Despite this error message appearing, many users find that the game and mods still function normally if the message is simply ignored.

isn't a bug; it's a handshake between two eras of modding. The game is technically "obsolete," but the community has built a life-support system so robust that it outpaces modern sims in features.

If you use Content Manager (and you should be), you can force a clean install of the game kernel.

There is a dark side to "v1.16.3 is required." Some low-effort modders use this error as a fake DRM.

Solution: you have to delete just ONE file to make Asetto start again: C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\Documents\Assetto Corsa\cfg\launcher. OverTake.gg

You have three solutions, ranging from the simple to the nuclear. Start with #1 and work your way down.