Louis Deletraz: “The two worlds complement each other very well”

What do you think of the introduction of simracing in GT World Challenge Europe?

It's rather positive. The SRO formula obviously has a marketing purpose with Fanatec, but I don't think it's a problem as long as we stay measured. If the simracing championship was worth as many points as the real one, that would have been a problem. If it can allow the real and the virtual to continue to grow together, I'm for it. I believe there is room for both. It's innovative, it's moderate, motorsport is very expensive and Esports is much more accessible, so being able to make a link between the two platforms is very intelligent, the two worlds complement each other very well.

Do you think we need to go further in the future?

I would have liked more if teams were forced to integrate professional simracers to score points, because it's their competition and the battle would have been even more intense. It would convey the idea that a simracer can join a pro team. Afterwards, the cost would surely be higher and not all the teams are yet at the forefront so, to begin with, the SRO formula is rather good.

Isn't the risk of seeing teams invest in simracers rather than drivers?

I think the gap between the simulator and real driving is still significant. I love the simulator, but even with millions of budgets, you can't recreate reality. So it remains two different techniques and I'm not worried about the fact that we're firing pro drivers to join simracers. On the other hand, if today few simracers earn a living, it will be a full-time job in the future.

You said it: simracing costs much less than the real thing. Wouldn't it be in the manufacturers' interest to focus on this?

In fact, it’s so cheap that a brand can afford to do both. And then a manufacturer sells cars. When you see a BMW, one Ferrari or an Audi on a circuit, it's very representative of the brand. Simracing less. So today, they cannot afford to only do virtual. But I think that very young people who start driving these cars on the game can become customers for the brand.

Do you think this merger will allow simracers to drive real cars?

I think it will especially help to increase the number of spectators. Young people are more likely to come and follow the races online, which increases the audience. Afterwards, it is very important to keep it real because without real life, there will be no game. It complements each other, but Esport will never work on its own.

Will mixing the two worlds change anything?

Pas tout de suite je pense, parce que l’on ne va pas forcer les pilotes d’expérience à se mettre au simracing. Mais chez Porsche, beaucoup de leurs jeunes pilotes font des compétitions d’Esport. J’imagine que, plus tard, les contrats Pro intègreront le simulateur pour représenter la marque.

Personally, do you think being good at simracing can help you?

It doesn't hurt anyway. It brought me quite close to Porsche when I won the SRO Esport Series. Now, it's not because I'm good at Esports that I'm going to sign a contract in GT3. The more importance Esport has, the more interesting a hybrid profile like mine will be. For the moment, it is in any case not negative, and it will soon be positive.