Professional Race drivers playing Gran Turismo

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semilife

semilife

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I was just wondering whether there are any actual professional racing drivers both F1 and Rallying (and others disciplnes) who regularly play the Gran Turismo series of games. The sorts of people I had in mind might be Schumacher, Hamilton, Alonso, The Stig (Top Gear!).

It would be interesting to hear from any Race drivers themselves, or if any of you guys know about any self proclaimed GT junkies of the race world please post them here.


:):sly::dopey:
 
Why would they play when they can do the real thing? A game would seem boring compared to being in a real race watched by millions while facing the very real possibility of death.

They may play to get a rough idea of an unfamiliar course.
 
The Stig might start to play once GT5 is out since its apparently going to include the Top Gear Test Track.

That would be great to have an online time trial comp with the Stig tied into the show!

I've also seen a few interviews with drivers who have said they used it to learn the layout of tracks, I'm assuming this would be just to get a basic layout into memory!
 
many of the F1 drivers have been known to use Racing sims with hydraulic systems to test out tracks.. very expensive almost like Military Pilot sims.
 
They do play race simulators like GT5.

With many of the racing series limiting practice time....what better way is there to gain track knowledge?

It goes to the extent of motorcycle racing too as James Toseland practiced Jerez on the 2007 Motogp game.

You gotta think about this a different way then Jeremy's Demo, yes it will never be 100% real but if you are a pro driver that can drive a real car at the limit, then the video game is only a benefit to learn the track, learn the breaking and turn in points.

Here's Heidfeld on the simulator.

 
MowTin
Why would they play when they can do the real thing? A game would seem boring compared to being in a real race watched by millions while facing the very real possibility of death.

They may play to get a rough idea of an unfamiliar course.
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Why wouldn't some of the younger guys play race games. NFL and NBA players are known to play games in their locker rooms after practice. They come straight off the field, or the court from doing the real thing, and then set down to play in the virtual world just like us. I don't see why racers would be any different.
 
I would imagine that the pros may try it for unfamiliar circuits, but I doubt they spend too much time playing the games in their spare time. The precedence seems to be Jacques Villeneuve's preparations for the 1996 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps; despite never driving a car there before, he managed pole position and a solid 2nd place finish in the race.

I'm sure the real thing is much more of a thrill, and in the spare moments of time racing drivers have, they probably want to "get away from it all". I think they spend very little time, in front of a video game; but sponsors, media photo-ops, and other appearances mean they drive them for fun and to show off a little in a public setting.

There may be one or two that gets a thrill, but I doubt many top-line professional drivers are going to spend 10 hours a week on a video game, unless they're hermits (not likely with sponsors wanting their spare time). However, as each younger generation picks up the trophies, they are likely to pick up controllers as well.

Brock Yates stated the difference between the video game and real car as a bit more like having an issue of Playboy compared to having the real thing in the Biblical sense of the word. But he's a curmudgeon, anyhow.
 
I've read an interview somewhere that Duval (Belgian rally driver) plays Rally games just for fun sometimes against friends :)
Ofcourse you can't really practise rallying using such a game.
 
Montoya's hobby is playing race games. Some of them also play these games to learn some of the tracks.

Bruno Senna does, he said so in a interview for the new sim "Ferrari Challenge"
 
Not GT, but GTR2.

Sean Edwards to participate in Race2Play's 2008 Special Event: The 2.4 hours of Nordschleife on April 20th.

FIA European GT3 Champion, FIA GT2 driver and Porsche expert Sean Edwards has 10 years of International racing under his belt, from International karting, Formula Ford and Formula Renault to British GT, FIA GT3 and FIA GT, with a huge amount of success. He also instructs on a regular basis at the Silverstone Racing School and has done at Palmer Sports in the past.
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http://www.race2play.com/forum/list_posts/6462
 
TheCracker
I thought it was eating cake? :odd:
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No, that's just his nature.

I think they primarily use driving games to learn the tracks, since they're already getting the real kick out of doing real racing. But I thought Bruno Senna has a good understanding of what's good and what's not from looking at his interviews while he was helping develop the upcoming Ferrari Challenge game.
 
Sebastian Loeb quite freely admitted to using GT4 to get to grips with the LeMans circuit prior to racing in the 24hrs, he used to play when travelling between rallies.

I can also remember Clarkson talking about how he and Richard Burns used to play Sega Rally (he talked about this on Top Gear and in writing a number of times just after RB's death); its also worth remembering that RB himself was massively hands-on in the development of Richard Burns Rally, as he was unable to race at the time.

Regards

Scaff
 
TheCracker
I thought it was eating cake? :odd:
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Yes but this is a GT5p fourm, not a cake forum, so I'm not entitled to mention that. :D





You risk a lot by mention this, my friend :p


I forgot to mention that Bruno Senna likes to play race games and GT4. He also said things about the physics but I'm not going into that right now.


;)
 
Great stuff Chris 👍

Have you ever come across a guy called Craig Dolby whilst you were in Formula Renault?
 
Now we know who we can turn to if we have questions about the physics of the GT series. ===> Christhedude!





👍
 
Hello!
Well I know one Racedriver that plays a lot and he is even in an online league!

His name is Marc Hennerici. (He won the WTCC Private drivers Worldchampionship in 2005)

Greetings
Kutscher
 
Eurocup i believe, he's been testing the World Series cars with one of the big teams looking for a 2008 seat. He's a good friend of my step-bro.
 
TheCracker
Eurocup i believe, he's been testing the World Series cars with one of the big teams looking for a 2008 seat. He's a good friend of my step-bro.
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after thinking bout that name it does sound familiar to be but not quit sure.

I was looking for a seat in the 3.5 renault but came across the chamcar series so i had my go there:)

Chris
 

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