FIA & iRacing Work to Grow Grassroots Motorsport

The FIA and iRacing are working to grow grassroots motorsport by making available 12-month promotional codes to all ASNs (national associations) that they can offer to their members. The plan is that by offering a low-cost and easily accessible route into grassroots motor sport, sim racers may potentially move on to real-life competition. This is yet another example of sim racing acting as a gateway to motorsport.

I also feature a driver coach who uses sim race coaching skills transferable to the real world, how Esports racer Sebastian Job became a Formula One sim driver and the sim rig setup of Carlos Sainz. All this and much more in this week’s edition of the Sim Racing Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.

From Sim Racing to the Real Thing

FIA iRacing

The FIA is accelerating its efforts to inspire future generations and double global participation in motor sport, after partner iRacing confirmed it will provide the governing body with a host of promotional codes for ASN members to pilot the FIA F4 car on its platform.

FIA Formula 4 is widely regarded as the first step on the single-seater ladder for drivers stepping up from karting into car racing. It has grown in popularity all around the world since its inception back in 2014, with series now established on no fewer than four continents.

That success story was the catalyst for recently bringing the FIA Formula 4 discipline to iRacing – the world’s premier motor sport simulation and eSports specialist, boasting more than 250,000 active users.

iRacing has subsequently offered the FIA 12-month promotional codes – worth in excess of $60 million USD in total – to be passed on to ASNs and thereafter distributed as they see fit. To receive a code, users must satisfy certain conditions, with 59 ASNs having requested codes so far. Each ASNs’ respective contact details can be found on www.fia.com/iRacing.

Esports initiatives remove traditional barriers to entry by offering a low-cost and easily accessible route into grassroots motor sport and from there, potentially, physical competition.

With many of the circuits visited by FIA Formula 4 readily available on iRacing, a virtual car benefitting from the same level of analysis, data and detail as its real-world cousin and a large number of national ASNs already running events on the platform, the FIA’s pioneering partnership with the organisation presents a golden opportunity for future stars of the circuit to get their start in the sport on the burgeoning sim racing scene.

*To redeem your NEW iRacing membership code, go to www.iracing.com/membership and enter the promotional code you receive from your ASN.

Pro racing driver and coach, Darren Burke @DarrenBurkeRacing tells VBOX Motorsport how he uses VBOX Sim to make simulator coaching transferable to his real world coaching and get his drivers to go faster.
Sim Racing Roundup

In an article on the Red Bull Racing site, they explain how Esports racer Sebastian Job became a Formula One sim driver for Oracle Red Bull Racing. “I did some karting as a kid but unfortunately we didn’t have the finances to fund a career in racing. Sim racing was the alternative. I love competing in PESC but I can’t deny that this new role feels like a major step up in my career.”

Glenn McGee

VroomKart looks at how to turn racing simulators into a real racing career with a focus on racer Glenn McGee. “Glenn began his experience on iRacing in 2011, proving to be very fast from the start, but he only managed to earn a spot on the real track in 2015 after winning an iRacing world championship and the “2015 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout,” which won him a $100,000 scholarship in the “2016 Battery Tender Global MX-5 Cup” where he finished his first race in a very respectable ninth place out of 40 starters.”

Sim Racing Roundup

Formula E’s wait to race in Japan is finally over this weekend, as the all-electric series descends on Tokyo’s Big Sight area. Naturally the all-new circuit will pose fresh challenges to the teams, some that can only be experienced in the simulated world, as Stefan Mackley found out with a trip to Mahindra’s factory.

“Ahead of the inaugural event in Japan, this writer was given the unique chance to sample the new circuit on Mahindra’s simulator at its Banbury factory, with the hour-long session allowing me to get to grips with the 20-corner circuit and offer a peak at what challenges awaits the drivers.”

Competitive Sim Racing News

Here are some headlines from the world of competitive sim racing

Here’s your guide on how to take part in the SRO Esports Community World Challenge powered by SimGrid and potentially become a genuine SRO Champion!

Sim Racing Tips & Techniques

The cutback, switchback, the ol’ switcheroo. Whatever you call it, it’s one of the real classic racing moves that every racer needs to know. I like to teach people how to do racing moves by showing how I can be successfully victimised by them.

Sim Racing Tech Roundup

Here is a roundup of the latest sim racing tech news, reviews, and recommendations from around the world

FIA & iRacing Work to Grow Grassroots Motorsport
F1 Playseat

General Sim Racing News

Sim Racing Roundup
Mark Boudreau
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.