Is the Ford Mustang FR500S Free in iRacing? Cost + What to Do Next

Is The Ford Mustang Fr500S Free On Iracing? Get the current reality, where to confirm in the UI, and the smartest Mustang-first path into races.

You’re trying to start racing Mustangs in iRacing without accidentally buying the wrong thing—or showing up to a series night and realizing your car (or the tracks) aren’t included. Fair.

This guide is written for Mustang-first drivers (rookie through intermediate) and focuses on what matters right now: whether the FR500S is free, how to confirm it inside iRacing (since content rules can change), and how to plan your Mustang progression into GT4/GT3 without wasting money.

Quick Answer: In iRacing, cars are either included with membership (“included content”) or they’re paid add-ons. Whether the Ford Mustang FR500S is free depends on whether iRacing currently lists it as Included in the Store for your account. The fastest, durable answer is: check the car in the iRacing UI Store—if it shows “Included,” it’s free for you; if it shows a price, it isn’t.

Is The Ford Mustang Fr500S Free On Iracing?

Let’s answer the question the way you actually need it answered: “free” in iRacing means “included with membership.” Not “free-to-download somewhere,” and not “free this season but maybe not next season” (rare, but content packaging can change over the years).

What “free” usually looks like in iRacing

Included car: You can download and drive it with an active membership, no extra purchase.
Paid car: You must buy it once (then you own it permanently on your account).

Why this matters for Mustang racers

If your goal is “run a Mustang every week,” the car cost is only half the story—tracks are typically what blow up the budget. Knowing whether the FR500S is included helps you decide:

whether it’s a smart first Mustang for seat time and racecraft, and/or
whether you should jump straight to Mustang GT4 or Mustang GT3/Dark Horse content (which is almost always paid content, plus paid tracks).

Because iRacing can update what’s included over time, don’t trust old forum posts or YouTube comments—verify in your own UI.

Step-by-Step: What to Do Next (confirm in the iRacing UI)

Here’s the quickest way to verify whether the FR500S is included for you right now.

Open iRacing UI
Go to Store
Click Cars
Use filters:
- Manufacturer: Ford
- (Optional) Type FR500S in search
Click the Ford Mustang FR500S
Look for the ownership/status button:
- If it says Included (or Owned) → you’re good.
- If it shows a price → it’s not free/included for your account.

Also confirm you can actually race it this week

Even if the car is included/owned, the official series may require tracks you don’t have.

Go to Go Racing
Select Sports Car (or use All)
Search or filter by FR500S (car filter)
Open the series and check:
- License requirements (assume you’re D class unless you know otherwise)
- This week’s track (owned vs not owned)
- Fixed vs Open setup sessions

Mustang-specific notes that change the outcome (FR500S vs GT4 vs GT3)

If you’re choosing the FR500S because it might be included/free, here’s what changes in your driving compared to the newer Mustangs.

Front-engine weight transfer is the whole story
- The Mustang “big nose” feeling shows up when you brake late and release the brake too quickly.
- You’ll get entry understeer (push) if you over-slow and kill rotation.
- Trail braking (gradually releasing brake as you turn) helps the front bite and makes the car rotate.
Throttle-on balance: “too early” = rear tire tax
- Mustangs reward a clean, patient throttle squeeze.
- If you add power before the car is pointed, you’ll feel snap oversteer (rear steps out suddenly).
- Your lap time might survive it once; your rear tires won’t over a run.
FR500S feels more mechanical and less “saved by electronics”
- In GT4/GT3, you’ll usually have ABS (anti-lock braking) and TC (traction control), which can mask some mistakes.
- FR500S-style driving tends to punish sloppy release and throttle timing more directly.
GT3 Mustang (Dark Horse / GT3) adds aero + electronics
- Aero balance means higher-speed corners demand confidence and commitment; lifting mid-corner can shift balance and create instability.
- BoP (Balance of Performance) means iRacing adjusts cars so different GT3s can race together. Some weeks your Mustang may feel “great,” other weeks it may need a different approach to be competitive.
Curbs: the Mustang can bounce you into problems
- Aggressive curb strikes can unload the rear and start that classic Mustang “snap.”
- Aim for flat curbs and avoid climbing tall sausages unless the setup/track clearly supports it.

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

Mistake 1: Buying the car, then realizing you can’t race it

Symptom: You own the FR500S (or GT4/GT3), but the official series this week is on a track you don’t own.
Why it happens: New iRacers budget for the car and forget the season is track-driven.
Fix: Before buying, open the series schedule and count owned vs unowned tracks. If you’re trying to be cost-efficient, buy tracks that appear across multiple GT series (GT4/GT3/IMSA).

Mistake 2: Over-slowing corner entry (Mustang “won’t turn”)

Symptom: You brake hard, get the car slow, turn in…and it plows wide anyway.
Why it happens: You removed load from the front tires right when you needed it, and the front-heavy chassis won’t rotate.
Fix/drill: In practice, brake to your normal marker but release 10–15% more gradually into turn-in (light trail brake). Your goal is rotation without sliding.

Mistake 3: “Saving it” with throttle (hello, wall)

Symptom: Rear steps out on exit; you add throttle or stab it and it snaps worse.
Why it happens: Power adds rear slip angle and heat; abrupt inputs spike it.
Fix: Use a two-step throttle:

hold a maintenance throttle (5–15%) to settle the platform
then squeeze to full only when the wheel is unwinding

Mistake 4: Driving like it’s qualifying every lap

Symptom: Lap 1–2 are fast, then you fall off a cliff; rear tires go away.
Why it happens: Mustangs punish wheelspin and big steering on exit.
Fix: Target “boring exits.” If you can’t go full throttle without correcting, you’re asking too much too early.

Practical tips to improve faster (Mustang-first approach)

A simple 15-minute practice plan (works for FR500S, GT4, GT3)

3 minutes: cold tire laps
- Focus only on being smooth. Cold tires have less grip—if you slide now, you’ll slide worse later.
5 minutes: braking + release
- Pick two heavy-braking corners.
- Aim for a consistent brake marker and a progressive release (no sudden “off”).
5 minutes: exit discipline
- Choose two slow corners.
- Your only goal is zero correction on exit (no extra steering saw, no snap).
2 minutes: one clean lap
- Don’t chase time; chase a lap you could repeat in traffic.

What telemetry metric matters most (if you use it)

Look at throttle trace on corner exit:
- Spiky/on-off throttle = rear tire abuse
- Smooth ramp = better balance, better long-run pace

Racecraft note (especially if you move into IMSA / multiclass traffic)

In multiclass, faster cars are responsible for a safe pass, but slower cars should be predictable. Hold your line, don’t “help” by swerving off-line mid-corner, and never rejoin across the racing line after an off.

Equipment / settings / cost (quick, practical)

Force Feedback (FFB): If the wheel feels “dead” on-center, you’ll over-correct the Mustang’s rear. Lower clipping, prioritize detail over strength.
Pedals: Load-cell brakes help a lot with consistent release (huge for front-engine rotation). Not required, but it’s a real upgrade.
Budget reality: Even if the FR500S is included, official racing often means buying tracks. Plan your purchases around series overlap (GT4 + GT3 + IMSA share many venues).

Mini budget paths (track strategy)

Because pricing and bundles can vary, use this as a strategy, not a promise of exact totals:

Under $50:
- Run included-content weeks, do Time Trials, AI races, hosted sessions, and buy 1–2 “high-usage” tracks that appear in multiple series.
Under $100:
- Add enough tracks to follow a chunk of one Mustang-friendly series schedule (GT4 is often the most beginner-forgiving).
Full season:
- Commit to a specific series (FR500S/GT4/GT3) and buy most of the schedule tracks—this is where cost efficiency per race becomes best.

FAQs

Is the Mustang FR500S included with iRacing membership?

Sometimes content is included, sometimes it’s paid—the only reliable answer is what your iRacing Store shows for your account right now. Look for the Included label versus a price.

Do I need a specific license to race the FR500S in officials?

Series eligibility depends on the current season. In the UI, open the series and check License Class requirements. If you’re D class, you may have access to some entry-level sports car series, but always confirm in the series panel.

What’s the best “first Mustang” in iRacing: FR500S, GT4, or GT3/Dark Horse?

FR500S: great if it’s included/cheap and you want pure mechanical driving and racecraft.
Mustang GT4: best balance of speed + forgiveness (ABS/TC) for learning consistent laps and longer races.
Mustang GT3/Dark Horse: fastest, most complex (aero, electronics, BoP), and typically the most punishing if you’re inconsistent.

Fixed vs open setup—what should you run as a newer Mustang driver?

Start with Fixed if it’s available. It removes setup noise so you can focus on braking release, rotation, and throttle timing—the stuff that actually makes the Mustang quick.

Why does my Mustang snap on corner exit even with TC (GT4/GT3)?

TC helps, but it’s not magic. Snap usually comes from too much steering + too much throttle while the car is still rotating. Straighten the wheel sooner, then squeeze throttle—don’t overlap big steering with big power.

Conclusion

So, Is The Ford Mustang Fr500S Free On Iracing? It’s free only if iRacing lists it as included for your account—verify it in UI → Store → Cars → Ford and look for Included versus a price.

Next step: Open your target series in Go Racing, check license requirements and this week’s track, then do the 15-minute practice plan above focusing on brake release and exit throttle discipline—that’s where Mustangs win (and where SR stops bleeding).