Automobilista 2 does not have the mod scene of Assetto Corsa. It does not have Steam Workshop either. What it has is a small group of modders who keep a few very good projects alive, and one tool that makes installing them easy.
These are the nine I would install, in the order I would install them. The download counts are from OverTake.gg, the old RaceDepartment, on 5 October 2026. The game was on V1.6.9.9 when I checked.
The best Automobilista 2 mods at a glance
| Mod | Type | Author | Downloads | Last update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automobilista 2 Content Manager | Mod installer | paoloambrosio | 69,757 | 2 March 2024 |
| IndyCar IR18 2023 | Car and series | luijo | 35,083 | 24 June 2026 |
| Racing Life | Career mode app | pombeiro | 30,270 | 30 April 2024 |
| F1 2025 Skinpack | Liveries | GTIDustin | 29,582 | 22 November 2025 |
| F1 1991 Season | Season pack | AFry | 27,703 | 7 January 2025 |
| F1 2000 Season | Season pack | AFry | 23,199 | 16 August 2026 |
| F1 2012 Season | Season pack | AFry | 22,254 | 28 June 2026 |
| F1 1995 Season | Season pack | AFry | 18,785 | 9 July 2026 |
| NAMeS: Real Drivers for AMS2 | AI driver names | John B. Ellis | 13,600 | 11 September 2026 |
You need a free OverTake account to download any of them.
1. Automobilista 2 Content Manager
Start here. The Automobilista 2 Content Manager, AMS2CM for short, is not a car or a track. It is the tool that installs cars and tracks for you, and it is the most downloaded AMS2 mod by a wide margin.
Before it existed, installing a car mod meant copying folders and editing game files by hand. One mistake and the game would not start. With AMS2CM you do this:
- Drag the mod archive onto the AMS2CM window.
- Tick the box next to the mod.
- Press Apply.
That is the whole process. To remove a mod, untick the box and press Apply again.
Three things to know before you use it:
- It needs Windows 10 or newer and the .NET 6 Desktop Runtime.
- Start from a clean game. If you already installed mods by hand or with JSGME, remove them first.
- You do not need separate bootfiles, and you do not need to turn off Steam updates.
If you want the manual method explained, or you are stuck with an old install, read my guide to modding Automobilista 2.
2. IndyCar IR18 2023
The IndyCar IR18 2023 mod by luijo is the car mod to get. It brings the Dallara IR18 with the 2023 grid, and it comes with a Preset Selector for 11 rounds of the 2023 season, so the right cars and liveries load for each race.
It is at version 2.42 and was updated on 24 June 2026, which matters more than the download count. A mod that is still updated is a mod that still works.
The author gives numbers for the AI grid, and I would use them:
| Track type | Opponents |
|---|---|
| Indianapolis | 33 |
| Road and street courses | 27 |
| Other ovals | 28 |
Set the AI aggression to medium. The author is honest that the AI on ovals is not perfect, so expect some odd moments in traffic there. On road courses it races well.
3. Racing Life
Racing Life by pombeiro fixes the biggest hole in Automobilista 2: there is no real career mode. The game gives you championships and that is it.
Racing Life is a companion app that runs next to the game and builds a career around your races. It is not a car or a track, so it does not touch the game files in the way a car mod does. With 30,270 downloads it is the third most downloaded AMS2 file on OverTake.
If you race alone against the AI most of the time, this is the one that changes how long you stay with the game. A reason to do the next race is worth more than one more car.
For the built in option, see my guide to custom championships in Automobilista 2.
4. F1 2025 Skinpack
The F1 2025 Skinpack by GTIDustin puts the 2025 Formula 1 grid on the F-Ultimate Gen 2, the modern F1 style car that is already in the game.
You get every livery, the helmets and the suits. It also includes the special liveries Red Bull and Haas ran at Suzuka, and it handles the seat swap between Tsunoda and Lawson. An XML Selector by Alain Fry lets you pick which version of the grid you want.
This is a skin pack. The car physics are the game's own, which is a good thing: the F-Ultimate Gen 2 is one of the best cars to drive in the sim. If you want an older grid, the same author has a 2024 pack and a 2023 pack too.
5. F1 1991 Season
The season packs by AFry are the reason a lot of people still play Automobilista 2. The idea is simple. The game already has very good historic Formula cars, but with made up teams and drivers. A season pack puts the real grid of one year on the right class.
The F1 1991 Season is the most downloaded of them, with 27,703 downloads. It uses the Formula Classic Gen 4 class. That is the 1991 car: a manual gearbox for most of the grid, no traction control and a lot of power.
If you only install one season pack, make it this one. The cars of that year are hard to drive well and very satisfying when you do.
6. F1 2000 Season
The F1 2000 Season runs on the Formula V10 Gen 2 class. This is the pack for the sound. A V10 at full revs is the best noise in the game, and with the real 2000 grid around you it feels like the onboard videos of that time.
It was updated on 16 August 2026, so it is current with the game.
7. F1 2012 Season
The F1 2012 Season uses the Formula Reiza class, the V8 car with a lot of downforce. Of the four season packs here, this is the easiest car to drive fast. It has grip everywhere and it forgives a small mistake.
So it is the one I would give to someone who is new to open wheel cars in a sim. Learn the tracks here, then go back in time to the cars that bite. It was updated on 28 June 2026.
8. F1 1995 Season
The F1 1995 Season sits between the other two eras. It runs on the Formula Edge class. Less raw than 1991, more nervous than 2000.
It has 18,785 downloads and was updated on 9 July 2026. The same author also has packs for 1978, 1986 and 1988 if you want to go further back, and the Immersion Modding Group has packs for 1990, 1992 and 1993. Pick the years you care about. There is no reason to install all of them.
9. NAMeS: Real Drivers for AMS2
NAMeS by John B. Ellis is the small mod that makes the whole game feel finished. It gives real driver names to more than 2,900 grid places, across all the default liveries, DLC included.
It changes names and nationalities, nothing else. The AI drives the same. It works in single player only.
It was updated on 11 September 2026, which tells you how closely the author follows the game. There is a second version, NAMeS+AI, for people who also run car mods.
Bonus: a custom force feedback file
This one is not on the list because it is a single text file, but it changes the feel of the car more than any skin.
Automobilista 2 lets you load a custom force feedback profile. The most downloaded one on OverTake is Live For FFB by Kuku Maddog, with 11,545 downloads and an update on 3 July 2026.
Installing it takes a minute:
- Copy the file into the Automobilista 2 folder in your Documents.
- In the game, open the force feedback options and set the profile to Custom.
- Start with the values the author gives. For a wheel of 9 to 12 Nm that is a gain of about 60 to 65, with the other sliders around 40.
There are other files, including one made for the Logitech G29. My advice is to try the default profiles first. The game's own force feedback is good, and a custom file is one more thing that can go wrong after an update. My base values are in the Automobilista 2 FFB settings guide, and there is a separate page for Logitech wheel settings.
What breaks after a game update
Reiza still updates Automobilista 2, and every update is a risk for mods. This is how I would handle it:
- Look at the date. Every mod page shows the last update. Compare it with the date of the last game patch. The IndyCar page, for example, states which game version it was tested on.
- Read the last page of comments. If a mod is broken, people say so there within a day.
- Turn mods off before you blame the game. If the game crashes on start after a patch, untick everything in AMS2CM, press Apply and try again.
- Keep the archives. Save the files you download in one folder. Reinstalling is then a drag and drop.
Some older projects are marked as out of date on the site, like the V8 Supercars 2003 mod. Leave those alone unless you enjoy fixing things.
What about track mods
There are almost none. The tracks section for Automobilista 2 on OverTake is close to empty, and that is not likely to change, because tracks are much harder to add to this game than cars or skins.
The good news is that you do not need them. The game ships with a huge list, and I go through it in the Automobilista 2 tracks list. For the cars you get before any mod, see the Automobilista 2 cars list.
If mods are the main thing you want from a sim, be honest with yourself: Assetto Corsa is the better choice. The first Automobilista also has a deeper back catalogue, which I cover in the best Automobilista mods.
FAQ
What is the best mod for Automobilista 2?
The Automobilista 2 Content Manager. It is the most downloaded, with 69,757 downloads on OverTake, and you need it to install the others easily. For content, the IndyCar IR18 2023 mod is the best car mod.
How do I install mods in Automobilista 2?
Use the Automobilista 2 Content Manager. Drag the mod archive onto its window, tick the box next to the mod and press Apply. It needs Windows 10 or newer and the .NET 6 Desktop Runtime.
Does Automobilista 2 have Steam Workshop?
No. Mods are downloaded from community sites, mainly OverTake.gg, and you need a free account there.
Can I use Automobilista 2 mods online?
Skins and AI names are for single player. They change what you see on your own PC. For car mods, everyone in the lobby needs the same files, so in practice mods are for racing against the AI.
Are there F1 mods for Automobilista 2?
Yes. The F1 2025 Skinpack puts the 2025 grid on the F-Ultimate Gen 2, and the season packs cover years like 1991, 1995, 2000 and 2012 on the historic Formula classes.
Do mods work after a game update?
Not always. Check the last update date on the mod page and the latest comments. If the game does not start after a patch, turn all mods off in the content manager and apply again.
Are there track mods for Automobilista 2?
Very few. The tracks section on OverTake is almost empty. The base game and its DLC already cover a very large list of circuits.
Do I need a custom FFB file?
No. Try the default profiles first. A custom file like Live For FFB is worth a test if the wheel still feels numb after you have set the gain properly.