Non simracers, this isn't simple game, this is madness!

How many times you heard someone disrespect your spent time in sim-racing? Disrespect what you tried to achieve for so long. Parents, roommates, friends, (wives and girls didn't come to that yet lol at least for me) who simply don't understand?

"Turn that off" , "how do you drive in circles for so long" , "how can be interesting for you to drive alone" , "stupid game, i can do it anytime" are phrases i bet we have all heard times and times again. It's like i have made some sins! They don't understand that beating the best time on a given track with given car even by -0.100 or winning a race is hours and hours, and again hours of hard work of testing that is so close related with real life testing, that makes you sweat on your PC like you run 2-3 kilometers.
They don't understand that not only they won't "do it anytime" but they won't do it ever! Because it's not a simple game. Because you need skills. You need to think. You need to react in a matter of a seconds in a situation. You need reflexes. You need engineering knowledge to prepare your car. You need the full package. And you need talent without any doubt. To be good in it at least to compete with others who don't do mistake in 2 hours of consistent driving, thats perfection.

People will say why bother? But there are many reasons why many people around the globe are doing sim racing. My reason personally is that at the age of 9-10 as kid, apart from the races with our bicycles around the streets, risking our lives in front of cars passing by after each blind corner, we(me and my friends) wanted to race on PC either and not that to be some Need For Speed crap but some decent, close to real physics racing game were we could measure, who is better who is fastest. Many are doing sim racing because they never could in their real lives. That includes me as well. Some others might be computer nerds who found new obsession. But we all bind with one common truth, we are all a hell of competitive guys who like to win. Sometimes at all costs. We want to do things where we are fully in charge and we like to spend our time on something that really is challenging. Not just any simple everyday game that kids can play. Have you ever driven 1 hour and a half long race with Force Feedback on your steering wheel turned ON at 100%? Your hands after that would be in pain! With the opponent for whole hour not more than 1 second behind. What other game will give you that much pressure or make you concentrate that much, not to do one single mistake in 1 hour, like sim racing would do? Answer is easy. No other.

To try to explain this madness, we are enjoying the competitiveness of the field full of other, sometimes random sim racers, sometimes in Championships well organized for which entry can cost 500 euros, competition(people behind PC on the other side of the planet) who express their emotions, their skills, their mentality at virtual racing circuits. You encounter many different sim racers with different racing styles, smooth - aggressive, all part of their mentality. Many who are doing sim racing will say sim racing makes us better drivers. The other group would only laugh at how naive we are, yet now quite often we find that sim racing has indeed produced real life racing drivers who won races in their new careers who were not older than a year or two in real life racing against racing drivers who spent their lives since 4-5 years old in go-karts an so on through the ranks of the motorsport. That stands for something! That only tells how sim racing technology has advanced. Many real racing teams use racing simulators as training tools. Although this is very much used times and time again when trying to explain or justify what we are doing, honestly even that is not what keeps us on a given track hours after midnight.

We all want to escape from the reality and go in a place where we can enjoy, racing virtually. Place which in real life is not allowed for everyone everywhere on the planet. For that hour or two or three, we are living in a world where the only goal is 'to beat the Stig' or win the race, without any doubt, to have a lot of fun and enjoy racing with others on track. How can i explain when the other behind you or in front of you is doing what you are doing, all in manual control. Computer is not involved! And you both are fighting through the corners. Braking later. Accelerating sooner. Changing lines blocking sides and try to be on the limit without hitting each other. That's tense in same time beautiful and gives us very big pleasure. Pleasure that not many have experienced.

I am not writing this so my friends can read it, or even less my parents etc but to the people out there in the world who are thinking, like one guy that bothered to point me that DOTA was harder, i can only say - keep on dreaming kiddo!

Till next time!


Inspired by Ryan Ogurek on his beautiful article at RaceDepartment.com

Sebastian Vettel - One of the greats!

I was hooked to F1 at very young age. Perhaps at the age of 4 when i heard about the death of Senna. Very soon after that my cousin, he had in his room, on whole wall picture, extra big one of Ayrton Senna. That big that his eyes were big as much as couch pillow and you could see his eyes very clearly and he used to say how great he was, how no one was close to him or could catch him. The way he spoke i think the way he idolized him, to me that was so powerful, something, mystical.

 Year later i was watching full race for the first time with him, but it was not before 1997 when i started to watch regularly and cheer for Michael Schumacher, opposite of my cousin choice Hakkinen, Schumacher who happened to be driving for the only other car i new as a kid apart from Mercedes, Ferrari. How i started cheering for him is another matter, but i have always been for the underdogs.

At the time while other kids on my age couldn't distinguish trucks from cars i was using words like racing, Ferrari and of course, Schumacher.
I fell in love with the sport very early on. The cars were not just machines, the drivers were not normal human beings or least athletes. They were gladiators. They were there to win. At all costs. I was 8-9 years old and i already appreciated those characteristics.

I was following the sport very closely and i followed Schumacher too, till his retirement in Brazil, 2006. All after that race and that season was very fast losing it's meaning. I couldn't watch F1 races, i missed Schumacher. It was empty feeling. I think i continued to watch just of the thought that i didn't want to see Alonso succeed and i wanted to be there and see if and when he fails. People who watch F1 know why Alonso. I was always for the driver, not the car even though i knew Ferrari before i heard about Schumacher. And (that empty feeling) that was all about to change, and it was in front of my nose even before i knew it ...

In 2005 already was spoken about a kid that has been granted F1 test as a gift cause he was the rookie of the season where he was driving at the time and eventually he was way faster than they thought and even faster than some veteran of F1. His name was Vettel and he was only 16. At that age i could only drive bicycle or in front of computer. In 2006 he became full time BMW test driver and in 2007 after Kubica accident in Canada he was granted an F1 seat in the team of BMW Sauber as replacement. As i am writing this i cannot comprehend how i feel that the accident of Kubica in far 2007 seems to have happened like just 5minutes ago. I remember what i said when i saw the accident i know where i was where i was sitting and how i felt. Like happened just literally 5 minutes ago.

Sebastian Vettel arrived in F1 as the youngest ever to participate in a Grand Prix. He finished the 2007 US Grand Prix in points making him the youngest ever to win a point and to do so on a debut race. I was sitting on a couch with a friend and we both spoke about that kid. We both agreed he would become something special. And i even wished that he could be "next Schumacher" for me, or at least that i could start once again, to watch F1 like i used to do for so long, because ever since the moment Schumacher crossed that line in Brazil for the one last and final time, all i wanted was that someone new could come and be just a little bit closer to him to how he was and that was year and a half before!

When Vettel year later in 2008 with Toro Rosso team who replaced Minardi, got 4th place in rainy China it was eye opener again and when he won on rain sometime later in Monza with that same team of course, starting from the pole and leading every lap of the race, that was it. At that moment i knew i had my “next Schumi”. Right after the race articles and comments started to arrive as to how Vettel was close with Schumi, how Schumi was his idol and so on. I knew my wishes has been answered!

Later in 2010 when Vettel became champion people who know me were asking me "Why Vettel, why not Alonso? He drives Ferrari. But you are always for the best!" ... now thinking about that, it's like they didn't know me at all!
Jean Todt once said, "while i am in Ferrari Alonso will never drive this car" and it was when he left that later Alonso joined. Everyone i knew since kid, who were for Schumi now were for Alonso and Ferrari, but i couldn't. To me, that was like being a traitor. I enjoyed seeing Vettel beat Alonso. Every pass every win over him or even far more precious title, like in 2010 and 2012, it was like Alonso paying debts to Schumi.

Vettel from 2010 to 2013 dominated Formula 1 exactly like his mentor once did. I suddenly started going through the things i have been 10 years ago from '00 to '04 when he(Schumi) was winning "in the best car" and people, cried :) 

He drove on his debut with car that he is never going to drive again. Just like Schumi did.
For his 2nd race he went on to drive for a team that was no engine manufacturer. Just like Schumi did.
He went on to win his first pole & victory with that team. Just like Schumi did.
He won a race in his 2nd year in the sport. Just like Schumi did.
He won his 1st title after 4 years in the sport. Just like Schumi did.

In many things he was exactly how they called him “Baby Schumi” and I couldn’t wish for anything more!

What Schumi did not do was, to win 4 titles in row, like Vettel did at the age of 26.
By the age of 26 Sebastian Vettel had 4 world titles, 39 victories and 45 pole positions. Staggering numbers, benchmark that I doubt anyone will ever surpass. By the age of 26 he had only two drivers in the history of the sport with more titles than him, ever lasting Juan Manuel Fangio and his and mine childhood hero and now his friend, Michael Schumacher.

Ever since he won his title in 2010 and with all being said about him and Schumi now, by the end of March 2011 i knew he is going to drive one day for Ferrari. In 2011 i was in Barcelona just 2 months after that and visited Ferrari store. There i bought flag of Ferrari, in the name of all those years of supporting Schumacher and the Prancing Horse, the same one he(Vettel) will wave at his first victory 4 years after (Malaysia 2015) Back then in 2011 I intended to write "Vettel" on it and to show up with it in Hungary year later but the trip was canceled. When he announced to be leaving Red Bull and to join Ferrari, it was dream come true. He is there where he belongs!
That’s how I see it that’s how I think of it, that’s the only thing in which I want to believe in.

The video is created in honor of Sebastian Vettel and his career so far for which we are going to write so much more. This Is only the beginning. He has 27 years only.

The video is created from 27 different videos all over the internet.

I hope you enjoyed the video.

Proud Vettel fan ever since Monza 2008 & very easily US 2007

First thoughts on Project CARS

Yesterday, 08.05 late on Friday night, i had Project Cars. 

Entering the game you have this beautiful menu. I won't talk much about it you can see it yourself. 

Colorful, big, easy to spot what you need etc. There is not much to be said about it just that it's perhaps the best compared to rFactor2, Assetto Corsa or iRacing for that matter. I am here to write for something else. The simulation feeling! But before i go there, little about the graphics. 

The Graphics. The most basic things in the game like the car and the track graphics to me they are shoulders with Assetto Corsa if Assetto Corsa is not even slightly very slightly better. However when we come to the details. 

Some might not agree, but to my taste AC is slightly better due to the shades inside the car which give you sense of realism. And the tracks are laser scanned, so what can i add on that? 

The damage of the cars or the rain drops and the wind which are unique to Project Cars, the clouds the night sky, thunders, the water on the road, the race track, depends where you are driving (notice you have different types of tracks) you mention it, they are outstanding! You will be lost in the graphic world of Project Cars very easily. It's so beautiful. Some hours ago i drove Nordschleife under, thunders and heavy rain. "Green Hell" turned into "The Darkest Hell".... 

Project Cars, talking the graphics, is perhaps right now the best there is on the market. Fullstop. I talk about the whole package! Wheather, cars, tracks, rain, etc. Enough about it, going to the driving feeling....

Well driving, here we have big big problem!

When i read how one guy from big big IGN wrote that "Project CARS isn't for everybody" and that it was "serious and demanding racing simulation for people who love their motorsport pure" i couldn't not sit back for a brief moment and wonder has this guy ever tried anything called rFactor 2, Assetto Corsa or iRacing or some other well known simulation (not for me now to mention all of them!) 

Answer is easy. NO! How can this guy give an opinion, which will be regarded very highly since it comes from IGN and it's totally missed.

I drove this game for about 10 minutes, particularly the SMS R Formula A car around Catalunya circuit from the Community Hub Test, nevermind.

The first 5-6 laps i had on this game, driven in that Formula A car were tricky. Tricky but not hard. The point that you cannot just realize what is wrong that you do, so you prevent it and improve. It's not natural. You cannot feel the car the way you need to. You cannot just play with the throttle to the point where you can guide the car and do what you wanna do with her.

I go at Turn1 of Catalunya circuit at some 300kmh if not 10kmh more, and apply the brakes, start braking and gearing down fast and at one point you lose the car completely. That's not natural.

Here are my first 10 minutes in the game

The Developers from Slightly Mad Studious have worked really hard to bring this game to us but i must be honest with myself, and to you, who read this article. This game 10 out of 10 times i would describe it as SimCade but not Simulation for sure. Nor it can be Arcade. Her place is in the rank of games like Forza Motorsport, Codemasters and the rest. The game is enjoyable! I cannot wait to go and explore it further. I am so damn sure that i am going to spend hours and hours on this product.

Project CARS offers a big portion of tracks and cars. Offers a very interesting career mod and what's most interesting about it is that (for those who will needed) you can adjust the AI at a level you want at any point in the Championship so you can enjoy it pretty much every car every track, suited you or not, and be equal with the AI.

But again, speaking about the physics and weather it is or not a simulation, my answer is 100% no.

Assetto Corsa Formula Abarth At Imola

Greetings,

Recently after joining online race i found out that Formula Abarth class can provide great fun and great racing. Why? Cars are offering great visibility, they are easy handled, have a lot of downforce which means they are precise and being precise means you will have precise overtakings, precise racing without bigger accidents, all you need to enjoy online racing.

So i started driving this Formula Abarth at Imola like i haven't seen it before in my life, these past two weeks! I started to enjoy it. I was barely noticing this car before. Assetto Corsa offers great deal of cars, tracks, etc and since i have it from the night they released it, of course that i have driven it however the simulation is around 11 times updated since then, more or less things are different. Far from that that this was my first touch with the car with whom now i struggled to fight the leaders who were doing lap times like 1;48 1:49 and i couldn't go below 1:51, it was just matter of time.

Since i consider myself as skillful driver, with little tweaks on the setup i was already doing laptimes below 1:50, high 1:49 and that lasted for a while. Then i got 1:48 and then medium 1:47 , by which point i started leading and dominating races online. This sounds like i was doing this for a year. No, not at all. It's about last two weeks in which i had like 20 races and i have won 8 of them, the rest, i wonder if some of those 12 finished like it should, without accidents, every once in a while you will do one....
Assetto Corsa really needs to do something about it, some system by penalizing drivers like in iRacing it would be awesome!!!!!

So, back on track. I was struggling to go faster at which point i realized something and went for it, to try it, to do some experiments and it worked out.

I have done 1:45.259 and very easily i would have entered in medium/high 1:44 if i had more than 10minutes time.

How i drove it ....

As you are approaching Turn 1, corner which is in a way showing off little by little, its not straight forward, either you should not take it that way, that means, you don't go on the outside line just like you prepare for every other, but stick to the left of the straight line long before Turn 1, just continue going straight and slowly you will find yourself at the outside, before you are placed at that point and start braking hard, gear by gear from 6th in 3rd. If you place your car right away on the outside you will notice the track is little by little going in long left so you will lose control prior braking to catch the apex...be sure to control the car and carry as much speed as possible through the corner because it's very important, the corner is followed by another short to medium straight with another same type of corner after which you reach Sector 1.  

So, hard braking from 6th to 3rd gear and go through, be sure you won't be too aggressive over the curbs, that might disturb the car or if you hit that small bumps you will spin right away or lose control totally after you hit on the throttle! 

This is the second corner which is the same type of corner like the previous one, but this one is a bit more simple. You have clear sight on the apex  and you can position your car to the far right before cutting through the apex like in the picture no.2 above this small text. At this point you are lowering from 6th to 5th using the mechanic slowing down and prepare right away for the other apex that you can see it in the short distance of the same picture, with another lower gear from 5th to 4th. By doing that you gain stability with the mechanic slowing down and putting the car in high revs which will be helpful to accelerate the car once you go out of the corner. 

Now this is the 1st Turn after Sector 1 and it's perhaps the slowest one at Imola. This is the corner at which i gained half a second after i realized that i could easily catch it with 3rd instead 2nd gear, which was slowing down the car even more than needed. I realized that after i had several weird accelerations at which point i had oversteer of the car. So prepare from the outside, don't go too wide, just enough, and lower to 3rd gear, touch the apex while you have left your feet of the brake or the throttle and leave the car for a second go through that point and right away hit the throttle or bump it little by little and start accelerating as soon as possible for the hill. 

When you will climb the hill you will be at this point at which i am starting to brake. Now, many times i went here again like in the previous with 1 gear lower than needed, with 4th instead 5th like i do it now. Hitting hard on the brake for part of a second fast gear down and go through the apex with the foot off the throttle, carefully by reaching the far outside i blip the throttle, touch the curb and go down at max speed possible. 

At this point i lower down from 6th to 5th and leave the car to rest in a brief second....then lower another gear to 4th by which moment the car is perfectly placed to climb up through that bumpy tight corner.

  Before making the turn i lower another gear to 3rd to calm down the car and gain stability instead leaving it with revs high open and provoke spin on the rear. This is a very tricky place and at this point i also gaine another -0.200/300 parts of the second. 

The chicane. The chicane i believe should be approached, at least that's how i do it, with high 3rd gear on the first curb and the milisecond before i hit the curb i lower to 2nd gear to calm down the car again before i disturb the car again by hitting the other bumpy curb and slowly accelerating and trying to not go out in the green surface which is not an asphalt and therefore it's very easy to lose control at it or spin 360. 

After we successfully past the chicane and went as soon as possible on the throttle we approach this 1st of two almost identical corners which should be carefully approached if not, it's a point where you could very easily lose 1 second or lose whole race, if that's the case. Since if you block the brakes or you start braking later you are off in the gravel and returning back is pretty much a problem. Enough about what if braking late is also big problem since this corner is very important for you to place the car on the perfect spot between the green surface and the asphalt for attack the very next corner which comes in one breath. So you brake hard to 3rd gear, with careful gearing down, and you touch the apex. Be careful not to go over the whole curb, you will take the car in the air, and even little makes big difference. So you take that apex, and place the car right on the outside. 

At this point you need to be careful again no to overdrive the rear wheels which may cause spin, so you put in higher 4th gear and wait literally next corner comes to you....

Hit that apex which is ever coming and slowly go towards the outside at max possible speed before the straight line. 

At this point you have done everything you needed to for a good lap.
Just sit back tight and watch the clock :) 

I hope you enjoyed my narration of my lap around Imola in the Formula Abarth. 

NOW, you might be thinking, but its impossible to go in this gear there etc.
The setup is very important, like you don't know it right?
So, what i use? 

My setup, my front wing is at 13 and my rear is at 8 my frong cambers are at -3.2 and rears at -2.9

The rest i have put to rest, literally and i still try to improve myself and catch eventually the record of 1:43.392

Here is my lap.