I’m currently not able to partake in simracing due to a wrist injury :(

My passion for cars was borne from my first visit to a car expo in 1996, followed by exposure to the World Rally Championship on television. I casually enjoyed car racing video games for a few years until I experienced Gran Turismo 2 on the original PlayStation in the year 2000.

I followed the series’ developments over the years and the release of Gran Turismo 4 and the integrated support for the Logitech Driving Force Pro became a pivotal moment for me.

I was lucky enough to pool together enough resources (knowledge and funds) in 2005 to build a cockpit capable of supporting a force feedback wheel, and so it began.

2005 may not sound like long ago, but compared to today there was nowhere near the collective knowledge available at the time about how to make the hardware and software work. The community was small but knowledge was shared freely. These were the days when gtplanet.net was still dedicated to discussing Gran Turismo, before it grew to be what it is today.

The PlayStation 2 provided hours of entertainment but ultimately, migrating to PC was a natural development. Still using the Driving Force Pro I installed Live For Speed which, even to this day, provides a captivating driving experience. On the PC the Driving Force Pro was able to really shine, and when I took my turbocharged 4WD Lancer Evolution to the racetrack I was blown away by how accurately the software and hardware recreated the behaviour of the car’s steering whilst inducing, maintaining and correcting a slide.

The accurate simulation of the behaviour of cars being driven at the limit provided many hours of entertainment, but the next game changer for me was the advent of online competitive racing. I was late to the party - I only tasted online racing in 2020 in the midst of COVID-19 related isolation - but the platform I currently race on launched in 2008! These days you’ll mostly find me on iRacing when I’m not producing content or practicing dentistry.

Today the consumer is spoiled for choice with hardware and software options in this hobby which is fantastic for the enthusiast - more choice is always appreciated - but it can be daunting for a newcomer. The market needs newcomers and I welcome any developments that promote the ease with which people can try their hand at this hobby.

In an age of social media and the instantly available comparison between ourselves and others, I feel there is some loss of joy in the present moment. This hobby is so enjoyable because we all find joy in different ways, and I want to spread joy in the world.

To that end, I split my time between creating and publishing content to YouTube and indulging in simracing almost exclusively online against other human players. The sense of competition and sportsmanship I find in online racing fuels my passion for the hobby and my hope is that my passion may ignite the same kind of enthusiasm in others.

Thank you for joining me!