Sebastian Vettel gets cutting-edge simulator ahead of new F1 season

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One (F1) team has delivered a cutting-edge simulator, based on an AMR21 R&D chassis, to the home of Sebastian Vettel.

In such a global championship, logistics and time constraints can make simulator time tricky to accommodate, so the home simulator offers Vettel the chance to get into the zone ahead of Grand Prix weekends.

In 2021, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was a new challenge for drivers and teams, and Vettel was unable to complete simulator time ahead of the event, so his new set-up offers the chance of initial familiarisation with upcoming new tracks.

He and the team decided to begin the process of building a simulator late in the 2021 campaign. The project evolved into a set-up that included three screens and real physical parts from the AMR21.

The design ensures Vettel has a realistic driver’s view behind the wheel, right up to the Honey Ryder decal behind the steering wheel and the AMR21’s wing mirrors and headrest. The simulator is fitted with his race seat, headrest and seat belt used during the 2021 campaign.

But the team’s expertise went beyond the cockpit, also helping to create the metal framework in which the simulator sits, as well as implementing the three-screen set-up after a two-screen version proved limiting.

Overseen by senior garage equipment designer Matt Tomalin, discussions and research into the project began in April 2021, with two months spent honing the design with CAD tools.

Construction began in July, before the process of driver feedback and fault-finding followed in August. By September, the simulator was ready to be shipped to Vettel’s home. Simulator designer and manufacturer Pro Sim also supported the team in the provision of the steering wheel feedback system, and in the calibration of a braking system that mimics an F1 car’s set-up.

While drivers across the grid have access to their own, Vettel’s takes the rare step of replicating the driver cockpit experience. It means that the four-time World Champion can factor his own simulator sessions into his preparations for each Grand Prix in 2022, extracting every bit of performance he can.