Car and Driver has just concluded a unique endurance test: a 60-lap virtual race at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) pitting six human drivers against 23 AI opponents. The event, held within the Forza Motorsport video game, marks an unusual fusion of motorsport tradition and artificial intelligence.
The Challenge: Real Drivers, Virtual Rivals
The core idea is simple: can human drivers still outperform AI in a competitive racing environment? Six Car and Driver staff members – David Beard, Jacob Kurowicki, Dave VanderWerp, Caleb Miller, Jack Fitzgerald, and Collin Morgan – each took ten laps behind the wheel of a highly-tuned 2026 BMW M2 CS in the game. The AI was programmed to simulate realistic pit stops, including “driver swaps” for each of its 23 participants.
The stakes? A free lunch for the human who records the fastest clean lap time. As editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga confirmed, even in an era of automation, some rewards remain analog.
The Setup: Fair Play, High Stakes
To ensure a level playing field, the simulation included full penalties, tire wear, and fuel consumption. However, damage, rewinds, and traction control were disabled. The in-game BMW M2 was based on a 2022 model tuned by staff photographer Michael Simari, who leveraged his real-world racing expertise to maximize performance. The virtual car boasts 524 horsepower, upgraded suspension, and reduced weight compared to its real-world counterpart.
Why This Matters
This experiment isn’t merely about bragging rights. It highlights the growing sophistication of AI in racing simulations, where algorithms are rapidly closing the gap with human performance. Motorsport has always been a proving ground for technology; now, that includes the very intelligence behind the wheel. The results will likely spark debate on the future of racing, where virtual competition could one day rival real-world events in both spectacle and skill.
The full results and driver commentary are available on Car and Driver’s platforms, offering a glimpse into how the battle between man and machine is unfolding on the digital track.
