Advait Deodhar: “Sim racing has helped me to become a better driver in reality”
NWES driver Advait Deodhar is an enthusiastic sim racer who uses the simulations as a practice for the real world – He currently competes in the EuroNASCAR Esports Series
With his start in the EuroNASCAR Esports Series (ENES), Advait Deodhar is also part in the virtual world of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (NWES), where he caused quite a stir in the 2019 season with a fourth place in the EuroNASCAR 2 championship. The Indian did not started his career in karting like other drivers, which is why he had to acquire many skills in the virtual world, with success.
“sim racing has certainly helped me to become a better driver in reality,” Deodhar told ‘Leadlap.net’. “The biggest difference for me actually is that I didn’t come from karting.” It didn’t hurt Deodhar in his progress. Quite the opposite, because the Indian has regularly been in the top-10 since he joining the NWES.
But there is also a danger in relying only on sim racing, the Indian said. “You can also pick up some bad habits from sim racing”, Deodhar warned. That is why it is important to separate reality and simulation nevertheless, even though there are many similarities between the two disciplines.
Tough start into the ENES season
In ENES, Deodhar experienced a rollercoaster of emotions during the prologue and the first round of the championship. While he did well at Daytona, he experienced a damper at Brands Hatch. But for the race car driver, who lived in London for a long time, this is no reason to bury his head in the sand.
“I was ok at Daytona but I’m not happy with the Brands Hatch round, as you can tell with my results,” explained Deodhar. “I just never felt comfortable in the car. It was the first time I didn’t enjoy racing. I don’t think that Brands Hatch and the NASCAR Cup car are a good match. I aim to be back towards the front from the next round [at Watkins Glen].”
Whether the Indian will be back on the real tracks in the 2020 NWES season depends on the course of the coronavirus crisis. Deodhar had worked on his programme, but then the pandemic intervened: “I already had a big sponsor for the 2020 season, but then COVID-19 put everything on hold. I’m going to do all I can to be back once normal life resumes.”
