Formula 1

Sebastian Vettel’s F1 Car-Based Racing Sim Setup Revealed

Us here at GTN have been watching a lot of F1 highlights over the last couple of months as the 2022 F1 season looms over us. And with that, it’s no surprise that we’ve been looking at sim setups so we can drive alongside the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Virtually, of course. But today, Sebastian Vettel’s sim setup has been revealed, and it’s safe to say we’re very jealous.

It turns out that Vette’s setup is actually created from an Aston Martin F1 car, specifically an AMR21 development car from 2021. I suppose one of those isn’t hard to come by, being a driver for Aston Martin and all… But this isn’t just a plaything for the driver, this is used solely to hone his skills behind the wheel, so it’s no surprise that Aston has done its best to make this sim as realistic as possible.

The setup was built for the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Being a new track for the season drivers had to get to grips with it behind the wheel of a sim. But Vettel wasn’t able to get as much time on a sim compared to others, forcing Aston to look into a fix for this. So while the team has its own sim, this sim was built specifically for Vettel to take home so he could practice to his heart’s content.

What’s included in the setup?

This setup includes Vettel’s own custom-shaped racing seat, his headrest, and seatbelts all from his 2021 car. The halo and wing mirrors also come from the AMR21. What’s not found on his car is a “Honey Ryder” decal placed behind the steering wheel, the name given to the sim by Vettel himself.

There’s a custom metal frame supporting the sim and its three screens, but the fun stuff comes from what’s hidden beneath. Pro Sim custom made the steering wheel and pedal feed back system to match an F1 car, so it’s no surprise the whole build took several months to not only build, but to program and troubleshoot. But this resulted in the only sim on the F1 grid actually built from an F1 car, and that makes it very special.

We’ll be interested to see if this makes any difference on-track during the 2022 season.

Alex Harrington

Alex started racing at a young age so certainly knows his way around a car and a track. He can just about put a sentence together too, which helps. He has a great interest in the latest models, but would throw all of his money at a rusty old French classic and a 300ZX. Contact: [email protected]

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