Climbing aboard

Even the professionals continue to learn on simulators

“Try braking later and harder,” says the engineer’s voice in my ear.

“But it’s lifting me from the seat every time I step on the pedal,” I think.

The data shows I’m at 50 per cent braking compared to the engineer. Must do better.

“Braking is what the junior drivers often find when they come here,” I’m reassured. In my late 20s. “Steering inputs are good though, smoother than mine,” he says with graphs overlaid.

The second run on the Red Bull Ring is little better, but the times would be in the lower midfield of last year’s Formula 2 grid. That’ll do.

That is the level at which Base Performance is. It’s the go-to place when any big race comes around, be it mastering Goodwood in a Cobra in September (for Turner…) or Le Mans in June – and presumably Spa in a GT3 more recently. It’s a world away from the flimsy rigs sat in basements racing on PC, PS4 or Xbox, and you can’t blame the engineers for making an excuse for a few runs themselves.