I doubt one is faster in VR in long haul, but one is definetely more aware of the surroundings and placement on track relative to other cars around you. This can help in many racing situations. And maybe make you more successful in racing even if you are not faster. I find myself anticipating and dodging some questionable moves better in VR.
There is definely some weird decisions forced with on-screen menus when in psvr2 GT7. We really would need customizable hud for VR. No splits front/back and the radar is often too far to the side. Then again you can easily turn your head to check around you, but that doesnt help with the blind spots. Blindspot warning indicators at the very edge of the fov would be sweet.
There is also quite big differences between cars in vr in-car view. For example in BMW M6 GT3 you sit so far back that the sense of speed is non-existent.
I am 100% faster in VR. Once acclimated I was able to use real world experience and tie it in with what VR allows and my brain fills in the rest. Brake markers in 2D need to be specifically referenced whereas in VR after a couple laps those braking parts become a feeling. In VR you can thoroughly look far ahead and find your braking/entry/apex/exit points as you drive, whereas in 2D they're just pixels on a screen.
There is a definite loss without deltas and lap times, but they ultimately don't matter at all when it comes to maximizing pace.
As far as car views some of them do suck, but they're all adjustable. You can re-orient yourself into a comfortable position no matter the vehicle (for example, the FD RX7 starts with my head in the roof!). It can be annoying, especially in something like a TT with frequent resets, but it's not the end of the world.
While I do understand the realism aspect of the no Hud thing, racing is about gaining every advantage that you can. And driving around blind(info wise) is literally just giving up time and info to your opponents, so until I get full Hud I just refuse to race in a proper race with less info than every other car on track.
Realism or not, there should be a way to get deltas in VR. It's just not "fair" when 2D players have it and we don't. Even if it were something like in iRacing where your "team" lets you know the data or that a car is beside you, but it should be
super easy for PD to put simple numbers on the screen. I can't think of a good excuse as to why they haven't yet.
But, like I said above, the deltas don't really mean anything. Your pace is your pace, and seeing the numbers isn't going to improve driving habits or lap times. The info gives more data, but has nothing to do with being
faster. Radar gives an idea of close cars so we're not totally blind to our surroundings, and you can also look around you in
most cars that don't have super tight cockpits or aggressive head protection in the seat.
One interesting thing is that professional simulators, the ones used by pro race drivers, don't use VR.
View attachment 1401825
But very many of them do. I listen to a few automotive/race oriented podcasts and this comes up every so often. Many people simply can
not tolerate VR, and it simply isn't an option for them, so screens it is. For those that can tolerate VR it is a great option, especially when weighed against the size, cost, and space required for the setups some race teams use.
You posted a pic of a pretty normal home-style setup which works great for a lot of people, but most race teams are using HUGE linear curved wrap-around screens and even partially spherical projection setups to better replicate 3 dimensional vision at a cost of hundreds of thousands to
millions of dollars. Not to mention 7-way hydraulic suspended movement rigs with Dallara chassis monocoques bolted to them. Serious stuff.
But a good VR setup can still do things no screen can, like depth and a feel for the world around you, so there will always be a place for it with people that can handle it. And as VR keeps getting better I think we'll be seeing more and more teams utilizing them for their drivers.
youtu.be
