Which is more fun depends on the guest. Open-wheel cars, from a Formula Vee up to Formula 1, feel light, direct and, at the top end, glued to the road at speed, which thrills racing fans. Closed-cockpit GT cars, from a Mazda MX-5 to a GT3 machine, feel more like a road car and are easier to drive fast on the first try. For a mixed crowd, start everyone in a GT car and offer an open-wheeler as the step up.
What separates the two
Open-wheel cars have exposed wheels and, at the higher levels, large wings. GT cars have bodywork over the wheels and, like a Mazda MX-5 or a GT3 car, look like cars you see on the road. In a simulator, the real differences you feel come down to three things.
1. Downforce
Wings push the car into the track, and that force grows with the square of speed, the same relationship as lift in NASA's lift equation (NASA Glenn Research Center). A high-downforce open-wheeler gains grip quickly as speed rises and loses it as speed falls. Current F1 cars even switch between a downforce-heavy Corner Mode and a low-drag Straight Mode (Formula 1).
2. Driver aids
The rules differ sharply. The FIA's 2026 F1 regulations ban traction control and anti-lock braking (FIA), while the FIA/ACO's 2026 LMGT3 regulations for GT3-based cars allow ABS and permit traction control (FIA/ACO). A simulator modeling those cars faithfully passes the difference on to the driver.
3. Weight and power
A 2026 F1 car's minimum weight is 768 kg with roughly 400 kW from the engine and 350 kW from the electric system (FIA). That combination is far beyond any road car, and it shows in how quickly things happen.
Not every open-wheeler is an F1 car
Open-wheel racing has an entry level. iRacing describes the Formula Vee as one of the world's most enduring grassroots, entry-level open-wheel race cars, built from pre-1963 Volkswagen Beetle parts, and a starting point for drivers including Niki Lauda and Emerson Fittipaldi (iRacing). Assetto Corsa likewise lists junior open-wheel cars such as the Tatuus FA-01 alongside classic F1 cars like the Lotus 49 and 98T (Assetto Corsa on Steam).
Quick comparison
| Open-wheel | GT / closed-cockpit | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Light, direct; high-downforce cars grip hard at speed | Heavier, more road-car-like |
| Driver aids (top level, under the rules) | F1: none | GT3: ABS and traction control allowed |
| Who loves it | F1 fans, experienced sim racers | Car enthusiasts, first-timers, mixed groups |
| Event role | Showcase or "pro" category | Main leaderboard |
Running both at an event
- Keep separate leaderboards for open-wheel and GT so times are comparable.
- Use a GT car for the main competition and an open-wheeler for a final or a VIP lap.
- On a full-motion rig, the braking and cornering cues make the difference between the two cars easy to feel.
See the cars page and pricing: $2,750 per full-motion rig per day, plus tax and insurance. Our full-motion rigs use SIGMA Integrale 2DOF/3DOF electric motion platforms.
Call (754) 228-5654, email hello@simsforhire.com, or request a date. We reply within 24 hours and can book with as little as 24 hours' notice.