Induction Noise Gets Behind the Wheel
Eagle eyed followers of Induction Noise may have noticed that recently we started sponsoring the iRacing Sim Racing Masters League. This league was founded during the covid pandemic by local racers to keep busy and sharp due to no actual racing taking place. Andre has been racing in the series for some time. Since I got into sim racing last year, I joined the over 35s league during Season 12 earlier this year.
A League Born from Lockdown
Sim racing is something that gets a lot of coverage, with multiple race series and platforms to choose from. In SA we are spoilt for choice with multiple series on both console and PC. More recently sim racing was again in the spotlight when a certain Fanz Hermann (you know who he is…) broke the Nürburgring lap record for Nürburgring langstrecken-Serie or “NLS” spec’d cars in a GT3 Ferrari 296. More surprisingly was that Max erm sorry Franz, had basically no real experience around the ring. He did however cover “1000s of laps” in the simulator. This is remarkable, even if Mr Hermann’s CV is not short of real-life driving experience in other formats. You might have heard that his part time gig away from the sim is racing in Formula 1 and being pretty good at it.
Can Sim Racing Make You a Better Driver?
So how does this translate for a noob Iracer like me? Does this make you a better driver and what does it teach you about racing? That’s some of the questions I will aim to reflect on and answer as I compete in Season 13 of the Masters series. And since the season has already started, here are some of my thoughts thus far.
Lesson 1: Consistency is King
Firstly, sim racing has given me a new appreciation for drivers capable of putting down consistent laps over a race distance. The fact that F1 drivers can do this for more than 300km at a time is mind boggling. Don’t agree? Try do a 20 – 30min race nonstop and see how you feel and how spread out your lap times are. It is hard. This was the first thing I needed to get used to. I am decently quick over a single lap but extracting lap times close to the ultimate pace over the 2x 25min races we do in the Masters series is hard work and something I am actively working on.
Lesson 2: Pit Stops Can Make or Break You
Secondly, pit stops. A very underrated tool to help you gain time or lose your race in an instant. You simply must practice your pit entries and exits. Upon review, I have in some cases lost nearly 5 seconds on an in or out lap by not minimizing my pit entry or exits. Not mentioning penalties for cutting the pit lane, speeding penalties or overshooting your pit box!
Lesson 3: Practice or Perish
This brings me to point 3, practice. The Masters series announces the next race round on a Sunday before the race. What follows are 3x 2-hour practice sessions in the evenings leading up to race day on Wednesday. Unless you are one of the alien drivers who regularly attend our race days, you simply have to practice! Aim for at least one 2-hour session to get your eye in otherwise you will be in for a frustrating evening come Wednesday when race day takes place!
Want to Join the Grid?
We would love more drivers to join us in the series. The joining fee is minimal, and you will become a faster driver whilst enjoying the racing and getting to know some industry stalwarts in the process! More information can be found here: https://masters-series.co.za/Entry
The Road Ahead
I will keep you guys updated as the season progresses but spoiler alert, it’s been a mixed bag for me so far!