My sim racing journey started 15 years ago with TOCA2, playing on a keyboard against my dad while he used a wheel and pedals.. he beat me every time - did it discourage me? No. It sparked a passion that would end up taking me on an incredible journey. The Gran Turismo series was a staple in our household, and over the years finding out I had a natural skill for so many of the racing titles that came out over the years, Midnight Club 3, Ridge Racer 7, Wipeout, Motorstorm, Project Cars, GT Sport, GT7, instialled a confidence in me that has never been shaken. But I never had the fiery passion that I do now for sim racing.

Real-world Transcendence:

The lockdown intensified my commitment to GT Sport, it was a launchpad for me to become one of the fastest drivers in the game, evidenced by my recruitment to one of the platforms top teams, Vanquish Esports. I had also always enjoyed go karting as a hobby, it was very clear that my virtual skills were transforming into real-life speed, getting faster and faster everytime I graced the tarmac with my presence, I went on to become an irresistible force in the real world karting races I entered, proving that sim racers can excel in real machines.

PC Era:

The endless bugs and agro with GT7 led me to my first PC and a newfound love for Assetto Corsa Competizione. This marked a significant leap in my skills, including advanced physics understanding and refined car setup capabilities. Despite personal dislike for the platform, I took part in many iRacing events with friends and this is where my ability to extract pace from any sim really started to show.

Entering and doing surprisingly well in few karting tournaments held on the Rfactor2 platform again solidified my knowledge of setups and proven formulas I had taught myself when it comes to learning a new simulation. My most valuable experience and win was a full scale signed replica Lando Norris Helmet which I won at an in person shootout on the kartsim software during a karting endurance event at Rye House kart track.

Karting Team Triumph, A Real World Victory:

In a team where sim racing was a staple skill - 3 of the 4 drivers in our team who had competed in high level globally recognised events - we effortlessly conquered a 24-hour kart race, affirming the link between virtual and real-world racing. This pivotal win not only solidified our team but underscored the potency of sim racers in real-world situations.

The Opportunity Of A Lifetime:

Hours - no - days of meticulous preparation and dedication in Assetto Corsa saw me finish 2nd in Jimmy Broadbent's Team87 tournament. The journey's climax was a real-world karting shootout against fellow competitors who I had been competing with in the final stages of the online tournament. Winning a tough battle with an extremely skilled driver secured me a seat in the team, earning me a free entry to the Club100 Enduro Championship with 2 fellow competitors who became my teammates. This thrilling battle not only tested what I was made of on the track but reinforced the transition of virtual skills into real-world success.

 Lessons Learned:

I have never been one to delve deep into manipulating any of the simulations physics with overly extravagant or unrealistic setups. Rather, by analysing data from tyres, inputs, telemetry from the car, and knowing what can be found from analysing mini sectors, all across a wide range of sims, I honed a solid pattern to understand and utilise a wide range of braking and throttle techniques, use of oversteer and understeer that helped me drive any car on any sim.. fast. Along with this I learned 2 more incredibly important skills, how to mentally dominate an opponent and how to use superior concentration to reduce mistakes and be ultra consistent. Again, these skills easily transfered into the real world and enables me turn up to any track and be competitive by using these exact formulas.

And now, I'm eager to share these insights with you