Sim Racing is about constantly improving. It’s about controlling your car and taking into account a lot of parameters that you are not thinking about in an arcade racing game, like how much heat/wear you are putting into your tires, racing clean, and not taking dumb risks that will cost you the race. Treat the car like a real car. If you really were in a GT3 car worth several hundred thousand dollars, would you go flat out right out of the pit lane and spin it in the wall? Of course not; you would be terrified and cautious trying to understand the car at first. The beginning is the same for simracers – go slow, do a few laps to see the track, the view, heat up your tires to actually have grip, hear your engine and learn your car’s reactions. The most important part is staying on track and being clean.
“To finish first, first you must finish” – Michael Schumacher
If you want a game where you feel like you are better than everyone else, Sim racing may not be the best for that, but I would suggest to give it a try. The feeling of doing decent laps after struggling to just stay on track is amazing. Most sims UI is terrible, but you are there for the simulation.
- The first rule of simracing is race with the cockpit view.
- The second rule of simracing is race with the cockpit view.
- The third rule of simracing is have fun and dont crash into someone on Monza T1
Tip #1 – Start with slower cars
You’ll have way more fun using these during your transition period as your brain has way more time to process what’s going on. You’ll be closer to competitive as the difference between OK, good and great is dulled by the machinery.
Tip #2 – Drive many different cars
A narrow focus on pure thoroughbred race cars will punish your learning phase aggressively.
Tip # 3 – Start slow
These are meant to feel like real cars so try and approach track learning how you would in real life. You wouldn’t just go out and smash into the wall 20 times in real life so start slow and gradually build speed.
Tip #4 – Learn about proper FOV
Make sure you’re using the proper FOV in every game you’re playing. Set your monitor as close as you can to your face. Find a way to have a consistent seating position every time you play. This will help your brain process visual inputs and foster development of muscle memory.
Tip #5 – Start with a “slow in – fast out” driving style
Instructors teach slow in fast out because it’s safer and the natural tendency is for new drivers to “charge” a corner and barely make it (or slide off the track). Starting with this in mind will help you make more corners while you get used the the corner entry speed on your simulator.
– Conor Murphy, Performance Engineer, Sim Racer Academy
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