A Virtual Lap of Bathurst with Patrick Long

Porsche racer shows how a lap is done on the CXC simulator.

We recently had an opportunity to have a go in a CXC simulator running the racing ‘game’ iRacing. It’s an incredibly advanced piece of equipment that even uses the driver’s real-life weight to appropriately demonstrate how grip forces work in a real racing car. Patrick Long is an amazing driver, and has been racing for years as a Porsche factory team member. This year, he’s joined again with the Competition Motorsports team to take on the Pro-Am category for the 12 Hours of Bathurst.

If there is anyone you want to learn a track from, Long is probably about as good as they come. In the above video, you can see him drive us through a lap of the circuit at a reasonable pace in a facsimilie of the car and livery he races while down under. The Mount Panorama circuit is actually comprised of regular streets that are closed down for the races, so it’s interesting to note that Pat uses someone’s driveway as a braking marker. It’s also an incredibly technical circuit with very little driver down-time. Aside from a few seconds on the famed Conrod Straight, you’re constantly sawing at the wheel.

As an added bonus, here is Pat Long doing the same thing for the Daytona International Raceway sports car circuit, where he raced in late January for the 24 Hours of Daytona. This is a very different type of circuit from Bathurst in that most of the circuit is comprised of the oval banking, requiring an attentive hand, but certainly far less vigorous back and forth of the wheel.