The tyre model in a racing sim is probably the most critical aspect with regard to providing the driver with a realistic driving experience. This includes the accurate simulation of not only tyre wear but also the tyre's reaction to changes in temperature, the core temperature as well as the surface temperature, flexing of the sidewall, tyre pressure changes etc.
rFactor 2 has a decent tyre model, but there's always room for improvement. Studio-397 announced this week that they have entered into a partnership with Goodyear with the aim of improving the rFactor 2 tyre model.
Why Goodyear?
The Goodyear Tire & and Rubber Company have been manufacturing tyres for over a century with a rich history in motorsport. They are the most successful tyre manufacturer in Formula having won multiple championships prior to their departure at the end of the 1998 season. They are currently supplying tyres to NASCAR and the NHRA. Their many years of motorsport experience should make them an invaluable resource in improving the current rFactor 2 tyre model.
What does this mean for you?
This partnership, if it goes as planned, will mean that rFactor 2 will be more realistic than ever. The interaction of the track surface with the tyre along with the myriad of changes that will occur thereafter should result in a sim racing experience that has the potential to be the best in the genre. However, this is not a simple task and will most probably occur over a long period and we will only see it incrementally. As mentioned before, we don't have much faith in Motorsport Games, the company that owns rFActor 2, but we still hope that their partnership with Goodyear is indeed successful and flows over to the other games that they are currently developing.
