Living the Dream: YouTubers Racing at Nürburgring 24H.
It is a given that numerous readers of this have, at some juncture, had aspirations of becoming a race driver.
Regrettably, Motorsports becomes a cost prohibitive and exclusive activity, so most of us will never have the chance to partake in it. That being said, many people engage the world of digital gaming in order to fulfill their urge for speed and adrenaline rush that racing brings.
Sim racing and competitive e-gaming have grown into large enterprises in more recent times, and youtuber Jimmy Broadbent has been progressively transferring from a virtual environment to genuine motor racing – representing the final summit as he was signed up for the endurance series at Nürburgring with this BMW 330i sports sedan transmuted into a competition car.
Despite its rarity, it’s anything but uncommon for professional sim racers to move into actual car racing. The approaching Gran Turismo movie recounts the narrative of Jann Mardenborough who became a Nissan factory racer because of the recently closed GT Academy.
Jimmy’s gaming adventures began early on with Gran Turismo and he believes that the various racing games he has played have provided a great release from reality. Last year in 2019, Jimmy took his sim racing exploits to the real world by participating in karting races; two years later, he was given an opportunity to drive a Praga R1 car.
Jimmy proceeded to claim the UK Praga Cup in 2022, emerging victorious above the former Top Gear Stig, Ben Collins, on his route to success.
Competing on the Nürburgring, nonetheless, is undoubtedly a separate story and is regarded as the trickiest course in the world with 154 turns extending 12.8 miles. Subsequently, Jimmy is participating along with fellow YouTube marathoner and knowledgeable of the Nürburgring, Misha Charoudin, and even possibly the top Gran Turismo YouTuber and Jimmy’s ally, Super GT.
The vehicle they are maneuvering is a G20 BMW 330i, placed in the V2 RWD division in the Nürburgring Long Distance Series (NLS) – the Nürburgring long-term championship – with the purpose of competing in the 2024 Nürburgring 24h.
The 330i is under the stewardship of notable German racing squad Black Falcon, having first been a usual BMW sedan before transitioning to their racing shop for adjustments.
Before it is then sent to the track, the BMW gets stripped of any additional weight that isn’t necessary. In order to boost security and sturdiness, a full roll cage and Sparco racing chair are fitted. Also, a specialized rear differential and driveshafts are paired with top-of-the-line AP Pro 5000 brakes and Bilstein Evo R competition suspension.
The 330i is also equipped with a performance dash and wheel, together with an enhanced racing exhaust and improved cooling system.
The threesome took the BMW 330i for a few spins around Mendig airbase, each one of them affirming that they felt the car was very responsive and easy to control at peak performance. Beforehand, they were to completely test the vehicle on the Nürburgring, in preparation for their first NLS race, set to take place within the next few months.
