Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team recently delivered a very special sim to their driver Sebastian Vettel, gifting the German veteran his very own simulator based on a 2021 Aston Martin F1 chassis.
Senior Garage Equipment Designer Matt Tomalin had overall responsibility for the project which began life in April 2021. It was built in July, and by August Vettel had tried it out. Snagging of minor issues took place before the whole sim was ready to be shipped to Vettel’s home soon after – we assume to Switzerland.
With the help of simulator supplier Pro Sim, based in Sevenoaks, Vettel’s home sim uses Pro Sim’s LM-PS Simulator Steering Wheel. This includes five rotary dial controls and carbon fibre magnetic paddle shifters, and no doubt some of Aston Martin F1’s own proprietary software and technology.
Exact specifications have not been revealed, but we can assume that no expense has been spared in bringing Vettel’s sim project to fruition. It’s an almost complete F1 cockpit after all, even keeping its original wing mirrors and ‘Honey Ryder’ nickname on the dashboard (Vettel famously names all his F1 cars, with Honey Ryder named after the character played by Ursula Andress in the James Bond film Dr. No. An appropriate tie-in between Aston Martin and the Bond franchise).
With a three-screen setup and Logitech audio solutions, Vettel can now run laps with a high-degree of realism in between races – in what will be an arduous 23-race F1 calendar this year.
It also means he won’t have to visit Silverstone to use the team’s bespoke F1 simulator, cutting down on travel time and the physical and mental strain this brings.
Vettel’s home sim again highlights how sim racing is now considered to be a vital training tool for professional racing drivers, be it at home or in F1 teams’ high-tech simulator systems – something we discussed late last year.
This isn’t the first time motorsport-themed simulators have been discussed this year either, with Brabham releasing three sims based on iconic Brabham F1 liveries, and Aston Martin themselves lending their name to the “ultimate luxury home simulator”.
The Brabham and Aston Martin simulators are available for the public to buy, but Sebastian Vettel’s is definitely for his eyes only…
Do you like the look of Vettel’s home sim solution? How does it compare to your own? Let us know in the comments below.
