All elite athletes have to put in dedicated hours of training which is specifically designed to target crucial skills relevant to the sport. F1 drivers, for example, work everything from strength training to cardiovascular fitness and of course, the skills of driving a machine that can reach over 200 miles per hour.
For F1 drivers, there is nothing quite like time spent in the cockpit of a car. But F1 cars are very expensive pieces of machinery that can’t just be run into the ground for driving experience. Instead, a simulator gets them as close to a driving experience as possible. F1 fans can get a taste of that by setting up their simulator rigs.
Fan Engagement
Most F1 fans will have imagined what it’s like to be behind the wheel and to drive right on the edge of performance and technological limits. Fans can feel a part of that through gaming, as the F1 experience is now integrated into various formats — from advanced simulators to themed entertainment. Even modern gambling sites feature racing-style slots, which players can try using convenient online casino payment methods, from bank cards to e-wallets. Among the many options, realistic simulators come closest to replicating the cockpit’s feel — but how close are they, really?
How Close Are Sims to the Real Deal?
The simulators that F1 teams use replicate the environment of being in the cockpit through high-end advanced software, with data collected from physical models. They are designed to mimic an F1 car as closely as possible, and elements like aerodynamics and handling can be adjusted for different situations and training.
Within the cockpit there are specific control elements, like the steering wheel, pedals, gears and brakes, all physical components that drivers will handle in a real car. Actuators manipulate the cockpit in response to whatever the driver is doing, like finely adjusting the effects of the powertrain and aerodynamic balance. The forces of real driving from resistance, grip, downforce and tyre condition, along with the pressure required for braking all provide crucial feedback.
Do End-User Simulators Get Close?
But what about setups and components for sim-racing rigs at home? How closely do they replicate a real F1 driving experience? There is a sizable difference in the quality of technology between F1 simulators and home rigs.
F1 teams pile huge stacks of money into theirs, which of course would be out of reach for consumers. That being said, consumer technology is still superb for the key components of pedal boxes and steering wheels.
Pedal to the Metal
The Simucube ActivePedals are a great example because they hit the nail on the head when it comes to replicating real driving experiences. A great feature about the component is it can be customised to the player’s exact preference and even comes with presents from real drivers.
With Traction Control, ABS and RPM effects all looping back to the player, and the pedals replicating massive braking forces and travel, the technology that players can get from it is excellent. Other units like the Asetek Invicta and the Heusinkveld Ultimate pedals do similarly brilliant jobs of replicating the real-world action and hydraulics of F1 cars.
Steering Wheels
Logitech has long been one of the most innovative producers of the sim-racing steering wheels, with their G920, G29 and G923 all worth noting for the way they handle. These are not the newest models out there, but they are robust and functional, while the G923 model takes things further with newer technology giving high-speed telemetry feedback.
Anything on the Logitech G Pro wheelbase is going to give a player a great experience, essentially, which is where the magic of handling happens. For a higher level of reality, there is the Cube Controls CSX3 model which is stacked with features including a touch screen. It looks like it has just been pulled out of an F1 car as well, and comes with high-spec inputs for functionality including thumb encoders.
Technology is Out There
Rigs can be customised to a driver’s exact preference and as with anything, the higher up the scale of cost you go, the better the quality of gear, which in turn, feeds back into the reality of the cockpit response.
There are always limitations, of course, as the experience is missing g-forces and real F1 braking loads that most sim racers probably wouldn’t be able to handle or at least sustain for long periods.
But at the end of the day, that’s perhaps not what sim-racing is about, it’s just about what feels comfortable to the individual driver, regardless of cost and enjoyment. But from the force feedback, pedal feel and the overall physics simulation in a high-end rig, the right equipment can get someone pretty close to the real deal.