The Nürburgring 24 Hours are here, and one of the most exciting endurance events of the year also means potentially tricky conditions. The Eifel is notorious for its changing weather, so it is likely that there is going to be rain at some point. Inclement weather is usually a topic of debate among sim racers - some like it, seemingly more want to avoid racing in it at all costs.
In sim racing, we can often predict the probability of rain coming in with relative certainty, but unless the weather is fixed to dry conditions, you can never be entirely sure. As a result, a certain adaptability is a big advantage for any driver to bring to the table for these events.
Adjusting your driving style on the fly while deciding on the right moment to change tires is essential in variable weather - and getting it wrong can have considerable consequences, as that usually means losing control of your car or having to go extremely slow to avoid doing so. These scenarios can be practiced, although it is seemingly rare to actually do so for most sim racers.
At least this would explain why these races often spawn chaos once the heavens open up and brake distances get longer, the surface more slippery, and visibility poorer. Things usually settle down after a few laps as drivers adjust, and for those who are more used to these conditions, it can be a great opportunity to make up positions.
We had been practicing in the wet before the event, and it paid off. Much like in the dry, once you find your rhythm in the rain, it actually becomes a pleasant drive, just not as fast as usual and with the need to watch out for kerbs and puddles more. In later events with changing conditions, wet weather usually allowed me and my team to jump numerous cars as they had their difficulties in the changeable conditions.
These days, I look forward to racing in the rain. The final of our F1 1991 league in Automobilista 2 took place at Adelaide using real weather, and the circuit was soaked as a result. Possibly aided by driving the Benetton-based V8 car with its nimble handling, lapping a few seconds faster than the usual V10 front runners was very good to see.
In sim racing, we can often predict the probability of rain coming in with relative certainty, but unless the weather is fixed to dry conditions, you can never be entirely sure. As a result, a certain adaptability is a big advantage for any driver to bring to the table for these events.
Adjusting your driving style on the fly while deciding on the right moment to change tires is essential in variable weather - and getting it wrong can have considerable consequences, as that usually means losing control of your car or having to go extremely slow to avoid doing so. These scenarios can be practiced, although it is seemingly rare to actually do so for most sim racers.
At least this would explain why these races often spawn chaos once the heavens open up and brake distances get longer, the surface more slippery, and visibility poorer. Things usually settle down after a few laps as drivers adjust, and for those who are more used to these conditions, it can be a great opportunity to make up positions.
Editor's Take
Personally, I used to hope that I could avoid racing in the wet if possible as my single player experiences in the rain were not great. This changed when I got more into multiplayer racing, and after a 12-hour race at Suzuka in Assetto Corsa Competizione that was unexpectedly run in the rain for the entire event, my views changed a bit.We had been practicing in the wet before the event, and it paid off. Much like in the dry, once you find your rhythm in the rain, it actually becomes a pleasant drive, just not as fast as usual and with the need to watch out for kerbs and puddles more. In later events with changing conditions, wet weather usually allowed me and my team to jump numerous cars as they had their difficulties in the changeable conditions.
These days, I look forward to racing in the rain. The final of our F1 1991 league in Automobilista 2 took place at Adelaide using real weather, and the circuit was soaked as a result. Possibly aided by driving the Benetton-based V8 car with its nimble handling, lapping a few seconds faster than the usual V10 front runners was very good to see.
