The best VR racing games for PSVR, PC, Oculus and more

If you're into racing sims and you own either a PS4 or PS5, there's a pretty strong chance you already own Gran Turismo Sport. One of the most enduring racing titles of the generation, GT Sport boasts a great VR Drive mode. It's a thrilling mode that lets you go head-to-head with an AI racer, but admittedly, it's a more limited experience than you'll find in newer releases.

Although a third instalment in the series - Project CARS 3 - was released in 2020, Project CARS 2 remains the most venerated, both by critics and fans alike. The general consensus was some of the raw driving thrills of the first two Project CARS editions were lost by the third instalment, replaced by a softer arcade feel.

The good news is Project CARS 2 remains as sharp and potent today as it was five years ago, only now it can be picked up for a bargain. We particularly like the vehicle physics and dynamic track conditions for peak realism.

After eight years in the business, Assetto Corsa Competizione remains the go-to for many discerning sim fans, particularly with VR operation in mind. The Project CARS vs Assetto Corsa debate remains fierce and probably will for some time, with partisan fans fighting their corner every day over driving physics, image quality and game depth on both.

However, most of the community can agree that ACC pips PC on drifting realism and physics any day, attracting more drift-minded racers to the platform. If that's your thing, this could be the one for you.

For those of an off-road inclination, DiRT has you covered. The second DiRT Rally game was released in February 2019, allowing fans to try their hand at off-road time trial racing in VR for the first time. Available on Valve Index HTC Vive and Oculus, you're covered on where to play but be advised of the motion sickness that can occur when driving on the particularly bumpy or twisting stages.

First time VR users on this game might find it a bit overwhelming (with rather unpleasant consequences), so we would recommend trying a softer stage, to begin with, just to get your bearings, then working your way up.

Perhaps not the most technologically advanced title in regard to graphics complexity and design, the racing is undoubtedly some of the most exciting. We like the large range of vehicles on offer, and especially the historic racing cars complete with matching period circuits.

With a VR set on, you may not feel quite as though you've been transported back to 1966 Spa Francorchamps, but it's about as close as you can get, and the experience is still undeniably exhilarating. Worth picking up if you're just after some enjoyable light-hearted racing fun.

One of the modern wonders of video games is the ability of developers to patch titles. Sometimes these patches fix an annoying bug, but sometimes they fundamentally change the gaming experience - such is the case with WipEout: Omega Collection when the VR patch was added.

Now, over three remastered WipEout games (HD, HD Fury and 2048), you can don your PSVR headset and take part in some truly brilliant high-octane spaceship racing to the beat of futuristic electro and tripped out lighting effects. There's not a Mercedes in sight, but it's still one of the best VR racing experiences you can have today.

The PSVR2 is Sony's PlayStation VR headset. Though it's one of the more modestly powered headsets around, it makes up for it in ease of use and accessibility - no overclocked PC required, just an off-the-shelf console.

One of the most popular VR headsets on the market, the Meta Quest 2 is the continuation of the Meta Quest headset line, more than double the graphic processing power than its predecessor. It has a 4K display and 3D audio which is a huge improvement over the Quest 2.

At the top end of the VR headset market is the HTC VIVE Pro 2. One of these kits will set you back around eight hundred quid, which may seem a lot, but the bells are abundant and whistles plentiful. This HTC VIVE Pro 2 features 5K clarity with a 120-degrees field of view. There's Hi-Res certified headphones that are removable, and a refresh rate of 120 Hz.

This VR from Valve Index is another top of the range model, featuring the headset, controllers and two base stations, supporting Valve's lighthouse 2.0 tracking system. This VR set comes in a sleek black finish, and a head strap padded with memory foam for improved comfort.