How F1 drivers use a sim to prepare for a new track is one of the topics covered in this week’s Sim Racing Roundup. I also link to an article on the power of mental imagery and simulators, show how a university sim racing club is introducing students to motorsport and give details on your chance to win a place on a pro esports team.
From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
The Conversation has a great article on how Formula 1 drivers use simulator training to memorize a race track before they ever step foot on it.
“Drivers can also refine their skills, familiarize themselves with circuits and practice high-risk manoeuvres in a risk-free environment. Simulators enable drivers to hone their overtaking and defensive manoeuvres by adjusting variables such as track conditions, the number of AI-cars on track, AI-car aggression and proximity. This controlled yet dynamic training enhances problem-solving, sharpens reaction times and strengthens strategic decision-making.”
You can read the full article here.
Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets looks at the power of mental imagery and simulators. “When I ask drivers what percentage of driving is mental versus physical, everyone agrees that performance and race driving is more of a mental game than a physical one. When I follow up by asking what they’re doing to improve in these areas, I get lots of answers about the physical game, but rarely much about the mental game.” Read more here.
Did you know that Dale Earnhardt Jr is an executive director of iRacing? He is and he is part of the innovation that is making real-world racers fans of the sim racing company.
“iRacing has seen remarkable growth under Earnhardt Jr.’s leadership. The recent release of their ‘season 2 2025 build’ has introduced new ARCA cars and tracks for users to explore, including the addition of Portland International Raceway. These additions are a boon to the racing world, as both drivers and fans alike utilize these simulators.”
You can read more here.
The University of California, Irvine’s New University campus newsletter has a great article on Anteater Sim Racing, a campus club that uses sim racing as a way to introduce students to motorsport. “I realized that almost 90 percent of the stuff that I practiced in the sim is basically identical to real-life,” Chen said. “For example, when you take a turn and you let go of the steering wheel, the steering wheel will unwind itself … it’s called the ‘force feedback;’ it kind of fights against you to simulate the traction levels [in real-life racing].” You can read more about their mission here.
Speaking of NASCAR, SimCraft is joining forces with Alpha Prime Racing for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and beyond. The partnership includes SimCraft as the primary sponsor of Caesar Bacarella’s No. 45 Chevrolet Camaro at Talladega in April and an associate partner across all three Alpha Prime Racing entries.
Competitive Sim Racing News
- Compete For the Chance to Join a Pro Esports Team (Drive Lounge)
- Oracle Red Bull Racing Partners With Rokt For Women-Led iRacing Team (Forbes)
- SRO America Launches Community Sim League in Partnership with International DJ Yuko Rade (GT America)
- British Esports levels up coaching standards with new training and safeguarding programs (ETIH)
- eSports Is Bigger Than Ever: Key Tournaments, Big Earnings, and Where It’s Heading (Siege)
- Motorsport UK launches KartSim Esports Cup (Revolution)
- iRacing: A New Light on the Track (Box This Lap)
- This Week in iRacing: March 18-24, 2025 (iRacing)
- TC Esports and Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Announce a Strategic Partnership in Sim Racing (TC Racing)
- Drive Lounge and Guild launch grassroots sim racing initiative (Esports News UK)
Sim Racing Tips & Techniques
- Driving on the Limit: How Do You Learn to Do It in Sim Racing? (Apex Advisory Racing)
- You Need To Train Your Brain To Help You Sim Race (Apex Advisory Racing)
Sim Racing Tech Roundup
- I just tested the Nacon Revosim RS Pure sim racing rig — it feels like Fanatec for a fraction of the price (Tom’s Guide)
- Trak Racer Presents Its New Black GT Style TR Series Fiberglass Seat (Box This Lap)
- Stand Tall at the Podium with These Awesome Racing Sim Accessories (Game Rant)
- Is it an H-box with an engine in it? (Game Reactor)
- March 2025 Sim Racing PC Build (Box This Lap)
- Moza CM2 HD Racing Dash review: So near, yet so far (Traxion)
- MOZA Unveils Next-Gen Sim Racing And Flight Sim Hardware & Software (Game Rant)
- The cutting-edge controllers that’ll make your sim feel incredibly real (Tech Radar)
- Moza mBooster Active Pedal review: A genuine Simucube rival? (Traxion)
- Moza’s Active Shifter is a haptic gear shifter with 12 Nm of peak torque (Traxion)
- The Moza mBooster Active Pedal: Everything you need to know (Traxion)
- Moza partners with Track Titan to produce AI coaching app (Traxion)
- Fanatec Gran Turismo DD Extreme Wheel Gets Limited-Time Discount Bundle (GT Planet)
- MOZA’s New Active Pedal Slims The Gap Between Sim And Reality (CarBuzz)
- MOZA Racing: MOZA Redefines Sim Racing and Flight Simulation with Next-Gen Hardware and Software (Press Release)
General Sim Racing News
- Wild Super Trophy Trucks confirmed as Automobilista 2 DLC (Traxion)
- Low Fuel Motorsport begins RaceRoom ranked multiplayer alpha (Traxion)
- iRacing: This time, the tires feel alive (Box This Lap)
- JDM: Japanese Drift Master: Everything you need to know (Traxion)
- 8 Best Racing Games With Unique Race Types (Dual Shockers)
- Flatout Sim Racing brings rush of the track to simulation facility in York County (York Dispatch)
- 10 best sim racing deals in Steam’s Spring Sale (Traxion)
- This 2000s Racing Game Let You Thrash a Mercury Sable and Ford Ranger Like an Idiot (The Drive)
- Introducing the Sim Gaming Expo (Sim Gaming Expo)
- Forza Motorsport: Update 18 Is Now Available! (Box This Lap)
- Five things we’d love to see in Le Mans Ultimate (Traxion)
- Automobilista 2: March 2025 Dev Highlights (Box This Lap)
- 10 games for race fans to play in 2025 (Speedway Digest)
- Best Racing Games From The 2000s (Game Rant)
- Assetto Corsa marketing chief switches to Le Mans Ultimate (Traxion)
- Sim racing league manager Grid Finder overhauls platform, new focus on communities (Traxion)
- How the Rennsport and Nacon console relationship works (Traxion)
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.
