New to Sim racing?

A sim rig set up can definitely take a while to get used to. iRacing, among many other titles, definitely has some cars that are unforgiving to new racers.

If things are not working on the day, it's not a bad thing to have some patience and try again.

Once you get a few more hours on the track under your belt, analyse your data. If you find yourself doing endless laps without progression, it's a whole lot easier to improve when you are aware of what's going on in your driving.

The two most important things in the sim racing world are visual and audio cues. Learning the visual and audio cues of what the car is doing is what separates the good sim racers from the struggling. Listening to gear changes and making sure you see those in front braking can shave seconds per lap.

Many drivers on console games such as Forza and Gran Turismo Sport opt for using a controller. Whilst this is often easier to start with, eventually you will want to make the move to pedals and a wheel if you wish to progress in the sim racing world. 

TFZ PABLO
PROFESSIONAL SET-UP

EQUIPMENT:
GOOD AND AMAZING

A good wheel definitely helps! Even entry-level wheels nowadays are very good compared to a few years ago.

Play with the settings of the wheel a bit until you're comfortable with what you feel through your hands. With high-end, direct-drive wheels, it's a lot easier because there is much more detail in the force feedback. Kit can vary vastly in price, with wheels and pedals starting in the hundreds and going into the thousands.

Our advice would be to spend what you can afford; look for a wheel with force-feedback as a minimum. Something like the Thrustmaster TMX range is often a good starting point. Many of our drivers have no issue competing with the best with this King of Wheels!

// BASIC SET-UP

Manual vs Automatic gears

Even if you’ve never driven a manual transmission car, use manual transmission while sim racing. You get a great deal more control over your car’s speed, traction, and launch. Shifting into a lower gear can also help slow you down (engine braking), which will help you maintain control as you approach corners. It’s also just more fun!

Everyday drivers used to automatic transmission will be frustrated for a bit, but after a few races, driving manual will be second nature. If you want to improve your times you need to go manual!

WHEN SHOULD YOU COMPETE ONLINE 

Once you’re making clean laps and can no longer improve on your lap times, you’re ready to start checking out the online competition. Be warned; many drivers in the lobby still don’t observe the rules around racing etiquette!

These drivers will typically not progress to serious tournaments.

YOUR FIRST COMPETITIVE RACE

Do not try to win on the first lap. This will likely only result in spins, collisions or you may even risk disqualification. Remember your qualifying and stay on pace. Overtaking is all about opportunity and timing.

Consistency

Many people still have an ‘arcade’ mentality when they play racing games and whilst this is great for the likes of Need for Speed it won’t help you in more realistic games such as iRacing or Gran Turismo Sport.

When it comes to sim racing, applying yourself seriously when it comes to overtaking, braking and track rules will allow you to develop one of the most vital skills in racing: consistency.

Check out our Twitter @TeamFordzilla for videos of us racing follow us on twitch.tv/teamfordzilla to see how we rock it!

Follow us on twitch.tv/teamfordzilla to see how we rock it!

Cookie consent

This website uses cookies and similar technologies on this website to improve your online experience and to show tailored advertising to you. Read more

Got it