Decent Sim to learn how to race drive!!!

[K20-Nut]

Hi Guys,

Is there such a thing, i.e are they realistic can you learn anything that can be transfered to the track??

i only ask as i am wanting to get into motorsport but have very little experience, obviously i can learn track layouts etc.. from a game, but can i learn anything pratical to help my driving imrpove??

Cheers

Scott

[Mattt]

I suppose you could learn dynamics, lines, braking points etc from a proper simulator (not an Arcade) - but you would have to be careful not to go out into the 'real world' thinking you were an expert, you would still be a novice.

[stephen300o]

I've found i'm faster round the track in games after doing some tuition days at Silverstone. I think you can learn the track and basic lines but alot of race driving is Braking correctly, gear changes and "feel", which you can't get from a game.

[K20-Nut]

I knew there would be no replacement for the real thing, just i like gaming and would like to know which is the best for realism, and I don;t mean graphics I mean driving

Thanks guys

Scott

[FourWheelDrift]

A retail game will only teach you the layout of a circuit and which way the corners go. Nothing you can buy will get close to a track day or driver tuition at a circuit unless you know someone at McLaren or Williams and can blag a go in their bespoke simulators.

[Mattt]

Forza 2 is a pretty good game, tries to be quite realistic too.

[Jonty99]

Nah, Forza 2 seems very easy to control with even the driving aids turned off. Its still a lot better than PGR3 though. I still think the GT legends with all the driving aids turned off and driving the old TVR griffith is close. But still nothing like driving a real (newer) TVR griffith round a track.

[_dobbo_]

Something like rFactor with a decent steering wheel and 3 pedals should be useful, I use a logitech G25.

It's a good way to learn heel and toeing - if you don't blip the throttle on the downshift half the cars in the game will lock up the rear wheels - instant spin/crash.

The G25 also has a gated shifter so you have to take your hand off the wheel to change gear - much more realistic.

[Stig]

Having done several years of 'real' racing, games/sims are not bad for learning the general track layout, but they're still hugely different from the real thing.

There's no substitute for getting out there on track and practicing I'm afraid - oh, and that's before you have 25 other cars trying to take the same line through the corner at the same time!!!