What better test for simulators designed and built to recreate the emotions of the past than having them driven by the very same racers competing in a classic car speed event? This is precisely what happened in St. Moritz during the Bernina Gran Turismo hill climb event from Friday to Sunday. The simulators created by Roarington in collaboration with Pininfarina and Zagato were put to the test by the event participants and Superstick Shift rally attendees, helping them to prepare for and familiarize themselves with the challenging course.
Simulator runs allowed Bernina Gran Turismo participants to become familiar with the course while improving their performance.
The race’s headquarters were once again located at the Hotel Kempinski, which included a dedicated Roarington area showcasing the “Elio Z” simulator by Zagato and the “Sportiva” simulator by Pininfarina. These simulators collectively covered a distance of 4,438 kilometres during practice, with over 2,000 minutes of virtual driving, leading to an impressive reduction of over five metric tons of CO2 emissions.
Roarington simulators took center stage at Bernina Gran Turismo with nearly 4500km of testing and over 2000 minutes of driving.
Here’s another interesting fact: Christoph Rendlen, the winner of the Bernina Granturismo hill climb in his 1970 Porsche 908/03, managed to trim nearly ten seconds off his real race time also thanks to the invaluable virtual practice sessions on the simulator.
Daniele Bavera (COO of Roarington), Marc Glänzen, Christoph Rendlen, Pascal Juillerat (from left to right).
The winner of the real race Christoph Rendlen in his 1970 Porsche 908/03 also benefited from simulator virtual testing.
Roarington’s active involvement didn’t end there. With senior executives from Mercedes Classic and MAUTO in attendance, Roarington seized the opportunity to exhibit rare and cherished cars like the 300 SL and the FIAT Turbina. These models, meticulously scanned and recreated as digital twins, were taken for a spin by enthusiasts on Roarington simulators.
Mercedes Classic together with Roarington to drive the 300 SL virtually with the real car on display alongside.
The TCCT Forum 2023 also added significant value to the event, focusing on the ever-expanding possibilities that digital technologies offer to complement the real world and enhance the passion for classic cars. The forum featured insights by key figures including Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage; Benedetto Camerana, President of MAUTO; Markus Gross, Chief Scientist of The Walt Disney Studios; Alexander Haldemann, CEO of Publicis Groupe Switzerland; and, as host, Fritz Kaiser, founder of The Classic Car Trust and Roarington.
Fritz Kaiser and Roberto Camerana alongside the Fiat Turbina. MAUTO is the first museum to have an exhibition in Roarington.
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