How F1 Drivers Use Simulation Machines — And Why They’ve Become Critical

Simulation is Now the Heart of F1 Preparation

In the high-stakes world of Formula 1, where car development time is limited, track mileage is precious, and every thousandth of a second counts, driver-in-the-loop simulators have evolved from niche tools into indispensable training and development platforms. Below we explore how drivers use them, how critical they are to training, which teams employ them, what setups look like (and cost), and how widespread their use really is.

The Role of the Simulator in Driver Training and Car Development

Simulators in F1 serve two main purposes: driver preparation (learning tracks, refining driving style, building muscle memory) and vehicle development (testing setups, aero/suspension changes, strategy scenarios).

What the Driver is Doing

When an F1 driver sits in a sim, they may be rehearsing a new circuit layout, practicing starts, testing tyre behaviour under different stints, or evaluating new suspension/wing configurations virtually. At Williams Racing, senior engineer James Urwin says:

“Typically, by Wednesday and Thursday [of a race week] the driver is in the simulator… we’re literally going nonstop in the sim — that way when we get to the real track, we’ve already mitigated some of the problems we expect to find there.”

That highlights how intensive this training is. Drivers need both mental preparation (learning the circuit, visual cues) and physical training (steering forces, braking loads). The sim replicates the cockpit environment, steering wheel feel, pedal load, even helmet and gloves.

What the Team is Doing

From the team’s perspective, a simulator allows huge amounts of testing in controlled conditions—setups can be swapped in minutes rather than hours on track, tyre behaviours can be explored without actual tyre wear, and new track layouts (especially new circuits) can be mastered virtually ahead of first real running. The simulator is particularly useful when track testing is severely restricted, as is the case in modern F1.

Furthermore, teams use simulators to correlate virtual performance with real-world performance (“correlation”). If the sim model is accurate, a tweak in the sim gives predictive value for the race weekend. As one Motorsport Engineering summary states:

“Simulators have become an integral part … transforming their methods for developing vehicles, training drivers, and planning race strategies.”

Which Teams Use Them — and Do all Drivers Train on Them?

The short answer: yes, all top F1 teams use full-fidelity simulators and all race drivers (and often reserve/development drivers) spend significant time in them.

Examples:

• Williams Racing explicitly publishes how Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant log many hours in the sim ahead of each race weekend.
• At Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team, simulator driver Nick Yelloly has logged “40-50 days a year” in the sim for the team lineage (Force India → Racing Point → Aston Martin) to support car development.

Thus, while not every driver spends equal time, the main race drivers are deeply involved. In addition, many teams have dedicated sim drivers (sometimes junior or reserve drivers) whose role is to run virtual laps, log baseline data and assist the race driver. For example, Yelloly’s role illustrates the specialist sim driver as part of the team arsenal.

Where are the Simulators Located & How do Drivers Access Them?

Most teams have large simulator rigs housed at their base (factory) — typically in the UK (e.g., Brackley for Mercedes, Grove for Williams, Milton Keynes, etc.). Drivers will often return to the factory during a race-week (or before) to perform simulation work with their engineer and factory support.

The simulator is typically factory-based, not something mobile in the trailer at the circuit. However, in some cases, teams bring (or have portable rigs) for event or testing use, but the full high-fidelity simulator remains at base due to power/cooling/space requirements.

Some drivers also have (or use) home rigs (much lower fidelity) for personal reference or training, but those are not the primary race team simulators.

Cost, Track Uploads, Hardware & Fidelity

These machines are very expensive and complex. According to WIRED, a top-end rig from simulator specialist Dynisma can cost “up to more than $12 million” when equipped to full spec (360-degree LED wraparound, 240 fps, ultra-low latency, motion platform)

Other available professional simulator rigs (for less extreme use) cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example, one vendor lists a team-level F1 simulator for $105,000 direct for a replica cockpit. Another company quotes professional rigs from ~£30,000 upwards.

A cost summary article says:

“A professional F1 driving simulator can range significantly in price, from €5,000 to over €250,000.” This wide range reflects entry-level vs fully motion-platform, full fidelity vs occasional use."

Track uploads / data correlation: Teams deploy laser scans of circuits into the simulator software (e.g., rFpro) which allows terrain, bumps, gradients and surface detail. For example: rFpro includes HD laser‐scanned tracks with accuracy better than 1 mm in Z and 1 cm in X/Y.

The result: teams can load the upcoming venue virtually days or weeks ahead, drivers can familiarize themselves, engineers can test baseline setups. At Williams, Urwin confirms:

“We have laser scans of each circuit from a third party… Then we build the virtual racetrack into the simulator.”

How Critical is this for Driver Training and Team Performance?

Extremely critical. Some key points:

• Track time is limited: With strict testing limits in F1, the actual time on real tracks is severely curtailed. The simulator fills the gap.
• Familiarity with new or changed circuits: With expanding calendars and new venues (e.g., Las Vegas, Miami), simulators allow drivers to ‘pre-learn’ the track before arriving. Urwin: “The simulator is invaluable in those situations.”
• Quicker setup iterations: In the sim, teams can test wing/suspension changes in minutes, whereas on track each change might require a session, tyres, logistics. The sim accelerates development.
• Physical and mental preparation: The sim replicates cockpit loads, steering feel, braking forces, meaning drivers are physically ready (and practice race scenarios) ahead of the weekend.
• Data-driven correlation: The more accurate the simulator model, the greater confidence the team has in translating sim gains to real gains. That correlation gives competitive advantage. However — and this is important — simulators are not perfect replacements for real track time. As Urwin notes:

“The tyre model of the car is extremely hard to replicate in the simulator … Particularly the thermal aspect of how it overheats and the grip evolution…”

Drivers and teams must still adjust for the real world. But the sim gives deep head-start preparation.

Wrapping it Up

Every F1 team uses high-fidelity simulation machines as part of their driver and car preparation programmes. For drivers, these are no leisure gaming rigs: they’re full cockpit replicas with force feedback, motion cues, and real-time telemetry. The driver goes through dozens of hours of sessions, most weeks, and the team uses the sim to test setups, track layouts, driver behaviour and strategy. The rigs cost from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars depending on specification. They’re primarily housed at team factories, not the pit-lane truck. Track data (laser scans) are uploaded and integrated so that when a driver arrives at a new circuit he already “knows” it virtually. While simulators don’t entirely replace real track time, they have become mission-critical in a sport where physical testing is increasingly restricted and the margin of victory is razor-thin.