From SIM to Full-Metal Racing

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Every season, new racers join the Canadian Formula 1200 Championship, but for three seasons we’ve never had a woman in the series! That all changed two weeks ago when a veteran sim racer competed in her first race. Below, she writes about the experience.

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My name is Faiza and I’m from Kitchener, ON. I’ve been asked to write for www.Demaras.com and chronicle my first racing event. Because for the first time in my racing career, I entered a ‘full-metal race’ in the Canadian Formula 1200 Championship. On the early morning of July 13th, 2024, I attended my first sanctioned F1200 driver’s briefing, feeling a surge of emotions. After a decade of sim racing and three years of competing in professional online competitions, this moment felt like a new beginning. I had always hoped my sim racing efforts would lead me to this point.

The VARAC Peter Jackson Trophy Race is a historic event. The cars entered are aged, finely tuned, and loud! And my No. 113 1995 BRD was waiting for me under HAIMAT Racing Team’s tents. Phil, the car owner, always presents his cars especially clean and trimmed for competition. Today was no exception. The striking yellow and the gold trim bodywork reminded me of the serious fun that awaited me on track. Also the immense responsibility being handed to me.

This event featured track sessions in quick succession. After fitting my gear and adjusting my seat, it was time for practice. My goal was to see if the laps I had driven on the simulator correlated with the real track. They did. I started testing the limits of the Canadian-spec F1200 cars around Shannonville Motorsports Park ‘Pro Circuit’. By the end of the session, I shared my observations with Phil, requesting a change he promptly made while refueling. My confidence from the morning practice was tempered by the anticipation of qualifying. I eagerly searched for other F1200s to join on the track. The chassis felt better after reducing rear grip. Over 18 laps, I spun twice in turn 9 but improved my personal best by 0.8 seconds, qualifying fourth in class. Despite this, I shared concerns about excessive oversteer over bumps with Phil. We found a setup compromise that I maintained and excelled with throughout the afternoon.

Racing, whether online or in full-metal events, is largely dominated by men. As a woman and a rookie competitor, I felt particularly exposed. Six months earlier, I was introduced to Bill Vallis for a test day and was reassured that the paddock, should I choose to join, consisted of experienced professionals. What I discovered was that these professionals also possessed an infectious kindness. I felt confident that I would be taken care of both on and off the track. By the end of the weekend, Phil had addressed all my concerns about racing, and the drivers had raced with respect and fairness.

Lunch was well earned and essential. The day had turned out beautifully sunny, partly cloudy, but warm for comfort. During this time, I ate, rested and watched back laps. Race one was upon me and I was driving my first safety car out lap. I focused on preparing the car’s brakes, tires, and my own body. In the race, I made sure to leave space, observe, and learn from how the other drivers conducted themselves and explored their limits. This was also when I realized I had a strong car because my top speed was competitive. I watched as the green and yellow flag laps passed by. I finished the race P4 in class and improved my personal best by half a second.

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In Race 2, I felt confident from the start. Positioned behind the championship contenders, I aimed to join the leading pack. By the back straight on lap one,

I had moved up to P2. “Fight’s on!” I thought.

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I took the lead for the first time on lap five and tried to extend, though F1200 racing’s drafty nature made this challenging. As the race progressed, the No. 19 car and I pulled away from P3, setting up a battle for the win. We exchanged positions several times until the final laps when I began defending from the front. In the end the No. 19 made a move to the outside of T9 and then held the inside for the last corner. It was close, but I managed to secure my first win by the finish line.

I love racing because it requires a driver to manage many variables. To an outsider, it might seem that racing is largely influenced by luck and circumstance. However, my experience in sim racing has shown me that effort, mindset and finesse play a bigger role in determining outcomes than luck alone.

Also self-reflection. I discovered much about my abilities and behavior on track that I hope to improve. In the end, I overcame my obstacles, doubts, and fears, and was rewarded with unforgettable memories.

While I don’t have plans to enter another ‘full-metal race’ at this time, I would do so again given the means. If you relate to my story, and also wish to race in Canada, I would recommend Formula 1200 as the ideal place to begin your journey. There’s a car for you and if you prepare, you too can have a race of your own. You can win.

I will nevertheless continue sim racing and you can keep up with me via:

Twitter: X.com/aloo__gobi

Twitch: twitch.tv/msgobi

YouTube: youtube.com/@aloogobiracing

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