STIG RACES SPA IN MOST EXTREME SIM RIG ON EARTH 

For 2.5 million you could buy a 992 cup car and race a full season of Carrera Cup🤣

My favorite part about watching you sim racing is how easy it is to soak up the details of your technique. I find myself studying things like how far ahead/when you start to look ahead through corners, and how you’re operating the wheel and pedals next to what I’m seeing onscreen. Something I would love to see is the use of an H-pattern shifter and clutch pedal, along with a pedal cam. Your books go into immaculate detail about technique, amongst other things, but watching the man who wrote the words actually use them himself is truly an experience. Also, the running commentaries you do are loaded with fascinating information/facts/trivia to the point where it feels like I should be taking notes. I’m excited for what you have planned for the future.

Thank you for what you are doing for Sim Racing.

Makes me feel good about my G27 and T150. Great stuff.

Average Hammond track day experience. Halfway through leaves via helicopter 😂

Wow. Genuinely fascinating video. Not only about the simulator and the tech behind it, but all of those little titbits of information about real driving. I enjoyed this video much more than I expected to. Thanks for posting.

I watched a lot more than I expected. Thanks for that trip, cheers man.

Comments full of fanboys hating on Ben for using a Logitech G29. If an ex race driver and LITERALLY THE STIG says its good enough, its probably good enough. And as he says, for around £200-250 all in you can't go wrong.

Great video. This makes me feel happy about my G29 / PS5 / PSVR2 combo. Can't beat it for the money.. feels incredibly real with the headset on. Can't wait to see what the future of VR brings!

What a fantastic piece of engineering. It's rather encouraging you used a simple setup to develop racing games. I have a T300RS GT with about twice the force. I haven't raced for a while mainly due to the steep learning curve. I wish there was a decent teaching tool.

I remember in my very early 20s in 1987 at the Australian car show in Sydney they had a JPS "racing simulator" but it wasn't actually something anyone could get in and drive. It was like a very small completely light proof theatre - perhaps holding a dozen people (from memory). We all sat down in bucket seats and in a completely dark environment a very large screen at the front lit up. On the screen was an in-car camera on the (then) star of Group A touring cars - a BMW E30 M3. Basically we took a lap around a circuit from the passenger seat perspective and this entire structure bucked and weaved, pitched up, down, yawed - you name it. It was unbelievably immersive and the fact that this was 1987 was even more startling in retrospect. I remember we literally even had to hold onto our seats under braking and around the corners. OK, this is probably not something I would want to go back and visit because I would probably be disappointed these days as we have taken enormous leaps and bounds for granted. Certainly what satisfied me as a sim racer even 5 years ago wouldn't remotely cut it now, let alone what I had 20 years ago. But it was a great memory if only because of the era and how it opened my eyes up to marrying a visual effect (the passenger "race cam" on the screen) to G forces that were actually significant for what it was.

This was an absolutely awesome video, Ben! It's really cool getting to you see you in an insane sim rig like that on Spa. I'm glad you mentioned the movement-- I've seen a lot of motion rigs where the movement is more like a roller coaster simulator than a driving one. It's also enlightening to hear you say that most sims tend to overdo the loss of grip on the wheels. I've always felt that was the case with the grip (doubly so for wet weather in almost every sim). Thank you and I'm really looking forward to more videos on this channel (and your main one). P.S. I love that you have a "simple" rig. There's a bit of a cult in sim racing and besides you, the only other person I've seen say a lot of it doesn't matter is Tidgney (who primarily races in Gran Turismo 7 and Assetto Corsa Competizione).

Love to see you do some live streams. A more casual and interactive format, where we can watch you race in real-time and maybe even chat with you, would be amazing. It would be great to see a more down-to-earth side of you just enjoying racing online with the community. What do you think?

what a rig. lottery goals.

Still use my G920 with a Playseat, never found the need to upgrade it. Use it with VR, do racing and flight sims with a HOTAS. Love it.

bought a G923 so I could race with my brother in law and my brother (they're both on DD). bought a cheap Dardoo stand for $100, used my office chair, and was perfectly happy playing F1 23. Brother in law just upgraded his rig and donated his old but still awesome stuff to my cause. , so now my rig is worth more than my wheel and pedals lol

It's nice to know that at some point in time, the Stig used the same equipment that I did. You just made my day.

Dying is nothing to the Stig, remember he went off the side of that Carrier.

Oh yeah massive respect for doing the Sim racing thing, I loved Project Cars 2, A solid Sim racing title PC2, It is why I am hooked to ASM 2, AMS 2 is my go to Sim Racing title, Reiza doing a top job with AMS 2, You worked on Project Cars 2 didn't you Ben?, Big up for doing what you is doing with Sim Racing, I see Racing as a great way of learning skills that can be used in real life, So to speak, I also think communities needs some Sim Racing centers for the youth, If the Youth had a place with things like Sim Rigs, Then the older people can then keep an eye on the youth, There is way too many kids running around the streets causing mayhem, If the youth had a center with Sim Racing facilities, And other things for the kids, You never know the next F1 champ could come from a Sim Racing center, But I see Racing could be used as a tool to educate the youth, If there is something that will get the youth wanting to go there, Then They could use Sim racing for an entrance into other forms of education, After all a learned society is a productive society, lol, But yeah I do think sim Racing centers would so well, A lot of people can't afford the set ups with DD wheels, Motion rigs, ect, We had a go Karting place when I was growing up, A fiver would get you half hour if I remember right, Not anymore lol, Go Karting can be expensive, Great exercise Go Karting is, Last time I went Karting I done an hour and felt like I been working out for days, lol, If I had a place to keep a Kart I would get one, But I live in a 3rd floor flat with no lifts, Karting is a good way to get into racing, So it be good to see more Karting centers open, And discounts for youth centers... But yeah big up for doing the Sim racing thing, I think it is fantastic people can jump in a rig at home and race other people, Making Sim Racing more than just a game, lol....

My first ffb wheel was a "like new" second hand g25 that I bought in 2014 and then in 2017 I bought a g27, also second hand. I still use it today. No problems at all. Perfect budget wheel for a casual sim racer and trucker like myself.

Love how the stig is using an under 500pound rig 🫡 salute to you sir 👏

Never played Project Cars 2 that much when it came out because I didn’t have a wheel. Just bought a Thrustmaster T300 and I can’t wait to try it out. I tried it with a controller the other day and I love the “potential” lap time that is shown. It really shows how if you practice more and string together a good lap you can improve your lap times by multiple seconds. Thank you Ben for your work on PC2. The car and track selection is wonderful!

So now we know why the FFB in pCars was so lacking😁 Actually most motion-rigs for consumers are using actuators, not hydraulics. Actuators react quickly, but are slow with the motion because they work like drillers. The fast ones can do 300 mm/s, which is app. 1 km/h and D-Box is even slower. That's why less motion is better with those types, so you only get the initial motion cues. I'm using the SimXperience G-Seat with G-Belt plus a couple of shakers, because they are the quickest. It's a relatively cheap full 6 DOF setup and I'm quite happy with it, but feels more like a roadcar on a twisty country road.

Think I’ll stick with my Logitech g920 it does the job. Would love to have a go though. Love this channel.

Ahhhhh, always loved Ben. Hope to see more of racing stuff from here, if possible, explain to us how should we drive in each of these tracks with different type of cars.🎉🎉🎉

My desk set up was a logitech g25 for a long time then i upgraded gearbox to thrustmaster 7 speed. For me, it was all about how i could recreate real car journeys & loved it when steering would get light during traction issues. Ben, i will keep asking please give me a face off with you &mike fernie. Sim wheel should help even odds.😅

What an amazing setup! Sim looks like ACC, I wonder if it's a custom version or something else. Love the sense of speed with this wraparound screen. Amazing stuff!

That was really great to watch, really hypnotic.

Expected this to milkshake the guy, but it turned to be a smooth ride in a convertible instead.

Ben definitely put his stig face on about 18 minutes in 😂

That's some amazing engineering! 😍🥰

thank you for posting

I would love to drive that simulator at Oulton Park !! The Undulations, loss of traction always catches me out 😅😅

I had a couple g27s and a g29. I upgraded to the Thrustmaster T300 and man what a difference in feeling. But the G29 is a great starter into sim racing.

Imagine being in work minding you're business, when you look up and see this legend walking round having a look around😁.

Playing on my G series wheel after seeing this gave me LOADS of confidence

On the risk reward of binning it in the sim... When I use sims for training purposes, I wear a few rubberbands on my wrist and give the back of my hand a snap when I mess things up. Minor sting, but just enough of a reminder to the brain that it would have hurt in real life.

HAHAHA I am sitting here watching you float away internally screaming "LET GO OF THE WHEELLLL!!!!!"

I got a Driving Force GT, made for Gran Turismo. I might just set it up again for some fun. Nice one Ben!

Mixed reality is so good now, that this type of screen setup is just not necessary anymore.

$2.5 million racing sim chariot taking you to heaven. Ha! That was funny. 😂

This could be useful also i think for racing-game development, testing ingame car-physics and such.

I hate those „You could get a car for that” comments under pretty much every rig post ever, but 2.5 million is where I definitely draw the line 🤣

We did get a great sense of elevation change after the crash though as you ‘flew’ around the track.

The sound reminds me of Super Speed Race (1979) 😆

I'd be interested in you getting to compare this to something like a simucube/asetek setup with transducers in each corner and VR. Based on your 'less is more' comment on the motion setups and the immersion, I suspect it'd deliver a lot of the value for a much more modest* price. *modest is a word simracers use to pretend we're not insane for spending crazy money on what are basically fancy game controllers.

they should have continued developing project cars 2 the tyre model is amazing compared to vanila ac and gt 7 you can feel the shape of each curb the physics engine was supposed to be capable of much more according to automobilista which uses the madness engine its really under rated great work helping develop it

Yep still have my G29 but am currently running Moza R12 and CRP pedals with Moza shifter and hanbrake is beyond amazing ill be handing down my G29 to my nephew at some point when he's got a ok pc or ps5 he'll be super happy like i was when i first got into simracing

Great video keep them coming.

its what we call hexapod 9dof motion, and engine effects are called haptic affects

… love these videos Mr Collins.. it would have been great to hear what I’m guessing you could hear ?

Brilliant piece This is the only kind of driver perspective I would want on sims of this calibre. I wonder if he'll create his own sim company?

STIG, I hope you and Ian Bell are testing the Logitech PRO wheel for Project Motor Racing. Its Logitech's Direct Drive wheel.

All that wire bundled up under there giving every electrician anxiety 🤣

5 pieces sold. So basically 5 F1 or other top level teams have one in their factory? ;-) Would love to have 2,5 milion lying around. Until then I'll do with the 'you can't go wrong' setup. Still fun 🙂

Just reminds me when I was gaming in the 90's Yeah I was 10 years old

I want to see this thing connected to BeamNG and their floaty old school road cars going over rough roads. Or the trophy truck.

BETTER than that 2.5 millon dollar rig. Is the drag tag set up from Australia that you can put ANY car on a rolling dyno with a screen in font of you alot like the wrap a round screen with that 2 million rig. Emagine putting your favorite F-1 CAR ON this rig. It would be louder and waaay more realistic. Jay leno put his yellow corvette on this rig back in 2011. There's video of this on the internet somewhere. Might be on you tube. Might wanna see if there still in business in 2024. Hopefully you can try this out.

Surprised Fanatec hasn't sponsored you yet, or Ian hasn't hooked you up with a better wheel haha.

Amazing rig but still has the issue of lack of depth perception from the 2D projection screen. Had the same issue when in an Air Force KC-135 sim. Incredible immersion but depth perception isn't as good as when in VR. Seeing that combined with a high end VR headset would be super interesting.

dream setup right there

curious to know if it was standard Rfactor 2 they were using or just the Rfactor engine with their own tyre model and physics? Great content, lovely to have a proper driver giving in depth mature analysis on something simracing related. Refreshing to find on youtube!

Damn Here I am using my thrustmaster t300 thinking I’m Colin McRae 😅

from a very low budget simrig to the top 🙂

A lot of flexing on the wheel base

I must of done a 1000 laps of spa on RR3, (not played in about 5 years), but that last corner can always catch you out.

Ben , still haven´t seen you doing a VR2 run yet ,,, am sure Sony could " lend " you one for the Playsation ;-)

13:55 Sounds like you're talking about the iRacing tyre model . . . all kinds of grip until you try to do anything with slip angle . . . then nothing. I wouldn't lump all sims with iRacing. I would actually put iRacing in a class by itself (and that's not necessarily a good thing). Give AMS1 or AC another go. 💖💜💙

Get a Fanatec set up with mclaren gt3 wheel the diffrence to the logitech is night and day instantly added 1 second at least to my times from g29 logitechon assetto corsa compitezione ;) its like going from a fisherprice wheel to the real thing ;)

I thought the small rig was it at first 😂 like dang really? 😅

still waiting for you to try sim racing in VR

Man that's nice 👌🏻

Ben, you have a gaming channel?! SAY LESS, I'M HERE FOR IT!

This kid has potential. I think one day, he would drive a real car on track 🤔

I started with a G29, over 18mths modded it to the tilt, it was great. Another 18mths later, and about $8-10k later, updated the rig again lol

That some awesome kit, forget the price range. That some serious technology. Well how else is Lewis Hamilton meant to chill and play a racing game, with a bear and cigar 😂

Absolute animal setup.😂

An insane rig

You can have every possible motion except forward 😁

I find it odd that it isn't a fully enclosed cockpit for that kind of money. I feel like that rig would feel more like a Universal Studios Ride.

The truebrake upgrade for the Logitech brake pedal is well worth the money.

That rig Is very impressive though

Stig! Just found your channel!

Any idea what kind of NM force feedback is produced with this rig? I'm currently running 8NM on my rig and can never really see the point in having much more than that. Great videos 🙂

Come along way since donkey Kong,space invaders huh😅

"theyve only sold 5"... Yea no kidding, the game us running in 32 bit on linux with graphics from a free demobeta version of f1 1996

Would love to see a drifting run on one of these

for 2.5 million i would want a full looking car wings bonnet/hood bumpers wheels

I can't chat and drive also.. That's why you always had music and a mind quiet for the line in Top Gear Stig mode. 😊Awesome vid. Crazy machine. Not very portable either. Been ages since I raced online. Logitech and Forza. What's your fastest Nordeschleife outright record in sim? 🧡🤟🏼😊

Wondering if the simucube active pedals are still better than the ones found on this 2.5mill rig.

Do you think it would be more immersive without headphones? A good surround sound speaker system would be more impressive does it have one built in?

No way he uses that lol ...the steering wheel aint even clamped down properly 😅😂

lol gone to heaven

are you going to upgrade your current setup anytime soon? maybe fanatec entry level Direct Drive?

So nice to see an older racer doing gaming ( doing it in reverse) considering how expensive that rig was the sound was shite 😂

Yeah, logitech has a good entry setup but if u are gonna drift i suggest at least a belt driven setup

Stig went to Narnia.

The gear shifter from the G25. For me it wasn’t working together with the G29. Did you use an adapter?

"Make you eat unreal meat". Hahah

All that screens...they could have just set you up with VR and that motion right to give you the advanced motion with the depth perception. Something screens simply can make up for. So much money that could have been saved.