Can a Sim Racer Perform in a Real Race Car?
- Thread starter Paul Jeffrey
- Start date
Andy_J
I hate Race cheats ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
A sim racer that thinks he can race straight away is a delusional person. A fast alien sim racer on the internet is fast because he is not scared of anything. He realises this as soon as he out brakes himself and hits the tyre wall of his local track at 70 mph when he tries it for real. He then realises that sim racing is far safer, cheaper and a lot less painful. Real racers use proper simulators to learn the tracks and lines and they learn from their mistakes too. But their is nothing to say a sim racer couldn't learn just as quick given the right team behind him. 
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Probably better than your average inexperienced person and worst than the pros.
A GoKart is shocking when it starts to move and it takes a while to see how fast you can go and explore the limits.
A GoKart is shocking when it starts to move and it takes a while to see how fast you can go and explore the limits.
Before I was a sim racer I tried out for the Clio Cup, a support series for the BTCC in the UK.
I had only done some basic sporadic indoor karting up till then.
(I played GT and Forza on consoles but only with a pad so don't really count it as sim racing)
I turned up to 3 Sisters Race circuit on Wigan early on a Saturday morning and we were given a briefing and then went out to take our first laps with an instructor, an ex Formula 3 racing driver.
He made it look extremely easy whilst taking us round the circuit with tyre screeching at the edge of adhesion.
Then it was down to us. Each driver would get their helmet and gloves and take instruction to build up circuit knowledge and to improve their times.
We were then marked on how well we responded to instruction and how well we put into practice immediately what we were taught.
Day 1 went so quickly. It was absolutely amazing putting a basic Rover 200 through its paces on the small yet technical circuit.
We all went home after a debrief and discussion on the day being advised to check phone and email to see if we had been successful for the next session.
I'd made it through and turned up a few weeks later for the next session.
Now it was all about being as quick as possible still taking instruction but pushing faster and faster throughout.
A few of the guys were previous racing drivers trying to get a fully sponsored drive with the team hosting the event as they had run out of budget. The prize on offer was 75k season with car crew and entry to all the events on the BTCC calendar.
Anyway. They were all discussing the blind uphill right hander that had a wall to the left with about a meter of runoff
All the drivers said that they lifted or dabbed the brakes to aid turn in to shift the weight of the car. The instructor told me that you can take it flat. It took a couple of laps before I could summon up the courage to take the corner flat at around 70mph.
This is something you don't feel in sim racing, at all, you go as fast as you can and if you mess up just hit reset...
Here I was feeling the pressure of wanting to be competitive against a bunch of racing drivers who knew their stuff plus the fear of messing up and getting hurt or at the least being asked for a cheque for repairs.
So I went for it and kept my foot down, turned in on the apex. Hit the curb and slid slightly to the ourside kissing the kerb.
Instructor immediately turned and said see what you can do. It was immense. But the feeling of terror actually doing what appeared initially to be crazy was also a big deal but at the same time ultimately satisfying. Needless to say I was within a few tenths of the guys at the top and was invited back again.
I will never forget that experience. I made it though to the semi finals. Interviewed on Motors TV and even got my suit measured up ready in case I won the competition.
Only problem was the karting. Twin engine karts with slicks and it was a wet track. Zero experience and the others all jumped in for quali
Needless to say that with a lack of karting experience I qualified last and was lapped during the race.
That's when I took up karting at Club 100
If you were a new driver you couldn't just sign up and start racing. You had to go to an open practice and register so they could see how you handled things.
Buckmore park. Classic circuit in Kent.
Needless to say I did ok in the wet there and signed up for my first season.
Raced there for 5 years, even raced abroad in France and Spa in Belgium.
The feeling you get from racing in a hugely popular and oversubscribed series in 115cc direct drive karts is impossible to recreate in a sim. You ache all over shifting body weight into the corners to give your outside tyres more grip. Leaning forward on the straights to try and increase aerodynamic efficiency. Taking corners flat out at 70mph is a crazy feeling and you do almost forget how badly you could get hurt if you got it wrong or someone else rams into you or flips you. I've seen it happen multiple times but as a racing driver you never think it will happen to you...
Sim racing is less expensive, less painful but somehow very similar with the adrenalin you have during quali or a live online race. That's the same. And I think you replace the fear of hurting yourself with the fear of ruining your race or worse others.
But yes. Sim racers could make the transition I think. If you removed the money factor then you could go a lot quicker but then some have the problem with the accident factor. I'm not one of those people so it's just time and money stopping me.
I had only done some basic sporadic indoor karting up till then.
(I played GT and Forza on consoles but only with a pad so don't really count it as sim racing)
I turned up to 3 Sisters Race circuit on Wigan early on a Saturday morning and we were given a briefing and then went out to take our first laps with an instructor, an ex Formula 3 racing driver.
He made it look extremely easy whilst taking us round the circuit with tyre screeching at the edge of adhesion.
Then it was down to us. Each driver would get their helmet and gloves and take instruction to build up circuit knowledge and to improve their times.
We were then marked on how well we responded to instruction and how well we put into practice immediately what we were taught.
Day 1 went so quickly. It was absolutely amazing putting a basic Rover 200 through its paces on the small yet technical circuit.
We all went home after a debrief and discussion on the day being advised to check phone and email to see if we had been successful for the next session.
I'd made it through and turned up a few weeks later for the next session.
Now it was all about being as quick as possible still taking instruction but pushing faster and faster throughout.
A few of the guys were previous racing drivers trying to get a fully sponsored drive with the team hosting the event as they had run out of budget. The prize on offer was 75k season with car crew and entry to all the events on the BTCC calendar.
Anyway. They were all discussing the blind uphill right hander that had a wall to the left with about a meter of runoff
All the drivers said that they lifted or dabbed the brakes to aid turn in to shift the weight of the car. The instructor told me that you can take it flat. It took a couple of laps before I could summon up the courage to take the corner flat at around 70mph.
This is something you don't feel in sim racing, at all, you go as fast as you can and if you mess up just hit reset...
Here I was feeling the pressure of wanting to be competitive against a bunch of racing drivers who knew their stuff plus the fear of messing up and getting hurt or at the least being asked for a cheque for repairs.
So I went for it and kept my foot down, turned in on the apex. Hit the curb and slid slightly to the ourside kissing the kerb.
Instructor immediately turned and said see what you can do. It was immense. But the feeling of terror actually doing what appeared initially to be crazy was also a big deal but at the same time ultimately satisfying. Needless to say I was within a few tenths of the guys at the top and was invited back again.
I will never forget that experience. I made it though to the semi finals. Interviewed on Motors TV and even got my suit measured up ready in case I won the competition.
Only problem was the karting. Twin engine karts with slicks and it was a wet track. Zero experience and the others all jumped in for quali
Needless to say that with a lack of karting experience I qualified last and was lapped during the race.
That's when I took up karting at Club 100
If you were a new driver you couldn't just sign up and start racing. You had to go to an open practice and register so they could see how you handled things.
Buckmore park. Classic circuit in Kent.
Needless to say I did ok in the wet there and signed up for my first season.
Raced there for 5 years, even raced abroad in France and Spa in Belgium.
The feeling you get from racing in a hugely popular and oversubscribed series in 115cc direct drive karts is impossible to recreate in a sim. You ache all over shifting body weight into the corners to give your outside tyres more grip. Leaning forward on the straights to try and increase aerodynamic efficiency. Taking corners flat out at 70mph is a crazy feeling and you do almost forget how badly you could get hurt if you got it wrong or someone else rams into you or flips you. I've seen it happen multiple times but as a racing driver you never think it will happen to you...
Sim racing is less expensive, less painful but somehow very similar with the adrenalin you have during quali or a live online race. That's the same. And I think you replace the fear of hurting yourself with the fear of ruining your race or worse others.
But yes. Sim racers could make the transition I think. If you removed the money factor then you could go a lot quicker but then some have the problem with the accident factor. I'm not one of those people so it's just time and money stopping me.
I came at SIM racing backwards. I raced for real (mostly club, but against professionals sometimes) in my 20s and then took up SIM racing in my 40s. So, for me, the better question is, are they similar? A: No. SIM racing is far far too artificial to compare one to the other. None of us should be able to jump in an IndyCar and beat Juan Pablo Montoya's fast lap anywhere. However, that misses the point.
At least in America, the answer to "can a SIM racer preform in a real race car" has also been answered with a resounding "yes". There is no doubt in my mind that SIM racing makes you a better racer. Since racing talent is mostly born, not learned, all you have to do is merge the two together. And there are a hundreds of thousands of drivers who are every bit as talented, out there, as your F1 heroes. We just don't get spoon few their names. The Pirelli World Challenge is the best GT racing on the planet, IMO, and Heitkotter is the real deal.
At least in America, the answer to "can a SIM racer preform in a real race car" has also been answered with a resounding "yes". There is no doubt in my mind that SIM racing makes you a better racer. Since racing talent is mostly born, not learned, all you have to do is merge the two together. And there are a hundreds of thousands of drivers who are every bit as talented, out there, as your F1 heroes. We just don't get spoon few their names. The Pirelli World Challenge is the best GT racing on the planet, IMO, and Heitkotter is the real deal.
Doesn't the GT Academy prove that sim racers do exactly what we're discussing?
They didn't even come from hardcore sims but Gran Turismo on PlayStation.
They didn't even come from hardcore sims but Gran Turismo on PlayStation.
Sim racing may not make a race car driver... but I would say it definitely will help a person understand the limits of a car and the general physics regarding what is going on in everyday driving. Be it a big truck with a heavy load or a small car on a slippery road, I have been in a few situations in real life where I am sure my sim experience has kept me "on the track" so to speak.
Paul Jeffrey
Premium
I think the GT academy idea kind of skews the point I wanted to make it the OP. Of course the initiative was an awesome one, and the quality it has produced over the years cannot be argued against, but with the way it's been set up and the coaching you get as a driver etc I feel the actual virtual skills you have don't really amount to anything. GT academy is basically 'race car driver idol' for sims, but rather than using the sim as your skill set its just picking someone up who wants to be a racing driver that also happens to have driven in a race game too. It's pretty much like getting a professional driver who's out of budget to go and drive Gran Turismo for a bit and get a place in the event..
For me @Ghoults nails the point I'm trying to make in the OP to perfection.
Do I think a sim racer can go enter a top level race and be quick? No not at all.
Do I think a sim racer can go enter, say, the UK Ford Fiesta club racing scene and outperform Joe Bloggs who's doing his first event with no sim experience behind him and the same real world experience as his sim racing rival, yes, within reason.
The basics between sim and real life are the same. Inputs one the wheel, pedals, gears / picking out and perfecting racing lines / racecraft when in a position fight / multitasking fuel, tyres etc / consistency / "listening" to car feedback and transferring it to the road and all that stuff stay the same across both real and virtual.
Obviously the physical element of them both are wildly different and sims can never prepare you for that, but that isn't the point of the question. Everyone has to get accustomed to the physical aspects and the "fear". That doesn't matter if you have a sim background or not. Everyone driving out onto the track for the first time will have that, and the good ones will overcome that fear quickly.
What the question asks, and what I'm intrigued to know, is can 2 people, one with sim experience and both with the same real world experience and same mental disposition go into a race and who would be likely to come out on top. Would / could the transferrable skills of a sim racer be of use to someone in the real world.
As I said in the OP, yes I think sim experience would help.
Looking at myself, I know for sure that I am a better racing driver now because of sim experience than I was before when I used to race. I am certain that if I could race against my "pre sim" self I would, 99% of the time be able to outrace myself on the track.
Would I be faster over a single lap because of sims? Probably not to be honest. Would I be quicker sooner on a new track I've raced before on a sim, yes I think I would. Simply because I've had time to study it on a sim and trial and error different things. Think of Istanbul as an example, that little downhill chicane in sector one can be taken several different ways and requires quite a unique line and throttle application in order to take it quickly. In a sim that baffled me for a while, so I had the chance to work on it for several days, share experiences with other drivers and study data. The sheer amount of time I spent on getting it right is massively more than I would of had at a real event weekend. That alone would, in all probability, have bought me 2 tenths of a second immediately against the real world me if we raced together on the same track. Not saying in the practice sessions at the track the real world me wouldn't have worked it out eventually, but while he was doing that, I already had the answer and could focus on some other part of my programme.
So it's not a simple question, and it all depends which way we are looking at it. But I'm sure in my heart of hearts that in some situations, for some drivers, sim experience must be of a real world benefit.
Probably
For me @Ghoults nails the point I'm trying to make in the OP to perfection.
Do I think a sim racer can go enter a top level race and be quick? No not at all.
Do I think a sim racer can go enter, say, the UK Ford Fiesta club racing scene and outperform Joe Bloggs who's doing his first event with no sim experience behind him and the same real world experience as his sim racing rival, yes, within reason.
The basics between sim and real life are the same. Inputs one the wheel, pedals, gears / picking out and perfecting racing lines / racecraft when in a position fight / multitasking fuel, tyres etc / consistency / "listening" to car feedback and transferring it to the road and all that stuff stay the same across both real and virtual.
Obviously the physical element of them both are wildly different and sims can never prepare you for that, but that isn't the point of the question. Everyone has to get accustomed to the physical aspects and the "fear". That doesn't matter if you have a sim background or not. Everyone driving out onto the track for the first time will have that, and the good ones will overcome that fear quickly.
What the question asks, and what I'm intrigued to know, is can 2 people, one with sim experience and both with the same real world experience and same mental disposition go into a race and who would be likely to come out on top. Would / could the transferrable skills of a sim racer be of use to someone in the real world.
As I said in the OP, yes I think sim experience would help.
Looking at myself, I know for sure that I am a better racing driver now because of sim experience than I was before when I used to race. I am certain that if I could race against my "pre sim" self I would, 99% of the time be able to outrace myself on the track.
Would I be faster over a single lap because of sims? Probably not to be honest. Would I be quicker sooner on a new track I've raced before on a sim, yes I think I would. Simply because I've had time to study it on a sim and trial and error different things. Think of Istanbul as an example, that little downhill chicane in sector one can be taken several different ways and requires quite a unique line and throttle application in order to take it quickly. In a sim that baffled me for a while, so I had the chance to work on it for several days, share experiences with other drivers and study data. The sheer amount of time I spent on getting it right is massively more than I would of had at a real event weekend. That alone would, in all probability, have bought me 2 tenths of a second immediately against the real world me if we raced together on the same track. Not saying in the practice sessions at the track the real world me wouldn't have worked it out eventually, but while he was doing that, I already had the answer and could focus on some other part of my programme.
So it's not a simple question, and it all depends which way we are looking at it. But I'm sure in my heart of hearts that in some situations, for some drivers, sim experience must be of a real world benefit.
Probably
laugh of the day. i know i wouldn't be able to do either, so true
An excellent article and well written as always.
Well it's been proven that sim racers can make the transfer to real racing in some cases (as you've highlighted @Paul Jeffrey with the Nissan Academy) and I think it's fantastic that with such an expensive sport that this was one way somebody with a lot of natural talent that would never normally get the chance, can get a break in the sport.
As mentioned though you need the talent to begin with and also the belief in yourself that you can get the job done.
The other element that comes into my mind is of course real world factors.
Travelling to races, jet lag if you're international racing, living out of hotels, media days, sponsorship events, coping with the press, dealing with the politics of the sport, and if you have to of course raise the money to keep going.
The physical aspect is of course a big factor too (but that's been covered really well by others before).
You have no fear on a sim and in real life I've found it's much more of a gradual aspect of building up speed rather than going flat out straight away. Otherwise you end up hitting something!
In sim-racing you can spend hours running around a track getting the perfect setup and the perfect lap. In a real life club race (for example) you probably only get 30 minutes track time if you have to change the setup on the car or kart lots of times, and still learn the circuit. You don't have endless new tyres or perfect weather conditions either. So it's a very different scenario.
Well it's been proven that sim racers can make the transfer to real racing in some cases (as you've highlighted @Paul Jeffrey with the Nissan Academy) and I think it's fantastic that with such an expensive sport that this was one way somebody with a lot of natural talent that would never normally get the chance, can get a break in the sport.
As mentioned though you need the talent to begin with and also the belief in yourself that you can get the job done.
The other element that comes into my mind is of course real world factors.
Travelling to races, jet lag if you're international racing, living out of hotels, media days, sponsorship events, coping with the press, dealing with the politics of the sport, and if you have to of course raise the money to keep going.
The physical aspect is of course a big factor too (but that's been covered really well by others before).
You have no fear on a sim and in real life I've found it's much more of a gradual aspect of building up speed rather than going flat out straight away. Otherwise you end up hitting something!
In sim-racing you can spend hours running around a track getting the perfect setup and the perfect lap. In a real life club race (for example) you probably only get 30 minutes track time if you have to change the setup on the car or kart lots of times, and still learn the circuit. You don't have endless new tyres or perfect weather conditions either. So it's a very different scenario.
Dan Allen
I am the Pastor Maldonado of RaceDepartment.
I've done quite a lot of sim racing and I've also tried racing in formula ford's, it felt totally different. When I mentioned to the team manager that I was a sim racer, he made it very clear that sim racing will teach you how to find a racing line, but will not give you the sensation of g forces and the feeling of reaching the limits of grip.
I must say, I tend to agree with what he said now I've tried it.
Unfortunately, at the end of the test day I had a smash up on the road and can no longer afford to race any more
I must say, I tend to agree with what he said now I've tried it.
Unfortunately, at the end of the test day I had a smash up on the road and can no longer afford to race any more
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Have to disagree. Simply being a SIM racer (a serious one) marks you as prepared up to a certain level. Before the "SIM Idol" (as you say) contest can start, the contestants are already talented, unlike American Idol. In fact, I learned many things *from* SIM racing 20 years after I had raced competitively. You may believe this is more a reflection on me, but I offer things like -- squeezing every ounce braking power out of the brakes and knowing the track. I raced Nissan 300ZX cars at Road Atlanta. Fun as they were, I gained no ability to drive an open wheel car on Silverstone. What I did gain was knowledge of what it means to say "SIM" racing. In other words, 20 years later, I knew non-standard "assists" were vorboten, as well as anything but cockpit, despite the limitations they brought. And I knew what it should feel like generally. But I was very very slow, just like any racer would be if he had never raced on a computer. They are mutually exclusive to some degree. What is universal, though, are two critical components -- learning the track like the back of your hand; and playing in traffic. Interestingly, these are probably the last thing that your non-SIM racer does. But I bet 95% of those reading this do it all the time. In fact, many pro drivers race on computer just to learn the tracks, even if they have raced there before. Because you can never ever know the track well enough. It's a point that many casual racers miss. As for the braking, not only were the brakes different than modern cars, but, along with tires, you had to save them, so you never really knew their limits from the jump. Those things are quite valuable and easily learned on a computer alone.
If you read Heitkotter's story, he was not a retired racer of any sort. He wanted a to drive, but was not a pro. he played video games and applied like everyone else. He was 30. That's ancient. But for that opportunity and the attached SIM program, it never would have happened. Regarding "idol" -- most of those folks should never be competing in the first place.
"Real world factors" as you claim, could be learned just as well from your average banker. Your average CEO does all those things...or even an entrepreneur. I hear what you are saying, though. I would include factors more closely associated with racing, like being an expert on climatology and mechanical engineering.
This may shock you, but I think SIM racing is harder. When I was 25, I had driven a car for 10 years. And even wrecked a few. Even if you have not, you can now freak yourself out at Charlotte Motor Speedway or get into karting for a reasonable dollar. Failing that, you can freak yourself out in a car. I did it all the time. Maybe it's easier in America, but hell, we all did it. I can't tell you how many times my brother "experimented" with me in the car re: the limits of traction for a '65 Impala (hint: it's not very high). You have all your senses, you have peripheral vision, and you have the seat of your pants. As long as you can drive, you can learn quickly. It's not rocket science. You don't have to be smart, you just have to stay alive.
A: Yes. (As soon as you and the non-SIM racer entered maggots/becketts, he would go flying off about six times (to learn it) while you at least stayed in bounds).
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spot on, one of the things that irks me about us saying "simulation" is just this. Simulation in a rally game would mean two runs of the track under normal street regulations (speed limit, anyone?) before the event and that's it. The first time you hit the track at racing speed (or so I have heard) is when you actually do the run which counts. Compare this to the endless hours people spend on virtual tracks to get the perfect line / lap/ time. Where's the simulation in that?
Domagoj Lovrić
Reiza Studios
Interesting subject. As a general answer, i'd opt for more yes then no. But one thing, i think being younger, as in maybe from 14 -15 years to 25 probably helps alot.
Why younger? As when younger we don't have much fear, and we're "indestructible".
When i first tried karting (4T 270cc lawn-mower engined rental ones) i was well into simracing. I was there with a group of my friends, none of them did simrace. There were 6 of us.
In first race, fastest of us was a friend who knew his way with cars (did alot of crazy things with his at the time e30). I was 2nd, little behind him. Rest of pack was literally miles behind, with numerous times spinning out on track. Although me being slow, i spun maybe two times in that first race. After few laps, both me and the friend who won, could throw karts around as we wanted. He naturally knew how to do it, and i knew it from simracing only. Counter steer, how to swing the back end with braking / lifting.
We did two more races, i won all of them and upped the pace considerably. Did sim racing help? ALOT.
What was different? After some 45 mins, i had pain in my muscles for whole next week.
In between races, i had to get out to drink some water, and wash the sweat from my face...
Not just simracers, but everyone who loves cars and racing should do karting at any point in life. It's just worth it.
Why younger? As when younger we don't have much fear, and we're "indestructible".
When i first tried karting (4T 270cc lawn-mower engined rental ones) i was well into simracing. I was there with a group of my friends, none of them did simrace. There were 6 of us.
In first race, fastest of us was a friend who knew his way with cars (did alot of crazy things with his at the time e30). I was 2nd, little behind him. Rest of pack was literally miles behind, with numerous times spinning out on track. Although me being slow, i spun maybe two times in that first race. After few laps, both me and the friend who won, could throw karts around as we wanted. He naturally knew how to do it, and i knew it from simracing only. Counter steer, how to swing the back end with braking / lifting.
We did two more races, i won all of them and upped the pace considerably. Did sim racing help? ALOT.
What was different? After some 45 mins, i had pain in my muscles for whole next week.
In between races, i had to get out to drink some water, and wash the sweat from my face...
Not just simracers, but everyone who loves cars and racing should do karting at any point in life. It's just worth it.
Couldn't agree more.
@56 I'm loving it, wanted to do it at 16 but lacked the money and family support. It may of taken me 40yrs to fulfill the dream, but it's a dream come true regardless.
Did my sim experience help on the track, yes most definitely.
Was I prepared for the differences between sim and real life, yes, to a point based on driving road cars for 40yrs, it was the physical side of real motorsport that caught me off guard, G's are an eye opener physically and mentally and you can't prepare for that amount of physical exertion, even in a Kart.
Cheers
edit
That's why there was and there will never be a Rally Sim, as long as tracks are not completely procedurally generated. Dirt 4 doesn't seem to achieve that, but it's a step in the right direction.
I also agree on the track part...i took part in some online racing series, and i was always in the back third of the field. I just didn't have the time to practise more then an hour or so for each race.
The so called "aliens" told me i should do 500 laps as training for track acclimatisation and to find the right setup, to be competitive...but in all seriousness, where is the simulation in that? It's completely unrealistic to have that amount of training for races...nothing to do with simulating real racing in my opinion. Besides not even having the time, i just get bored after a while of lapping the same track again and again and again...i guess that's why i am just not born for online sim racing.
Pitty.
I'd really love to race against people with similar talent, and similar time for training sessions - realistic amount of training per race (just to tease the aliens once again
) - etc, but so far i didn't find it....But what about the testing and practices that teams have?
They clock up hundreds of laps a year at every circuit year on year.
How many laps in total have a GP3 driver made on most cicuits that follow F1?
How many then if that driver gets to GP2 and then Formula 1?
Then they all talk about logging hours on the simulators.
Some of them, (if not most), have some form of simulator at home too.
DTM drivers we know use Raceroom and they race on those servers in their spare time at tracks they race on and practice on IRL.
I just think some of these real life drivers have clocked thousands of laps at tracks all over the world and virtually
They clock up hundreds of laps a year at every circuit year on year.
How many laps in total have a GP3 driver made on most cicuits that follow F1?
How many then if that driver gets to GP2 and then Formula 1?
Then they all talk about logging hours on the simulators.
Some of them, (if not most), have some form of simulator at home too.
DTM drivers we know use Raceroom and they race on those servers in their spare time at tracks they race on and practice on IRL.
I just think some of these real life drivers have clocked thousands of laps at tracks all over the world and virtually
Paul Jeffrey
Premium
Club racing!!! That's where it's at for those of us who don't want / haven't time to commit to a massive league undertaking. In the club event some might practice for a few days, even up to a week maybe, but the vast majority will come in with only a couple of hours or so pre running. Because they are organised events a certain standard of behaviour and gentlemanly conduct is required, thus promoting good racing, and boom ! You can have yourself loads of nice clean close racing without have to have done 1000's of laps to prepare
We at RD hold club events in all the sims (check out the calendar tab at the top of the site) and it's a really good place to find some clean racing.
Right RD club racing plug over
I'd really love to race against people with similar talent, and similar time for training sessions - realistic amount of training per race (just to tease the aliens once again
try the popular series in iRacing, in GT3 or Skip Barber you can easily get 120+ starters on a weekend evening. The iRating system then puts you in the correct grid. I'm having a blast two times a week doing that with maybe 30 mins training before each session. Works perfectly for me on a schedule of maybe 15 - 30 minutes a day at my disposal for playing a game. Yes, it does cost a hundred dollars a year plus another threehundred in your first year to buy all the cars and tracks. But with all the discounts and partcipation bonus etc. I am down to about 50 Eurocent for each 30-60 min. I play, which I consider a reasonable price comparing it, e.g. to what I pay at my gym.
