Sim racing is a lucrative industry that attracts a lot of extremely gifted drivers. At the top of their game, competitors are sponsored and paid well to compete. It’s evolving into a virtual support rally on the pit lane, moving into professional racing, and most critically, it’s here to stay.
Over the past few years, sim racing has experienced a notable increase in popularity. Because of the Coronavirus, numerous real-world motorsport competitions, in particular, could not take place, and drivers began to turn to Sim Racing as a source of training, competition, and sport.
Here, we will discuss everything that you could want to know about sim racing, including what it is, its benefits, how to get started with it, and more.
What Is Sim Racing?
A computer game called sim racing, sometimes known as simulation racing, does its utmost to replicate the real-life characteristics of racing. Sim racing games use state-of-the-art technology to mimic real-world driving dynamics. Simulated racing can resemble genuine racing with accessories such as a handbrake, wheel, race seat, shifter, enormous display monitor, and others.
Even F1 world champion Max Verstappen now uses simulation racing as training. No matter your experience level, sim racing can enhance your real-world driving abilities with the right setup.
Since there are more sim racing games accessible on PC than on consoles, professional sim racers typically compete on this platform. That does not exclude you from simulating racing on a console, though.
An Overview of Sim Racing
Sim racing is a form of motorsport where people race virtual cars on simulated tracks using driving simulators. The first sim racing game is thought to be “Grand Prix Circuit” which was released in 1992. Sim racing has grown in popularity in recent years with the release of more realistic and immersive games.
Some sim racing games allow you to race against other players online, while others are single-player games.
Arcade racing games and racing simulators are the two primary divisions of the racing game genre. The enjoyment of the game is the main focus of arcade racing games. There are weapons, speed boosts, and/or power-ups.
Due to their commitment to providing the most accurate picture of authentic motorsports, racing simulations are different. People compete to be the first to the finish line or to record the fastest time on the track in this game using real racing automobiles on real race circuits. Sim Racing, a subgenre of racing simulations, has developed and raised the bar for realism even further.
What Are Basics of Sim Racing To Know About?
Simulating real racing as closely as possible is the goal of sim racing. Amateurs and pros typically drive with a steering wheel and pedals when competing. Most sim racing games use a steering wheel and pedals, but some can be played with a game controller.
The simulation is remarkably accurate to the real sport and motivates both participants and onlookers. With the proper automobile setup, the drivers turn every screw to obtain the final hundredth of a second. Similar to actual sports, fuel consumption and tire wear must be taken into account at the same time.
Starting a real racing career involves a few challenges. It will need a significant investment of money to emulate Schumi, Vettel, and the company. Karting is a common way for young people to launch careers. Sim-racing has significantly less of this issue, which is primarily financial. All you need to get started is a computer or gaming console, along with a racing sim like arcing or Assetto Corsa. Your system can be expanded and upgraded, even with a joystick, mouse, or keyboard.
What Are Some of the Most Popular Sim Racing Games?
You have access to a wide selection of sim racing games. The gaming platform you’re using (PC, Xbox, or PS) and the racing sport you choose to play both have a role in this. While some of these games have less realism than others, they nevertheless provide a reasonable level of realism for simulation racing.
Asseto Corsa
The mechanics of Assetto Corsa are among the most realistic, and the game even hosts annual tournaments with alluring prize money. Available platforms include PC, Xbox One, and PS4. An active community creates new modifications for tracks and vehicles for Assetto Corsa.
iRacing
This game has extremely realistic racing vehicles and mechanics. Open-wheeled vehicles, streetcars, and many other types of vehicles are available in iRacing and approved by the manufacturers. You might not like that iRacing is a subscription-based service and that you must pay additional fees to purchase more cars as the lone drawback. On the PC, iRacing is accessible.
DiRT Rally 2.0
It is the entire simulation of a rally. With the base game and some additional ones in the DLC, this game offers a fantastic selection of classic automobiles. You can access the game on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
rFactor 2
Professional racing crews and NASCAR manufacturers are using this simulation. Only a few vehicles and tracks are included in the main game; additional tracks and cars must be purchased separately or in packages. rFactor 2 also has a thriving community that creates mods for the game that add new vehicles and tracks. On PC, rFactor 2 is accessible.
F1 2021
It is the official F1 game. This game incorporates real-life teams, cars, circuits, and other modes, including a story mode. PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One users can access F1 2021.
Forza Motorsport 7
Although Forza Motorsport isn’t a completely realistic simulation, its physics are fairly realistic. The series is looking forward to a revamp with all-new racing physics. Xbox One and PC users can download Forza Motorsport 7. You will need to buy a physical copy of the game if you wish to play it because it is not available digitally.
Gran Turismo Sport
The only racing simulation game available from Sony. PlayStation fans love Gran Turismo because of its range of tracks and vehicles. Gran Turismo 7 will be the series’ newest installment this year. On the PS4, Gran Turismo Sport is accessible.
What Are Some Of The Most Popular Sim Racing Sports?
You can participate in various sim racing sports, much like actual racing. These sports are different, even though you are racing an automobile in all of them. Being an excellent F1 driver does not automatically make you an excellent rally driver.
Formula Racing
It involves racing with formula cars with open wheels that are incredibly quick. In F1 races, you can frequently reach 370 kilometers per hour. Formula racing is conducted on specialized tracks. You will need to make pit stops to receive new tires and rejoin the race because driving at such a high speed puts a lot of stress on your car’s tires.
Drift Racing
The fundamental element of this sport is car drifting. To drift the car in drift racing, you must purposefully oversteer and lose traction. In these competitions, according to a judge-based system, you score points for each turn related to how well you drift. One of the most well-known competitions, Formula Drift, allows you to compete in powerful vehicles designed for drifting.
Rally Racing
It involves sim racing in difficult conditions using tough vehicles. Rally events are held on gravel or snow-covered roads; rally cars rarely travel on asphalt. Instead of racing around a circuit, participants in these events race from start to finish in a point-to-point format. In addition to the primary driver, a co-driver sits on the passenger side to help you navigate by directing you and indicating how hard to turn.
Tour Racing
It involves using modified street cars for racing. Teams modify race cars to endure more strain and produce more power than their stock counterparts. Tour racing often occurs on closed circuits, where the goal is to complete the laps first.
Racing is, of course, not just restricted to the four sports listed above. The sports mentioned above are just a few of the many automobile racing varieties.
What Are the Benefits of Sim Racing?
The current generation of simulators is the most realistic we have ever seen, and you can end up competing against a real-life driver. However, you might wonder why you should bother when you could be competing or simply watching racing in real life. Why stay inside when you may be outside learning from real-world situations? There are four main benefits of this.
Cost
Let’s start by taking a look at the cost factor. Getting everything you need to operate your simulator can indeed seem fairly pricey, especially if you plan to buy some high-end hardware. Simulated racing becomes more tempting when considering how much it costs to attend a test day at a track.
After setting up your simulator in your preferred location, the only expenses you would have are your electricity bill and any subscription fees for your selected simulator.
Safety
When testing on a track, there is a good chance of something going awry. Yes, all of this is an aspect of “discovering the limits,” but what if you could identify those limitations before reaching the track?
You can discover your boundaries and track limits using a simulator in a secure and regulated setting. Instead of the day ending with a costly repair bill or, worse, a recuperation period due to injury, it is simply a case of resetting and going again if you put a tire on the turf and end up with a hard collision into the barriers.
Education
Most top-tier racing teams will have a facility they use for their racers or their simulator. There are real advantages to having their racers spend time on a sim, so this isn’t just something they do to kill time between race days.
Even the world’s best drivers are still developing, so using a simulator is a great way to hone technique, boost vision, locate stopping or turning locations, or even developmental skills like concentration, endurance, and self-assurance. These things can be worked on in a controlled setting where the outcomes are clearer. There is also professional training for sim racers!
Time
You can organize your testing around your hectic schedule using a simulator. Within five minutes of clicking the power switch on your PC, or even less if you are currently using it, you may be sitting in the pitlane and prepared to take the track.
Therefore, you can jump right in and start learning whether you have a free twenty minutes here and there or a few hours in the evening.
What Do You Need To Get Started In Sim Racing?
Installing a sim racing game and using a controller is all it takes to start sim racing. But doing that would be counterproductive because using a controller to drive a car will ruin the simulation’s authenticity.
You must purchase an appropriate sim racing rig to enjoy the game fully. The cost of this setup for sim racing depends on how real you want your arrangement to seem and is the most expensive aspect of the process. The following are all of the things you will need to ensure a great sim racing experience.
Gaming Platform
First and foremost, you need a platform on which to install the simulation game. Invest in a high-end PC if you decide to use one.
Gaming Monitor
You’ll need a game display as large as a windshield to attain complete realism. Monitors with curved designs and multi-monitor configurations are popular for sim racing. Along with size, other important factors are refresh rate and responsiveness.
Wheel
When you accelerate in a real car, the wheel tends to want to go back to neutral. Simulator racing wheels contain built-in motors that do this same function. Depending on your purchase wheel, this feedback may be extremely accurate, meager, or absent.
Pedals
The next real equipment for sim racing is a set of pedals. You can buy a clutchless pair of pedals (only the accelerator and brake pedals) or one with the gasoline, brake, and clutch. This depends on the type of racing sport you wish to go into. If you choose, you may also purchase each pedal separately.
Sim Racing Cockpit
This component elevates your setup from basic to expert. A racing cockpit consists of a racing seat and brackets and stands for the wheel, monitor, and other components.
Peripherals
You can expand your setup by including additional instruments. If the paddle shifters that typically come with your wheels don’t meet your needs, you can spend money on a shift stick with an H-pattern. Or you should invest in a handbrake if you want to start drifting.
Wrapping Up
So there you have it—your in-depth guide to sim racing. If you decide to build your own simulator, you’ll discover that it’s a fantastic tool for getting ready for race weekends and a lot of fun!
It’s time to get in the driver’s seat and press the gas. Everything depends on you going forward. Investing in a top-notch sim racing setup won’t make you a racing prodigy, but practice will. It is a great approach to ensure you learn at every step while avoiding wasting money by moving too quickly.
