Salford Racing is once again partaking in the Formula Student Sim Racing series but with a slight twist! We’re building a leaderboard for the sim racing challenge with our podcast guests.
Aidan Marsay, Salford Racing’s electrical lead, was recently elected to be the team’s Sim Team lead. Aidan studies Aircraft Engineering with Pilot Studies and, in his engineering role in Salford Racing, he oversees the designs and development of our car’s electrical system. With his new role, he will manage team drivers and oversee driver-related decisions until Silverstone 2025.
We spoke to Aidan whose history involves 5 years of casual sim racing as well as competitive racing. He has completed ranked races inside Assetto Corsa and Gran Turismo Sport. However, under Salford Racing, it will be Aidan’s first season as a sim racer.
Aidan outlined the sim racing setup that Salford Racing has planned for the 2025 season, as well as the opportunities for podcast guests interested in participating in the challenge. The base of the Sim setup is a CSL Direct Drive wheelbase, while the wheel includes a unique CSL Elite McLaren GT3 V2, combined with the CSL LC Pedals. The chassis, which overshadows the entire setup, is from our old Formula Student cars from 2022.
How realistic is sim racing? Are there any significant similarities or differences between the two?
I’d say as time goes on, they get closer and closer to real life. For me, there is no feeling quite the same as being sat in a car on an actual track. I don’t think a simulation can ever get close enough to that feeling.
When asked about what Aidan is looking to accomplish as the new sim racing lead for the 2025 Formula Student season, he stated that he hopes to carry on what we did last year.
We did very well in the 2024 season with Johnny and Ishmael driving and had good success in the sim racing sector.
Furthermore, he intends to practice on different cars and tracks on our simulator, located in our new workshop at the University of Salford’s AAVT, to improve his performance.
With the announcement of the return of sim racing and our podcast leaderboard, Aidan shared his views on the podcast.
It’s good to see what everyone is like as we go through everyone in the podcast. It will be interesting to see how fast each podcast guest is.
Are there any tips you have for new sim-racers and particularly podcast guests who will battle to reach the top of the Salford Racing leaderboard?
Send it! Don’t crash!
With the preparation for the Formula Student 2025 competition, Salford Racing is looking forward to accomplishing great things for the Sim racing team. We wish Aidan Marsay the best of luck in his new role.
If you’d like to get involved in the Car 61 podcast and get the chance to try out our simulator, then please get in contact with our team.
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