Thomas Randle has launched Dream Simulation, a sim racing hire and coaching business in collaboration with Supercars driver Lee Holdsworth.
Based in Melbourne, the arrive-and-drive sim racing service is designed to improve driver skills with coaching from Randle and Holdsworth.
Randle said the downtime brought about by the coronavirus pandemic has led to many drivers looking to get their racing fix on simulators.
“I’ve decided to set-up a simulator hire business for driver training purposes,” Randle told Speedcafe.com.
“It won’t just be me as a driving coach, Lee Holdsworth is coming on-board as a coach too.
“I’m pretty excited to launch this. It’s a good way to stay relevant in this period. With our sport, we’re so lucky that we can pretty much drive the real thing and race against others.
“If we were basketball players we wouldn’t be able to do a virtual basketball game. It’s amazing how close these simulators are to real life now.”
The business has been a three-year labour of love for Randle who hopes the service will be used by budding professionals, racing novices, or everyday motor racing fans.
The simulation service features many of the leading titles, including iRacing. Telemetry can be extracted and analysed from the simulator via Motec.
The simulator is contained in a near echo-free climate-controlled chamber and features a motion platform, direct-drive steering wheel, and load-cell pedals designed to replicate the feel of a real race car.
Supercars-style shifters, anti-roll bar, and brake bias adjusters are also a feature of the simulator.
Now 24 years old, Randle has raced throughout the world with experience in single-seaters, sports sedans, touring cars, and sports cars.
Randle has won the national Formula Ford title in Australia as well as the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand and has gone on to win races in the Dunlop Super2 Series.
Last year Randle drove with Holdsworth in the Pirtek Enduro Cup where they claimed a season-best finish of third in the Sandown 500.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the business has launched with precautionary measures in place.