Best Free Racing Games on Steam in 2023

Copa Petrobras de Marcas is a great free racing game.jpg
Everyone likes getting access to a game for free. But it is often difficult finding a game that won't impact your bank balance whilst still being a quality title. Here's your list for the best racing games on Steam for free in 2023.

Image Credit: Reiza Studios

New racing games release all the time. But in a cost of living crisis, not everyone can confidently throw triple-A money on a little-known racing simulator. If, like the majority of the racing community, you're feeling strapped for cash but still want to get your hands on a new game, Steam may have some options for you.

Whilst there are some gems out there, many free racing games can leave you displeased. Here's a deep dive list into the best and top rated ones you might want to try.

GPRO - Classic racing manager​

A brand new title, having released in February of this year, GPRO is an alternative motorsport manager game. Originally, this title featuring classic formula cars released as a web browser game. Since, it has hit App stores having been converted to mobile gaming and is available for free on Steam for PC.

GPRO is a free motorsport manager game.jpg


Unlike the F1 Manager game that came out last year, this is a massively multiplayer title allowing players to embody the role of a team manager and go up against others in long seasons. Each season reportedly lasts two months in the real world with races taking place just twice a week.

This manager game is focused on car development rather than race strategy as one doesn't need to be present during the races. However, it is recommended to watch along with other team managers as you can discuss the event with fellow players online. A different take on the motorsport manager style, this free to play title is certainly worth a try, especially given its positive reviews on Steam.

Rekt: Crash Test​

Yet another tech demo that has become its own title, Rekt: Crash Test is a stunt driving game. Featuring many vehicle models and a large arena in which players must perform certain stunts, it is supposedly inspired by the likes of Rush and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series.

REKT test crash.jpg


The player experience is all about performing stunts and completing objectives listed by the game. Complete these by yourself or in a multiplayer environment, be it online or in a split-screen format. Countless PvP modes include capture the flag, infection and traditional races. According to the developers, the game has a player base of over 170,000 people. Along with its randomised challenge system allows for almost infinite playability.

Inertial Drift: Sunset Prologue​

Inertial Drift is a game that released on Steam in the Summer of 2020. A full-price title, it has a little sibling that was released prior to the main game and used as a tech demo. Getting players excited for the full game, Sunset Prologue features the same twin stick drifting mechanics which is sure to fry many brains the first time they try it.

Inertial Drift has a free tech demo with great playability.jpg


Akin to the full release, it looks great thanks to a cartoonish design style with smoke graphics similar to those in Need For Speed Unbound. The game is set in a so-called "90's retro future and whilst the full Inertial Drift has a 16-car and 20-track roster, Sunset Prologue gets two tracks and two cars. This small tech demo only features an online lap time leader board competition system, but the full game gets a PvP style race mode.

Stream Racer​

Built for online content creators, Stream Racer is a game in which streamers can set up their own races and have fans join them on totally custom tracks. Visually, one could compare this title to the popular mobile game, Crossy Road while the gameplay greatly resembles Marbles on Stream.

Stream Racer.png


Released in 2020, it has gained wide-ranging appreciation for its community-centric style. In fact, Steam reviews rate Stream Racer as one of the best free-to-play racing games.

Vecter​

Not strictly a racing game, Vecter is a throwback to the good old days of arcade gaming. Jump behind the controls of a flying vehicle and compete in this endless runner world as you do your best to set a high score. Do this by travelling as far as you can in the world without crashing into the many obstacles that stand in your way.

Vecter.jpg


Tron-style graphics and simplistic yet fun gameplay are certainly the reasons behind this game's excellent reviews. It seems the Steam community is a great fan of this free-to-play title in which the player takes control of a vehicle. That's the definition of a racing game, right?

Which free racing games would you suggest the community tries out?
About author
Angus Martin
Motorsport gets my blood pumping more than anything else. Be it physical or virtual, I'm down to bang doors.

Comments

Raceroom is still in development so can be considered current, not old.
Or are you also saying iracing, for example, is an old game? What's the criteria?

As for it not being free, well it is free. It's no different to any other game with DLC.

Likening it to AMS2 demo which has one car, one track and limited game modes is ridiculous. With r3e base game no game modes are locked out, you could even run a full online league for free if you wanted....

If you title a piece "best free racing games on steam in 2023" but then omit the best free racing game on steam in 2023 then what is that saying about your editorial bias?
 
Last edited:
Premium
"If, like the majority of the racing community, you're feeling strapped for cash"

The majority of racing community is feeling strapped for cash because of the amount they have spent on rig.

But typically, the cost of the games themselves is like what a discount airline ticket is to a holiday in Rome.
 
The screenshot at the top of the article is imo one of the best free racing sims that you could get on Steam.

Copa Petrobras de Marcas, from Reiza.

You could get an improved version of the class in Game Stockcar Extreme and later Automobilista.

It was taken off Steam after the Petrobras corruption scandal, although that could have been a coincidence.

Nice class though, IMO not the same in AMS2.

EDIT: I see more people commented on Marcas from Reiza.
 
Last edited:
Have a precautionary tale to tell regarding GPRO. Game is set up in such a way that your survival in a higher league can often hinge on one or two big performances that you spend all season preparing for, only to be at the mercy of the random even more so than your usual online manager. Races potentially ruined by your driver randomly vomiting or a tyre blister that you have absolutely zero way of mitigating the risk of.

When called out on this absurdity, the community struck back by playing the "you're a stupid rookie" card and ostracizing me. With that in mind, I'd like to put a good word in for MyRacingCareer instead. You train a driver up to potentially compete in their F1 series (or MotoGP/WRC if you want to go down another path), and along the way get to experience a number of different cars and race formats


Current season is at day 67; if you wait until day 71 to create a driver you can get what is largely agreed to be the "ideal" start for a long term driver; 18yo, 80 intelligence/charisma/man management. Day 1 is an alternative option as you can remain eligible for U21 races as a 22yo, the downside being you have to start in rookie series.
 
Last edited:
Copa Petrobras de Marcas from Reiza.

Full version up for grabs, entirely for free at Steam. And have been so for years.

Myself enjoyed offline AI racing all the series right from official release date.

Much more content than free R3E version.
OK so either my memory tricks me and must've been thinking of Copa Petrobras content in SCx (of which I've raced vividly for some years until 2-3 years ago), or content must have been removed for a free Steam version.
Now re-installed, and quite 'slim' content. Had expected at least more tracks available.

Anyone with knowledge whether content has been removed for a free Steam version?
(GTR2 Steam version is missing licenced Ferrari + Porsche content and when I raced paid version of CDM, I had more vehicles and track content in my mind writing first post here).

Most probably my memory playing tricks on me, doubt Reiza removes content for previously paying costumers...(was thinking maybe more content on my other Steam account used as sandbox and typically rent from my prime Steam account via Family Library Sharing, but sometimes I by fault order content from my 2nd account - but just tested here and result is the same).
 
Last edited:
just buy automobilista 1. its the same game with far more content
Agree to some extent.
And in general AMS1 is fabulous, both sim engine wise and VR wise.

Unless you as me now and then use keyboard driving (in my case primarily used for quick drop-in sandbox testing - yes part time member of the Keybord Drivers Anonymous club here :D)

AMS1 is basically not very well suited for keyboard driving.

But you can get around it by playing with controller damping settings.

Though it's often up to personal preferences, and can vary dependent of which kind of vehicle raced (in my case an extra leg brace racing all kind of vehicles).
 
Last edited:
And something for the herd, almost free:
 
Quite agree, 5 free tracks comprising 16 different layouts plus 13 free cars from various classes. Add in the ability to test drive any car before you buy.
What else do they need to do to get on the list.
You're right, plus it's a real simulation, good or bad, everyone has their own opinion and we're still on a site dedicated to simulation...
On the other hand I would like to say that if you then decide to move on to more tracks and cars if you really like RaceRoom, you can buy the whole of RR for more or less 90 euros, then you have all the circuits and cars, it's expensive but immensely less than buying it all one by one?
And also, very good in VR.
 
Premium
I don't think it's on Steam but...
Drag Racer V3 has it all, pink slip racing, engine swaps, customization and paint jobs, audio equipment and even Custom car shows. :)
 
I don't get this site anymore, news is just filled with forum fillers.
Even sims updates should not be news, I mean they are news but should be in there respective forums under "news".

That would help limit the trolls and flamers that latch onto news, they are too lazy to scroll all sim forums.

Put REAL racing news up, source it, be different.
 

Latest News

Article information

Author
Angus Martin
Article read time
3 min read
Views
18,805
Comments
50
Last update

What's needed for simracing in 2024?

  • More games, period

  • Better graphics/visuals

  • Advanced physics and handling

  • More cars and tracks

  • AI improvements

  • AI engineering

  • Cross-platform play

  • New game Modes

  • Other, post your idea


Results are only viewable after voting.
Back
Top