The Race F1 Podcast

Tech Show: The secrets of driver-in-the-loop simulators

The Race F1 Podcast

Show Notes

We have a special episode of The Race F1 Tech Show for you this week that includes a feature length interview with an F1 simulator pioneer.

The driver-in-the-loop simulator, or DIL, as it’s called, has become a key tool for Formula 1 teams in the 21st century. They were once in-house projects, but as the technology has evolved companies have emerged to provide state-of-the-art driver in loop simulator hardware to supply not only F1 teams, but also other racing teams and even private individuals across their product range.

Dynisma, based in Bristol in the UK, has emerged as the most significant supplier to Formula 1 teams, and in this episode Edd Straw talks to company founder Ash Warne, a key pioneer of driver-in-loop simulator technology with McLaren who later worked for Ferrari.

In the interview, Warne explains the key technological demands that make such simulators as accurate as possible, how they are used and how their use has evolved over the years.

He also talks about the importance of latency and bandwidth in ensuring that the simulator is responsive enough to minimise the lag in what the driver feels, the hexapod design with six-degrees of freedom that creates the motion, and the intricacies of how F1 teams use their driver-in-loop simulators.

We hope you enjoy it!

Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More from The Race F1 Podcast

Oct 22, 2026

In the latest episode of The Race F1 Rewind, Edd Straw and Mark Hughes dig into the truth about Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari exit in 2006, which brought the curtain down on a period of unprecedented dominance that included five drivers’ and six constructors’ world titles and 72 Schumacher victories. They explain the circumstances around the news breaking and explore the conspiracy theory that Schumacher was pushed out, before hitting the fast forward button and speculating on what might have happened if Schumacher had never left.

Oct 21, 2026

As F1 heads to Austin’s Circuit of The Americas, Mercedes faces a huge test not only of its troubled upgrade, but also of its 2027 prospects, with rivals Red Bull and Max Verstappen proving the combination to beat in recent races.

Oct 18, 2026

In the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast, sponsored by Skinceuticals, former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner joins Edd Straw and Jon Noble for a wide-ranging and feature-length conversation. He reflects on building Red Bull Racing from a disruptive underdog into a multi-championship powerhouse, the leadership style that shaped that success, and why he got forced out. He also explains his non-negotiables for returning to the sport, what Max Verstappen brings to a team, and his thoughts on whether Adrian Newey will prove a success at Aston Martin. There’s also a number of surprise revelations - including one about Fernando Alonso - plus Horner tells the real story of how those recent Ferrari rumours came about…

Oct 17, 2026

In the latest edition of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson take a closer look at Red Bull's recent performance gains and explain Mercedes' upgrade troubles, and look ahead to what both situations mean for 2027.

Oct 15, 2026

We get the inside story of the new Rwanda F1 circuit in the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast. Edd Straw is joined by Jon Noble, who recently visited the site where the recently announced African Grand Prix will take place in the early 2030s.

See all episodes →