If you are into gaming or motorsport, you must have heard about sim racing. Racing simulators are gaining more and more popularity. While watching F1 races, WRC rallies or any other form of motorsport, every fan dreamed of trying to drive this type of racing car. Thanks to better and better simulators, it is now affordable for almost everyone, and this form of entertainment is gaining fans all over the world. For a long time, however, it has been not only entertainment, but also a sport in which players compete for really prestigious awards.
Fun is just the beginning
Most often, we start with simple fun. Are you watching F1? You are purchasing the latest version of the F1 game. Are you a fan of rallies? You start out with one of the many gaming options on the market. Other racing series, MotoGP or just a few hours of playing Forza, Gran Turismo or any other similar game. Some of them are a bit more simulation than others. However, none of them belongs to the group of simracing games. In addition, until we bought our first steering wheel for a console or a computer, it is difficult to talk about a simulation here.
However, when you buy the steering wheel, you suddenly find it better to install another game. One of the rFactor, iRacing, Assetto Corsa and RaceRoom Racing Experience groups. Then your steering wheel turns out to be insufficient and instead of Logitech equipment up to PLN 1000, you are looking for something closer to PLN 3000 from Fanatec. In addition, pedals, probably some cockpit with a real bucket seat … well … a better computer, a wide-angle monitor … or 3 monitors.
At this point, you already know you’re hooked.
E-Sport
Next comes the online leagues where you try to get the best time and race position. With time, you probably leave typical rooms where the level is very unequal to the actual leagues in which you have to try a lot to get satisfactory results. It all ends with professional esports competitions. All major organizations and racing series already have their own leagues – F1, NASCAR, Formula E, Porsche Cup and many more. If you are interested in professional simracing, this is the pinnacle of your dreams.
Real Sport
But simracing is not all about fun and esports. The first high-quality simulators were created not for entertainment, but for training real racing drivers. Today, all Formula 1 drivers regularly train in simulators that have been developed due to the diminishing number of real training and test hours. Some of the younger drivers also play for entertainment, but if Ferrari builds a simulator for a few million euros, it has nothing to do with a little game in the afternoon. This is to provide them with a competitive advantage amid increasingly restrictive rules and budgetary constraints.
