Romain Grosjean’s popularity has paradoxically soared since he left the world of Formula 1. He has returned to racing success in Indy Car competitions, among others. But Grosjean is also very active in Simracing!
Before rediscovering the world of simulation in 2020, Romain Grosjean hadn’t set foot on a virtual track for a decade. Today we take a look at his setup and his E-Sports team🙂
Simracing, a way to prepare for real races
When we think of motor racing, we often forget that what the public sees is only the result of a much more complex marathon that began months or even years before the race.
The race doesn’t just take place on the track. It also takes place in the factories of the brands. In the engineering teams . Among suppliers and subcontractors. In pit crew training . But that’s not all: it’s also in the driver’s mind, long before the start. In his memory and reflexes.
Simracing offers drivers an exceptional opportunity. Memorize tracks around the world as accurately as possible before they even set off. And for a driver and his team, that means saving time on the track. A very limited and precious amount of time to gather as much information as possible about the car’s reactions.
If the driver can pre-memorize the next track before going there, then a little more testing and data gathering can be done. For his second IndyCar season, Romain Grosjean used rFactor 2 to memorize the tracks.
But despite its advantages, simracing still has some way to go:
The steering wheel in IndyCar is very hard, the cars are very nervous going into corners. That’s something that’s hard to convey in a simulation. I also have the impression that the engine sounds could be closer to reality. But apart from that, the platform is very good and reacts very well to setup changes.
Romain Grosjean on preparing for his second IndyCar season.
Romain Grosjean’s Simracing setup
Unlike other drivers like Fernando Alonso, for example, Romain Grosjean has a relatively accessible setup. Mind you, this is obviously a top-of-the-range setup. No kidding. But it’s a far cry from the €20,000-plus cockpits used by the Spanish driver, for example.
SimLab P1 Lap cockpit
For the cockpit, Grosjean chose SimLab.
Their P1 cockpit is one of the brand’s top-of-the-range models, but at a reasonable price of €900.
The main advantage of this model is its rigidity and adaptability to all the add-ons you could wish for.
And if you’re one of the lucky few who can afford such a system, this model is also adaptable to jacks!
Fanatec Podium DD2 steering wheel base
Integrated into the cockpit is a Fanatec DD2 base.
This Fanatec monster is capable of delivering up to 25Nm of torque, and has become a benchmark in the Direct Drive world.
So it’s hardly surprising to find the DD2 in many professional drivers’ setups.
Cube Formula CSX 2 steering wheel and Fanatec Podium Porsche 911 GT3R
Romain Grosjean’s wheels come in two models. A Cube Formula CSX 2 to start with:
- 28.2cm diameter
- 13 configurable, backlit buttons
- 6 rotary selectors (two on the front panel, two at thumb level and two integrated into the steering wheel grip)
- 2 8-position selectors
- Magnetic paddles with clutch and launch control
- A huge 4.3″ color screen with scratch-resistant glass..
In short, a beautiful tool! And the wheel weighs in at just 1.18Kg to have the minimum possible impact on the force feedback delivered by the base. A real marvel.
For the second GT-type wheel, Grosjean opted for a Fanatec Podium Porsche 911 GT3R:
- 32cm diameter
- 10 configurable buttons
- 2 2-position switches
- 2 12-position selectors
- 1 x 7-position click joystick
- 1 analog joystick
- Magnetic paddles with clutch and Launch control
- 2.7″ display
Two quality wheels that will have more than one new simracer drooling.
Fanatec Clubsport V3 crankset
Romain Grosjean didn’t go overboard with the crankset. At his feet is the Fanatec Clubsport V3.
Solid, reliable, practical, adjustable at all points and equipped with a Load Cell sensor for the brake pedal. If it’s good enough for Grosjean, it’ll be good enough for you.
An affordable setup… if you want it to be!
- SimLab P1 cockpit: 900€
- Fanatec DD2: €1,500
- Cube Formula CSX 2: €1,270
- Fanatec Podium Porsche 911 GT3 R: €650
- Fanatec Clubsport V3: €360
With a total price of 4,680€, Grosjean has created a relatively affordable setup. We can even imagine recreating it at home, can’t we? Okay, I’m kidding, not everyone can afford it. But it’s a far cry from the tens of thousands of euros spent by some other drivers.
On which simulation can you find Romain Grosjean?
Over the years, Romain Grosjean has been seen in a variety of simulations. He started simracing on iRacing , but seems more active on rFactor 2 at the moment. He has also taken part in events on Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione.
R8G E-Sports: Romain Grosjean’s Simracing team
In 2020, Romain Grosjean is taking on a new challenge: setting up an E-Sports team. With R8G E-Sports, his ambition is to create a high-performance simracing team on several platforms and simulators. R8G drivers have been featured on iRacing , rFactor 2, Forza and Gran Turismo. A very wide range, from sim-arcades to pure simulations!
Launching my own simracing team is a proud moment for me, as I’m passionate about motorsport, innovation and new challenges. I think the team structure we’ve created is unique and will help us achieve the ambitious goals we’ve set ourselves.
Romain Grosjean on the launch of the team.
R8G has found a number of choice partners, including the Acer brand, which provides hardware and marketing support.
We’re very excited about taking the partnership with Acer to the next level. By creating a joint international ESports competition, while making simracing accessible to all. We’re delighted with the high level of fan participation and engagement we’ve seen throughout the Predator Sim Racing Cup qualification. And we look forward to welcoming the winner to our team
Romain Grosjean.
Earning your place in the R8G?
In May 2021, simracers from all over the world could enter the Predator Simracing Cup free of charge. The prize for the winner: a place on the R8G E-Sports team for one year.
The final, featuring the 15 simracers who had made it through the qualifying rounds, was broadcast on Twitch and YouTube.
But the team’s ambition is not just to shine on the virtual track. Grosjean would like to use it as a springboard to real racing. He’s well aware of the ever-increasing cost of breaking into the racing world. He sees simracing as a way of finding and training new talent. The partnership between R8G and Praga (Karts brand) is part of this dynamic.
“We’ve all seen the talent that emerges from simracing races and it’s impressive. Our aim is to reward and try to develop drivers who have the potential to do real racing.”
“Most of them (R8G drivers) will receive a kart. If they get good enough results in karting we’ll take them to an official test session in a Praga workshop. If their level is good enough they’ll have the chance to enter the X30 world championship.”
Romain Grosjean on opportunities for drivers.
In June 2021, R8G driver Baptiste Beauvois came 3rd in the grand final of the Olympic Virtual Series. Championship held on Gran Turismo.
In short, Romain Grosjean has pulled out all the stops to make his team a force to be reckoned with in the world of simracing. His drivers are extremely talented. And with 94 victories and 204 virtual podiums to my name, the gamble has paid off!
