Formula 1 is using eSports to simulate and assess future regulation changes, with a change to the starting grid format amongst those under review.
Motorsport Week reported last year that F1 bosses had looked at a number of potential starting grid formations, believing the staggered-two-by-two format currently in use could be improved to create more start drama and shake-up positions on the opening lap.
However on the back of a recent qualifying format change in 2016, which proved unpopular with fans and was dropped after just a few races, the sport's bosses are keen to avoid such knee-jerk reactions and according to Pat Symonds, are using eSports to simulate future rule changes to get a better picture of how they will work in reality.
"We're keen to use virtual environments to test some of these regulations," Symonds said during MIA's Entertainment and Energy-Efficient Motorsport Conference. "What we can do then is look at statistics.
"I'll give you an example of something we've been thinking about this year – For a number of years, the starting grid for F1 has been a staggered formation.
"It used to not be like that, there was a time when cars started two abreast, there was a time when – we've got a photo in our boardroom in London where I think it's Monza – there are four cars on the front row.
"What would happen if we did that again? It's not the sort of thing you can simulate easily."
However the rise in eSports and the accuracy of the software means they can now use that to trial changes by running multiple simulations to give them a more accurate picture of what the outcome will be.
"We can go to our eSports group and we can say 'look guys, let's change the grid [format], let's do 20 races'," added Symonds. "Are we going to get a much more exciting first lap or are we going to get a huge collision on corner one?
"By doing this, and looking at it statistically, we can start to understand these things. It gives us our evidence-based form of decision-making, a mantra I preach quite regularly."
