In this useful guide on how to get started in sim racing, we will be covering aspects from sim racing equipment, racing titles & more.
For those that are new to sim racing, we have a great starter article on how to get into sim racing. It can be a daunting aspect looking at your new favourite streamer and thinking ” wow how much does all of that cost”. Let’s get our feet on the ground to start with, as this is always a great place to start.
Although there is some fantastic sim racing equipment on the market, it is purely optional and not a necessity. However, a little spending here and there if budget permits can go a long way. Most of us started out with a controller. It’s the immediate gateway to sim racing, some still swear by them and can be just a quick, i know…but deal with it. Next is the topic of platform hardware, will it be a console or a PC. I have always leaned to “what is accessible to you” as a great place for many people who wish to get into sim racing.
If you have the latest Console generation or older from Xbox or PlayStation, you are good to go. If you have a potato PC or the greatest PC hardware, you can rest assured that whatever you have will be good enough. Many a times i have been asked if a certain console or PC setup is good enough for sim racing. You see, I feel many have been put into a situation where we see so many streamers and reviewers saying “buy it”, it has made people feel like it is not achievable or what they have is not good enough. Take this at your own pace!
Welcome to sim racing
So, you have decided you want to get into sim racing. First and foremost, welcome. At first it may seem daunting with all of the leagues, sim racing titles and everything that comes with it, but fear not. Like many things in life, it is always best to go at your own pace and make some smart decisions before you get racing. With the sim racing genre, we have many different racing titles, some are exclusive whereas some are multi platform. Now you have made your mind up on diving into the sim racing genre, what are you going to play?
Racing titles
This is my favourite section. We are graced with some amazing sim racing titles; some are better than others in various ways and vice versa. There is no ultimate sim racing title as we all have different tastes and desires. kicking things off we have a list below of what to check out. As mentioned earlier some of these racing titles are exclusive to console or PC. You will hear the word “simcade” being mentioned in the realm of sim racing, where an ongoing debate of “its not a sim” will come into play (but that’s another story for the future). Below are some great titles, modern and classics.
- Assetto Corsa Console & PC
- Assetto Corsa Competizione Console & PC
- F1 series Console & PC
- iRacing PC
- Gran Turismo series Playstation
- Automobilista 1 & 2 PC
- rFactor 1 & 2 PC
- RaceRoom PC
- Project Cars series Console & PC
- Dirt Rally Console & PC
- KartKraft PC
- WRC series Console & PC
- GTR 2 PC
- Richard Burns Rally PC
- World of Outlaws Console PlayStation and Xbox (to date)
- Dakar Desert Rally PC & Consoles
Sim racing equipment and hardware
When we look at the equipment that is available in the sim racing genre, it really is something special. Direct drive wheels, sturdy sim rigs, racing pedals that cost more than you can imagine, it goes on. As i mentioned earlier, if you only have a controller, that is fine. If you want to you can progress with equipment at your own leisure if you wish or keep blitzing people with a controller.
Many people who visit our site here are from around the world and do not have endless cash available at their disposable. Reviews are great for a reference point of view, sometimes equipment reviews turn it into a farcical load of nonsense where people will say anything for an affiliate sale and chuck that equipment into the spare room with the other stuff once the review is done.
My advice on buying sim racing equipment is to look at many media sources and get an overall picture of how it is. If most of the reviewers talk about a fault or issue, then you can look at this as a key point of interest. However, if you find all you hear is “its the best thing ever” without explaining why, i would not buy into it. A great reviewer will always explain the key points of what is great, what is bad and where improvements can be made. Barry from Sim Racing Garage in my eyes is the perfect reviewer, he goes above and beyond what is required for a review.
The sky is the limit
This is also another fascinating area withing the sim racing genre. The prospects of you racing against some of the world most famous from the motorsport world. Racers like Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso are often seen on the iRacing platform. Ok so the chances of that maybe slim, but the Esports genre within sim racing is always looking out for great prospects to join its teams and series. If you have got the skill or patience to climb the ladder, the opportunities are available. If you are a casual racer who just wants to have some fun with friends or others, leagues are a great way of participating against others. Some leagues are massive, others not so, but a great league is a great league regardless of the numbers.
Race on my friends
Now you got your sim racing title of choice, it’s time to hit the track and have fun. You may be one of those people that instantly gels with the title, or someone that needs a bit of time to adapt. The most important thing is to take your time and be patient. Understanding the handling model of the sim and car physics is always a treat. Start of in the car setup menu with a default setup so you can get a feel for the car and take it from there. In the car setup menu, try not to make drastic or multiple changes without known how this will change the handling. On the subject of car setup, there is no “ultimate” setup. Everyone has a different driving style, so find your own through testing and understanding, trust me you will thank me for it. Understanding your own setup and car is vital. We hope you have enjoyed this article, ultimately, it is about having fun!
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