Wolff: Simulators Blur the Line Between Reality and Virtual

Toto Wolff highlights how advanced simulators make pilots struggle to differentiate real from virtual, showcasing their deep impact on modern racing.

Toto Wolff, Mercedes F1’s team principal, is impressed by how simulators and video games allow drivers to discover circuits. The Austrian reveals that his young son has explored tracks in the virtual world to the point of believing he has been there.

“My son is seven years old. He has a karting simulator at home. He races online against other people,” Wolff told Auto Motor und Sport. “There are four circuits in Italy. He had never driven on one of them, but he knew it from the simulator. We then took part in a race there.”

“He went on track and was immediately the fastest. He told me, ‘I know the circuit.’ I replied, ‘Yes, but only in the simulator.’ He insisted, ‘I’m telling you, I’ve been here before.’ What does that say? Young people no longer differentiate between reality and the virtual world.”

Drivers like Max Verstappen rely heavily on video games for training, and Wolff believes the new generation is comfortable with these tools: “The graphics are now excellent, and young minds work differently. My son sometimes does 20 five-minute kart races in a row.”

“Everything is there, from the start to the crash. They’ve experienced it all. This type of training should ideally be recommended to all drivers. Older ones might struggle a bit more. And maybe it doesn’t work for everyone the way it does for Max.”