How to become a pro sim racer

Step 1: Choosing the Right Equipment

The first part of any journey is prepertion. If you're looking to becoming a pro, you probably already have some gear in place. But even the best drivers need the right equipment. 

1. Assess your budget and select a racing wheel, pedals, and a racing seat that suits your needs.
2. Consider investing in a quality force-feedback wheel for realistic feedback and improved control.
3. A good pedal set can make a massive difference

A good option to consider is a Fanatec CSL DD. Fanatec is famous for creating affordable steerin wheels that offer great feedback and quality. 

Step 2: Setting Up Your Sim Racing Rig

Sometimes drivers are limited by their gear. Sim racing has certain requirements that are similar for real life racing. Make sure you have the right comfort, adjustability and quality image you need. 

1. Create an ergonomic and immersive setup with an adjustable seat, proper seating position, and optimized display setup.
2. Ensure your equipment is properly adjusted to you and configure settings for maximum accuracy and responsiveness.

There are plenty of tools you can use to upgrade your rig. 

Upgrade your setup

Step 3: Learning the Basics

You might already be fast, but do you really understand what's happening with the car? If you don't understand the basics of racing, you'll need to put in some extra effort. Pro sim racers have been matched to real life drivers before. It's a proven fact that they master similar techniques which are required to bring out a car's full potential. 

1. Start with beginner-friendly racing games or simulators to grasp the fundamentals.
2. Familiarize yourself with racing terminology, racing lines, braking techniques, and proper cornering.

Step 4: Practice and Training

Practice makes perfect. It really does. Putting in the effort behind the wheel will make you faster over time. The more miles you do, the better your muscle memory will develop to handle the car. If there's one thing gear and lap times can't teach you, it's race craft. This vital part of actual head-to-head racing will determine your success when you fight opponentens. 

1. Consistent practice is key to improving your skills. Set aside dedicated practice sessions to hone your racing abilities.
2. Focus on mastering one track at a time, gradually increasing difficulty and exploring various racing scenarios.
3. Focus on one specific car, find a good setup and know the ins and outs. After a while you can explore other cars and find one that suits your driving style the best.

Step 5: Utilizing Sim Racing Tools

Even with all the practice in the world, you will end up hitting a 'ceiling'. That one lap time you just can't beat, eventhough you see other online players out pace you. That happens sometimes. Don't think that you're just not any better than that! 

1. Take advantage of telemetry data and analysis tools to identify areas for improvement. Learn where you accelerate, where you brake and compare data to learn from it.
2. Analyse your replays. You might think you understand the car, but following it closely from an outside perspective will give you new insights into missed apexes or wheelspin you didn't notice at first. 
3. Use racing setups and customizations to optimize your car's performance for different tracks and conditions.

Step 6: Joining Online Communities

Test yourself against faster drivers. The way to learn in racing, is by being outpaced by somebody. Learn from them and understand what makes them fast. A community will welcome you into its ranks and share tricks and tips that they apply. 

1. Engage with fellow sim racers through online forums, social media groups, and dedicated sim racing communities.
2. Participate in online races, leagues, and tournaments to challenge yourself and learn from experienced racers.

Step 7: Continual Learning and Improvement

Know what's happening in the game you're playing. Updates, car tweaks, track changes. You need to know everything so you can test it out and adjust your driving to it. After all, racing is a very long learning process and there's always somebody faster than you out there. 

1. Stay updated with the latest sim racing news, developments, and techniques.
2. Watch tutorials, live streams, and replays of professional sim races to gain insights and learn from the best.

Step 8: Go for it

Once you feel comfortable enough to give it a shot, just go for it! Sign yourself up for tournaments like the Lamborghini Real Race E-sport championship or SRO Esport competitionsand finally put yourself to the test. Don't sweat it if you're not fast enough. Once again, you will be able to learn from other pro racers and pick up on their habits and secrets. 

Conclusion

Becoming a pro sim racer is a journey that requires dedication, practice, and a love for motorsports. By following these steps and immersing yourself in the sim racing community, you'll steadily enhance your skills and embrace the thrilling world of virtual racing. Remember, it's not about being a pro right away, but enjoying the process of growth and improvement as a passionate sim racer.

If you're really fast enough, at some point you will be able to turn racing into a profession that makes you money. But plenty of organisers give you things that money can't buy, like being a team member of Lamborghini, F1 or MotoGP team. There's a lot to achieve in Esports, so what are you waiting for?