The Chicane Podcast

iRacing and F1 Adventures Unveiled

• TGS Sim Racing • Episode 20

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Discover the thrilling world of sim racing with us on this episode of the Chicane Podcast! Jeff reveals his new microphone, promising an upgrade in audio quality, while we recount the excitement of the 2024 Season 4 iRacing event. Despite Jeff's Hawaiian getaway, I managed to secure a stellar P2 finish in the GT4 class during a grueling three-hour multi-class race. We also reflect on the invaluable insights shared by Michael from the Sim Racing Den in our previous episode, talking about sim racing equipment and more!

Curious about the balance between speed and safety in iRacing? We discuss our journey and the challenges of moving up to the B class. Plus, I share my anticipation for the Singapore Grand Prix, a special 40th birthday gift that promises an experience filled with luxury, concerts, and high-octane racing. Hear about the chaotic yet exhilarating experience of racing at the Red Bull Ring in the rain, and the incredible support from our Twitch and Discord communities that turned a tough race into a memorable one.

We also delve into the future of F1 and iRacing, exploring why some enthusiasts are shifting from F1 24 to other sims like Automobilista. Learn about a new SimHub plugin that makes customization a breeze and enhances the sim racing experience. As we wrap up, we extend our gratitude to our listeners and encourage you to send any questions or messages our way. Tune in for an episode brimming with racing insights, personal anecdotes, and shout-outs to our amazing community!

Please e-mail the show for any questions, comments or stories/experiences at thechicanepodcast@gmail.com

Watch the show in video podcast form on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@TGSsimracing

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Intro/Outro Rights below:
Song: Low Mileage - Hold You [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds
Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/holdyou
Watch: http://ncs.lnk.to/holdyouAT/youtube

Jason:

The Hello and welcome to the Chicane Podcast, where we discuss all things in the sim racing world. I'm your host, Jason Rivera, and I'm joined here by Jeff Smart. How are you doing today, Yo?

Jeff:

Jason. I have been waiting a couple of days to get this recording going. I got myself a shiny new microphone. Hopefully everybody appreciates the little step up in audio here. I've been waiting. Jason's been talking smack about my audio quality and you know he's such a good influence on my finances that you know he finally broke. I broke down and got the new, the new sure mic. So hope everybody appreciates the new sound. Uh, I'm pumped. Um, everybody likes, you know, their gadgets and stuff like that, so I'm no different. So, uh, bro, I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go, let's get into it.

Jason:

Honestly, bro, you didn't sound bad at all in the previous episodes. It's mostly a convenience tool to help with background noise, because we're a one team show and I have to edit these, and every time it's always.

Jeff:

Jeff and I know this is just like a little humming I get it, I get it.

Jason:

All right, well, I highly appreciate you doing that, but today, today it's just Jeff and I uh, eric's at a retreat, and you know we all need that with the families and stuff like that. So we had a little crazy week this week. Um, so it's just going to be jeff and I for today. We have a few things we had.

Jeff:

we got quite a few things to go over, so I'm going to start, I think, yeah, I think we've got a banger of that episode for everybody this week yeah, so I racing just started their, I guess, week one of their season, their new season 2024.

Jason:

Right season four. Right Season four right 2024. Season four, yeah, yeah, and they held the I Tested event, which is rare and it's where they do a, I guess, an event that you test out different things for the actual developers. And this time it was a multi-class race and I was just going to be real quick about this. I jumped in there. It is a three-hour race and I asked jeff. I was like, jeff, do you, can you be a backup?

Jeff:

I feel like I let you down, but I'm freaking proud of you, dude you said hell, no man it was a saturday in hawaii and I dude, I had, I had to spend some time with a fam. It killed me, but I was freaking proud of you, dude. I, you know, you know, I thought about it, crushed all about it I.

Jason:

We had just wrapped up the episode with the sim racing den, which, by the way, thank you so much for coming on to the show. I know you listen to these or you watch them, so we highly appreciate that, uh, you coming on to the show, and maybe we can have you again sometime, yeah michael dude, it was a blast having you man love shooting.

Jeff:

You know hearing the show and maybe we can have you again sometime. Yeah, Michael dude, it was a blast having your man love shooting. You know hearing your story and stuff.

Jason:

An awesome individual and you go back and you watch his content and it's just top notch. So highly recommended If you haven't watched that episode the previous episode to this one and we go over a few things with Michael and it was awesome.

Jeff:

But anyway, he's got me drooling over that seatbelt harness tightened seatbelt tensioner.

Jason:

Now I'm freaking drooling over that dude $1,100. I don't know about this 1,100.

Jeff:

Steer wheel, no problem. Oh, but something that adds Elsa immersion? No, we got problems with it. You know he gave us feedback. I trust the dude I have to talk to, spending almost an hour and a half with him. I trust him if he said it was legit. I just wish I could try it out first. You know like, hey, like, send it to me, give me a 30-day check. 30-day, you know, no questions asked. Just let me go give it a try, right?

Jason:

I'd love to try it, but I don't know if I'm willing to spend. You know, heard it in. Well, I mean and we'll go over this later jeff, jeff's actually going to singapore, but before we spoil that, um, there might be some sim stuff out there, but before we get to that, uh, the I tested, uh race real quick. It was three hours and I had a choice do I go on a gt3 or do I go on a gt4? And they had just dropped the bm4 GT4. And I was like I really want to race this car because I bought it and I really haven't really experienced GT4 racing, let alone a multi-class race, a race, let alone a three hour race, let alone the track that we were on. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And I managed to get P2 on that race in the GT4 class. And our team name is up there the Chicane Podcast, tgsr, all of it's there. It's in the histories right.

Jeff:

I mean, let everybody just think about that. Doing anything for three hours I mean watching a movie for three hours is a bit much, but sitting there, switched on 100%, driving around, 100% focus for three hours is impressive. You know me, jason, we shoot straight with each other. If you're not impressed, you're not impressed. But I felt bad illegally hanging out to drive. But dude, I was fairly, I was, I was fairly impressed. I was fairly impressed. You know what? No, team.

Jason:

I can't no team solo, but I can't take all the credit because thankfully, I was live streaming the whole thing on twitch. You can check it out on my channel um the race if you want to skim through it. I won't make you sit through the three hours, but there was some people that joined. I had some raiders people like they raided my stream and they were helping me with strategic pit stops Cause I didn't know when the pit stop was going to happen. I was just. I was just winging it.

Jason:

I was like I'm just going to drive her to the damn wheels fall off or I run out of gas. So I was running go, I was running low on gas, losing grip on every single turn, and you got GT3 cars just flying by you every turn. Yeah, blue flag, blue flag, blue flag. And I'm like, okay, I got to get, I got to, and I'm just getting on the side of the road and just flying by me. Dude, it was awesome. So, yeah, I gained a lot of an sr for that event and a lot of um, uh I rating. So that brought me up to a b license just by completing that. And then after that I just kept gunning hard and I managed to score an a license man.

Jeff:

So I'm an a license now dude, that's class, a license in the road class. Congratulations, buddy. A lot of hard work goes into that. That's not something that just happens overnight. So, um, proud of you, dude.

Jason:

That's cool, I really appreciate that, man, and I know I, I know how hard it is to get up there and I know it's not the end, right, you have to maintain this. So it is a it is a reoccurring thing, right?

Jeff:

so how many just for just for you know perspective. How many incidents did you have in three hours of racing?

Jason:

right, um, but you got to count the practice session. That was like 30 minutes or something like that, and then pit stops. So I had one incident. I had an off-track incident in lap 70, so I drove 70 clean laps until 70 clean laps yeah, 70 clean laps around there.

Jason:

So that's about an hour hour and change and then I'll lap 92. A gt3 car uh, bumped me on the door but it was fine. The car skidded a little bit but I was able to maintain the control and not just got the contact penalty or the incident yep yeah, the the um. Actually, yes, I did, I did get the x4.

Jeff:

Yeah, we both did yeah but other than that, contact, but don't go off the track. It should be like a you know, a 2x or something, but go ahead so, yeah, it was.

Jason:

It was. It was stressful because that was at lap 92 and I had about maybe eight laps for the first pit stop. So when I pitted, whatever damage that was on the car just went away and it was very minimal. So I put gas in the, I put gas in the car, did not change the tires because of the new crew chief, the new crew chief that I told you about. We told you about a few episodes. Back when I pulled into the pits he was like left front 70 something, 80%, left, uh, right front, 80%, whatever. And then he told me the rears and I was like 80%, huh, and the car felt great.

Jason:

So I, I, I just I said okay just let her put the gas in the car, let's go Then I. Then I pulled in again after about, I think, another 50 laps, I forget how many laps, 60 laps. And then I did a full tire chain. A car changed dramatically. It was like a shit ton of grip excuse my French and I just wasn't used to that much grip. So I was like, okay, maybe I shouldn't push the car as hard as I was before, because these tires are not worn down and Jeff and I are used to 15 minute, 20 minute races where you don't even tire wear doesn't even really happen.

Jason:

So to have that much depth in the game, for the first time that I've experienced an iRacing it really I, I'm in love with it. I'm like I'm a huge freaking. I'm telling you I'm a huge supporter. Now I even bought some merch to go with it. Yeah, buddy, so I'm a trader. And just one more thing on the iRacing portion the McLaren 720S has been released. On the last episode we were waiting on it and they delivered on the Monday that we got the first patch for season 24. So if you, season three, season four, 2024. So if you're waiting for that McLaren and it is amazing highly recommend.

Jeff:

Yeah, they. I mean, I haven't driven it, but all of my Instagram feed, all over YouTube, is videos of you know everybody driving it and it seems like they knocked it out of the park. Is that fair? You've driven a couple of laps driving it and it seems like they knocked it out of the park. Is that fair? You've driven a couple laps with it. Do you think they did well with it?

Jason:

They did amazing. Not only did I drove it a couple laps, I actually did all my NPR races with it, so I drove it four times on the GT3 Fanatec Challenge on the Silverstone.

Jeff:

Oh, that's a good track for it.

Jason:

Yeah, I got really used to her. She's a little on the loose side, but that's because I was racing in a fixed event. I can't wait to race her in an open class. That way I can actually tune the settings on the car and the pressures and the stuff like that. But the sound, the looks, the stuff like that, but the sound, the looks, they, they, they nailed it, they nailed it and for because we both yeah, we both drive that car in acc for the most part.

Jeff:

Um, right, it just look it. I mean, if you, when you're coming up to another mclaren, you're just like, damn, that's, that's a good looking car. So yeah, I'm, I'm excited to get some. Uh, I'm gonna try to drive a little bit more of the sports car this season. You know, spread open up a little bit from Formula Right. Yes.

Jason:

And I was telling Jeff earlier today and this is good information for anyone that's new to iRacing If you're a Formula person predominantly, or if you're a GT person, like a sports car person, those tracks are the same. So it really doesn't cost a lot, much more money to race over on another class because all you need is the one car or maybe two cars, but all the same they all share the same track, not like you're going from oval to formula, where oval tracks just do not work on sports or formula. So that's just a quick tip for you, just to motivate you to branch out a little bit. I know people want to stick to their series and they want to increase their license or increase their SR and their rating and get the times down. But once you hit that point like I'm a class a now I'm going to work on my formula side now so that I can grow on the formula side as well.

Jeff:

Yeah, With that, said Jason, uh.

Jason:

I did yeah, yeah.

Jeff:

After the season ended, I logged in, uh, two days ago, maybe a couple of days ago, and I was surprised that I got switched over. I knew it was, I thought I thought it was coming, uh, but yeah, I got promoted to be licensed in formula. So uh, hey uh, I don't know if I'm more excited about the b license or the fact that I get the? Uh, the, the super formula lights um, the, those hondas and the toyota uh oh, the, the, the, uh, the sf23 right yeah oh, dude, those are rocket ships and you got to push the pass, um, so you got to manage that while you're driving.

Jeff:

But they are, they're like, I think in the formula one they're the first car where you really need to be gentle with the throttle like you are. Like you cannot just hammer down around a corner like you can in a four car. You need to gently lay on the throttle around a corner, even in a straightaway, to start. You can't just hammer the gas, um, like that back end will be whoop in a heartbeat. Oh yeah, that will take your all of your attention. But to your point, you know, I was like, okay, you know, like I, I want to race that a ton. There's not a lot of race, I think it's like two or three a day or an evening, but I do want to get into the sports car thing. Um, I see a bunch of cool racing going on.

Jeff:

Jason's been sending me a bunch of instagram or, uh, just text messaging with, um, the gt3 cars, um, and I think that looks super cool. So I'm going to jump into the. Uh, um, you know the sports car on iRacing and I'm going to check it out. I'm going to check it out. It's not my first choice but, honestly, like I just like getting better, getting better. You know, like it doesn't matter necessarily what car it is, like the trajectory of you know, when I started this iRacing thing a couple months ago I was, I was like man, like just trying to figure out that ray ff16. You know, remember we did re-race that one that one time together.

Jason:

And now to where I am now.

Jeff:

It's just cool to like learn the technique and the cars and as you get faster, you get faster cars with downforce. It's just cool. So I'm excited to start that um hey, congratulations, man you.

Jason:

you really earned that. I mean he's been, he trusts me. I mean it's like week by week, it's like you go down, some, you go up, some you go down, some, you go up, some, and then eventually you just started going up and up and up and up Now you're now, you're B class, you bring up a good point.

Jeff:

You, you said this when I first started and started like complaining a little bit I guess is a better word to say about your, uh, your safety. Um, you start like caring so much about your safety and I kept saying um, and I was like, oh, I just want to get like this car, I just want to get my new license so I can drive this car. And you like, now that I'm a B and I'm talking wrong, like I've been wanting to drive that new, that new car we were just talking about for a while now. But, like Jason, I think you like you just have to enjoy driving and the. You know, whatever happens to the safety happens to safety. Just it's we, we, you know we put these rigs together so we can drive, not so we could worry about our safety you know, like about this, like made up number that dictates how fun we had.

Jeff:

You number that dictates how fun we had. You know, like, uh, it was like, maybe like two weeks ago that I was like you know what. Like, like, I get to drive maybe two races a night, at the best every other night, maybe you know if I got kids and a family and responsibilities. So, like, what am I worried about the stupid little number? Get in there, hammer down and, I'll be honest, like the C class, those dudes can drive and it's clean, which is I really enjoy the clean. Like, I'm not going to hit somebody, they're not going to hit me. I go wheel to wheel. I don't have to worry about everybody's going to. If you're showing a tire, they're going to give you the space. It's cool. But, yeah, my recommendation would be like, don't worry about the safety, whatever's going to happen, happen, get faster, yeah, yeah. So that's my big update.

Jeff:

I got one other one. Uh, jason alluded to it. I am leaving in a couple of days to head to Singapore for the Singapore GP. Dude, I am so pumped. Um, and I do have to. You know, give my wife a shout out here. She gave it to me for my 40th birthday. Um, and I was like dragging my feet and I'm like, oh, you know that's like a year bro.

Jeff:

That's like a year straight and, uh, she was like I was like this, I'm like you know the star wars meme, it's a trap, it's a trap. And she was like you have till monday and it was like a friday to buy your tickets, or I'm buying them for you. And I was like, wow, twist my arm, you know. So, yeah, I'm. So, me and a buddy, we're going to we're, you know we're, we're going, uh, using a shit ton of Marriott points paying for the hotel. Um, yeah, we had, we got like some sweet, uh, no pun intended sweet, sweet tickets. We're in a suite, uh, yeah, so it's like formula one. You know, rubbing elbows with the schmuckies in the open bar. You know, free food, drink or whatever.

Jeff:

So I'm pumped, I can't wait.

Jason:

Can't wait. I want to know we're going to cover this, we're going to have a special or something. I want to know day by day details, because it's different, you know, when you, when you watch F1, right, like you and I were talking about, because Jeff and I we actually hang out, we live close to each other. So we will meet up one day and have a few cocktails and watch, like the qualifying race or the actual race, you know, because we're all the way out here in Hawaii.

Jason:

So time zones are tough to get to get a live race here is really you're gonna be dedicated a midnight or 2am race, yeah yeah, easily. So it's really difficult. And you know, when we're hanging out, it's kind of like, okay, we watched the event and that's it. But when you look at the itinerary of what goes on on the F1 event, it's like all day. It's like you mentioned what is it you mentioned, like a concert.

Jeff:

Yeah, so they got a Porsche Carrera Cup. They have.

Jeff:

The other classes too f2 and f3 so I don't think all the f2 and threes race, but there's another formula race, then there's obviously the f1. But like at night, dude, that's like world like, uh, one republic, lenny kravitz, are playing after the races, and stuff. Like people that go to concerts go to see these things not like, and then you get the race. You know like there's just yeah, so, dude, I'm, you know, it's super cool to go out there and experience different culture, different. You know part of the world and stuff. So I'm excited to go out there and see all the food. Um, they say like five of the top 20 bars in the world are in Singapore. So, um, oh, wow, I will go partake and uh, and I will make sure that those are worthy of a top five in the world bar.

Jason:

We need a full report back. Yeah, dude, I'll be sending you pictures and stuff. Hell yeah.

Jeff:

Dude, I can't wait 17 hours in a plane. I take off on Monday land on Wednesday Small price to pay. Nobody's feeling bad for me that's listening to this.

Jason:

Actually imagine people that fly out from the USs or from the uk or trying to go to singapore. We're the closest thing to singapore and the us that you can get, I mean, other than guam, and guam is kind of like a territory, it's not really a state yeah I mean, yeah, so enjoy yourself.

Jason:

We're not gonna have jeff on a. Possibly we don't's going to happen, but we may not have him on the episode. We talked about having him doing a remote recording. But, to be honest with you, I want, I want, I want you to take this time for yourself and enjoy yourself and enjoy the gift that your wife gave you. You know what I'm trying to say, like for real, I do, man, thank you.

Jeff:

Yeah, I mean we'll. We'll see what happens.

Jason:

Like you soak it all up, like take it all in, because it's a once in a. That's kind of like you're 40 years old I'm almost 40 myself and it's like I've never been to like an event that big you know what I mean In my entire life and to to be able to have the chance to go to it. It's like dude, you need to keep your eyes peeled. Yeah, I'm pumped.

Jeff:

I'm pumped, so we'll give a load out. We'll give a, you know, a portion of that next episode when I come back, uh, and let everybody know how it was.

Jason:

Yes, and I'm going to need some merch too. Of course I'm paying. I'll hook you up bud.

Jeff:

I already got something. Nah, we'll hook you up. We'll hook you up.

Jason:

Well, that's awesome. That's awesome If anybody hey, this is a good one. If anybody has questions for Jeff, anything that happened during that GP in Singapore, the Grand Prix for the F1 race, or anything related to the event, send us an email at thechicanepodcast at gmailcom. We'd love to cover that. We'll give that to Jeff and he'll cover that. He got your back For sure. That is a big portion of our coverage. I will want to mention one thing before we get into the actual discussion portion. It's the Global iRacing League. Porsche cup league started, uh, on Thursday.

Jeff:

Yes, let's go, buddy Vlad, let's go.

Jason:

Vlad, AKA V-Lad, that's what he goes by. Listen, I just want to give a shout out to Vlad V-Lad, AKA the goat. He has been taking care of me. He sent me the rule. Dude, they're rules. I'm going to send you a copy of these rules, Jeff. You got to see this. It was like 20 something pages.

Jason:

No kidding, it was like FIA level and I was like wait a minute, where do I sign? Is there an NDA? Do I sign something? What's going on? So, long story short, I go in there on a Thursday right, because that's when it was going down, and it was at the Red Bull Ring in a Porsche 992 that has no traction control and no ABS, right, and I'm like okay, he did say if you can drive that car, you can drive anything, so go ahead.

Jason:

He did and I went and I challenge accepted right. Jeff and I purchased that car and we've been banging laps on that car all day, so we can definitely handle it Caveat. It started to rain at the Red Bull ring and none of us were prepared for that. I didn't have a setup, I didn't know what the fuel was going to be like, I didn't know what the suspension was going to be like. I was freaking out and I'm live on Twitch Again. You can go and check the stream. And still 40 cars on track at the Red Bull Ring. We did a Super Heats.

Jeff:

It's a three event right, it's a cool setup how they have. Yeah.

Jason:

Yeah, it's a three event, so we had the 15, minute, 10 minute, 15 minutes and then a 20 minute and here's the thing you need to change the fuel on the car. So I'm over here, right, and I'm talking to the chat. Thank god, just the the chat, the people. They were helping us out.

Jeff:

It's like who wants? What's that thing?

Jason:

Vlad was like dude.

Jeff:

he was like Phone, a friend type of thing, yeah.

Jason:

He told me 20, 27, 34. I was like, got it. I was like Eric, write that shit down, I'm going to forget that. So 10 minutes goes by, right, we go in. No, actually we were practicing for like an hour and then 10 minutes, and then we get off the track and it's raining and it's people crashing and all kinds of stuff and stunts and sparks are flying everywhere and I'm like this is going to be just effed up, the whole thing. So we start to race and it was actually surprisingly a good experience. Like the guys, they're very respectful, they race, they allow space, they apologize, they have a Discord open. It's great. And then race.

Jason:

The second heat started and I have to use the bathroom and they're like you got 20 seconds to get on grid and to refuel the car and I'm scrolling up. I'm scrolling up and Eric's nowhere to be found. I'm like Eric, where'd you go? And he's like I'm on the phone. And I was like Eric, where'd you go? And he's like I'm on the phone.

Jason:

And I was like damn it, I don't know how much gas this car needs. So I put 25 liters of fuel in the car. It was really 27 I should have put. So I'm freaking out the whole second part of the heat. I'm freaking out lap by lap. I'm like I'm looking at the car, can I turn down the freaking engine map? Can I just drive her slow? What can I do? Can I coast? What am I supposed to do? It was fine, the car made it, and then the third heat happened and I ended up P16 out of 40 drivers. I'm really proud of that, especially for a car that I just it's only been like two weeks that I've driven the car. That car's a handful.

Jason:

It's a handful, let me tell you something, but it does teach you something. It teaches you to not rely on the aids. If you can do the technique, it's like you can drive anything. It doesn't matter your aid. The aid doesn't other than the TCS. Tcs is really helpful because you can hammer the gas. If you do that on this car, bro it's gonna get pissed off. Yes, at some point she's gonna say no to you and she's gonna go left to right yeah, it keeps your attention that, car it's, it's a handful yeah, so we spoke to the after the excuse me, after the race, the guys invited me over to the discord channel say hello to the admin.

Jason:

They are a family. It's like a very welcoming environment. I highly recommend if you are worried about bad driving and you just want to maintain your safety, or you just looking for a great place to spend the day or spend not even a day, it was like an hour If you want to just get a nice race with a great group of people and not worry about your eye rating going down or your safety going down, just go in there and sign up for a race. That's all I got to say about it. It's an amazing experience. And again, the admins you can message them. Vlad is on there. Um, and again the admins you can message them. Vlad is on there. Also, adam Schmidt was a big help and they provide links, they hook you up, they, you can. Even there's a point system, just like the F1, uh, same thing how the F1,.

Jason:

I think I got like 16 points for this race or something like that, and if you can't make it one race or whatever, I think you get three dropouts and it's only once. You know it's really awesome Like 40 cars on track was impressive. But the rain just made it that much crazy. It made it chaotic, but it was a fun chaotic. It wasn't like a dreadful chaotic and it was using the new system that iRacing has, which is the spotty rain. You've heard of that, right, jeff, the spotty.

Jeff:

Yeah, like some parts of the track and stuff.

Jason:

Right, but the problem is that there was so many cars on track that there's no, there's, no, there's no space to find, because, with, with, with racing in the, and I'll say this and we'll move on With racing in the rain stay off the race line If you're on the race line you're wrong.

Jason:

There's no grip on the race line. You cannot stop, you cannot turn, and it doesn't matter how hard you scream and cuss, the car is not going anywhere. It's going to go straight into a wall or into a car. So just yeah, just slightly off the race line, not all the way off, but a little off the race line get on the brakes and then you can kind of turn in, you can kind of finesse it and once you learn how to do that, uh, thankfully I joined the practice and I was practicing for a full hour and if you watch that you can see how many times I spin the car around.

Jason:

But during the race, not a single spin around, not a single incident. I did bump a few cars like door to door, which is kind of normal, but it wasn't like a crash, you know what I mean. It was kind of like a light tap on a turn. You know what I mean? It's just racing, racing incidents. So anyway, that was a ton of fun. But I'm going to give this next portion over to Jeff and he's going to cover something about something that he sent me. That was really interesting and it's actually iRacing and F1 related. So over to you, bud and f1 related.

Jeff:

So over to you, bud. Yeah. So I I forget what I was cruising, but I saw a like a text or a uh. I think somebody had did a screenshot of a uh, of a, of a tweet or something, or whatever they call it on x nowadays, but anyways, it was a rumor that ea is gonna lose the F1 franchise next year, and I guess really I mean, I've done a whole bunch of reading on this and I'll summarize it really for one sentence is the sales have went down, and by down I got the little table in front of me.

Jeff:

So, from the overt overtake, they put this thing all together and in f1 2015 I believe that was the first year they sold 1.4 million copies of f1 15, if you will. That's unbelievable. Right to think that they sold that many f1. You know there's there was that one that many f1 fans. But so just to give it in perspective and I'm going to go through these numbers fairly quick, just so you can understand the drop off in numbers so 15, yeah, yeah, 15 days, 1.4 million, in one year difference, they went to 389. What's that like? 389 thousand? Yeah, like, what's that like? Uh?

Jeff:

oh my god no, like the huge drop off uh, that's a few hundred percent, like yeah, so that so, and I will caveat that I think, like I, I think a lot of people probably bought the game and they were like, well, maybe there wasn't a lot of updates, so they're just like, this one's good, I don't need to buy the next one, because the next year went up to half a million, but that's still 900,000 drop off from the previous year or from two years previous.

Jason:

Let's stop right there. So you said that the next year, which is f1 16, right?

Jeff:

16 is the second year. The game was out yep by ea because I'm thinking drive to survive.

Jason:

So drive to survive came out in what 2018?

Jeff:

I'm not the right person for this because, honestly, I watched them all in one year I'll look this up while you continue with that, with that table, so okay, so they went from uh 1.4 to just under 400 000 to half a million, and then they go drop in half from 500 000 in 17. In 18 they went to uh a quarter million, just about a quarter million in 19 and they get a big jump in 2020. And this is maybe, is this when, like COVID happened? What?

Jason:

started. So this is this is this is this is the. I just found the answer here. Okay, and drive to survive. Aired on March 8th 2019.

Jeff:

Okay, so 19. And then everybody watched drivers five. Oh, this F1 thing's awesome.

Jason:

And then COVID happened Yep. And then okay, so 19. And then everybody watched drivers 5. Oh, this f1 thing's awesome. And then call the game yep. And then it's like everybody's home now jumped up to 1.2 million downloads easily.

Jeff:

and then they go 1.1. And then listen, gang, here's the drop off. So from 2020 at 1.2, 21 to 1.1 million, and then it goes to three quarters of a million to half a million and F1 24, the newest game, at 134,000 buys.

Jason:

So that's like the low all time low.

Jeff:

Oh all time low by by like double or half. Wow, I mean so think of this thing came out at 2015 at 1.4 million view downloads and now it's at 130. So I mean, this is f1 basically saying, hey, we're gonna take, we're gonna take our ball and go play somewhere else and I I'm gonna say what I maybe think everybody else is saying good, give it to iRacing.

Jason:

Give it to somebody else bro, if iRacing gets rights because they already have the, the f1, okay, so the formula cars that are on iRacing are amazing and you know this they're amazing. Yep. Imagine a full grid with licensed cars that you can pick your.

Jeff:

Oh my god, that will be a dream come true because, like, really the closest thing you get now is the w13, I think, and that you can go to like trading, paint and download kind of pretty much everybody else's livery that you want, right, but it's not it's not updated, though it's not updated.

Jeff:

Yeah, um, I think that's what a sim drive you know like, because the f124 is the simcade, right. I don't think we're saying anything and it doesn't already agree with um. Just give it to somebody that has the passion behind it. I don't want to say ea doesn't, because they're mad and in uh, ncaa is, is is Right. I'm a big college football fan, um shout out good things.

Jeff:

I was actually in college football, ncaa 2007 or eight. I was in it, I'm in it. I'm in the game. I bought the game just to give it to my son in like 10 years, when he's not playing video games.

Jason:

No way, I didn't know that I swear to God.

Jeff:

Yeah, pretty cool, huh, not that I'm. That's like a brag. That's not even a humble brag, but that's a brag I'm going to find you bro yeah.

Jason:

I'm going to live stream Jeff on a freaking NCAA Dude. That's impressive. How did I not know this about you? I'm finding this stuff about Jeff live on the show here that's awesome. I'm finding this stuff about Jeff live on the show here that's awesome.

Jeff:

What do you mean? Catching a football paid for my education. Who knew?

Jason:

So, but anyway, no wonder you're a big I. It makes sense now because I love you, know, I love soccer and we've had this, you know, little discussions about the differences, but this, this makes it a totally different, different thing. So, hey, that's what's up, dude, that's awesome.

Jeff:

Love it. I think it'll be interesting to see what kind of happens in the next year with what happens with the F1 franchise, ea iRacing. I mean there's a number of things that could happen here. Not going to speculate, all I'll say as somebody that enjoys Formula is I hope it goes to somebody that has the passion in it and that's not. Ea doesn't have the passion, but it just is like 24 was nothing. It wasn't an update, like minuscule steps, forward, steps. I refunded the game and did you ever look back?

Jason:

I should have? I just, uh, I haven't loaded it and I mean, that's what I was gonna ask you, bro. It's like now that you have like this many hours in the iRacing, because it's like and when I say this many hours, that's like I don't, you know, it's a ton of I don't even want to know yeah we're not looking at the hour, we're not paying attention, but it would be nice to go back and and jump in and just to compare to see where you came from, because that was one of your first titles.

Jason:

Right, correct, that was one of your it. It was one of the games that you were playing the most at at the time. Um, because he loves f1. Jeff is a f1, he's our f1 expert on the show that's what got me.

Jeff:

Yeah, I mean driver survived, started this thing in covid and the rest is history. I'll be honest. Yeah, I mean you can see the f1.

Jason:

uh yeah, you built a simulator because of Formula. That was how it started for you, right? I mean it would be nice to go back and see if you still own the game, and you might as well go back and see the differences. But I mean, I'm pretty sure you're not going to last too long on track before you decide to turn that thing off and go back to iRacing, or Automobilista, is another great sim for Formula.

Jeff:

It is Very good, just not a lot of multiplayer, but their AI is pretty good. Their AI is pretty good.

Jason:

AI is very good. If you want to chill out, just do a casual race against AI and not be pressured to be on time, because now you have to be on time. You got to run to the rig and you have to be there at a specific time to join a race. You know, sometimes if you got a few minutes and it's not coinciding with the schedule, then you could jump into a sim. You know you could do that and shoot that.

Jeff:

The, the automobilista 2 is cool because you can drive like some of those older formulas where they have the sequential and those things are a blast. It gives you new respect for those guys where they're driving a formula car with one hand on the wheel and you're like, these guys are crazy.

Jason:

Let me tell you something. Those guys, if you put them behind the wheel of these new cars, forget about it. There's no comparison. They would look at the car and be like, oh, this is too easy, I'm going to take this car and rip the hell out of it.

Jeff:

You mean all I got to do is drive and little taps on here or there I got a clutch and shifting and banging gears.

Jason:

I can't, I don't know how the hell they did that. Gears does I? I can't, I don't know how the hell they did that like. If you look at senna's old, like lapsed and going around the track in monaco, bro.

Jeff:

You saw, that's a crazy video you're like, I like get nervous sitting there. I'm like, you know, watching. I'm like, oh, dude.

Jason:

Yeah, like what's going through this guy's head? Like seriously, like do you, oh my god? Yeah, he says you know there's one of those.

Jeff:

Uh, I was watching somebody where he was like. Just he said he like was an out-of-body experience. He has like the lap record at monica or something is he's just yeah, he has like this tunnel vision yeah, it's just in his own.

Jason:

Yeah, it's just him and and and nothing else. I mean amazing. I mean yeah, I mean we're. This podcast supports everybody. It's not just a hardcore sim. If your main sim is f124 and you enjoy f124, then play f124.

Jeff:

Absolutely.

Jason:

Yeah, If, if that's the game that's satisfying you. There is an e-sports with F one, 24. There is a. There is competition out there to be held.

Jeff:

You know there's. I was thinking to your point, buddy. I was watching. I see so many Instagram videos of F one 23, 24.

Jeff:

Right, and they I feel like they all have the view above the halo yeah and I'm like why do you spend all this money and effort to make a sim and then drive with that view? And then it was like to your point if that's what they like doing, then hey, have at it, have. I hope they're having the most fun they can possibly have. You know, like who am I to judge what they should and should be doing?

Jason:

you're talking about the offset view on. That's like, yeah, it's above the halo yeah, and they look down.

Jeff:

You can see the halo and you're like you know what it? Is money for a, a, you know, a simulator. You're not simulating anything, but if they're having a good time, who?

Jason:

am I.

Jeff:

It's a competitive yeah advantage, sure 100 but if that's what they like doing, go for it Me and you.

Jason:

we're different, we're enthusiasts. I'd rather not have the competitive edge and be surrounded by a fuselage and viewing the halo and just feeling like I'm in the car because I feel connected, yeah, with the little fuselage around me. Oh yeah, dude, at some point're gonna have to do some reveals or something we should do a little.

Jason:

Yeah, that'd be a great idea some point episode when we get, when we get things all cleaned up, because you know rigs sometimes gonna have wires all over, they may look nice from this angle, but you know there's different angles that, if you ever want you to see on the other.

Jeff:

you know it looks great the way it is, but All right, buddy what you got for the next topic here.

Jason:

So for the next topic so we're cutting it short on time I'm going to go over the lovely dash, the lovely ecosystem, lovely dashboard, aka Constantinos right, His latest and greatest of products have just received a massive update and, to top it off, he dropped a video on YouTube you can check his YouTube out about him saying that he's going full-time so he quit his job.

Jeff:

He quit his full-time job to Simracing, and it couldn't happen to a better dude. Couldn't happen to a better dude.

Jason:

Yeah, he's awesome.

Jeff:

He is so prideful of his work and really just enjoys what he does yeah.

Jason:

The guy is the biggest. I mean he's the biggest heart I know, man. I mean seriously like you hit him up, you message him and he treats you like you guys know each other almost and I'm like dude, that's awesome. He's very receptive and if you're a gold, well, now it's released. I'm pretty sure today, by the time you guys listen or view this episode, the stable version is out for paid members. But now he has a plugin that plugs into SimHub that now you can adjust all the settings, you can do everything on the fly and you can actually visually see your dashboard changing. See your dashboard changing. Before you had to edit like a text file and you had to restart sim hub. Turn it back on, get on the track, see if you like it, I don't like it, turn stuff off, change. You know what I mean. So having this plugin and just flicking a switch on the things is amazing.

Jason:

I've been a lot of us have been telling yeah go ahead.

Jeff:

Yeah, I mean I I was over your house earlier today, um, and I had, I mean, I have a lot of family stuff going this week, um, so I hadn't been able to get in, but I swung by jason's house earlier today and you were showing me the user, um, basically like the, the gui, right yeah, gui yeah and it is.

Jeff:

There's no more. Find this buried file in your somewhere, buried in your computer and online. 328. Delete this line and put in this random line of code. It's all right there. Hey, yeah, whatever you want your screen, type it in this box. It's whatever color you want, finds it on this. You know pinwheel of colors and that's what it's like. Remember what I was telling you? Why can't it just be easy, like, and you're like, you don't even know you don't know how we got here, bro.

Jeff:

You don't know this is exactly what I thought it like. This is what it should, be right, so it's very nice so he.

Jason:

I mean he hinted at this release during our podcast how he was working on a major version. I don't know if you remember, jeff, I do. He said you're going to love version whatever. It was 0.6, and that version is out and it started off with the plugin and with some bug fixes and then he updated all the different products, the lovely products that he has, to make it compatible with the plugin. But now he's saying this is kind of like a test phase. Once it goes through and we can squash all the little bugs, then he's going to start adding features and customization tools and all kinds of stuff.

Jason:

And yeah, so now it's like the best time to get into that. It's only like 2.2 Euro to get started with him and you get all of that stuff, you get the plugin, you get the dashboards and, yeah, you can customize it to your liking. It's uh, it's really amazing, uh, the work that he's doing over there. And now that he's full time, you can see now you're going to see more updates, a lot more frequent, because now he can a lot, you know, a lot more time to the project. So, yeah, that's cool, yeah, so that's.

Jeff:

I mean I got my little banner that you can see. You probably can't see it, but on my ddu it says like update available. And jason always gives me shit that I never keep my stuff up to date, uh yeah after we hang up from here, I'm gonna jump in there download it, you might have to update a few things but we go.

Jason:

You know why. You know why I give him so much of that is because when he has an issue with his rig or whatever, you know I'm his friend, I like to help him out. You know computers like sim racing, all this, whatever, you know I'm his friend, I like to help him out. You know computers like sim racing, all this stuff. You know I'm walking him through it and he's dude, jeff, you've learned a, you've learned a lot. You even tell me the answer. Sometimes. Now you're like no, go over here and click on that.

Jeff:

I'm like, oh snap, okay, cool dude so I mean, first of all, I want to say thank you for a lot of because, like the other day, I deleted my graphics drivers, like 10 months ago I wouldn't even have dreamed of that.

Jason:

Going to safe mode.

Jeff:

I was like I was like I even told you I was like I got to go get a couple of, I got to get a cocktail in me before I do this.

Jason:

Like what's going to happen?

Jeff:

I was like my beer was the shit. You know I jumped in, happen. I was like my beer, watch this shit. You know I jumped it and I was like this isn't so bad. You know it wasn't terrible. But yeah to your point, like it's cool just going down this sim racing. You know, rabbit hole of just learning more about right, and that's what this plugin is it's kind of like that.

Jason:

It's like the plugin was meant it. Its main purpose is to make it easier for us, like, hey, now everything is controlled in one place, simhub. You go to SimHub, it's right there, click on it, add it to your favorites, you set it and you forget it. That's the whole thing that he's trying to achieve with this new version. So, yeah, man, I for the for the future, because he's full-time. So, and uh, yeah, I mean that's, uh, I can't wait for you to install it and I will add this the reason why that I tell jeff because I forgot to say this is to keep his stuff up to date is because that's one less step that I have to wait for him to do. So I'm like, hey, man, because what is the first thing I tell you Jeff?

Jeff:

Is your stuff up to date? Do you have it? No, no.

Jason:

Let's say it right. I tell you this Is your shit up to date. Is your shit up to date?

Jeff:

Yes.

Jason:

Are you sure?

Jeff:

Yes, is your shit up to date? Yes, are you sure? Yes, I do try to figure this. I spent a couple good chunk of time trying to figure it out before I ask you, but a lot regardless it's. Is your shit up to date? Yeah, shit up to date it's good, and there's like a five minute pause before I text them back, and then it's like, yeah, what's the problem?

Jason:

yeah, of course it is so yeah, so that way it kind of. Sometimes bugs are automatically squashed with updates. But don't get me, that's not perfect either, guys. So sometimes it be careful. If it's a, if it's a motor update for your ddu, be extremely cautious with that, because d DDUs don't get many updates. And if it's working what's the phrase, jeff? If it's thus working?

Jeff:

If it's working, don't touch it, don't even look at it. If it ain't broken, don't fix it, Don't fix it. I was even nervous about doing the 360 megahertz update for iRacing. I was like I'm going to wait for that to be out for a little bit before I do that update.

Jason:

Well, here's the thing when these types of devices, it's not like a Windows thing, right, it's a software. But when it's like your motor, the motor goes into a what is it called A bootloader and if anything goes bad during that process, you can brick your motor, meaning it won't work no more. You have to send it back and good luck with that. Good luck with that. Yeah, so that's about it, jeff, what we have today, what we got time for today, and hoping we have our third band band back, mr eric kelly.

Jason:

So shout out to him, mr dude yeah, so is there anything else round table? Just you and I uh, no, I got.

Jeff:

Uh dude, the next time I'm on the show, I think it's gonna be a banger, because we got I'll have the singapore update, yeah, and then I'll have the new piece of equipment in my greedy little hands yes, I can't wait, can't wait do you want to reveal that, or do I think everybody that's following? Knows that I'm waiting on.

Jason:

You've been listening, you'll know.

Jeff:

You know what it is a soul pack has been awesome. I've been in communication with them about some, uh, some specs that I've wanted requested on the wheel, because I just have a little bit of preference over the wheel to lay out the stickers and buttons and stuff. They've been awesome. Uh, that sucker will be delivered while I'm uh in their hand built.

Jeff:

You told me, that is yeah super cool that I was like because I wanted the all black carbon, you know, because I just don't like the colors. I just wanted you, can, you can do the led colors. I just wanted it clean black. And they're like, yeah, two weeks we're building it for you. And I was like that's, that's kind of rad, it's kind of cool.

Jeff:

It makes it more special, I think because and honestly so somebody made a couple of comments on the video when I was talking about it go with the, uh, the, the hyper p1 better wheel, and that might be true, dude, I kind of like the small boutique, like when somebody's gonna see my rig. They're like oh, I've never seen this wheel before because solpec's a much smaller company than you know. Um, was it? Is it gsi that makes the?

Jason:

I I can't remember gsi gomez um, yeah it just is, it's a little different.

Jeff:

It's, you know, a much smaller company. You know what?

Jason:

I. I respect that, jeff, because you're not trying to be like everybody else. You're trying to have a, something unique on your rig, that that you come in and, and now that you know that it was made for you, it's kind of like you come home and you're like oh yeah, that's my custom wheel.

Jeff:

They built it for me, to my spec, to my vision and it's not because we have a podcast right, it's like I bought it before all this stuff. You know we started having the you know the pot. Not that we're any famous people, we just do this because we like talking about podcasts.

Jeff:

but I hope so one day, but Someday maybe, but no, this I just reached out and I was like, hey bought it. I just, you know, don't put stickers on the layout and this and this, and they're like, yeah, no problem, tell us where you want them. I'm not saying they're going to do this for everybody, I don't know. Um, be that, they, you know, built this one. They didn't have a black one, but, uh, I'm really excited.

Jason:

Do you want them?

Jeff:

anywhere for you. I was like I don't even know where they're. It's made in Turkey or shipped out of Turkey, but I don't know where the people that are emailing. But it's a quick turnaround email-wise.

Jason:

It could be some hired help maybe, but you know what? That's kind of crazy how.

Jeff:

Their Discord is super active and super quick to get back to you and stuff.

Jason:

Now here's. The thing that you guys should notice is that if you try to customize a GSI wheel and you tell them to put stickers on the wheel, they'll charge you $100 for that. If you don't believe me, go on the website, check it out. That right there, is telling me how much of a passion they have for their company. I don't have gsi wheels. I don't hate on them. We don't. The show doesn't hate on them either no, it wasn't that.

Jeff:

It was more just a tip my hat to soul pack like it. Just I saw the wheel when I this is what I don't know how long I've been talking about you having to listen to me talk about this wheel. It's just like it. It, the design talks to me, it just I think it just.

Jason:

It just scratches my itch. It looks good, it's unique too, and then it has a SimHub plug-in too.

Jeff:

Yep, it's all compatible with SimHub, so I'm pumped, can't wait Big things coming.

Jason:

I'm excited for you. You can use that dashboard, or you can go to the lovely dashboard. You can bounce back and forth what have you that dashboard. Or you can go to the lovely dashboard. You can bounce back and forth what have you. And it's a 300 millimeter which is versatile enough to be in. It's kind of a middle grounder, you know, but everybody has their how do you say their own taste. My hands are not your hands, my arms are not your arms.

Jeff:

You know what I mean and I am going to fix this little arm. I came home from work one day and one of my little it was like so sad it had like snapped the little part where you clip in.

Jason:

So oh, mine's broke before etsy.

Jeff:

Yeah, 3d printed, you know I'll order another reason why you need to buy a 3d printer for us I know man, because we got so much room I know and etsy needs like a credit card rewards points if you're watching.

Jason:

Uh, happily sponsored too by you, if you, if you want. Well, anyways, that's awesome dude that's all I have.

Jason:

Uh um, today I don't really have anything else further to to cover here. I just want to wish everybody a great start of your week and also a big shout out to Vlad again for helping me out this week. A big shout out to Eric Kelly for attending the stream and failing to give me the gas numbers. Thank you so much. Miss you and hope to see you back here. And again I will reiterate if you have any questions for Jeff, he's leaving to Singapore. Now's the time to send me an email, or send the show an email, not me. Send the show an email at thechicanepodcast at gmailcom. Anything else that you have to cover it doesn't have to be a question about the GP. Anything else you want to share with us on the show, same email, and with that again, have a great start. Thank you so much. Bye now.

People on this episode

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Jason Rivera

Host
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Erick Kelly

Co-host
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Jeff Smart

Co-host