I sim-raced against an F1 driver around the streets of Paris - this is how it went

There’s nothing more tense than watching a Formula 1 race on a street circuit, holding your breath as the drivers push themselves to the very limit where there is zero margin for error.

Circuit de Monaco, Baku City Circuit, and Singapore's Marina Bay Street Circuit are some iconic street circuits that come to mind from the F1 calendar - but imagine if there was a street track right in the middle of the French capital?

Well, an imagination is no longer necessary as KitKat, the official chocolate partner of Formula 1®, brought the custom sim race track to the heart of Paris.

Wild Buzz Agency

As part of the first-ever “Paris GP,” racers got the chance to battle it out in a sim-racing competition, virtually zooming under the Eiffel Tower and around the Arc de Triomphe.

I was one of 30 racers competing to beat the record lap time set by Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson, which was 1:36.

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“It’s a very hard track, it took me a lot longer than I expected,” Lawson said, who was there to watch all the competitors. “If we raced Formula 1 on this track it would be very tough.”

No pressure!

Given my sim-racing experience is a few races on ‘Rookie’ level at the F1 Arcade, I was not optimistic in my chances. When I sat in the sim race seat, the experience felt fully immersive thanks to the KitKat F1 car design, and helped me get into race mode.

When it came to giving tips (very much needed in my case), the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver advised, “Look out for the walls, there’s a lot of walls everywhere, that’s really the main thing. There’s a lot of big curves as well that bounces the car, otherwise just right foot down.”

With Lawson’s words of wisdom in mind, I focused on making my way around the track.

Some serious concentrations going on as I made my way around the Paris street track Sinead Butler

Did I crash immediately? Yes. But if you’re going to hit the walls, at least you can still take in the famous Parisian landmarks around the street circuit.

He wasn’t kidding about the number of walls, which I was more than kissing at this rate - and then when I thought I had it, I would overdo it and lose the back end of the car and got familiar with reversing.

All this sim racing can be tiring, but the KitKat pit crew were on stand by as they ran to a sim racer's car giving them a well earned break and a KitKat bar to refuel.

Wild Buzz Agency

At some point I eventually got the hang of it - sort of.

Perhaps it was the pressure of my performance being on the big screen with an audience combined with the presence of an F1 driver watching on but I somehow didn’t finish last - third place in my heats in fact!

Let’s not dwell on my time (2:14.514), which was around 38 seconds off of Lawson’s time but in my defence he’s been training and racing his whole life.

My time wasn’t good enough to make it into the final six, but overall I finished 10th which in F1 terms means I’m in the points (a singular point but I will happily take it).

The timings from my heat (left) and the timings at the end (right) Sinead Butler

Although nobody could beat Lawson's time, the racer who came closest was German YouTuber, social media star, and professional racing driver, Felix Von Der Laden with a time of 1:42.323.

I definitely need more practice...

Aside from the sim racing there were other fun F1 related activities that put our skills to the test like the Batak-style wall machine that tested how quick we could hit the light - apparently 60 is the average score and I got around that at 62.

Skills were put to the test with the tire changing challenge and reflex challenge. Sinead Butler

Then there was the tire changing challenge, which let’s just say I won’t be recruited by any F1 teams, or even by a friend if they need a tire changing on their car.

After taking in Parisian sights on the racing simulator, it was time to experience the city in real life - and what better way to do that than in a motorbike side car, channelling Wallace and Gromit? (Brits, if you know, you know).

Sinead Butler

It was a beautiful day as we made our way with Txango Tours past Statue de Marseille, down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, taking in the Arc de Triomphe, Grand Palais and the Eiffel Tower.

Altogether, both sim racing around the custom-street map and the touring the Parisian streets in a motorbike side car were such cool and unique ways to take in the sights of such an iconic city.

It's your chance to win tickets to the celebration of the British GP at F1® Arcade in London or Birmingham hosted by KitKat on Sunday 5th of July, enter here.

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