Ferrari Virtual Academy: the official Ferrari simulator

The first online virtual simulator from the Maranello company, Ferrari Virtual Academy, was unveiled today, presented as an absolute preview to the press in the presence of the Scuderia Ferrari drivers, in the Monza paddock, on the occasion of the Italian Grand Prix.

The virtual simulator, developed in collaboration with Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella, and by engineers, allows you to virtually experience all the driving sensations of an F10, allowing enthusiasts from all over the world to challenge themselves on the Fiorano circuit, for the first release, followed by Mugello and Nürburgring. Ferrari Virtual Academy is the only virtual simulator for PC that faithfully reproduces the F10, the single-seater that participates in the Formula One world championship.

The design challenge of the Ferrari Virtual Academy was to create a version of the simulator used by Scuderia Ferrari drivers for everyone to use from their PC. Starting from the analysis of the real data of the car, the aerodynamic effects, the characteristics of the tires, the behavior of the chassis-suspension system and the engine, as well as all the elements of the transmission, were reproduced. The work of the development team - 12.000 hours, 15 experts and the use of absolutely innovative 3D graphics and data processing technologies for a product of this kind - was supported by the commitment of the Ferrari drivers themselves, who personally tested the simulator to optimize its performance. The simulator faithfully reproduces the cockpit and steering wheel of the F10, thus revealing all its functions and controls.

By studying the videos shot by the pilots and thanks to the helmet cam, which, when installed on the helmet, realistically responds to the stresses of the track and the G forces to which the pilot is subjected, this particular view was reproduced, as complex as it is exhilarating to master, to render the tension to which the neck muscles are subjected while driving an F1.

The dynamic modeling of the single-seater was followed by a comparison of the real and virtual telemetry data (on the circuits reproduced in Laserscan) of the F10, which allowed the correspondence to be verified. The analysis of the simulated laps, curve by curve, made it possible to identify the areas of intervention to refine the dynamic behavior to obtain a driving feeling and a response to the controls as faithful as possible to reality. This was also possible thanks to the physics engine, which, working at a frequency of 1000 Hz, calculates all the forces acting on the single-seater and their effects on the set-up every millisecond.

Every enthusiast will be able to record their time online, taking part in a world-wide tournament which will reward the best finishers with Ferrari products every week. At the end of the tournament, the top 5 fastest drivers, according to the regulations governing the competitions, will win a trip to the heart of Ferrari, in Maranello: they will cross the gates of Fiorano and take part in the exclusive Ferrari Driver Academy course, followed in person by the exceptional tutor of Sports Management.

The simulator can be purchased online on the website www.ferrarivirtualacademy.com at the price of €14,90 for the first outing, the Fiorano Circuit, and €9,90 for subsequent outings with the Mugello and Nürburgring circuits.

Minimum compatibility requirements:

– Operating System: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 32/64
– Processor: XP: 1.8 GHz or higher; Vista/Seven: 2.4Ghz or higher
– Memory: XP: 1 GB; Vista/Seven: 2GB
– Video Card: Geforce 6800 GT* or higher / ATI 9800 PRO* or higher
– Disk space: 1 GB
– DirectX: DirectX 9.0c
– Internet connection: modem/ADSL
– Input: Keyboard, mouse, joypad, joystick, steering wheel/pedal, multiple controller configuration with at least 2 analog axes
– Compatible with: Nvidia 3D Vision; Track IR Enhanced; Matrox TripleHead2Go