If you think using iRacing to prepare for a career in real world motorsport is far-fetched, just ask GB4 and Formula Ford Festival winner Max Esterson. In this week’s From Sim Racing to the Real Thing, I link to a story where the young American explains how using iRacing benefits him both in terms of racecraft as well as mental preparation.
In addition to how Max Esterson uses sim racing to prepare for the real thing, I have tips for sim racing on a budget, details on Max Verstappen’s sim racing rig as well as news on this weekend’s 2023 edition of the 24 Hours Of Le Mans Virtual.
All of this plus the latest sim racing tech developments, general sim racing news and much more in this week’s edition of the Sim Racing and Esports News Roundup.
From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
Formula Scout has a great article on how Esports and FFord helped Max Esterson become a GB3 race-winner. I urge you to read the whole article.
With relatively little karting experience before stepping up into single-seaters, sim racing has formed the foundation for his driving skills, and he says some of the techniques learned have helped him in adapting quickly. “Yeah, a lot,” he reveals. “The mechanics of the cars, different braking techniques and how it affects the car. Just see how the car responds to different things: throttle, brake, how aggressive you are. When I started [racing real cars] that was my knowledge base because I didn’t have much in karting. And the tracks, I know every track. That was my starting point, that’s what I was going off and it seems to have worked pretty well, so I picked it up quite quickly.”
How Esports and FFord helped Max Esterson become a GB3 race-winner (Formula Scout)
Cube Controls, the Italian sim racing peripheral manufacturer, has revealed it will supply steering wheels for Honda’s latest TCR race car. “Judging from the shape and button placement, the wheel appears to be an all-new design, albeit similar to the company’s existing Formula Sport steering wheel. With at least 16 face buttons and just two rotary switches the Honda TCR wheel’s bold design has clearly been created with ease-of-use in mind.”
Competitive Sim Racing News
The 2023 edition of the 24 Hours Of Le Mans Virtual is set for this weekend (January 14-15) so I thought I would bring you a taste of what is at stake and who is competing in the links below.
- 24 Hours Of Le Mans Virtual continues to attract champions from around the world for the Final Round of the 2022-23 Season
- $250,000 up for grabs at the Virtual Le Mans 24 Hours
- Sim racing personalities line up for Le Mans Virtual All Stars race
- Reigning F1, F2 and F3 champions headline 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual 2023 entry
- Verstappen in action at virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans as early as January
- Max Verstappen wants to win Le Mans – virtually, that is
- Andy and Sebastian Priaulx enter 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual
- Kerkhof: ‘Verstappen would perform perfectly in endurance racing’
- Peugeot’s Menezes on 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual: There is no room for error
- 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual 2023 driver line-up revealed with James Baldwin and others preparing to race
- Porsche pursues first overall win at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans
- Jimmy Broadbent: 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual “puts sim racing in the shop window”
- 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual to be broadcast digitally around the world
Max Verstappen loves sim racing. According to an article in The Sports Rush, “Verstappen has admitted on multiple occasions that he loves sim-racing. He is an avid fan of virtual racing and spends hours on his simulator which he also uses as a means of training for real-life races. The Dutch driver is very committed to his e-racing team, which is known as Team Redline.” Below are a few links to articles discussing his pro sim racing rig setup.
- Details Behind $200 Million Champ Max Verstappen’s Viral Sim Set Up
- F1 News: Max Verstappen’s Insane Sim Racing Set Up Revealed
- Max Verstappen couldn’t pack his $35,000 sim for this reason before moving to his $16 million apartment
The 2023 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series schedule has been revealed. It blends new tracks with some familiar favorites. See the video reveal above.
Mia Rose is a breaking down barriers for LGBTQ women in sim racing and beyond by becoming the first female to win at the Le Mans Virtual Cup.
Not only is she smashing goals, but Rose is also breaking down barriers within esports, too. Alongside her team, Queens’ Design, she’s driving change in an industry that—if I’m being completely honest—lacks inclusivity and diversity. Queens’ Design’s goal is to “be the beacon in the sport which will bring an audience that has been consciously ignored and excluded, and that will captivate part of the already present audience by setting itself apart from other outfits.” The team is by and for women, gender, sexual and romantic minorities (GSRM) and BIPOC people.
Mia Rose: A trailblazer for inclusivity following Le Mans Virtual Cup win
David Brabham reflects on his journey in racing, including the real-world wins and what it means to carry on his father’s legacy in esports in a discussion with Traxion. “Just like many prestigious brands as of late, Brabham has hopped on board the simulator train, both metaphorically and literally. With a nostalgic blast from the past, the team collaborated with Base Performance Simulators to craft three liveries that give a nod to Sir Jack Brabham’s heritage within Formula 1. “I can see how virtual racing will grow in the future. You have to be in it to win it, but you’ve got to be in it to maximise it, as well.”
SimEnjoy have a new series coming up on 1st February called the GR86 Cup Winter 2023. The GR86 Cup is an all new free car to iRacing boasting ultra close and competitive racing, you can sign up here!
Michi Hoyer isn’t going anywhere! Michi will be back with Burst Esport for the 2023 season after announcing his contract extension on Friday (6th January). “I am delighted to extend the contract with Burst,” Michi told Traxion.GG. “Having joined the team in late 2019, this is the fourth season I am going into with them. I am extremely happy for being with them as they give me the environment that I need in order to perform well within the strongest grids in the sim racing esports on rFactor 2. I am looking forward on working with the guys for another year.”
Sim Racing Tips & Techniques
Box This Lap explains the cheapest way to get started in Sim Racing in 2023. “Would you like to test your driving skills in the virtual world of sim racing? Now is a good time to start. As a result of the pandemic, some of the leading figures in motorsport have participated in sim racing, and even some of the most important motorsport events, such as Formula 1, NASCAR, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, have held virtual events. This has led to an increase in sim racing popularity in 2020 and 2021, which has caused a significant increase in the prices of sim racing equipment. However, now that mobility restrictions have decreased, it is possible to access the world of sim racing affordably.”
Here are two great articles on building out a PC for sim racing from Right Motorsport and Box This Lap.
- PC Builds for Sim Racing on a Budget (Right Motorsport)
- December 2022 PC Sim Racing Build (Box This Lap)
CNET looks at the best sim racing cockpit for 2023. “A sim racing cockpit does more than just look badass and signal how serious you are about virtual racing. Like the seat in your car, a racing simulator seat provides a stable platform for all of your steering and pedal pressing, allowing you to move the controls, rather than vice versa. A good racing sim seat setup will also help to optimize the ergonomics and placement of those controls, keeping the sim racing wheel and pedals in a natural position for increased control.”
The Coach Dave Academy goes “Under the Hood” with tips and tricks on how to drive the BMW M Hybrid V8 and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.
Sim Racing Tech Roundup
Here is a roundup of the latest sim racing tech news and reviews from around the world.
- Formula 1 simulators used to be the exclusive domain of only the richest grand prix teams, but things are very different right now. In the world of F1, a good simulator can make or break a team’s chances for a world championship title, and Dynisma are leading the charge with their DMG-1, the world’s most advanced F1 simulator. They’ve even built a custom spec simulator for Ferrari at their Maranello HQ, so to put it to the test, Jon Noble took a trip to Dynisma’s facility to jump into the racing seat himself. Watch the video above for all the details.
- Why Thrustmaster went direct drive with Xavier Pieuchot | Traxion.GG Podcast S5 E18
- Heusinkveld’s SmartControl Live allows pedal mapping changes mid-race
- Next Level Racing Lite Free Standing Monitor Stand
- Next Level Racing’s HF8 haptic feedback gaming pad available this month
General Sim Racing News
- iRacing Season 1 [2023] Shopping Guide: Essential Cars and Tracks!
- iRacing – 2023 Season 1 Build Highlights (Video)
- This Will CHANGE iRacing Forever! (Video)
- Why Low Fuel Motorsport threatens iRacing
- rFactor 2 Gets a Boost with Low Fuel Motorsport
- rFactor 2: Porsche 992 Is Coming
- 10 Forgotten PS3 Sim Racing Games
- Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) confirmed for RENNSPORT
- Opinion: Arcade racing needs to adapt… or die
- VR version of GRID Legends coming soon to Quest headsets
- Gran Turismo creator criticises the current state of sim racing
- A Single Gran Turismo 7 Car Takes 270 Days To Make
- 2023 racing game preview: Every new racing game coming this year
- Esports Furniture Partnerships
- Sim Racing Cockpit Market to Grow Significantly by Leading Players 2023 to 2028
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.