Sim Racing to Real-Life Racing Is One Steep Learning Curve

As Nik Berg discovered, the switch from sim racing to real-life racing in one steep learning curve. But as I have pointed out in the last few months of the Sim Racing and Esports Roundup, it is starting to become a valid entry point for people wanting to go real-life racing.

In addition to Nik’s story, I have real-life motorsport company Radical Motorsport teaming up with Advanced Sim Racing to create a sim racing cockpit, a new Winter Series from Radical Cup Canada, what’s next for Fanatec and how Audi are already F1 racing, virtually.

All this and much more in this week’s Sim Racing and Esports Roundup.

From Sim Racing to the Real Thing

Sim Racing to Real-Life Racing Is One Steep Learning Curve

Nik Berg explains how the switch from sim to real-life racing is one steep learning curve. “A simulator doesn’t portray the track elevations anything like they really are. Paddock Hill bend looks completely different compared to what it did on my TV,” Nick tells me after his qualifying session. At least the downhill left of Graham Hill bend and the left-right kink of Surtees and McLaren are visible, as is the inside curb at the final right-hander, Clearways.”


Sim Racing and Esports Roundup for December 8, 2022

The iRacing site explains how Elvis Rankin converted his Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series results into a real-world title shot. “Earlier this year, Indianapolis-based teenager Elvis Rankin impressed sim racing and real-world racing pros alike with a stellar performance in the inaugural Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series. His runner-up finish in that championship gave him the opportunity to compete in this year’s Skip Barber Formula Race Series in the real world, with a half-season scholarship to help him showcase his skills.”


Competitive Sim Racing News

Sim Racing to Real-Life Racing Is One Steep Learning Curve

Radical Cup Canada have announced that sign ups open for their iRacing Winter Series for all interested. Friday nights starting Dec 16th. 20 races 10 events – sprint and reversed top 10 feature. $25 for the season – going for pts $3 per race for a partial season. Radical drivers check your emails this weekend for your invite. You can join them on Discord at https://discord.gg/XRzpNnSt

Sign up form is here: https://forms.gle/6s651hKoC2rXNm4P7


If you are looking to try sim racing with the Virtual Reality Racing Club (VRRC), you can find all the details here.

Live broadcast with professional commentary, info-graphic overlays, live timing and data, so that both viewers and drivers have a full ‘Virtual’ sim racing experience. Races are run as though it’s a real world race event. From the Race Director who manages all the proceedings and the Clerk of the Course who keeps an eye on the driving standards of racing and race track, it’s all run with as much ‘Reality’ as possible.”


Sim Racing Tech Roundup

ASR Radical Edition

Radical Motorsport and Advanced SimRacing have partnered to create a sim racing cockpit.

Nikolas Dubois, Advanced Sim Racing COO and Co-Founder, said of the chassis “This is, without a shadow of doubt, the most robust sim racing chassis ever created. Thanks to our unique design and top-grade North American aluminium alloy, you can rest assured that this chassis will bring out the true potential of the most powerful sim racing peripherals available today. We’re delighted to partner with Radical Motorsport, having supported the Radical Cup North America series in the 2022 season and invited to join the celebrations at the Radical World Finals in Las Vegas.”

Jon Roach, Radical Motorsport’s Global Head of Marketing, added “over the past two years we’ve noticed a large and growing community of virtual Radical racers, and with the launch of the SR10 in iRacing earlier this year we realised that a lot of our current ‘real-world’ Radical owners are also taking advantage of sim racing as a training and preparation tool for the various Radical Cup series around the world. This partnership with Advanced Sim Racing will allow us to offer a tailored solution for both fans and Radical owners around the world.“

Sébastien Mailhot, President and Chief Executive Officer of D-BOX Technologies Inc added “D-BOX is proud to be collaborating with Advanced SimRacing and Radical Motorsport on this unique project. By combining our FIA-licensed haptic technology with ASR’s & Radical’s industry expertise, we are able to create an experience that goes above and beyond what a traditional simulator without motion can bring, which provides drivers with extremely realistic feedback, without having to be behind the wheel of a real car.”


Sim Racing and Esports Roundup for December 8, 2022

The V-RIG S1 sim racing cockpit has been announced. Designed to be functional, highly adjustable, with a captivating design, support all major controls, suit most body types and all racing types and practical with its unique fold-away design. Tank-like construction, utilizing heavy duty steel box section sandwiched together with two lazer cut steel plates to form an ultra strong framework. Modular design allows addition of multiple add-ons such as display brackets, gearstick arms and much more.

V-RIG was created with pure adjustability in-mind, allowing the user to find a perfect position within several different driving disciplines including Rally, GT and Formula. We were ultimately able to achieve this with the V-RIG S1 – an ultra adjustable, rigid and mobile mild steel sim chassis.

For more information visit vrig.com to learn more.


General Sim Racing News

Sim Racing to Real-Life Racing Is One Steep Learning Curve

What’s next for Fanatec? CEO Thomas Jackermeier is interviewed on the Traxion.GG Podcast S5 E15 in the video above.


The Race explains how Gran Turismo returned to motorsport’s forgotten world. “Even the inclusion of press conferences, which made their debut in this year’s World Final, is a testament to the plans that PlayStation and Gran Turismo have to relaunch in-person events bigger and even better produced than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic began.”


Studio 397 and tire company Goodyear announced an official esports partnership bringing cutting-edge tire models to the rFactor 2 Le Mans Virtual Series. Both companies will try to improve the authenticity and realism of tires within the simulation. “The collaboration between Goodyear and Studio 397 brings an authentic, immersive, and data-driven experience to esports drivers via the rFactor 2 physics model. Design engineers from Goodyear have had a key role in building the tyre model from the ground up.”


Sim Racing to Real-Life Racing Is One Steep Learning Curve

I mentioned this in last week’s Sim Racing and Esports Roundup but here is the teaser video for the Ferrari Vision GT, Maranello’s first dedicated virtual motor sports concept car.


Gaming and esports betting platform Unikrn has been relaunched in Canada and Brazil by betting and entertainment group Entain after a year offline for restructuring. “The decision to initially focus on Canada and Brazil is related to the perception of esports’ variety and fan engagement in these markets. Unikrn, though, will not partner with any teams or tournaments in a short-term period, leaving this strategy for a second step.”


Sim Racing and Esports Roundup for December 8, 2022

They may only be racing in the real world in 2026 on F1 tracks around the world but Audi are already part of virtual Formula 1.

At the end of August, Audi announced its entry into Formula 1 during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps and at the same time unveiled a show car with a special Audi F1 launch livery. EA SPORTS and Codemasters have now digitally recreated this exact show car in perfect detail and integrated it into the F1 22 video game with the latest in-game update.”


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.