They are the same age. At 25, Esteban Ocon is the future of Formula 1, driver of the Alpine team, and the youngest Frenchman to have joined the competition, at the age of 19. Gold racing game series Gran Turismo, inseparable from the PlayStation, has also been around for a quarter of a century. Their meeting did not date from yesterday, since Esteban was playing Gran Turismo third of the name at 4 and a half years old… and beat his father.
He never stopped playing the different iterations of the license, like his creator, the Japanese Kazunori Yamauchi, also a driver but above all a perfectionist, never stopped tweaking his racing simulation again and again, game after game. on the occasion of the Friday release of Gran Turismo 7of which Esteban Ocon is the ambassador, 20 minutes shared and crossed the experiences of the pilot and the creator.
The video game will never offer the same sensation as a real circuit lap, what sensations and experiences are you looking for then, as a creator and as a driver?
Kazunori Yamauchi: It is of course difficult, if not impossible, to reproduce the conditions of a real car and a real race, but we seek to convey as much information as we can to the players. This has always been our approach. One of the most important components is the steering wheel, what you feel once the steering wheel is in your hand: speed, acceleration, deceleration, cornering, interaction with other cars and drivers… The sensations can be the same with a car steering wheel as with a video game steering wheel, and that’s what we constantly want to push, improve. The new PlayStation 5 controller, still with vibration and now haptic feedback, also offers great possibilities.
Esteban Ocon: Never say never. (Laughs) From my point of view, you can really get close, especially with Gran Turismo. There are racing games that aren’t always realistic, but really, that’s the case here. It is a game and a simulator. The only thing you can’t feel, of course, is the G force. But for the rest, you have the sensations of what you see, of what you hear, of the steering wheel in your hands. There is a lot of work to give the best possible immersion, on the graphics, the colors, the sounds, or how the car moves.
How? ‘Or’ What Gran Turismo help the pilot that you are, Esteban? Does the creator take into account that some players are real pilots?
EO: I have 40,000 km accumulated on GT Sports. I really think it keeps me fit. In Formula 1, tests are not authorized all year round, and limited to 3 to 6 in winter. But that’s all. Will play Gran Turismo and competing against top players helps me train, always stay sharp.
KY: As Esteban says, ultimately a driver doesn’t have many opportunities to really drive and it’s important to maintain the image of how his body reacts to the car, to a situation. I’m a pilot myself, and I always keep this idea in mind during game development.
Gran Turismo 7 seems to be a best of previous games, was that the idea?
KY: We want to get ever closer to perfection. Technology, hardware evolve, and we evolve too. I always want to be at the forefront and thus offer the best gaming experience.
EO: I was lucky to have been able to test the game work in progress, and it’s a bit of the best of both worlds between pure simulation and the sporty side, with all the missions, the permit system, the drag race, the drift, etc. You can run hard for 2-3 hours, and then you can relax with a walk with friends, challenges to overcome. It’s pretty cool. And if you like beautiful cars, beautiful bodies, you are served.
Do you think a revolution in racing gaming is possible? In VR?
KY: There is indeed a real potential with virtual reality. It is even indicated. In the best of cases and conditions, to play Gran Tursimo, you’re sitting in your seat, with your steering wheel and your set of pedals. It’s very porch of a virtual reality set-up. You just have to put on the helmet. The other possibility, the other revolution is on the side of artificial intelligence. An AI that can train and coach new players, race with and against them. There is still a lot to do.
EO: What a dream. And yet, I must admit that I already feel a lot of this immersion thanks to the sound. With headphones on, it’s crazy. Whether the engine is in front or behind you is not the same thing. This attention to detail is exciting.
Have you ever run together, in person or on Gran Turismo ?
EO: No, but it would be an honor.
KY: The opportunity didn’t arise, but either way it would be fabulous. Maybe on the Le Mans circuit? (laughs)