The Silverstone Museum recently opened a lavish Sim Suite, and we visited to see how it shapes up.
Just metres away from me sits a Ford Lotus Cortina driven by Sir John Whitmore to Division 2 class victory in the 1965 European Touring Car Championship. Above a 1948 Cooper Mk2 Formula 3 car with a wanton disregard for driver safety and to my right a Brawn BGP 001.
There are interactive areas where I can learn about motorsport heritage and an exhaustive Scalextric diorama.
Perhaps rather incongruously, a set of seven fresh sim racing rigs is also present, a stark contrast between the old and the new.
Eye spy, with out little eyes, F1 and MotoGP royalty. Image: Thomas Harrison-Lord
Despite the thronging crowd suggesting otherwise – filled with YouTube personalities and even a reality TV star – they are not here as part of an ephemeral display, but part of a new, permanent, Sim Suite embedded within the Silverstone Museum.
Located next to the ‘home of British motorsport’, abutting the sorely missed Bridge corner, the educational exhibits have now been joined by a more serious sim racing outpost.
Simply take a left at Gordon Shedden’s 2011 British Touring Car Championship Honda Civic, controversial turbocharger and all.
Red 5. Image: Thomas Harrison-Lord
Here you will find a dedicated simulation room, kitted out with Simucube wheel bases and Cube Controls’ SP01 pedals (uniquely combining both a load cell and hydraulic fluid).
If the equipment standard shows serious intent, the in-built lap time system that compares your driving to other visitors that same day, or those in the room with you presently, cements it. Things can get competitive rather quickly.
“Today we are running at full power, which is 17Nm of torque for those Simucube 2 Sports,” explains Max Fleckney to OverTake, Simulator Technician at Silverstone Museum.
"On a day-to-day basis, we do lower the peak output slightly so that it is more approachable for customers, but for events or if pro drivers turn up, we have the option of turning it up.
“That is similar for the pedals too, as they can range from needing just 10kg of braking force all the way up to 140kg. The equipment has been selected to suit a breadth of abilities.”
Motorsport Network's Tom Jeffries tests out the Sim Suite. Image: Silverstone Museum
The museum has previously offered simulation experiences, but up until now not in an outfitted area. To date, even without the dedicated facility, over 11,000 people have tested their skills on the rigs – F1 and MotoGP grand prix weekends a particular driver of footfall.
On the virtual track, the venue is of course Silverstone, a commissioned mod including the Wing for Assetto Corsa. It is paired with a generic ‘formula style’ car, or by default, a licenced Radical – the venue has a formal partnership with the British track day and racing car manufacturer.
At £20 per 30-minute session, visitors can book online ahead of time, or if there’s space, purchase a simulator session as they pass by on a tour of the whole facility.
It is this latter element that intrigues me the most. I believe sim racing, especially during 2020 and thanks to a handful of committed driver stars, is being treated with more legitimacy than ever by the motorsport fraternity.
1948 Cooper Mk2 Formula 3 Car, Silverstone Museum. Image: Thomas Harrison-Lord
But there’s always room for improvement and having a visible sim racing arena, thanks to a notable investment, within a lauded museum should only help to gain a bigger audience for our favourite pastime.
“The long-term goal for the museum and the sim suite is to make sim racing prolific," continues Fleckney.
“During the pandemic, and what F1 did, was a major kickstart for us. We had sims before, but we started to get more bookings.
“Our goal is to make it as big as possible, get as many people into sim racing as we can, and ensure that they have a good starting point.
"Allowing people to have that ability to race with each other is a big feature for us. It gives us the opportunity to put people on the track with their friends with their family, and they can compete for the best time.
“The Sim Suite shows that we are committed to sim racing.”
Writer Thomas tries to beat Alex Gillon's time. Fails. Image: Silverstone Museum
So yes, Silverstone Museum would like for you to visit, see its fine collection of rarefied memorabilia and historical cars and book a session. It is a business.
Yet, aside from that, I would like sim racing to become ubiquitous. A self-sustaining industry for years to come, becoming the norm for a whole generation, all the while soaking up existing motorsport fans. An initiative such as Silverstone Museum’s could be a significant step towards that.
Let us know if you’ve visited Silverstone Museum before in the comments below, or on X: @OverTake_gg.
Just metres away from me sits a Ford Lotus Cortina driven by Sir John Whitmore to Division 2 class victory in the 1965 European Touring Car Championship. Above a 1948 Cooper Mk2 Formula 3 car with a wanton disregard for driver safety and to my right a Brawn BGP 001.
There are interactive areas where I can learn about motorsport heritage and an exhaustive Scalextric diorama.
Perhaps rather incongruously, a set of seven fresh sim racing rigs is also present, a stark contrast between the old and the new.
Eye spy, with out little eyes, F1 and MotoGP royalty. Image: Thomas Harrison-Lord
Despite the thronging crowd suggesting otherwise – filled with YouTube personalities and even a reality TV star – they are not here as part of an ephemeral display, but part of a new, permanent, Sim Suite embedded within the Silverstone Museum.
Located next to the ‘home of British motorsport’, abutting the sorely missed Bridge corner, the educational exhibits have now been joined by a more serious sim racing outpost.
Simply take a left at Gordon Shedden’s 2011 British Touring Car Championship Honda Civic, controversial turbocharger and all.
Red 5. Image: Thomas Harrison-Lord
Here you will find a dedicated simulation room, kitted out with Simucube wheel bases and Cube Controls’ SP01 pedals (uniquely combining both a load cell and hydraulic fluid).
If the equipment standard shows serious intent, the in-built lap time system that compares your driving to other visitors that same day, or those in the room with you presently, cements it. Things can get competitive rather quickly.
“Today we are running at full power, which is 17Nm of torque for those Simucube 2 Sports,” explains Max Fleckney to OverTake, Simulator Technician at Silverstone Museum.
"On a day-to-day basis, we do lower the peak output slightly so that it is more approachable for customers, but for events or if pro drivers turn up, we have the option of turning it up.
“That is similar for the pedals too, as they can range from needing just 10kg of braking force all the way up to 140kg. The equipment has been selected to suit a breadth of abilities.”
Motorsport Network's Tom Jeffries tests out the Sim Suite. Image: Silverstone Museum
The museum has previously offered simulation experiences, but up until now not in an outfitted area. To date, even without the dedicated facility, over 11,000 people have tested their skills on the rigs – F1 and MotoGP grand prix weekends a particular driver of footfall.
On the virtual track, the venue is of course Silverstone, a commissioned mod including the Wing for Assetto Corsa. It is paired with a generic ‘formula style’ car, or by default, a licenced Radical – the venue has a formal partnership with the British track day and racing car manufacturer.
At £20 per 30-minute session, visitors can book online ahead of time, or if there’s space, purchase a simulator session as they pass by on a tour of the whole facility.
It is this latter element that intrigues me the most. I believe sim racing, especially during 2020 and thanks to a handful of committed driver stars, is being treated with more legitimacy than ever by the motorsport fraternity.
1948 Cooper Mk2 Formula 3 Car, Silverstone Museum. Image: Thomas Harrison-Lord
But there’s always room for improvement and having a visible sim racing arena, thanks to a notable investment, within a lauded museum should only help to gain a bigger audience for our favourite pastime.
“The long-term goal for the museum and the sim suite is to make sim racing prolific," continues Fleckney.
“During the pandemic, and what F1 did, was a major kickstart for us. We had sims before, but we started to get more bookings.
“Our goal is to make it as big as possible, get as many people into sim racing as we can, and ensure that they have a good starting point.
"Allowing people to have that ability to race with each other is a big feature for us. It gives us the opportunity to put people on the track with their friends with their family, and they can compete for the best time.
“The Sim Suite shows that we are committed to sim racing.”
Writer Thomas tries to beat Alex Gillon's time. Fails. Image: Silverstone Museum
So yes, Silverstone Museum would like for you to visit, see its fine collection of rarefied memorabilia and historical cars and book a session. It is a business.
Yet, aside from that, I would like sim racing to become ubiquitous. A self-sustaining industry for years to come, becoming the norm for a whole generation, all the while soaking up existing motorsport fans. An initiative such as Silverstone Museum’s could be a significant step towards that.
Let us know if you’ve visited Silverstone Museum before in the comments below, or on X: @OverTake_gg.
