WHAT IS ESPORT?

With real racing on hold, sim-racing esports has exploded. But is it more than just a game?

While esports is shorthand for the top level of any competitive gaming, from Call of Duty deathmatches to the implausible sounding Farming Simulator League, sim-racing esports in particular tends to be a remarkably faithful replica of real world motor racing. The difference is that, unlike the prohibitively expensive real thing, it’s open to almost anyone as long as they have the talent and enough money for a PlayStation. It’s also a sport you can participate in, even if you’re the sort of person who gets out of breath answering the door to the pizza delivery guy.

2 WHY SHOULD I

CARE ABOUT IT?

Because it’s getting bigger. Aided by the complete absence of any real motorsport for months, sim-racing esports has exploded in popularity as a spectator sport, with Virtual Grands Prix, Formula E’s Race at Home Challenge and iRacing special events keeping sportstarved fans entertained. With most real racing drivers kicking their heels with the rest of us, participation from the top level stars of the sport has increased too. As soon as real racing starts – the Austrian GP will take place 3–5 July – some of that mainstream spectator interest will naturally fall away, but what’s left will be an active community of people who want to participate in hard-fought virtual racing.

3 WILL IT MAKE ME A BETTER DRIVER IN REAL LIFE?

Almost certainly, if you treat it seriously enough. The fundamental principles are all exactly the same as real driving and the top level sims have become staggeringly realistic. In some ways, being quick in a sim is tougher: even with a force feedback steering wheel, what’s missing is the feeling of the car moving beneath you and the information that provides. It’s more difficult to master weight transfer, for example, but you’ll still be required to get it absolutely right to go quickly. That said, there’s also the complete absence of the sort of primal terror that, in real life, might cause you to brake 20 metres too early on the approach to a fast left-hander.