Imola track: simracing and real racing

[Alvise]

Hi everyone,

I'm a simracing passionate and a car lover. I have a Porsche GT4 which I use for weekend driving and a few track days a year. I've also built the simulator of my dreams (Varjo Aero VR, D-BOX actuators, simucube 2 DD wheel, great pedals, simXperience GS5 seat etc.) with the idea of getting better at driving on the road and on a track, and to get confidence.

Now, just a few days ago I've been to the Imola track, a track I really love and a track I've used a lot in the simulator with the same GT4 car.
The simulator really helped me to know well the track, to properly use my own gears (my GT4 has PDK) rather than using automatic, so I think that the sim helped me to grow on this, BUT while I was doing 2:00 on the sim, on the real track I was doing 2:20... and the main reason was due a fact I couldn't expect or simulate: fear! At 220km/h I didn't have the confidence (and the guts) to go faster. My feeling was that the only way I could improve was to stay there on the track, spend a ton of money on fuel, brakes, tires and make a ton of laps over and over and over slightly increasing the speed at each lap and do it for days. Unfortunately this is not possible (at least for me), it's too expensive (fuel, brakes, tires, track expenses and insurance) reason why I've built the simulator because, although I know a simulator is not as real life, I wanted to train to get better.

Now my question is: is there a way I can use the simulator to mentally train for the speed? I'm looking for a mental training approach to close the gap between sim and real life, so that the next time I'll feel more confident to push the throttle with less fear.

Thank you.

 

[Deleted member 1066209]

Which game are you using?

The only suggestion I can think of is to drive different cars on the same track. Drive slower cars so that you'll have to brake minimally in order to carry more speed through the corners. Drive faster cars to get familiar with the high speeds and quick pace.

FYI, I have no motorsport experience in real life, so maybe this advice is terrible. In any case, I am interested in hearing about your progress.

 

[Alvise]

Which game are you using?

iRacing and ACC. I also have rFactor2 but I've almost never used it.

Drive slower cars so that you'll have to brake minimally in order to carry more speed through the corners

Yeah, makes sense thank you. I actually had a bit of fear in the straits ...there is a fantastic point at Imola where with a GT4 you can easily reach 250km/h and then you have to brake hard because there is a chicane.

 

[Deleted member 1066209]

iRacing and ACC. I also have rFactor2 but I've almost never used it.

Yeah, makes sense thank you. I actually had a bit of fear in the straits ...there is a fantastic point at Imola where with a GT4 you can easily reach 250km/h and then you have to brake hard because there is a chicane.

I've never tried iRacing or ACC. I am a big fan of rFactor 2's FFB, which I'll blindly praise to be superior. Considering you have a full-fledged simulator, I'd like to ask you this question: Can you determine a difference in physics between various games? For example, is the motion more complete, or does it work better in one game than another?

Given that your main obstacle in reality is the high speeds, I'd find it hard to believe any amount of simulator time will help you overcome it. I think you will have to spend more time on the real track in order to get used to the speeds. I suppose you could try driving other tracks that have higher speeds, so that you'll find Imola much easier to tolerate.

 

[Deleted member 1066209]

bump.

I thought about a possible idea that'd allow you to practice on the sim better. Consider lowering the grip as much as possible, as well as lowering the braking pressure/power.

Are you able to lower the vehicle's braking power in the sims that you play? I know it's possible in Assetto Corsa, and I've never tried in rF2. I certainly have no idea about iRacing and ACC, but I think it ought to be an adjustable setting in all of them.

I'd set the track grip to the lowest possible. I'd even consider raising your car's tyre pressures to the maximum allowed, too.

This combination might not be enough to fully strike fear into you while simracing, but it might encourage you to pay close attention during your high-speed braking events to avoid collisions.

Play around with a combination of those variables if the behavior becomes extremely uncontrollable.

 

[Alvise]

Can you determine a difference in physics between various games? For example, is the motion more complete, or does it work better in one game than another?

Thank you so much for your reply @justwannadl
Yeah, I think ACC has the most realistic and has the best motion. Then iRacing. Unfortunately ACC is terrible on VR.

I'd set the track grip to the lowest possible. I'd even consider raising your car's tyre pressures to the maximum allowed, too.

This combination might not be enough to fully strike fear into you while simracing, but it might encourage you to pay close attention during your high-speed braking events to avoid collisions.

Play around with a combination of those variables if the behavior becomes extremely uncontrollable.

Yeah, good idea. What I could try to see is I'm able to recreate similar feelings of what I felt on track at 220km/h

 

[Joe Ventura]

Hi everyone,

I'm a simracing passionate and a car lover. I have a Porsche GT4 which I use for weekend driving and a few track days a year. I've also built the simulator of my dreams (Varjo Aero VR, D-BOX actuators, simucube 2 DD wheel, great pedals, simXperience GS5 seat etc.) with the idea of getting better at driving on the road and on a track, and to get confidence.

Now, just a few days ago I've been to the Imola track, a track I really love and a track I've used a lot in the simulator with the same GT4 car.
The simulator really helped me to know well the track, to properly use my own gears (my GT4 has PDK) rather than using automatic, so I think that the sim helped me to grow on this, BUT while I was doing 2:00 on the sim, on the real track I was doing 2:20... and the main reason was due a fact I couldn't expect or simulate: fear! At 220km/h I didn't have the confidence (and the guts) to go faster. My feeling was that the only way I could improve was to stay there on the track, spend a ton of money on fuel, brakes, tires and make a ton of laps over and over and over slightly increasing the speed at each lap and do it for days. Unfortunately this is not possible (at least for me), it's too expensive (fuel, brakes, tires, track expenses and insurance) reason why I've built the simulator because, although I know a simulator is not as real life, I wanted to train to get better.

Now my question is: is there a way I can use the simulator to mentally train for the speed? I'm looking for a mental training approach to close the gap between sim and real life, so that the next time I'll feel more confident to push the throttle with less fear.

Thank you.

If you're not using Assetto Corsa or/and Iracing for simulation you're lost in the ocean regardless or how "advanced" is your sim rig, if you think Rubens Barichello and Nico Rosberg train and play in those sims just for fun think again. That's your first disadvantage. Lap times in a real track only go down by practice and seat time, fear never entirely goes away because a bit of fear is ok, but once the right technique is used and you're sure your car is mechanically sound for the track the fear will go away. the sim will save you tons of money on tires but also you must practice the tracks you're going practicing at with the same car, learning the track is invaluable and that's why laser scanned tracks are important these days to simulate the real thing, also will help understanding the car and setting up the automobile accordingly. Drive according to your level specially if you don't have a karting background and realising those 20 seconds can take you years to shave off in real life. Good luck and don't blame me for your crash.

 

[Alvise]

If you're not using Assetto Corsa or/and Iracing for simulation you're lost in the ocean regardless or how "advanced" is your sim rig, if you think Rubens Barichello and Nico Rosberg train and play in those sims just for fun think again. That's your first disadvantage.

I'm using ACC and iRacing, they are the best I can get for my rig, isn't it?
Do Rubens Barichello and Nico Rosberg train on AC and iRacing, really?

 

[RasmusP]

Hi,
my ideas would be to do 2 things:
Since you're in VR, speed looks kinda accurate. I'd say drive the track with a faster car. Not a gt3, but a lmp2 or 1 or even better: open wheel cars!
In Assetto Corsa, you could use something like a 90's F1.
The less cockpit and the higher the top speed, the better.

It won't get rid of the fear, but it'll hopefully teaches your brain to adjust the fear better instead of simple freaking out at 250 km/h no matter how calm the car is in reality.

The second idea:
Are there "taxi drives" available and hopefully not too expensive for you?
Like paying for being in the passenger seat in a car at least as fast as your own Porsche while the Pro driver pushes close to the limit.

That way your brain and body would get used to what's possible in theory.


A third idea:
You could rent a car that induces more fear.
No idea about Imola but at Brands Hatch you can do a driver training that ends the day with driving an F4 car yourself.
That definitely induces more fear than your Porsche with full cockpit!

 

[Highsider.]

Since you're in VR, speed looks kinda accurate.

Depends on the FOV, my G2 feels slower than my Pimax, because the Pimax has a way wider FOV.
But I agree to "drive a faster car", might make be good practice for reflexes and how fast everything happens.

After all nothing will create the same fear in a sim, as subconcious you know that you are playing a game. The other question is: Do you really want to go that fast and 'risk your life', or can you enjoy driving, having a higher safety margin and not going as fast (in a straight line).

Disclaimer: No own track day experience.

 

[Alvise]

Hi,
my ideas would be to do 2 things:
Since you're in VR, speed looks kinda accurate. I'd say drive the track with a faster car. Not a gt3, but a lmp2 or 1 or even better: open wheel cars!
In Assetto Corsa, you could use something like a 90's F1.
The less cockpit and the higher the top speed, the better.

It won't get rid of the fear, but it'll hopefully teaches your brain to adjust the fear better instead of simple freaking out at 250 km/h no matter how calm the car is in reality.

The second idea:
Are there "taxi drives" available and hopefully not too expensive for you?
Like paying for being in the passenger seat in a car at least as fast as your own Porsche while the Pro driver pushes close to the limit.

That way your brain and body would get used to what's possible in theory.


A third idea:
You could rent a car that induces more fear.
No idea about Imola but at Brands Hatch you can do a driver training that ends the day with driving an F4 car yourself.
That definitely induces more fear than your Porsche with full cockpit!

Thank you @RasmusP! I'll definitely try something more scary then, and definitely try to rent a cheaper car and try with that.

Part of the fear is given by thoughts like "oh, 220km/h what if a tire now blows up... "

 

[Alvise]

Depends on the FOV, my G2 feels slower than my Pimax, because the Pimax has a way wider FOV.
But I agree to "drive a faster car", might make be good practice for reflexes and how fast everything happens.

After all nothing will create the same fear in a sim, as subconcious you know that you are playing a game. The other question is: Do you really want to go that fast and 'risk your life', or can you enjoy driving, having a higher safety margin and not going as fast (in a straight line).

Disclaimer: No own track day experience.

My point is not to go faster, what I want to do is to "get better".

I'd like to use the simulator to fill the gaps I can't fill with my GT4. What I mean is that if I try in real life, with my Porsche, for example to turn off all the controls and try to control an oversteering ... the risk of damage is really high which means I can't feel free to fail and learn. And I can't do it often because I can't obviously do it on public roads...

 

[Joe Ventura]

I'm using ACC and iRacing, they are the best I can get for my rig, isn't it?
Do Rubens Barichello and Nico Rosberg train on AC and iRacing, really?

ACC it has too many driving aids specially in traction control that can't teach you squat setting up a race car , the old AC its more visceral and more rewarding if you really put some time in it. And yes Rubens uses iracing most of the time however Nico is the hardcorest AC user badass I've ever seen.

 

[Alvise]

ACC it has too many driving aids specially in traction control that can't teach you squat setting up a race car , the old AC its more visceral and more rewarding if you really put some time in it. And yes Rubens uses iracing most of the time however Nico is the hardcorest AC user badass I've ever seen.

and what about rFactor2?

 

[Joe Ventura]

So far no serious racing driver train in rFactor 2 (whom I am aware of) , however I know some top GT teams set up their cars in RFactor Pro and make their models with high accuracy in comparison to the real tracks , if you have the funds get it and let me know.