues in the Friends List and repaired the Championships menu scrollbar.

• Updated corporate emblems for Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Benz.

• Corrected vehicle model designation numbers when deselecting vehicles in the garage.

• Fixed car selection highlights resetting back to the first vehicle after leaving the livery shop, and removed redundant "Change Car" button prompts.

• Corrected storefront checkout summaries to display clear Base and Bonus breakdowns for RENN$ purchases.

Known Issues

• AI-driven KTM class has slow starts

  • Will be addressed in a future hotfix

• AI needs more work on the 919 who drives it a bit slow

  • We’re doing internal driving improvements to guide the AI

• Visual bug with windscreen reflections in the interior

  • Will be addressed in a future hotfix

• AI-driving the BMW M1 Procar has issues with one of the bumps in one of the curves on Crest

//RENNSPORT