As the impact of the coronavirus continues to be felt around the world, both people and organizations alike are having to adapt and transform traditional ways of operating to exist in a virtual world. Even sporting events have gone virtual, with athletes playing in empty stadiums to an online audience.
Until now, athletes have not been able to practice social distancing while playing due to the fact that sports by their very nature, are a form of physical activity where players compete with one another. But this year’s BP Supercars All Stars E series is about to change the definition of competitive sports during a pandemic.
The season is currently in a 10-week online simulation, with Supercar drivers competing in the races from their respective homes. Asking an athlete to relearn his sport online is no easy feat, especially for supercar drivers who may have little to no experience with racing simulation. Supercar racing is the premier motorsport category in Australasia and one of Australia’s biggest and most exhilarating sports.
Rick Kelly, team principal, co-owner and driver for the Kelly Racing organization especially felt the challenges adjusting to this new way of racing off-track. But with the support of LG Electronics Australia, the proud official partner of Kelly Racing Supercars team for the 2020 season, Rick had an enthusiastic supporter to help create an enhanced simulation experience at home.
LG provided Kelly Racing with leading home entertainment technology, including three 55-inch C9 LG OLED televisions specially calibrated for racing simulations. Using the OLED televisions, Rick was able to build a simulator that allowed him to create a familiar driving experience to being in a supercar, inclusive of front and side views of the track. And what’s more, LG OLED technology allows fast-paced track action to be seen in outstanding detail, with a 100Hz refresh rate and incredibly low input lag.
LG sat down with Rick, the 2006 V8 Supercar champion and dual Bathurst winner and now 2020 LG Electronics Australia ambassador, to ask how he is adapting to this new way of racing and his experience as a virtual supercar driver.
LG: Did you ever think you would be racing in a virtual Supercars season?
RK: Definitely not! Virtual racing is not something I have really had much interest in and haven’t dedicated any time to it up until the last three months – so I’ve had to learn on my feet!
LG: What has been the hardest part of adjusting to the at-home simulation style of racing?
RK: Learning how to use a simulator. It might not seem that complex initially, but it is definitely harder than it looks, especially trying to figure out how to use the simulation software and then choosing the right hardware to complement it. There are so many different elements to get the hang of before you even start racing, and overall the experience of virtual racing is unlike anything I’ve done before.
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