Acura ARX-02a LMP1 Simulation-to-Track

I'm watching Speed Channel's "American LeMans Preview" show. In interview about Acura's new LMP1 ARX-02a car (Acura's previous LeMans cars have raced in the P2 class), they showed footage of driver David Brabham in a full-motion simulator base bearing the name of Wirth Research on the side. Brabham said that he'd been part of the simlulator program from the start. When former racer/commentator Dorsey Schroeder asked him about the simulator's effectiveness, Brabham related that he prepared for the Lime Rock Park last season in the simulation of their LMP2 car. As a result of the many laps in the simulator, the data revealed gains from aggressive setup changes to those they had been using. They applied the changes to the actual car for Lime Rock, Brabham qualified on the pole within a tenth of a second of the simulator laps, and won the event overall (over the more powerful LMP1 cars).

(Later now, I'm watching "Project LMP1: Acura's Next Challenge") David Brabham said that he prepared for the 2008 Detroit ALMS race in the simulator, not having driven the Detroit course before. He said his first laps were a second and a half faster than others on the track, and he exclaimed, "Wow, this simulator works!"

Interesting note: the ARX-02a is running "rear tires" on all four corners - contrary to the typically smaller front tires of prototype race cars - and is on the pole at its first outing at Sebring. The novel tire configuration has been of great interest to all the teams, and the Acura drivers report what may be a bit more fatigue from cornering forces. Wirth Engineering also developed the ARX-02a for Honda/Acura in about 8 months without any real wind-tunnel work. Development was primarily done in the virtual realm, including the aforementioned full-motion simulator work.

Here's a short article and video clip on Speed's website about the ARX-02a.