Vandoorne on WEC Talk: “It’s almost more exhausting driving a simulator than the real car!”
The latest episode of WEC Talk is here and this week it’s a virtual special!
The seventh instalment of the official FIA World Endurance Championship podcast focuses on the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – set to be the biggest endurance esports race from 13-14 June.
Listen to the full podcast on Spotify HERE or on Apple Podcasts HERE.
Belgium’s Stoffel Vandoorne is our star guest this week and reveals how he and the Veloce Esports team are preparing for next week’s race. Having finished third in last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, he’s well versed in the challenges of the gruelling race in the real world but what does he think will be the biggest difficulties when taking part in a virtual version?
Vandoorne takes up the story: “There’s going to be a lot of strategy involved. It’s not just refuelling but tyre compounds too – there’s hard, medium, softs and probably the wets which will come into play at some point. These are all things that we must set ourselves while we are driving which is an extra challenge to think about.”
He added: “It requires so much concentration the whole time, we don’t have g-force but we are getting the feeling from the steering wheel and from the visuals. It’s almost more exhausting driving a simulator in some ways than the real car – although they are completely different challenges. One is a more mental challenge for the brain and the other in real life is more physically challenging. Concentration will be key to make it through the race.”
WEC Talk host Martin Haven also chats to JOTA’s physiotherapist and nutritionist Pete Webster who identifies some of the benefits that lockdown has had on drivers' fitness levels.
Webster explains: “Drivers are getting more into their training than anything else because they’re not needing to travel every other week… Continuity is everything. We’re filling their time with data-driven progress, getting their sleep patterns right. A lot of drivers can’t wait to get back in the car but equally they want to get back into a car to prove their fitness [has improved]. They feel fitter [after lockdown] but the true test will be when they get back in their car.”
When asked about how the racing drivers will fare against the sim racers at the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, Webster admits: “I think a lot of the racing drivers might struggle [against the sim racers] who have spent hours and hours plugged into simulators. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.”
Don’t forget to listen HERE and check back in two weeks’ time when WEC Talk will have more exclusive interviews from drivers and key names from the world of endurance racing.
About WEC Talk
Available on various platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, CastBox, iHeart and Deezer, the WEC’s official podcast promises fans a unique insight into the exhilarating world of sportscars.
With exclusive interviews from drivers, team members, management and legendary figures involved in endurance racing, fans across the world can get their regular sportscars fix by tuning into WEC Talk.
