A new Forza competition will allow sim racers to race against real-world motorsport stars and I have the details in this week’s Sim Racing Roundup. I also have details on Ferrari esports Thrustmaster Community Cup, how to learn a track quickly and tips on buying a VR headset. All this and much more for those of you who consider yourselves racers and not gamers.
From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
Mobil 1 and Xbox have joined forces for the ‘Legends vs. Leaderboard Rival Events’, which will see real world drivers set times in Forza Motorsport for players of the popular racing game to try and beat. The online event begins this week, and will feature names such as IndyCar and three-time NASCAR Cup champion Tony Stewart and recent Indy NXT winner Jamie Chadwick.
“It’s really cool,” Chadwick tells RACER of the competition. “I think that’s one of the great things about this sport, it’s that there are certain transferable skills with Esports and I think having the opportunity to actually go head-to-head with real racing drivers is really special.” Read more about the events at Racer.
There is more coverage of the inaugural “e2Real” Prodigy Racing League draft in both the Esports Insider and WJHG Panama City Beach, Florida. Esports Insider reported on the new teams taking part in the first season of the series racing Radicals while WJHG called the series a radical new racing championship. The word is spreading.
“Meanwhile, Racing Prodigy is designed to open up motorsports opportunities for anyone. Historically, the sport has been closed off to those with rich families or parental ties to racing. Most fans of motorsport will never get the chance to drive in a real motor race, let alone pursue a career as a professional driver. Sim racing, by comparison, is relatively cheap. Most people can get into the hobby for less than one thousand dollars, learning many of the same skills by driving in their own homes.”
Students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) geared up to compete in the highly anticipated Formula Student Racing Finals on Tuesday 16th July, that took place at the iconic Williams F1 Headquarters. This event offered a unique opportunity for students to demonstrate their virtual racing skills and engineering acumen in a simulated environment, showing casing their talents.
Dr Kerry Tudor, Assistant Academic Director for Engineering at UWTSD said: “Our students’ involvement in the Formula Student Sim Racing Final highlights their dedication to engineering and simulations technologies. This competition provides them with a platform to excel in a cutting-edge field and gain valuable experience that will benefit their future careers.
“The UWTSD team exemplifies the initiative and collaborative spirit of its members, who have managed every aspect of their participation in the Formula Student Sim Racing Championship, helping them gain key skills for employment.”
Read the full story at The Swansea Herald.
Hailie Deegan picked up her new sim rig and couldn’t be more excited about the upgrade. “I’m really happy with it. It’s going to make racing and training much more enjoyable… It’s going to be a lot more fun and we’re probably going to spend a lot more time on it,” she stated. Watch her video above about setting it up.
NOVUS Racing Simulators has announced pro racer and Nurburgring specialist Misha Charoudin as its brand ambassador. “Celebrated for his skills on the track and engaging content, Misha Charoudin’s partnership with NOVUS Racing Simulators marks an exciting new chapter for the brand as it continues to push the boundaries of Sim Racing Technology.”
Competitive Sim Racing News
The Thrustmaster Community Cup has been designed for sim racing enthusiasts and gives keen sim drivers their final chance to be involved in the series. Comprised of ten rounds on Assetto Corsa Competizione, competitors can take part in each round for their chance to win Thrustmaster prizes; and the opportunity for the final round’s winner to join the Grand Final as the Thrustmaster Wildcard alongside the other 15 series finalists, totalling a 16 driver competitive grid.
Take your final chance to join the Ferrari HP Esports Series today and sign up for the Thrustmaster Community Cup, More details on how to register can be found here.
Here are more headlines from the world of competitive sim racing
- Esports Continue to Drive Toward Olympic Contention (Robb Report)
- Esports will become an Olympic sport during first dedicated Games in 2025 (Traxion)
- 2024 Toyota Gazoo Racing GT Cup Philippines qualifiers to begin July 26 (AutoIndustriya)
- ADAC SimRacing Expo Asetek SimSports Community Trophy: Leon Harhoff takes the opening weekend by storm (Traxion)
Sim Racing Tips & Techniques
In this lesson from Asetek SimSports, Bailly will demonstrate the importance of paying attention to various cues for quickly learning the track.
Reference points — such as meter boards, trees, curbs, and buildings—are crucial markers for determining when and where to brake and start turning into corners. Identifying and utilizing these visual cues can help you navigate the track more effectively.
It is essential not to get frustrated by trying to learn everything in one lap. By gradually adjusting your pace and building a mental model of the track, so you know whats coming around the corner.
Tools like the lap delta bar can help you identify and improve weak points. By analyzing and experimenting with your driving while gradually increasing your pace, you’ll soon be able to make micro-adjustments on the fly.
This approach will help you quickly gain confidence in understanding the limits of your tires and managing brake and throttle inputs effectively. You’ll be able to carry more speed, brake later, and start experimenting with different racing lines to improve your overall performance.
How to drive Rennsport in VR (Traxion)
Sim Racing Tech Roundup
Here is a roundup of the latest sim racing tech news, reviews, and recommendations from around the world
- Sim Racing: Buying a VR Headset in 2024 (Box This Lap)
- Best PCs for sim racing 2024: Pre-built desktops for Forza, iRacing, Assetto Corsa, and more (Windows Central)
- Moza Racing launches its new Vision GS Steering Wheel (Box This Lap)
- My favorite sim racing wheel sped past Prime Day with a winning deal — but Amazon STILL offers a silver discount (Windows Central)
- MOZA R3 Wheel & Pedals for Xbox/PC Review – I Am The Wheelman (Press Start)
- Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race Review (CGM)
- Moza Vision GS review: The premium sim racing wheel with a rotating touch screen (9to5 Toys)
- Best Sim Racing Shifters in 2024 (Box This Lap)
- Moza Racing R3 Bundle (Game Reactor)
- Fanatec: Sim Racing Wheels August 2024 Stock Update (Box This Lap)
General Sim Racing News
- Gran Turismo 7: The seven best features in latest game update (Traxion)
- At this new racing simulator lounge in Cary, it’s all about motor sports. Look inside (News Observer)
- Sim Racing: 2024 Steam Summer Sales (Box This Lap)
- VirtuMotorsport Simulation Racing Lounge Brings Premier Motorsport Entertainment to Sterling, VA (Newswires)
- Racing simulation center to open in downtown Hickory in August (Winston-Salem Journal)
- Rennsport – first look at the new racing sim on Epic Games (ReadWrite)
- Fanatec owner Endor AG is insolvent (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.
