Simulated Laps of Monaco

I usually try to spend some time on an F1 track prior to watching race coverage on TV. Here are the last two laps from a 10-lap session around Monaco in a 2008-spec Williams FW29B(?). (The hobby sim-racing community is typically about year behind current models - it's obviously a huge task to construct and paint the models.)

I managed only a 1:19.7 and 1:19.1 - fully four and a half seconds behind Barichello's top practice lap at Monte Carlo Thursday. I could probably get two of those seconds with some work, and some alterations to setup (this was just a quick full-downforce, semi-soft springs, 10 laps of fuel setup). After reviewing the footage a couple of times while preparing to upload it, I saw several places where I could really be getting into the throttle sooner - a common mistake of mine often worth a surprising amount of time, particularly leading to longer straights. Even without traction control (I stopped using it when F1 did), I find I can actually get into the throttle pretty early out of some corners, depending upon gearing, since torque at lower revs (below 10K!) is kind of puny. TV coverage of the real thing seems to corroborate this. Still, it's impressive to get lap times in the realm of reality - and the time certainly reflects the difference between me and a real F1 pilot. It's also never lost on me that I'm not really slipping 20cm past Armco at 160+mph. I try to treat the experience with the respect and caution I might in real life, but of course I also know I'm not going to get killed. After all these years of doing this, I actually get away with totally clean sessions - returning my "car" to the garage in pretty much the condition it started. 

Talk about "big attachments" - threading through the streets of Monaco as these guys do is a serious committment.

(A reminder that you can view this as full-screen by clicking the appropriate button in the lower-right corner of the YouTube player.)