Mixed reality sim racing from BMW kicks off this week’s Sim Racing and Esports News Roundup as I bring you details of the new and revolutionary BMW M Mixed Reality M2. It combines virtual reality with real world racing and has a lot of potential for race driver development.
In addition to that, I have details of Peugeot Sport’s debut at Le Mans Virtual, a look at MOZA Racing, guides to setting up direct drive sim wheels in iRacing and sim racing cockpits and much more.
All this in this week’s edition of the Sim Racing and Esports News Roundup.
From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
CNET have released details of their first drive with the new BMW M Mixed Reality M2 that they call a Real-World Racing Sim. “Expert drivers can also benefit from mixed reality driving. Say there’s a tricky segment on the Nürburgring you want to practice. Load it up on a skid pad and hit it over and over again without the need to complete the entire Nordschleife between attempts. You could spend the day autocrossing with a different course, each run without having to lay out or pick up dozens of cones.”
Competitive Sim Racing News
Peugeot Sport have announced that they will enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. “Peugeot Sport intrigued many when they posted on social media a simple phrase: Hey @ 24 Hours of Le Mans, we’ll see you a bit sooner than expected this year…The subtle teaser accompanied by a sleek look at the Peugeot 9X8, built to Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) rules, was shared on Instagram and Twitter on 5th December, gaining a significant amount of hype from esports fans around the globe.”
Sim Racing Tips & Techniques
Coach Dave Academy looks at how to set up direct drive wheels in iRacing. “The three main types of steering wheel systems are gear driven, belt driven and direct drive (DD). A DD system represents the pinnacle of steering wheelbases in sim racing mainly because it can give you feedback that’s closer to reality than other systems, so, where do you start with a DD wheel on iRacing?“
Sim Racing Tech Roundup
Chinese manufacturer MOZA has revealed a line of new sim racing products boasting increased compatibility with its own and third-party products. Coach Dave Academy takes an in-depth look at MOZA Racing.
CNET looks at the best sim racing cockpit for 2022. “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.”
Traxion reports that Mercedes-AMG and Cube Controls are collaborating and they teased new sim steering wheels at the recent ADAC Sim Racing Expo. “Although details are thin on the ground, one bears a striking resemblance to the wheel used in the limited-edition Mercedes-AMG GT Track Series car. Cube Controls announced back in March this year that it was supplying the steering wheel for Mercedes-AMG’s latest machine but offered no further word on its sim racing prospects.”
General Sim Racing News
The Praga R1 race car has become available to a global fanbase of sim racers following its introduction into RaceRoom as part of the latest Drivers Pack, released on Wednesday 14th December. The new pack includes 12 liveries of the Praga R1 from the 2022 Praga Cup UK grid, including popular designs such as Gordie Mutch and Jimmy Broadbent’s championship-winning ‘Goldie 2.0’, and the iconic blue, white and gold Praga livery designed by world famous car designer, Frank Stephenson.
Traxion has more details on RaceRoom’s new Drivers Pack DLC alongside a closer look at the new Mazda MX-5 that will be introduced.
iRacing have released the details of their Season 1 2023 which includes new cars, tracks and features. Traxion has a write up of all that is new. Meanwhile, Coach Dave Academy have announced their corresponding Season 1 2023 iRacing plans.
Coach Dave Academy also looks at the GT4 cars in iRacing and tries to determine which is the best. “The GT4 class is one step down from GT3 with less downforce and slightly less engine performance. This reduced downforce means that the cars rely a lot more on low-speed mechanical grip and are more lively when pushed hard, but also often produce better racing, as is so often the case with slower vehicles.”