do F1 drivers practice on these simulator games?
Not seriously. Given the limited testing time F1 teams are allowed, most if not all have invested in their own SW simulations with many variables and parameters to emulate real qualm and race conditions.
Sims are great for rookies to learn the tracks tho. The millions Teams chuck at wind tunnels etc, is matched by bespoke software and modelling systems.
The teams also have static rigs to replicate specific race Conditions, from trackside telemetry recordings, onto a series of hydraulic rams in turn attached to a chassis. This is for chasis dev and real time predictive failure analysis.
When I was at Renault factory we visited chassis rigs testing wher you see carbon tubs and subframes being rattled pulled and violently pushed. They were running the telemetry data from the last GP as a simulation. No graphics or screen projections, just the car. the engineer hosting us told a story about Fernando Alonso, who had his stag do in U.K. And took took his mates around factory as an activity. On viewing the static rig going thru it's motions bouncing up and down, he apparatus looked and said, "That's Monza turn three, I took too much kerb and had to manage the understeer, comprising my exit speed"
Jolyon Palmer apparently has same gift - can identify most tracks, .aps and corners, just viewing the static rig.
Bit off topic, but a different level of simulation.
