Two professional racing drivers were among the first to take the wheel as a brand new racing simulator centre opened its doors in Warrington, UK, for the first time.
Century Sim Racing has been fully equipped with some of the latest in gaming technology and the owners hosted a special launch event, which included professional racing drivers Oliver Webb and Chris Ingram.
The duo competed with other guests in a bid to set Century Sim’s first lap record, with Webb - a British auto racing driver and 2014 European Le Mans champion - setting the pace with a virtual lap time of 01:35 on the famous Silverstone racetrack.
Ingram, who is currently leading the FIA European Rally Championship and could become the first Brit in 50 years to win the title, also completed the circuit at top speed.
The true-to-life racing experience is one of the first of its kind in the north west of the UK and gives drivers a 180-degree view of the track thanks to three panoramic screens surrounding each state-of-the-art simulator, with the option to add a virtual reality headset for an even more immersive experience.
Owners James Whitehouse and Chris Stapleton - who both share a passion for racing and gaming - left their full-time jobs behind to launch the new venture, which is based at the Team Sport Go Karting Track in Warrington.
“We were so excited to welcome our first racers at the launch of Century Sim Racing,” said managing director Whitehouse. “Having Oliver and Chris there to really set the pace was fantastic for everyone.”
“The technology at Century Sim gets people as close as possible to a real racing experience and it was great to see that being put to the test at our launch night.
“As avid sim-racing fans, we’ve worked incredibly hard to deliver an authentic experience that truly is like nothing else and we really enjoyed showcasing that - especially to the professional racing drivers.
“We had fantastic feedback from our launch night and we can’t wait to welcome more visitors to our centre now that we’ve officially opened our doors. Our interactive leader board is now live - with some pretty impressive lap times on there already and so we’re challenging visitors to come along and try to beat them.
“The centre can also cater for large groups and parties and we’re also offering annual memberships, which will come with a whole host of benefits. We can’t wait to welcome people from all over the region to our centre.”
Image: Owners James Whitehouse (left) and Chris Stapleton (right) pictured with professional racing driver Oliver Webb
