While the main Mercedes drivers capture all the attention during race weekends, the Anglo-German team relies on a driver working behind the scenes to enhance the car’s performance. These are usually the simulator drivers, who remain at the factory to support both the on-track drivers and engineers remotely. Their primary task is to test a wide range of setup configurations in the simulator, aiming to identify improvements that can be directly applied on the track.
One key example is Frederik Vesti, Mercedes’ F1 reserve driver, who plays a pivotal role behind the scenes. Frederik Vesti highlighted the importance of his contribution, stating: “The simulator work I do is the most important contribution I give to the team every week.” Back at the Brackley base, he dedicates long sessions to the simulator to fine-tune performance and gather valuable insights.
In recent months, much of Frederik Vesti’s focus has been on the 2026 car. “Right now all attention is on 2026, so around 80% of the laps I do are with next year’s car, and this has been going on for quite some time,” he explained. This involves long hours in the simulator, often eight or nine a day, to advance the project in line with the new regulations.
Frederik Vesti considers the simulator an “extremely important tool” to support on-track drivers, especially young talents like Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who was unfamiliar with many of the circuits on the calendar. Simulator work helps prepare data and setup configurations that allow the young driver to adapt more quickly, even though this demands intense schedules and extra responsibilities for Frederik Vesti.
The physical and mental strain behind Mercedes’ “invisible” work
The role of a simulator driver involves extremely demanding days, with sessions that can start at 10 PM and continue until 8 or 9 in the morning. Frederik Vesti admits: “This is how Formula 1 works.” For outsiders, it may seem crazy, but the Danish driver explains: “These are the things you have to do to extract the maximum from the car. Sometimes we start at the simulator at 10 PM and don’t finish until 8 or 9 in the morning. It’s extremely challenging mentally and physically.”
Despite the exhaustion, the reward comes from observing concrete improvements on the track. Frederik Vesti concludes: “But when you see the results on track and notice that you have made a step forward, it generates enormous satisfaction. You see that the entire Mercedes team appreciates the work that the simulator team and I put in, and that makes you feel very good. That is why we do it and why we work so hard.”
In a sport often defined by the glamour of the podium, Vesti’s story is a reminder that the path to victory begins in a dark room in Brackley long before the lights go out on Sunday. As Mercedes transitions into a new era with Antonelli and the 2026 regulations, the “invisible” work of the simulator team remains the foundation upon which the Silver Arrows hope to rebuild their dynasty. For Vesti, the exhaustion is a small price to pay for the chance to see his digital efforts translate into real-world trophies.
Leave a Reply