Better than 'Gran Turismo?' Race a virtual Formula One Ferrari against your friends at Sideways Driving Club Hong Kong
Race on virtual renditions of famous race tracks like the Nurburgring and Brands Hatch against your friends
The racing pods at Sideways Driving Club let you drive in virtual super cars.Located in the heart of Central, Sideways Driving Club is a place where you can try your hand at driving in a realistic race car simulator. The venue is suitable for both beginners and professionals who are keen to learn how to drive different supercars, and has many high-tech racing pods for use.
When first jumping into one of the pods, all the switches and buttons might seem very overwhelming. Have no fear though; one of the friendly instructors will help you get started by teaching you about all the controls and the basics of driving. There are different levels of difficulty so you can dive right into the action even if you’ve never driven a car before.
From the second that you get into one of the pods, it can be easy to forget that you’re in the middle of the city and not on the track. The widescreen, realistic controls, and noise-cancelling earphones are really immersive and make you feel like you are actually in a cockpit of a car. The feedback from the steering wheel also felt so real that it added a lot to the illusion of driving.
After each race the instructor will come and go through the statistics for the last lap, and give you tips on what to do better. This was definitely helpful and gave me so insight into all the things a professional racing driver has to think about during a real race.
Additionally, all of the simulators are on a network so you can bring your friends and race them on one of the many tracks and cars they have programmed into their virtual inventory. World-renowned tracks such as the Nurburgring in Germany and Brands Hatch in England are yours to try out electronically too.
The cost is on the high side at HK$400 for a one-hour session, but if you book for a big group of people or for a birthday party the cost does go down. It's definitely worth a look if you have a passion for racing or just want to see what it's like to be in the driver’s seat of a F1 racing car.
Where: 1/F, 65-65A Peel Street, Central, Hong Kong
Cost: HK$400 per hour
Edited by Jamie Lam