Hey Dane, any news on this? Or can we expect the "free" version to never get a release?

Servers are still overloaded, still no (club) challenges. I've already completed a drift challenge 4 times before the score + ghost to beat loads. At least it does load now... There must be a fundamental flaw or bottleneck in their server code, maybe they're using an ancient mysql server :/

BY JENNA PITCHER Developer Evolution Studios rolled out more servers and a “significant” server update for Driveclub over the weekend, introducing online performance, multiplayer racing and leaderboard improvements.

“We will also be running performance diagnostics around this update, but there shouldn't be much disruption or downtime,” the developer updatereads. “More improvements will follow as we make progress on Sunday and Monday, but we still have more work to do to get everything back on track before we can give you any bigger or better news. We will keep you up to speed.”

Driveclub has been hobbled by server issues since its launch earlier this month, crippling its multiplayer features. Recent server updates and upgrades allowed a majority of Driveclub players to experience the game online without waiting for a free player slot to open up.

Evolution is delaying the release of the free PS Plus version until the ongoing server issues are ironed out. The developer last week promised an update on the PS Plus edition of the game once "concrete info" is available. 

according to evolution studios , that majority can go online and they are still putting server upgrade. no information regarding the ps+ edition. i think they are waiting to fix their server problem first before releasing ps + edition.

Really wanted to try this game out. Such a shame it's having all these issues.

Sony has postponed Driveclub PS Plus Edition until further notice.

In a post on the Driveclub Facebook page, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida apologised for the delay to Evolution Studios' PlayStation 4-exclusive racing game.

The PS Plus Edition, free to those who subscribe to the service, had been expected to launch alongside the full game last month. But Driveclub ran into issues that prevented many players from going online, and Sony held the PS Plus Edition back as it struggled to cope.

Yoshida's message is republished below.

Hi everyone,
I wanted to provide you with the latest update on DRIVECLUB. Unfortunately, the road to launch has been a little rocky, and we are truly sorry that so many of you have not been able to enjoy everything that we had hoped DRIVECLUB would deliver.
We have been listening to your feedback and realize that patience understandably is running out. Evo is working around the clock to close the gap, and we have deployed additional engineering resources to help resolve the remaining issues as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the time frames required to roll out the fully connected experience will be longer than anticipated and we do not have an exact time frame for when they will be resolved. We will continue to update you on progress and you can find the latest info on the DRIVECLUB Facebook page.
We are also very conscious that we have disappointed so many of you who were looking forward to playing the promised PS Plus Edition. Our first priority is to provide you with the best possible experience while playing DRIVECLUB. With the high volume of new players and additional server load the PS Plus Edition is anticipated to bring, we are currently not confident that we can guarantee the best online experience. Until we can ensure that everyone can enjoy the full social connected online experience, we will be postponing the release of the PS Plus Edition until further notice.
On behalf of WWS we are enormously grateful for your patience and we thank you for the continued support and encouragement. Again, we sincerely apologize for the delay. We are committed to giving you the best racing experience on PS4 - it's taking a little longer than we hoped.
Thanks,
Shu