My Sim Racing Experience My Sim Racing Experience “And suddenly I realized that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension.”  - Ayrton Senna “And suddenly I realized that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension.”  - Ayrton Senna I've been sim racing on and off for over 10 years and have never secured a single win using single and triple-monitor setups. After moving to VR, I have noticed an improvement in my wins, SR, and IR in iRacing.  I cannot prove that switching to VR is the reason for my improvement because obviously, more seat time and dedicated practice undoubtedly play a huge role in my growth.  While I remain cautious about attributing this jump purely to VR, I cannot ignore the noticeable boost in my focus, awareness, ability to pick racing lines, look through corners, and navigate close wheel-to-wheel racing.  The immersion is complete. focus awareness ability Unlike flat screens, VR transforms my virtual cockpit into a space that I inhabit, not just observe.  VR turns my reflexes and spatial instincts into usable data, rather than relying on memory or guesswork. Every braking point, apex, and wheel-to-wheel battle feels more intuitive and realistic. I don’t just react, I can anticipate. inhabit The Bad The Bad The Sim Racing forums argue against VR because headsets can get hot and heavy during long races, and that’s true.  I have multiple fans keeping me cool, and I strip down to my underwear while racing.  Professional sim racers haven't embraced VR for these reasons, but for the non-professionals, the trade-off is worth it: the immersion and depth perception make the experience feel much more natural. I do public lobbies and most of my races are 12-15 minutes, so I don't experience the long-term negative effects of VR racing. Another complaint is that it is not always quick to jump into a VR session.  Constant software updates, technical problems with headsets, and tracking issues all contribute to a less-than-perfect experience.   It’s not perfect, but for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in sim racing, it’s hard to beat. 6 Reasons VR Makes Me a Better Racer From the moment I strap on a headset, corners stop being flat guesses and start having depth. I can look through the apex, feel the radius open or tighten as I turn in, and naturally align my line. That extra spatial awareness lets me carry more speed, brake with confidence, and hit apexes consistently. Corners: In VR, corners cease to be flat images and begin to have depth. On a monitor, I'm judging the radius of a turn and my entry point from a 2D projection, which means I learn it, memorize it, and I drive by reference markers. In VR, as I turn in, my head naturally follows the line, and the apex comes into view with a sense of distance that’s hard to replicate on screens. I can feel when a corner is opening up or tightening because my perspective shifts with every subtle head movement, and I can adjust my driving line. That extra depth perception makes it easier to commit to braking points, nail the apex, and carry more speed with confidence.Braking: Braking in VR feels different because I'm no longer judging distance on a flat plane. On a monitor, my brain is scaling down the world and relying heavily on reference boards, shadows, or muscle memory. In VR, the track has depth, allowing me to sense how fast the braking zone is approaching and judge the closing speed with my eyes, just as I would in a real car. That added perception makes it easier to stay consistent under pressure, especially when I'm tucked in behind someone and my usual visual markers are blocked. Instead of “guessing” when to hit the pedal, I'm reacting to real spatial cues, which builds confidence and reduces those lock-up-or-overshoot moments. That added precision reduces lock-ups, missed braking points, and other errors that can accumulate over a race.Wheel-to-Wheel Racing: Wheel-to-wheel battles in VR feel more controlled because I actually know where the other car is. On a flat screen, peripheral awareness is limited, and judging overlap often comes down to spotter calls or guesswork. In VR, I can glance into my mirror or even turn my head to track the car beside me, just like in real life. Depth perception helps me judge if they’re half a car length ahead or tucked right at my door, which takes away a lot of the uncertainty. That confidence and clarity help defend lines cleanly, execute overtakes safely, and avoid contact in tight racing, which makes side-by-side racing cleaner and less stressful. I can hold my line without second-guessing whether I'm about to make contact. The result isn’t just more immersion; it’s better racecraft, fewer incidents, and cleaner overtakes.Track Awareness: VR puts me inside the circuit. I notice bumps, camber changes, and reference points that get lost on a flat screen. Spotting boards, curbs, or even the way shadows fall across the track becomes more natural, giving me more tools to stay consistent. Beyond performance, VR keeps me immersed and engaged. Car Placement: With depth perception, I instinctively know how close my tires are to the apex curb or how much space I'm leaving on the corner exit. Threading through traffic or setting up an overtake feels more precise because I can sense the car’s footprint in space.Elevation Changes:  Okay, this one really isn't helping me in VR, but elevation changes were the most fun to experience.  The corkscrew at Laguna Seca or the downhill at Lime Rock in the Formula Vee were eye-opening and fun!. Crests, downhill braking zones, and blind corners all come alive in VR. Instead of a flat image, I can perceive the slope and angle of the track, which helps me react sooner and trust the car’s grip. Corners: In VR, corners cease to be flat images and begin to have depth. On a monitor, I'm judging the radius of a turn and my entry point from a 2D projection, which means I learn it, memorize it, and I drive by reference markers. In VR, as I turn in, my head naturally follows the line, and the apex comes into view with a sense of distance that’s hard to replicate on screens. I can feel when a corner is opening up or tightening because my perspective shifts with every subtle head movement, and I can adjust my driving line. That extra depth perception makes it easier to commit to braking points, nail the apex, and carry more speed with confidence. Corners: Braking: Braking in VR feels different because I'm no longer judging distance on a flat plane. On a monitor, my brain is scaling down the world and relying heavily on reference boards, shadows, or muscle memory. In VR, the track has depth, allowing me to sense how fast the braking zone is approaching and judge the closing speed with my eyes, just as I would in a real car. That added perception makes it easier to stay consistent under pressure, especially when I'm tucked in behind someone and my usual visual markers are blocked. Instead of “guessing” when to hit the pedal, I'm reacting to real spatial cues, which builds confidence and reduces those lock-up-or-overshoot moments. That added precision reduces lock-ups, missed braking points, and other errors that can accumulate over a race. Braking: Wheel-to-Wheel Racing: Wheel-to-wheel battles in VR feel more controlled because I actually know where the other car is. On a flat screen, peripheral awareness is limited, and judging overlap often comes down to spotter calls or guesswork. In VR, I can glance into my mirror or even turn my head to track the car beside me, just like in real life. Depth perception helps me judge if they’re half a car length ahead or tucked right at my door, which takes away a lot of the uncertainty. That confidence and clarity help defend lines cleanly, execute overtakes safely, and avoid contact in tight racing, which makes side-by-side racing cleaner and less stressful. I can hold my line without second-guessing whether I'm about to make contact. The result isn’t just more immersion; it’s better racecraft, fewer incidents, and cleaner overtakes. Wheel-to-Wheel Racing: know Track Awareness: VR puts me inside the circuit. I notice bumps, camber changes, and reference points that get lost on a flat screen. Spotting boards, curbs, or even the way shadows fall across the track becomes more natural, giving me more tools to stay consistent. Beyond performance, VR keeps me immersed and engaged. Track Awareness: Car Placement: With depth perception, I instinctively know how close my tires are to the apex curb or how much space I'm leaving on the corner exit. Threading through traffic or setting up an overtake feels more precise because I can sense the car’s footprint in space. Car Placement: sense Elevation Changes:  Okay, this one really isn't helping me in VR, but elevation changes were the most fun to experience.  The corkscrew at Laguna Seca or the downhill at Lime Rock in the Formula Vee were eye-opening and fun!. Crests, downhill braking zones, and blind corners all come alive in VR. Instead of a flat image, I can perceive the slope and angle of the track, which helps me react sooner and trust the car’s grip. Elevation Changes: Full Immersion Full Immersion VR doesn’t just make sim racing better-looking; the technology makes me a better racer. Once I made the switch, the difference in my racecraft was undeniable. Being able to judge space and depth in real-time meant fewer unnecessary contacts, cleaner overtakes, and greater confidence when navigating traffic. My incidents decreased, my consistency improved, and I started winning more races. VR makes me feel present in the cockpit, and that immersion translates into sharper awareness, fewer mistakes, and a stronger overall racecraft. It’s the kind of improvement you only notice once you’ve lived it, and it’s difficult to give up once you have. You can check out my latest VR win at Lime Rock in the Formula Vee:

VR Made Me Faster: A Sim Racer’s Case for Immersion

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