iRacing’s Growing Influence on Driver Development

iRacing is having a growing influence on driver development and this week I will bring you just a few examples of the trend.

In addition to drivers using iRacing to transition to the real thing, I bring you a comparison of a real-life Mercedes AMG GT4 to the same exact car in iRacing from someone who races both, advice on how to be a Formula 1 sim driver and more.

I also have the latest competitive and general sim racing news, tech reviews and a great charity sim racing competition you can enter.

All this and more in this week’s Sim Racing Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. Its sim racing news for racers not gamers.

From Sim Racing to the Real Thing

Sim Racing Roundup

Honda Racing profiles sim racer turned Super Formula competitor Cem Bolukbasi in From motocross via sim racing: Cem Bolukbasi’s unlikely route to Super Formula.

“Success in the virtual arena eventually afforded Bolukbasi the chance to get back into the cockpit of a real-life racing car, some five years after his F4 test, as he was invited to contest a round of the GT4 European Series driving for the Turkish Borusan Otomotiv team in 2019. A strong first race meant he was able to complete the season, and landed a free seat for the 2020 season. This compelled Bolukbasi to give up esports to focus on his real-life racing exploits, although it was the following year that his career really gained momentum.”

iRacing’s Growing Influence on Driver Development

The NASCAR website chronicles Kaden Honeycutt’s racing journey which is just one more example of iRacing’s growing influence on driver development. “Honeycutt is among the growing list of drivers who have turned to iRacing for driver development in recent years. William Byron and Ty Majeski used the service to perfect their race crafts before embarking on their own successful careers. Others like Josh Berry, Timmy Hill and Parker Retzlaff have all competed in the eNASCAR iRacing Series since its inception in 2011.”

In the video above, Daniel Morad compares the braking, mid corner and on throttle feel in the real life Mercedes AMG GT4 to the same exact car in iRacing.

iRacing’s Growing Influence on Driver Development

I mentioned this last week but here are more details on Rokt the Rig, the recently launched women’s sim racing talent search. “Announced during Oracle Red Bull Racing’s International Women in Engineering Day celebration at its technology campus in Milton Keynes, the Rokt the Rig initiative seeks to find six talented women sim racers. The chosen few will then be invited to the Formula 1 team’s headquarters during a Driver Accelerator Day for a tour and mentoring from the Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports squad.”

iRacing’s Growing Influence on Driver Development

Season 7, Episode 12 of the Traxion Podcast is all about how to be a Formula 1 team sim driver, with Sebastian Job. “John Munro spoke to Job at the team’s Milton Keynes base to hear what it’s like working with an F1 outfit and also the differences between sim racing and motorsport simulation.”

Competitive Sim Racing News

iRacing’s Growing Influence on Driver Development

Formula 1 has announced it will be supporting BBC Children in Need through a national F1® 23 sim racing tournament that will offer competitors the chance to appear in a live television show later this year, as part of the BBC Children in Need Appeal, whilst raising funds for the charity.

Competitors will be invited to set their fastest, qualifying lap time around Silverstone on F1® 23, developed by EA SPORTS™, with the 50 fastest drivers from the tournament securing a spot in a ballot. Two competitors will then be selected at random and invited to race in a live show on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three, in November ahead of the BBC Children in Need Appeal.

BBC Children in Need, which is a charity supported by Formula 1, kicked off the tournament this weekend at the FORMULA 1 ARAMCO BRITISH GRAND PRIX, alongside a range of other fundraising activations, as the sport continues its work with charities to leave a legacy of positive change.

The tournament will continue at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (13-16 July) and will also appear at other events including CarFest (25-27 August), before visiting other sites across the UK this autumn, where on-screen talent, staff, and members of local communities will be invited to get involved.

Participants in the challenge will be encouraged to donate to BBC Children in Need, with all proceeds going to support local charities and projects making a difference to young lives across the UK – something BBC Children in Need has been passionate about since its first television appeal in 1980, which continues to raise millions of pounds every year.

Here are more headlines from the world of competitive sim racing:

Sim Racing Roundup

Sim Racing Tips & Techniques

Sim Racing Roundup

Under the Hood: Tips and Tricks to Driving the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2

Sim Racing Tech Roundup

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

Sim Racing Roundup

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.