The Evolution of Ferrari’s Simulator Technology

A crucial part of Ferrari’s tech arsenal, the simulator has played a pivotal role for the F1 team over the past two decades. Its importance skyrocketed when in-season testing was banned by the FIA in 2009.

The Virtual Realm: A Crucial Realm for F1 Development

With the implementation of a tightly monitored cost cap, the virtual world has become the primary domain for evolving new F1 cars. Scuderia Ferrari recently introduced an all-new simulator that boasts an astonishing 98% accuracy in correlation and validation with the real world. Nevertheless, the previous system remains far from obsolete.

A Versatile Asset for Ferrari’s Motorsport Ecosystem

According to Filippo Petrucci, the head of Head of F1 Clienti, XX Programme, and Corso Pilota workshop, the former simulator, used until 2022 by all drivers, will now serve Ferrari customer racing teams and the LMH program. Additionally, Ferrari aims to offer Corse Clienti customers the opportunity to experience the modern V6 hybrid turbo, particularly for those familiar with the older V8, V10, and V12 machines.

Unleashing the Benefits: The Power of Ferrari’s Simulator

The advantages for the race team are well-documented. With the simulator, substantial car changes can be made at minimal costs. Modifications to the car’s configuration, such as altering the wheelbase length, which would be nearly impossible in the real world, become feasible. The simulator also plays a crucial role in setup preparation, especially when the team is gearing up for a race at a new circuit. Test drivers can collaborate with the race team in real-time, regardless of their location worldwide.

Unveiling the Customer Experience: Tailored Simulations for Success

The simulator is in high demand, with only approximately 15 days per year available for customers. Each day begins with a training session, outlining the differences between traditional F1 cars and the latest hybrid versions. This includes deciphering the complexities of energy recuperation, DRS (Drag Reduction System), and the advanced steering wheel features. Customers can then choose two circuits to simulate, with a suggested representative circuit in the morning, such as Barcelona, known for its fast, high-downforce corners. Throughout the day, a coach provides real-time monitoring and guidance via a communication link, while two engineers analyze telemetry data in the control room, mirroring the resources available to the F1 team.

Replicating Reality: The Immersive Simulator Experience

The feedback provided by Ferrari’s simulator closely emulates the sensations felt by drivers on a real circuit. Every variable can be controlled, from the composition of the asphalt to tire degradation. The simulator’s continuous evolution encompasses graphics, detailed feedback to the driver, pedal feel, vibrations, and more. While contemporary F1 cars may be larger and heavier, they offer increased grip, both mechanical and aerodynamic, as well as significantly more downforce. Comparing the experience of driving a 2017-spec car to the latest models reveals an immediate and evident difference to the driver.

Engineering Excellence: Minimizing Latency and Maximizing Performance

Simulator designers and engineers prioritize minimizing latency, reducing the gap between simulation and real-world racing conditions. Ferrari’s latest simulator achieves a latency of less than four milliseconds, ensuring faster driver response to dynamic phenomena such as under or oversteer. The system’s bandwidth exceeds 55Hz across six degrees of freedom (DOF), accurately processing and conveying information to the driver and their vestibular system. Filippo Petrucci suggests that the younger generation of drivers, raised in the era of sophisticated computer games, adapt more quickly to the simulator’s challenges. Ultimately, the simulator instills confidence in drivers, offering an ultra-realistic and completely safe environment with expert guidance to continuously improve lap times.

Unleashing Potential: Transformative Gains on the Track

The impact of Ferrari’s simulator on driver performance is truly remarkable. With improvements ranging from six to seven seconds in lap times being the norm, there have even been cases where clients achieved an astounding 20-second improvement around Barcelona. The simulator stands as an exceptionally effective tool, combining performance enhancement with a thrilling experience.

Watch an exclusive video where Marc Gené explores the simulator at Maranello

The post Enhancing Performance and Innovation: Ferrari’s Cutting-Edge Simulator. appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

Here are some points to consider:

The most realistic driving sim isn’t necessarily the most popular one, nor the most expensive one. It’s the one that comes closest to replicating the experience of driving in real life. That means that different factors influence how realistic it feels when you are behind the wheel of a game like iRacing or rFactor . The feel of your car, how well the game tracks your movement, how responsive it is to your inputs, and many other factors will impact how realistic your gaming experience feels.

rFactor 2

Ever since video games started allowing for a point of view from inside a car’s cockpit, developers have attempted to recreate the thrill and excitement felt by drivers. If you are looking for the best racing simulation game, then Rfactor 2 might be your best bet. Developed by Image Space Incorporated, this game goes above and beyond in recreating an authentic driving experience on any given track you could possibly encounter on the highways and race tracks of America. Along with some impressive graphics and sound design, players can control their vehicle’s steering, brakes, throttle and shifting.

It also has a bunch of online leagues where you can play against other gamers as well as compete against AI opponents. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to racing games or just looking for something different – this is the perfect title for everyone.

Assetto Corsa

Driving mechanics are engineered on accurate physics so players can feel every bump and shake on an actual race track just as they would when using an actual car. Races take place on some impressive international racetracks including Silverstone, Catalunya National Circuit de Barcelona (aka Circuit de Barcelona), Willow Springs International Raceway and many more locations around the world for additional realism. Not only does Assetto Corsa come with a variety of cars from Ferrari, McLaren, Pagani, Audi and Mercedes-Benz to name a few but also offers 5 skill levels from beginner to professional. The simulation’s weather system offers different conditions such as clear day races, rain or night races which create challenging environments for the player no matter what their skill level. Assetto Corsa provides single player modes with Scenarios Mode that has three sets: Special Events, Team Events and Race Weekend. It also offers multiplayer modes like Quick Race, Custom Race or Multiplayer Championships where up to 22 players can join a championship together over the internet or local network connection.

iRacing

One can build a very nice home PC gaming system for around $1,000. That’s not bad considering you’ll have a machine capable of playing any current game at maximum settings and some pretty decent framerates on medium-to-high detail levels (just over 60 FPS on an R9 290X) with prices coming down monthly, but it does have some drawbacks when it comes to iRacing. First off, you need a steering wheel/pedal set which will run another $200-$300 and then there are the yearly membership fees. There are other options as well like Gran Turismo 6 or Project CARS, both being amazing games but they’re console exclusives so there’s no native keyboard support. And since those two games don’t offer a racing simulation they’re more arcade-like in nature than true racing simulations like GT6 or Assetto Corsa which do offer keyboard support and extremely detailed physics models to make things feel more real (those two also require a lot more power). I’d say GT6 is the best console racing game out there right now if you want something quick without all the fiddling about with peripherals required by other games.

So what is the most realistic driving sim?

Well to me there is no answer. It depends on a lot of components.

To say what is the best, we should test first the real car and then try it on virtual. If we can have real data to implement on the software, a really good direct drive motor, and at least 3 screen FOV then we could say more, in the meanwhile we can only guess.

The post The Most Realistic Driving Sim Is The One That Comes Closest To Replicating The Experience Of Driving In Real Life. appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

Why Direct Drive is Beneficial

One of the great things about direct drive steering wheels is that they provide a much more realistic driving experience. This is because they are directly connected to the game’s physics engine, which means that they can provide force feedback that is far more accurate than what you would get with a belt-driven wheel. Additionally, direct drive wheels tend to be much smoother and quieter than their belt-driven counterparts.

How To Get Your First Direct Drive Wheel

If you’re looking to get into simracing, you’re going to need a steering wheel. And if you want the best possible experience, you’re going to want a direct drive wheel. Here’s everything you need to know about getting your first direct drive wheel.

There are different brands that are making pretty good products, for simracing to professional use.

And there is some pretty good Chinese direct drive wheel called Simmagic that is a new entry and is amazingly good.

Then we have Fanatec with its new DD CSL, or the podium, and the Simcube another great product.

Things To Consider When Looking For A Wheel

When it comes to simracing, there are a few things you need to consider when looking for a steering wheel. First and foremost, you need to make sure that the wheel is compatible with your simulator. Second, you need to decide what kind of feedback you want from the wheel. Third, you need to think about how much money you’re willing to spend on a wheel. Fourth, you need to decide what kind of features you want from a wheel.

My Personal Experience With A DD Wheel

I have been simracing for a little over a year now. I started out with a Logitech G25 wheel and pedals, and they served me well for a while. But I always felt like I was missing something, that I could be going faster and driving better. Then I went for the beautiful Fanatec belt driven CSL 2.5, was so smooth, the best non-direct drive wheel I’ve ever had! But after that, I decided to upgrade to a direct drive wheel. And man, what a difference it made!

The post Everything You Need to Know About Simracing Direct Drive Steering Wheels appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

You know when we read about the extinction of dinosaurs on earth? It is said that an asteroid …

Fanatec has done it again. Last night around 8 pm local time, he released a video teaser where dots appeared that came together almost to form a cube, followed by a date: 21-04-2021.

Panic. What’s going to happen next?

On the internet communities in just a few minutes, comments, posts begin to pop up and someone begins to put together the pieces of a hypothetical puzzle and back to April 1st.

Remember the Fanatec social post about a direct drive 0.5? Small in size at a price of € 349.95?

Ah yes April Fool!

Well, late yesterday’s confirmation. A bomb from the blue, an asteroid that is about to change the games in the world of sim-racing, and therefore I ask myself: Is this new direct drive base Fanatec CSL DD about to decree the end of the belt and gear steering wheels? We know about the quality of Fanatec products even up to before the arrival of the podium base. The CSL and CSW bases have great feedback, but so what’s going to happen now?

This morning opening Facebook I saw the panic. On some of the various Facebook’s sim racing groups and marketplaces dozens of posts of people who were selling their own bases, evidently to save money to secure this new CSL DD base, which will have an affordable price and direct drive technology within everyone’s reach.

More In-Depth Of This New Fanatec CSL DD

“The efficiency of the CSL DD motor technology means dynamic force-feedback performance is contained in a small footprint. This is also the first industrial motor to feature a carbon fiber composite motor shaft, which increases responsiveness and acceleration significantly due to low rotational masses.
Up to 8 Nm of torque

Standard peak torque is 5 Nm, with the Boost Kit 180 (optional) unlocking the full 8 Nm. This high level of torque can be sustained without the need for active cooling, with the extruded and CNC-machined aluminum casing acting as the structural chassis as well as the heatsink.
Upgradable quick release

The CSL DD uses an automotive-grade, all-aluminium quick release. This component is user-exchangeable, ready for the transition to the all-new QR2 system (coming soon).
Automotive-grade quick release system

The all-aluminum construction and anodized surface ensure strength and durability, providing a robust connection to Fanatec Steering Wheels.
Ready for the future

Connected internally to the wheel base via USB-C, the quick release can be upgraded easily to the next-generation QR2 system (coming soon). Existing Fanatec wheels with an exchangeable Quick Release can also be upgraded to QR2.
Table Clamp”

Some Features Of The New Fanatec CSL DD

Compatibility Platforms

• PC: This wheel base is compatible with PC when combined with a Fanatec Steering Wheel. Check the individual Steering Wheel product pages for Wheel Base compatibility.
• Xbox: This wheel base becomes compatible with Xbox One® and Xbox Series X|S when used with any Fanatec Xbox-licensed steering wheel.
• PlayStation: This product is not compatible with any PlayStation® console and cannot be upgraded to achieve compatibility.

Peripherals – the CSL DD is compatible with:

• Fanatec Podium Steering Wheels
• Fanatec ClubSport Steering Wheels
• Fanatec CSL Steering Wheels
• All Fanatec Pedals (adapter cables might be required on pedals without RJ12 connection)
• Fanatec ClubSport Shifters (including ClubSport Static Shifter Paddles)
• Fanatec ClubSport Handbrake V1 and V1.5
• Fanatec RennSport Cockpits
• ClubSport Table Clamp V2
• CSL DD Table Clamp
• Boost Kit 180
• Podium Mounting Brackets (the CSL DD includes M6 T-nuts for side-mounting; the PodiumMounting Brackets require the use of M6 bolts and washers)

What’s Included

• CSL DD wheel base
• 90W power supply (regional)
• 4x T-nuts for rail mount system
• USB cable (Type-C to Type-A)
• Quick Guide

Fanatec will ship it in Q3 this year and pre-orders will open as soon as they have a reliable shipping date.

Does it make sense to sell your Fanatec base now and perhaps remain without a steering wheel waiting for a release date to come out? To me not. At least at the moment. What’s your view on this?

Comments to you!

The post New Fanatec CSL DD: The End Of The Belt And Gear Driven Wheels? appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

I’ll tell you more.

Make yourself comfortable..and get yourself a cup of tea…

Who is Cruden BV?

Cruden BV is a Dutch company based in Amsterdam, which has been dealing with simulation since the late 1990s.

It develops professional motion simulators, and thanks to their previous experience in the design of simulators for the aerospace industry (Military), has transferred this knowledge to the automotive, motorsport, and marine industries.

Naval you read that right!

Originally the company had another name. It started as a spin-off of Fokker Aircraft, (the company was formerly known as FCS Racing Simulation and was renamed Cruden in 2006.

They have pioneered simulator technology for many different applications, such as searching for drivers for self-driving delivery moments and crew training simulators for small fast boats.

In 2003, FCS acquired its know-how in flight simulation and developed a racing simulator that combined a motion base with a detailed dynamic vehicle model, motion detection software, and professional image generation.

Cruden simulators supply to the automotive industry, universities, research institutes, and international motorsport companies, including Formula 1, F2, F3, WEC, and Formula E teams. Having also supplied the attractions and entertainment industries since the company was founded, Cruden spun off this side of the business in 2016, setting up a separate company Cesys, which markets a range of interactive experiences to this specialist sector.

In addition, the company produces simulator components and operating software.

Cruden’s HQ is designed to house the simulator manufacturing process, including simulator components and new product development. The building houses all functional teams covering the mechanical design of Cruden simulators and Cesys simulators components and systems.

In fact, Cruden simulators are built in-house, that is, they are produced by the company in all their components. From actuators, pedals, steering wheel servo motors etc.

Cruden Simulators And Panthera Software

Have you ever heard of a game called Racer? Racer is a free car simulator project, using high-end car physics to achieve a realistic feeling and an excellent render engine for graphical realism.

Well, this title is now called Panthera and has been deeply modified by the Cruden team to bring it to a high level of professional simulation.

The “Panthera Free” edition is focused on the automotive and you will recognize that most of it actually resembles the Racer.

It includes Cruden’s CSVM stands for “Cruden Simulink Vehicle Model” and it is the basis for professional (physical) vehicle models. CSVM Lite is a lighter, simplified version than the one included in the full licensed version of Panthera Free. Its purpose is to evaluate the integration of external vehicle models with Panthera. The physics engine within Panthera is the same (Newton).

Most of the effort these days goes into the framework, hence the integration of external models (mostly via Simulink).

You can download the FREE version of Panthera HERE.

As I was writing this article, to tell you about this great company and their wide range of simulators, as we saw at the beginning, I thought I’d contact them directly. I wanted you reading this article to have as much information and curiosity as possible, at your fingertips, of those that passionate people like us would like to ask if given the chance.

So I tried to send an email, and I had the pleasure of exchanging a few words with Dennis Marcus who is the commercial manager of the company. Dennis was really helpful, and enthusiastic from the start, and invited me to ask him some questions.

As you can imagine, I immediately got to work and here I am reporting our exchange:

Hello Dennis let’s start:

Which of the current F1 teams are your customers?

Given the importance of driving simulators in F1, our customers do not allow us to talk about their simulators.

Do they use all your components or maybe just the Panthera software on their current simulators?

We build turn-key simulators including hardware and software. We offer a variety of visual systems and motion platforms to meet customer specifications.

Do your simulators only work with Panthera software or can customers install any software on them?

The software is what makes or breaks a simulator. All of our simulators run on Panthera software. If a customer already has simulator hardware and wants to upgrade the software functionality we can integrate Panthera with non-Cruden hardware.

For a high-end motorsport simulator, visual feedback is essential. It requires eye limiting resolution, high refresh rates, and low latency. The track content plays an important role in this and has to be optimized. This is a specialist task which we do for our high-end motorsport customers.

Tell me more about the Panthera software. I know there is already much information on your website, but the Free version is the same as the version the professional team uses?

The vehicle dynamics model is usually a development done in-house by high-end motorsport teams. The Panthera software is designed to facilitate the integration of external vehicle models in such a way the latency is reduced to the minimum. 

About the FREE version that we can download, where we can find tracks and cars? there’s anything available, or it’s up to the community let’s say make cars and tracks? What a user get once installed? any car or track?

We build simulators as engineering and testing tools for the professional motorsport and automotive industries. Panthera is not targeted at the sim racing community..

Is there any chance to watch some videos of your F1 simulator and some of the rendering of your F1 circuits?

You can find some videos of racetrack on our YOUTUBE channel

Is rFpro your main competitor?

rFpro is a render engine and we have customers who use Panthera in combination with rFpro for rendering. The Panthera render engine is based on Unity, but Panthera is much more than this. It is also the software framework through which we integrate all of the simulator hardware components and the engineering tools, like vehicle models and HIL systems.

What you guys need to know and understand, and it’s very very important, is the correlation between simulator data, and data recorded from the real car at the real track. During and following a race weekend our customers compare the data from the real car with the data from the simulator to improve the fidelity of the computer models of the car and tires, much like they do with their wind tunnel. This is a continuous process. The better the correlation the more valuable the simulation sessions will be for car development and race preparation.

Well Thanks a lot Dennis for your time.

As you may have noticed if you have been following me for a while, this was my first interview, but I must say that the guys from Cruden BV were really really helpful and kind. I hope you enjoyed this article and satisfied some curiosity, and introduced you to a leading company in the industry that produces “wonderful toys” for professional simulation.

Let me know in the comments what you think, and if you like, share this article!

See you soon. Bye!

The post Do You Know Cruden Simulators? appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

Why didn’t I think about it before?

The first version sold out in a short time. And many were left with a dry mouth, hoping they could have one, and you? Owner, or are you ready to put in your cart ?!

Of all the pro teams in the world, McLaren is perhaps the one that speaks most strongly to racing enthusiasts with an engineering mindset. It is a brand for those obsessed with details and for many sim racers, tormenting with the minutiae is a way of life. To be honest, I’m not an exception.

On the other hand, just look at my nick.

It’s great in my opinion that so many of these McLaren sim racer fans now have a new way to get a little closer to reality. Mind you, this wheel isn’t entirely new, but it’s mostly improved. This is the $ 200 McLaren GT3 V2 Fanatec CSL Elite steering wheel.

Why V2? The previous version of the wheel has been quite criticized for the gear changes and sloppy feel, and this is the major overhaul here.

The feel is much more precise than, for example, Fanatec’s BMW GT2 Clubsport wheel, but it’s not as precise as Fanatec’s Podium Advanced Paddle Module. Given that those paddles cost $ 180 on their own – almost as much as the entire wheel – it shouldn’t surprise you.

But What Has Changed With The New Fanatec McLaren GT3 Wheel V2?

The wheel has a diameter of 300mm, so a bit larger than the Fanatec formula wheels and smaller than many of the company’s other GT wheels.

The new McLaren GT3 V2 wheel now features realistic, strictly magnetic shift paddles with a completely revised shift mechanism. The paddles now have a longer throw and can still be moved up and down with one hand. Fanatec has also revised the double-clutch paddles also improved.

But it doesn’t stop there. Now, the wheel features a white OLED display to access the tuning menu features and show game telemetry (if supported). There are new multi-position switches that feature advanced multi-position modes and infinite rotary encoder functionality for greater compatibility between racing simulators. Up to 54 inputs are directly accessible on this wheel.

The steering wheel features two 12-way rotary switches, a pair of two-way toggles, a seven-way toggle, two analogue sticks under the shifters, seven standard buttons with interchangeable caps, and a pair of buttons hidden inside of plastic bunkers.

These last buttons have the purpose of activating the speed limiter in the pits and engaging neutral. Fanatec wanted to go further this time, going so far as to model the resistance of each button to match that of the real car.

Fanatec has also improved and simplified the quick release adapter which clips to the pitch without the need for tools. If required, the simplified quick release adapter can be replaced with the optional high-end ClubSport quick release adapter, unlocking the High Torque mode on the podium wheel bases.

Finally, the McLaren GT3 V2′s steering wheel is now officially licensed for Xbox. Connected to a compatible FANATEC base, including connected peripherals such as gear levers, pedals, or handbrake, the wheel will work on Xbox One® and Xbox Series X | S. Needless to say, the wheel also works on PC and PS4 or PS5 when combined with a PlayStation licensed wheel.

FEATURES

• Full-scale replica of a McLaren GT3 Steering Wheel
• Officially licensed by McLaren Automotive Limited
• Officially licensed for Xbox One® and Xbox Series X|S
• Two analogue paddles with reinforced honeycomb pattern, supporting four switchable modes:
  • Clutch bite-point mode (standard/advanced)
  • Clutch/handbrake mode
  • Brake/throttle mode (allows driving without pedals connected)
  • Mappable axis mode
• Clutch bite-point system can be used in any game with analogue clutch input
• Magnetic shifters for superior tactile response
• Rocker-type paddle made from anodised aluminium allows up and down-shifts with one hand (possible on both sides)
• Diamond texture grips on shifter and clutch paddles
• New tool-free Simplified Quick Release Adapter design:
  • Improved ease of use (no clamping bolt required) and durability
  • Exchangeable, supports ClubSport Quick Release Adapter, unlocking High Torque Mode on Podium wheel bases
  • Avoids any play in the QR system
• 1”, 128 x 64 resolution OLED display (white)
• Two 2-way toggle switches
• Multi-Position Switches: two 12-position switches, configurable as endless rotary encoders
• 7-way FunkySwitch™: left, right, up, and down directional inputs, push button, and rotary encoder functionality
• Two high-bezel snap-dome buttons with laser-engraved P and N lettering. Identical resistance to the buttons on the real wheel
• Seven standard buttons with exchangeable button caps
• Tuning Menu button for instant access to force feedback and other Fanatec hardware adjustments
• Overmolded rubber grips (like the original GT3 wheel) with 50 Shore A hardness
• Racing-style button caps included
• Button label placement indicators for placing additional indicators such as “VIEW” & “KERS” (sticker set included)
• Xbox® mode LED indicator
• Weight 1090 g (with Simplified QRA) / 1280 g with ClubSport QRA 
• 300 mm diameter

COMPATIBILITY

Wheel Bases

• ClubSport Wheel Base V2
• ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5
• CSL Elite Wheel Base 
• CSL Elite Wheel Base V1.1
• CSL Elite Wheel Base + officially licensed for PS4™
• Podium Wheel Base DD1
• Podium Wheel Base DD2
• Podium Racing Wheel F1® (Podium Wheel Base DD1 PS4™)

Platforms

• Xbox: if connected with this steering wheel, the above mentioned wheel bases will be compatible with with Xbox One® and Xbox Series X|S.
• PC and other platforms: The specifications of the compatible wheel bases will remain unchanged.
• The functionality of this product on Xbox or PlayStation can be limited by the capabilities of the console (subject to firmware/OS changes and developer support). The full functionality can only be guaranteed on PC; this is also game-dependent.

SPECIAL NOTES

• In order to operate this product, a compatible Fanatec Wheel Base (not included) is mandatory!
• Some features might not be supported on Xbox One® or Xbox Series X|S. Functionality also depends on game developer implementation of the Fanatec SDK.
• High Torque Mode on Podium wheel bases is available when using the ClubSport Quick Release Adapter with this wheel.

The post New Fanatec Mclaren GT3 V2 Wheel appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

“It looks like play station 2”, “90s graphics”, “with all the money they have they could aim for something better” etc etc
Unfortunately, the internet has given anyone the opportunity to open their mouths, or in this case to comment, without having the slightest knowledge of the facts. The slightest knowledge of what he is talking about. Or worse still thinks he has it.

I wonder: according to these people, an F1 team that has a stratospheric budget really couldn’t afford super fancy graphics for their simulator? Or maybe it’s a matter of physics and not of graphics?

Dear guys, before putting your hands on your keyboard, count to 10. Breathe, find out, reflect, read up, think, if you are interested in the subject. Apart from the fact that even today a title like rFactor (2005) has quite acceptable graphics. If you have a good PC and a good graphics card, you can enjoy it to the fullest and I guarantee you that it is quite good.

It won’t be super detailed as we are used to seeing in the latest generation video games, sure, but so what exactly do we want? What do you want? Admiring the graphic details, or having the feeling of driving a car on a track?

Because when a driver is sitting in a professional simulator, he is not looking at the shop windows along the track. And even if he does notice them, he won’t need them. Neither to him nor especially to his engineers, who are working on how to find a good ideal starting setup, so as to arrive on Friday with a car at a good starting point on which to work and optimize during the various sessions. The driver must immediately rediscover the sensations he has when he is in the real car.

It must feel the steering wheel as it does on the track. The brakes. He must feel and know how much the car can dare, push, to the limit, with the difference that in the simulator if it crashes nobody gets hurt and the car does not suffer damage. Also because during the sessions the damage is turned OFF naturally. Here I seem to already read the comments of the great experts: “oh but if you put the damage off, then it’s not realistic!” “In reality, if you go off the track and crash, the car breaks down”

Okay sure, guys, but time is precious, and during the simulator sessions the driver pushes so hard, that he doesn’t have to worry about going out. If he crashes, he must immediately regain control and continue spinning. It is not important that he stops in the pits to have his car repaired. Is this point clear to you, and why? There is no time to lose!

Another very important thing you need to know is LATENCY. These simulators and I’m not referring to the software, but all the components that make up the simulator together must have 0 latency. The software for example has to sacrifice super TOP graphics to maintain performance and feedback with 0 latency. The driver immersed in his session must not suffer delays while driving, and the same goes for the steering wheel. I do not mention the pedals as they are set, but the steering wheel must be a direct drive steering wheel and must reproduce in real-time all the feedback from the car, tires, and asphalt to the driver and engineers.

One last thing: with this I am not saying that graphics are not important, or that admiring the details is not an added value. I just tried to explain to you, that in the scale of importance the graphics come a little later, taking into account that we are now at such a good level that even those a little less detailed are absolutely convincing and acceptable.

So next time you watch one of these videos, think about it before writing that the graphics look old or are ugly. If you really don’t like it, switch off, switch on the play station and play your game with super graphics. Maybe simulating driving is not for you.

The post It’s All About Physics Not Graphics appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

One of the many problems of Ferrari’s delay in relation to the other F1 teams is certainly the lack of collaboration and correlation between the track data, those of the wind tunnel, and those of the computer. As a motivation for this delay, this music soon became in the long run an excuse to hide when things go wrong.

The F1 regulation change scheduled for 2022 will be a challenge for Ferrari to try to change what we are unfortunately witnessing. A total defeat, which will most likely continue into 2021. We explored the topic a few days ago trying to imagine a Ferrari 2021 scenario with the freezing of the development of the F1 single-seater foreseen for the parts of the noses, brakes, and suspensions.

The investment in the new Ferrari simulator seems almost like a bolt from the blue. News that we hope will bring that breath of fresh air that Ferrari needs to start a new cycle, and to re-establish a racing team that no longer seems to keep pace with this modern F1 with hybrid engines.

The new simulator will retire the “spider” that currently occupies a huge room. At the time it was a sophisticated system for F1 that was able to even simulate lateral G forces. But now, with the development of new simulators and an advanced software level, it seems almost prehistoric.

Another step towards 2022. The next Formula 1 season will be that of the so-called “revolution” and all the teams are already preparing to live what could be a new era in the category. And so Ferrari has taken another step towards this not so distant future: the Scuderia, in fact, has announced the completion of the new simulator.

Scuderia Ferrari today announced the completion of its new simulator.

The “Spider”, which had been used until today, is therefore preparing to retire in 2021. The new simulator will be located right in the heart of the Prancing Horse, in Maranello, in the middle of the main building of the Gestione Sportiva and the racing track. Fiorano. It consists of the recreation in a 360 ° environment of the lowest latency and the highest bandwidth of the competition.

This system was conceived by Dynisma, a British company headed by former technician Ashley Warne, and is the result of an exclusive collaboration with Ferrari. The new simulator will undergo calibration in the coming weeks and will become operational in September, after the summer break, to accompany drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the work of the 2022 car. In the meantime, the “Spider” will continue to be used for the SF21 and for the preparation of the race weekends of the F1 2021 world championship. “Simulation and digital technologies will play an increasingly important role in Formula 1.” commented Gianmaria Fulgenzi (Head of Supply Chain at Ferrari). “We believe we have made the best possible choice with the creation of a tool that can allow us to make a generational leap in this sector. And to do this we have focused on a young and dynamic company like Dynisma. It took two years to complete this simulator and now we are ready to use it on the 674 project, the one that distinguishes the single-seater that will be built according to the new technical regulations in force from 2022 ”.

The benefits of the new simulator will only be seen on the Ferrari F1 of 2022. In the hearts of every fan, there is the hope of seeing the return of a competitive Ferrari in F1. Rory Byrne, an engineer at the time of Schumacher’s winning Ferrari, was also involved in the 2022 F1 single-seater project. Binotto said in this regard: “When you start with a blank sheet of paper, you need experienced people to help draw the lines”. Byrne was considered a sort of genius at the time, but will he also be able to take up the challenge for 2022 with all the changes in the regulation?

One thing is certain. The new simulator is an important investment, very expensive because of the hardware, but above all for software that will have to be tailor-made for the new F1 car of 2022.

Ferrari is somehow moving to try to get back competitive, but we’re all asking ourselves: why hasn’t this been done before? Beyond this disastrous year, the infamous programming, or rather, not programming, has meant that next year we will see inglorious F1 scenes. The red from Maranello needs to be reborn and above all to wake up. Ferrari in F1 cannot stay more than 1 second behind the leaders. For the history of the brand, for the love of the fans, for their own sake.

Could the new Ferrari simulator be a sign of rebirth? We hope so, but there is a lot of work to do, and we don’t see a strong leader who knows how to manage the various departments (did anyone say Binotto?). Perhaps more acute management would have found opportunities for improvement and development already before.

However, we will wait for this F1 2022. We believe that Ferrari is also waiting for it.

And in 2021 what do we do?

Well, maybe buy yourself a simulator and take the Ferrari to the podium, because on the track, the real one, there will still be suffering.

The post F1: Ferrari New Simulator For 2022 appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

I still remember the first week of March when I got that message from the office where I worked. It would have closed as a precaution due to Covid-19. The pandemic had not yet exploded but this country quickly stopped. I thought I can’t leave the house, but the F1 2020 season is about to begin!

When the Melbourne weekend arrived I was looking forward to seeing the race, but soon the first news arrived. Mclaren members, contagion in the paddock. Until the end, we thought they could race but then… everything stopped.

It is said that even from bad times, opportunities can be recognized. That changes should not necessarily scare, but often for the human being, they seem a threat, a misfortune, more than teaching, or perhaps an invitation to reflect.

It’s actually a convenient summary of what’s happened in Formula one this year. We’ve gone from the potential disaster of no races, which could have
forced a number of teams out of business altogether to a rammed
calendar packed with races and venues that fans could have only dreamed of 12 months ago.

As more of this year’s schedule has fallen into place, F1 has silenced any talk that the 2020 championship may not be as worthy as any previous.
In fact, it’s moved into territory where actually there is a mounting argument that winning this year’s crown will be more impressive than a regular campaign.

We’ll even put forward the case that when we come to look back to the 2020 campaign, providing it’s not wrecked by a second wave of the pandemic, wear a ask people! that it will be viewed as a golden yar when f1 stepped away from the norm and produced something special.

On the one hand, we have the extreme circumstances of teams having to live through unprecedented times of lockdowns extended factory shutdowns, car freezes, triple headers, regular testing, and social distancing requirements. this is an f1 like nothing experienced before. and it’s not just team personnel who are being pushed to the extremes and potential breaking point by the intensity of the campaign.
We’ve already seen with Lando Norris in Austria, that drivers are having their own niggles too.

Not to mention Sergio Perez catching coronavirus, and having to sit out the last two races. Where this year campaign has the potential to really stand out for fans though, is the calendar. With F1 picking something old, something new, something borrowed and something okay maybe not blue. in a bid to get enough races on the schedule, venues like Imola and Mugello, will provide a treat for fans, and perhaps a real opportunity for the championship to understand what shape it needs to take in the future like many sporting contests.

F1 is too often affected by people viewing it’s past better than the present.
Whether it’s no overtaking, or too much overtaking through DRS. The same teams winning all the time, or too many teams winning making it a lottery. Time and again section of his audience have always found a reason to complain about the here and the now. The recurring theme being “it was always better back then”. But thinking the past was only great overlooks the fact that as humans, we only seem to recall the highlights.

Talk to anyone now about the Ayrton Senna versus Alain Prost domination in the 1980s. Or the Schumacher glory years with Ferrari in the 2000s. And all you’ll hear is how great they were and what a thrill F1 was to witness in those moments.
What’s got lost in the mists of time, is the amid all the spectacular moments. and the record-breaking achievements which were all pretty great by the way, there were also some pretty boring races that were no more exciting than some of the dull races we have on occasion these days.

The delta moments though have been wiped from our memory banks. This love affair with the past is why there has been excitement about the return of tracks like Imola and the Nurburgring. And intrigue about venues like Mugello and The Algarve that hosted f1 tests in the past but were never able to get the funding together, to be able to hold a Grand Prix in normal times.

Will these venues live up the hype generated by their most famous moments?
What will be fascinating to see, how each of F1’s different types of venues play out in terms of spectacle.
We have an old school track in Imola. And High-speed challenging venue in Mugello. A modern undulating medium speed circuit in the Algarve. A potentially a super fast tri-oval in Bahrain, and finally, a come-back to the Istanbul Park for the Turkish Grand Prix! that should all deliver something unique.

With F1 having been lambasted in the past for all it’s tracks looking identical, with the same type of slow-speed corners leading to the same type of slow chicanes, with the same type of features, the variety on offer this year should hopefully a catalyst for mixing it up. It is also hugely refreshing that the F1 schedule isn’t just a cut and paste of the previous seasons. So teams will face greater uncertainty about setups a tactic for venues that aren’t on a regular beat. Spain in August anyone?

Having an identical calendar year in and year out can be a bit just too repetitive.
For too long F1’s key motivating factor in picking where it races was just how many dollars governments were willing to pay out for the privilege of hosting a race.
The quality of the action and the spectacle on offer to fans was only a secondary consideration. Now the coronavirus crisis which has derailed F1’s finances by not allowing fans into races has offered the opportunity to pick tracks for the right reasons.

Thankfully that opportunity wasn’t let go. By the end of this year (especially when thrown in with the Imola two-day race weekend format experiment) F1 should have an incredible data set about the type of venues that the series needs in the future, with or without a pandemic to deal with.

Were the old-school tracks just better?
Was Mugello better than a crazy Bahrain oval?
Would the Algarve be better on the calendar than another race in Europe?
Is the classic Istanbul park circuit prove something we already knew?

F1 2020 schedule is certainly a calendar for the ages. It’s a brilliant pick of the past, the present, and the unknown. So let’s enjoy in the moment and reveal what we’ve got right now, and not when we’re sitting there with our rose-tinted spectacles in 10 years’ time.

What do you think about F1 20202 season: could it be the best season we’ve had in decades? let me know…..

The post F1 2020 Season : One Of A Kind? appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.

What we are saying is that peripherals can be inconsistent. Though, one area where there has always been a demand for high-quality peripherals has been within the sim racing game and racing simulation community. These players and racing aficionados have always sought after these alternative control schemes to add to the realism provided through their gaming experience.

Originally, this was for more of a novel and arcade-like experience to their gameplay. However, as technology has advanced and graphics have improved within racing titles, these peripherals allow players to truly feel as though there are really driving these vehicles around their favorite globally renowned circuits.

With this in mind, we thought it would be great to take the time to think about just what makes these peripherals great, what production techniques are used to make sure they are of the finest quality and just how these amazing bits of tech suck us into the action and make transitioning from real-life driving to in-game driving a seamless task. So put on your best driving gloves and come with us for a spin.

Sim Racing Peripherals: Its All In The Detail

When it comes to the design of the wheels (Direct Drive or Belt or gears models), pedals and other aspects of the peripherals. It’s common practice for manufacturing companies to spare no expense to make these feel as authentic as possible. Many companies do this with features such as genuine leather wheels allow for a more classy design akin to luxury car interiors, customizable button bindings that look incredibly similar to notches and dials of high end racing vehicles. Or alternatively, genuine metal pedals that further add to the authentic feel of the setup.

The detail doesn’t stop at face value. These peripherals also have built-in hepatic feedback, which for those unaware, adds resistance when pushing pedals and turning the wheel depending on the scenario on screen. This takes G-force, over steer, under steer and gravity into account. Meaning that if you close your eyes you’ll be able to feel the physics of the in-game world in action.

Made With PC Players In Mind

If you’re a PC player, you’ll know that racing games have never had your best interests at heart when making their games. Plus, the keyboard and mouse don’t exactly lend themselves to the racing genre. In the past, racing peripherals would have been seen as a step down from playing with a controller but thanks to the advances in technology, the racing peripherals offer a gateway for PC players to play racing titles with a level of immersion and comfort that they would have never been able to achieve with a KBM set up.

Adds a new level of Challenge

When playing racing games and going round tracks that are completely new to you. It can be shocking how quickly you can adopt the perfect racing line, learn the course perfectly, and be setting records within an hour flat. In reality, even the most elite racers need to practice for hours on end just to become adept at one track. Yet with a basic knowledge of racing game mechanics, you can be a champion in no time. It just feels a little simplistic to us. Though, with gaming peripherals there a lot more considerations to account for.

With the resistance and the measured rotation of wheel you need to consider, the shifting of gears that you need to master through the clutch pedal and the braking that needs to be mastered through the pedals as well. This all culminates to offer a higher level of difficulty to each track. Giving the player an experience akin to a real-life racing driver. This might not be something everyone seeks out in their gaming experience but for those cruising through racing titles with ease, this can add an extra layer of enjoyment.

What Games Support Peripherals Best

So let’s say you’ve gone online and grabbed the perfect peripheral for you. You may now be wondering, what games are best to try out my new piece of tech. Well don’t worry, we have you covered. Here is a quick list of racing titles or series that support racing peripherals brilliantly.

• rFactor
• iRacing
• Assetto Corsa
• rFactor 2
• Dirt Rally 2.0
• F1 2019
• Gran Turismo
• Automobilista

So that’s our rundown on why racing peripherals are a fantastic medium for enjoying racing games. What are your favourite racing games at the moment? Are there any racing games you think really benefit from racing peripherals? Which peripherals are you using at the moment or what ones do you have on your radar? Let us know in the comments and as always, thank you for reading.

The post Why You Should Invest In Racing Peripherals? appeared first on F1 Simulator Maniac.