F1 becomes virtual

After the social networks that have eliminated the "physical meeting" mode, now Formula 1 also becomes virtual. Even the physical meeting with racing cars is outdated by time.

Formula 1 drivers and video game champions on the same starting grid, or they just became the same thing. How far will you have to go to get a massive audience? And will these virtual competitions also be accompanied by the smells of old races on track (oil and burnt tires, etc.) as well as by noises already recreated in the laboratory? Will these be the emotions to be passed on to the new generations, the fruit of the work of minds of 2000, our treasure of experiences? Years ago F1 was known and supported by competent and passionate technicians who followed it on circuits around the world, forming a group of friends, colleagues, opponents, the famous circus so called for this. Television did not exist, it was not needed. The race was enough.

Today is the opposite, the race is no longer needed, the screen is enough. From the sofa at home. Is this the right use of technology? Will the Formula 1 Grand Prixs become a display of household appliances? Told by incompetent commentators who speak very fast and incomprehensibly, perpetually exalted even by overtakings on the straight, who laugh on command for the jokes of their colleagues? Is this the change?

A video game competition? The colors, flavors, values all anesthetized in a television image.

So, on television we prefer to watch the Grand Prixs of the past. Or listen to the interview with Bruno Giacomelli who at some point enchants us with the stories of the romantic era, of real races.

Among other things Bruno, a former F1 driver, says:

“James Hunt collected less than he deserved, he was a racing mastiff. He defended himself with a McLaren against Andretti's Lotus 79. Mario had the ground effect and he didn't ... Hunt was a great racing driver. But he didn't look at the tachometer and the engine burst into flames…”

“If Verstappen had driven the cars I drove in the 80s he would have died 3 or 4 times...”

But we love technology and F1 is its best interpreter. All innovations are therefore welcome as long as the soul of this sport is not denied. The track can be told, filtered, made safer, shorter, different but must remain the center of everything. And it cannot be a “bumper car game” where you only watch the start. Or where all cars are the same. F1 is research and selection, it’s differences, it cannot and must not be a minor formula to highlight the drivers only. Cars too must compete and improve technologically. The homologation is not in the DNA of F1, rather the opposite. It is perhaps one of the few places in the world where the best man won. The merit, this unknown now in almost everything. Already today it’s no longer so and the strategy makes the races being lotteries, the safety cars bring down an aura of sadness difficult to bear. And the brainy regulations, run by bureaucrats who know little about race cars, conclude the reasoning. The driver is no longer allowed to race but to manage the huge mass of information that is proposed to him. It makes you think of Giacomelli's phrase that says: "I raced until I got to F1." And it was the F1 of a thousand years ago. Today it’s a hundred times worse: whoever the pits decide, for their business purposes or for the mistakes they make, wins. The brakings, overtakings are good for selling commercials only, they do not affect the result. And however, what does overtaking mean when you have different tires, lower downforce wings, less fuel? Why is this intertwining? Does it help to favor the last ones on the grid? It doesn't help anyone in my opinion. Today F1 is no longer racing but orders to be executed and regulations to be respected. Where's the sport? There are now one hundred engineers per car compared to 3-5 of them at the time, but one of those was worth 10 of one of today. Drivers and cars for having fun would still be there, it's all the outline that should be eliminated. Start, finish and race between drivers and cars, this is F1. The rest is what divides it from the hearts of its fans.

Cristiano Borrelli, a talented engineer and longtime Ferrari fan as well as an expert in video games of all kinds, responds to these considerations.

“I agree with you on the whole picture. There's enough "stuff" for a lively discussion. One can even speculate about the F1 apocalypse. Let us begin:

Sadly, today's F1 is a video game on 4 wheels, so the step from the real car to the virtual one is quick and easy.

The drivers of the Leclerc generation spend their time between seasons driving the simulator. Maybe if they would race a car from the 70s they would kill themselves...

There's no way out: F1 is digitizing like the rest of the world.

The real car is being developed at the simulator, just as the aviation industry has been doing with aircraft development and pilot training for 40 years now (from aeronautics to automotive there has always been a transfer of technology). Mechanical engineers have been replaced by structural engineers, aerodynamics engineers, mechatronics engineers and computer scientists. No more construction, printing and assembly (perhaps in China @ low cost). The budgets for mathematical models are small (relatively speaking) compared to those that would be necessary for development with "traditional" methods. The "old" engineers, like Forghieri, who once drew with paper and pencil on the technigraph, have been replaced by the above mentioned specialists who "maneuver" simulation programs and "chew" data in ridiculous amounts (the famous big data).

With the rules and precision required for safety it would not be possible to produce the car parts "by hand". It would cost too much.

I was told that Mercedes has far more test benches for engines than Ferrari does. Mercedes has a tremendous organization, Ferrari has the heart. Nowadays, heart doesn't give you a competitive edge, unfortunately.

More and more teams are using three-dimensional printing technology for parts that would otherwise take months to develop. With 3D printing (ALM = Additive Layer Manufacturing) it takes a maximum of 3 weeks to get the finished part with a better quality than the casting. If there is a structural error to be corrected, it is resolved at the CAD (Computer Aided Design) in a couple of days and reprinted within 24 hours. New generation printers can print parts that fit into an 80x80x80 cm cube (trend growing). So, in theory, even the engine monoblock.

The design is dictated by the wind tunnel and adapted to the circuits. Teams have to choose according to increasingly complex algorithms for which circuits to design the car and thus gain more points during the season (Safety car and strategy permitting). The strategists sitting in front of the computer miles away from the circuit, process in real time the data arriving during the race to decide the pit stops, the tyres etc... Poor F1...

Less emotion, less weight, more power, more torque thanks to the electric motor, software everywhere and, the more you have the more you put... Already you can imagine where the journey takes you: endothermic "mini-engine" and electric "big engine". Sooner or later the engine will be completely electric and the noise of the engine will be simulated. Always assuming that you still race on real circuits and with real cars... Maybe there will be some races with real cars on real circuits and with simulator-racing on city circuits. The drivers will be 4 or more instead of 2 and will alternate on real cars and simulators. Every week there will be a race, maybe even mid-week (like the football Champions League). A huge business.

Maybe the fans will receive at home the "Formula One Virtual Reality Kit" so they can connect to the simulator the driver uses during the race (sitting) on the driver's imaginary shoulder. Maybe with a seat that simulates acceleration in all directions. All at a fat charge.

Not even the satisfaction of the dish of spaghetti, beer at will and free burp...

I wonder what the F1 model car collection will look like in 50 years. Holographic?

Think...”

Formula 1 launches Virtual GP Series to replace postponed races.

Formula 1 has announced the launch of a new F1 Esports Virtual GP series, featuring a number of current F1 drivers. The series has been created to enable fans to continue watching F1 races virtually, despite the ongoing COVID-19 situation that has affected this season’s opening race calendar.

The virtual races will run in place of every postponed GP, starting with the Virtual Bahrain GP on Sunday March 22. Every subsequent race weekend will see the postponed real-world Formula 1 race replaced with a Virtual GP, with the initiative currently scheduled to run until May.

The first race of the series will see current F1 drivers line up on the grid alongside a host of stars to be announced in due course. In order to guarantee the participants safety at this time, each driver will join the race remotely, with a host broadcast live from the Gfinity Esports Arena (or remotely if required).

The series will use the official F1 2019 PC video game, developed by Codemasters and the first virtual GP on the Sakhir track will be a 50% length race with 28 laps. The broadcast, which will be available on the official F1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, as well as F1.com, is expected to run for 1 hour 30 minutes, with a qualifying period where grid positions will be determined based on the drivers’ fastest lap time.

Due to the wide variety of gaming skill levels amongst the drivers, game settings will be configured in such a way to encourage competitive and entertaining racing. This includes running equal car performance with fixed setups, reduced vehicle damage and optional anti-lock brakes and traction control for those less familiar with the game.

The series is strictly for entertainment purposes, to bring racing action to fans in this unprecedented scenario the world has been affected by, with no official World Championship points up for grabs for the drivers.

During non-race weekends, F1 will also be hosting online exhibition races, where fans from around the world will be given the chance to go head-to-head with F1 drivers.

Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports said:“we are very pleased to be able to bring some light relief in the form of the F1 Esports Virtual GP, in these unpredictable times, as we hope to entertain fans missing the regular sporting action. With every major sports league in the world unable to compete, it is a great time to highlight the benefits of esports and the incredible skill that’s on show.”

Frank Sagnier, Chief Executive Officer, Codemasters added:“we’re excited to be a part of the new F1 Esports Virtual GP Series. With sporting events currently on hold around the world, it’s great that the official F1® video game can help fill the void by bringing together an exciting line-up of talent to race online during the postponed race weekends. It’s going to be competitive, action-packed and a lot of fun for everyone involved.”

John Clarke, Gfinity Chief Executive Officer said:“Gfinity is proud to be playing its part in the design and delivery of the F1 Esports Virtual GP series, which will bring exciting virtual racing to a legion of F1 and Esports fans around the globe. The virtual Bahrain GP will feature all the thrills and spills of racing with F1 drivers and special guest celebrities going head-to-head, which promises to put a smile back on the faces of millions of sports fans.”

The emphasis of the commentary of a virtual Grand Prix is the same as that of a real one on the track and perhaps the trick is right here. Forgetting reality and experiencing an event as if it was real. A certainly not easy exercise that must deal with the individual limit of the sense of ridicule.

Valerio Palmigiano and Cristiano Borrelli

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