Assetto Corsa as a Multiplayer Racing Simulation

Assetto Corsa by Kunos Simulazioni is one of the most precise racing simulations for PC. Alongside the extensive single-player mode, multiplayer operation via your own dedicated server is the core of the community: clubs, leagues, and open servers make it possible to drive together with realistic physics and community content (tracks, cars via mods).

Your own server gives you full control over vehicle classes, tracks, weather conditions, session times, and rules — without relying on official servers or third-party lobbies.

Order a Server

For your own Assetto Corsa server, select the game in the order wizard. At game-serverhosting, the dedicated server runs preconfigured in the panel — no separate Linux installation, no manual firewall configuration.

Rent an Assetto Corsa Server

After ordering, your server is ready to use within a few minutes. The dashboard shows you the status as soon as the server switches to “ready”.

Installation of the Assetto Corsa Dedicated Server

The official Assetto Corsa Dedicated Server (Steam App ID 302550) is fully automatically installed, updated, and started at game-serverhosting — you do not need to run SteamCMD, download server files, or start anything manually. After ordering, your server is ready to play within a few minutes.

You only take care of the configuration — conveniently via the guided editor and the integrated file manager in the panel.

Guided Configuration Editor in the Panel

The fastest way to configure the server is the guided editor directly in the panel on the server management page. Instead of editing server_cfg.ini by hand, you set the number of players, session rules, realism options (ABS, traction control, damage, fuel consumption, tire wear), and voting settings via clearly labeled fields with help texts. Every change takes effect after the next server restart.

Guided Assetto Corsa editor: server and session settings as a form in the game-serverhosting panel
Guided Assetto Corsa editor: server and session settings as a form in the game-serverhosting panel
Guided Assetto Corsa editor: realism options (ABS, traction control, damage, tire wear) and voting settings
Guided Assetto Corsa editor: realism options (ABS, traction control, damage, tire wear) and voting settings

If you need full control over every detail (tracks, vehicle lists, slots), you can still edit the files directly — the following sections describe their exact structure.

Required Files: server_cfg.ini and entry_list.ini

The AC dedicated server is controlled via two files:

server_cfg.ini — Basic Configuration

[SERVER]
NAME=My AC Server
CARS=ks_mazda_mx5_nd;ks_bmw_m3_e92
TRACK=ks_nordschleife
TRACK_LAYOUT=
MAX_CLIENTS=16
RACE_OVER_TIME=60
ALLOWED_TYRES_OUT=2
ABS_ALLOWED=1
TC_ALLOWED=1
STABILITY_ALLOWED=0
AUTOCLUTCH_ALLOWED=1
TYRE_BLANKETS_ALLOWED=1
FORCE_VIRTUAL_MIRROR=0
REGISTER_TO_LOBBY=1
PICKUP_MODE_ENABLED=1
SLEEP_TIME=1
VOTING_QUORUM=75
VOTE_DURATION=20
BLACKLIST_MODE=0
CLIENT_SEND_INTERVAL_HZ=18
DAMAGE_MULTIPLIER=100
FUEL_RATE=100
TYRE_WEAR_RATE=100
PASSWORD=
ADMIN_PASSWORD=myAdminPassword
HTTP_PORT=8081
UDP_PORT=9600
TCP_PORT=9600
MAX_BALLAST_KG=0

Important fields:

  • CARS: Semicolon-separated list of vehicle IDs (from the content/cars/ directory)
  • TRACK: Track ID (from content/tracks/)
  • MAX_CLIENTS: Maximum number of players (depends on your server package)
  • TCP_PORT / UDP_PORT: Default 9600 — your actual port is shown in the panel connection details
  • HTTP_PORT: For the manager web service (default 8081)

entry_list.ini — Vehicle Slots

[CAR_0]
MODEL=ks_mazda_mx5_nd
SKIN=red
SPECTATOR_MODE=0
DRIVER_NAME=
DRIVER_TEAM=
DRIVER_GUID=

[CAR_1]
MODEL=ks_bmw_m3_e92
SKIN=white
SPECTATOR_MODE=0
DRIVER_NAME=
DRIVER_TEAM=
DRIVER_GUID=

A [CAR_N] entry must exist for every MAX_CLIENTS slot. Leave DRIVER_NAME and DRIVER_GUID empty for open slots (pickup mode).

Configure Sessions

Sessions define practice, qualifying, and race duration:

[PRACTICE]
NAME=Free Practice
TIME=30
IS_OPEN=1

[QUALIFY]
NAME=Qualifying
TIME=15
IS_OPEN=1

[RACE]
LAPS=10
WAIT_TIME=60
IS_OPEN=0
  • TIME: Session duration in minutes
  • LAPS: Race distance in laps (alternatively TIME for timed races)
  • IS_OPEN=1: Players can join during the session

Add Tracks and Vehicles

Kunos-owned content (ks_*) is included in the dedicated server package. For mod tracks and cars:

  1. Unpack the mod archive
  2. Upload the folder to content/tracks/ (track) or content/cars/ (vehicle)
  3. Enter the ID (folder name) in server_cfg.ini

In the game-serverhosting panel, use the file manager for the upload. After uploading, the server must be restarted so the content is detected.

Mod Sources

Source Content
RaceDepartment (racedepartment.com) Tracks, cars, skins — largest community library
AC Discord Curated mod lists for leagues
Kunos-owned content Always prefer — best physics quality

Content Manager as an Admin Tool

The Content Manager (content-manager.io) is the unofficial but largely essential frontend for AC server administration. It provides a GUI for:

  • Server configuration (GUI instead of editing .ini files)
  • Vehicle approval and skin selection
  • Session planning and rule sets
  • Live overview of connected players

You use Content Manager on your local PC and connect it to your game-serverhosting server via IP + TCP port.

Ports and Firewall

Port Protocol Usage
9600 TCP Player connections
9600 UDP Player data stream
8081 TCP HTTP manager interface

At game-serverhosting, these ports are automatically opened. You can find your actual port numbers (which may differ) in the panel under the connection details.

Common Problems

Server does not appear in the lobby list Make sure REGISTER_TO_LOBBY=1 is set and the UDP port is reachable. At game-serverhosting, this is configured automatically.

Vehicle ID not recognized Check the exact folder name in the content/cars/ directory — the ID is case-sensitive on Linux servers.

Players get “Wrong checksum” The player has a different mod version than the server. Make sure all players have installed the same version of the mod.

Server does not start after configuration change Check for syntax errors in server_cfg.ini (missing separators, wrong encoding). The number of [CAR_N] entries must exactly match MAX_CLIENTS.

Conclusion

Your own Assetto Corsa dedicated server gives you full control over tracks, vehicles, session rules, and access. Via server_cfg.ini and entry_list.ini, you configure everything from the vehicle class to the race distance. Content Manager makes administration much easier.

Rent an Assetto Corsa Server →

FAQ

Which vehicles and tracks are included in the dedicated server?

The official AC Dedicated Server (Steam App 302550) includes all Kunos-owned content (ks_* prefix): Nordschleife, Monza, Spa, Silverstone, and other tracks, as well as vehicles from Ferrari, BMW, Lotus, Mazda, and others. Mods must be uploaded separately.

Do I need my own Steam copy of Assetto Corsa for the server?

No — the dedicated server is a separate free downloadable app (App ID 302550). Players do of course need the main game, but running the server itself is free.

How many players can an AC server host?

Technically up to 24 players, but in practice 12–16 are recommended for smooth racing. With more players, data traffic increases significantly — adjust MAX_CLIENTS to your booked server package.

Can I run season rounds with fixed vehicle assignments?

Yes — enter the drivers’ DRIVER_GUID (SteamID64) in entry_list.ini. This gives each driver their assigned slot and vehicle, regardless of join order.