The truth is that most of times we have started in this world in a very different ways and times. Very different people from other places, ages, and purposes. I have decided to hear what great drivers have to say about simracing with this little and casual interview.
He (Casas) will be the first one, but I hope to have a lot of fellow racers here in the next months.
Carlos Casas is co-founder of Total Spanish Simulator, one of the most finest cockpits and mods manufacturers in Europe and a very enthusiast Radical SR8 driver.
Q: What was your first simracing peripheral?
A: Logitech G27, and I still keep it. I had to use the warranty due to the potentiometers failure but for the rest it is working like the first day. It is probably the best value for the money. It is only weakness, these potentiometers in the pedals, but with third parties mods (TSS brake mod, TSS sensor hall, etc.) it is easy to get a perfect set.
Also, I added a new external power supply with extra amperage for the FFB. It makes the steering wheel much better.
Q: How many hours do you train before a race?
A: Before I used to train 10 hours, but now 3 or 4 only.
With the proper experience I reduced training hours, especially because when in race try to not push to the edge, bearing in mind not to fail and get a good pace. When you achieve this balance there are always good results.
On the other side, there are drivers training a lot but they are only hotlapping, scratching those cents to their times without thinking about getting a decent pace avoiding mistakes during the 30 or 60 minutes of the race.
There is no point to have a wonderful Q time if you are not able to do more than 2 laps without crashing or wrecking stupidly.
Q: What was the inflection point in your career?
A: First one iRacing, second one TSS brake mod.
iRacing is a very complete where you drive with your real name. Your irating measures your development as driver depending on your results, and your safety rating checks your incidents rating when your are on track. Thanks to iRacing I developed my style, minimized mistakes, improved my focus and I had clean fights with awesome drivers around the world.
TSS brake mod allows me to module my braking distance according the pressure with an incredible precision and reliability. TSS brake mod has a pressure sensor (load cell) that rise or decrease the value on the sim depending what force you applied. Also it allows to module the brake pedal travel.
It is a very simple way to understand the brake without locking it.
Q: Do you use your simracing skills for daily driving?
A: Karting especially, I race with friends sometimes and usually get podiums. Before simracing I was in the middle pack.
Q: Tell me your most hated track.
A: Motegi. I don’t like this kind of track very much. It has long straights and very similar corners. I prefer English or American tracks like Oulton Park, Brands Hatch, Road Atlanta, Barber Motosports Park…
Q: What do you miss in simracing today?
A: I miss the sense of speed when you are playing with 1 or 3 screen. I explain myself, when you are in the sim (iracing, rfactor, etc.) at 100 km/h it gives you a feeling of speed like 40 km/h. That is the reason because so many people locking brakes in its first time.
With the new VR devices like Oculus, this is not happening anymore. You are inside of the car, with the track at 1:1 scale and the sensation of speed is very similar to the real one (of course without any G forces and motion)
I also miss better sound. This is a vital part of the immersion commitment and sims have to take an step forward.
Q: How much have you invested in your current cockpit?
A: A: Nothing in cockpit itself because TSS, but rest of the elements; seat, wheel, pedals (and mods) shifter, PC gaming, body shakers, triple screen, maybe 2500€ approximately.
Q: Do you use Sims other than ir?
A: Richard Burns Rally (I love rally driving, best drivers in the world IMHO)
And sometimes Assetto Corsa
But I still remain with the iRacing online system with its extreme quality in tracks, net-code, clean races and drivers around the world.
It is the sim that fits my needs and, especially, my spare time.
Q: Show me your racing shoes.
A: I wear kick-boxing shoes, with a thin polyurethane sole where I have a complete sensitiveness of the feet, mainly for the brake.
Not the prettiest like racing boots but I have more feeling and they are lighter than the others. I think there is no need to use a thicker sole shoes because we need precision above all and in a static cockpit no G forces apply.
Q: What car would you like to race better?
Without a doubt, Radical SR8, my favorite. It is a roadster and as some real drivers told me “it is the most savage experience” that they have tested.
I also love Skip Barber, it is a car that teach you how to drive better, not like others. You have to drive it smooth, without rudeness and handling the mass transfer to keep it on track. Lotus 49 is one of my favs too.
I stay with Subaru Impreza 2003 in RBR.
And lastly for AC BMW M3 GT2 and Pagani Zonda also.
I would like to add what I consider it is very important once you are training: quality before quantity. There comes a moment when it is not enough doing laps to lower your times. It is important to be focused and race alone, without people, without chatting, no distractions. That’s the quality training. Also check race lines of other drivers, use telemetry tools, take references and try to approach to theirs achievements.
Even with 30 minutes of a quality training you can lowering times several tenths. Before that, I could be hours on the track without any improvement.
I want to thank Carlos his valuable time to answer these questions and wish him best of luck in every future and present projects.
