These guys are not down at the local track on the weekend, lapping grandpa; they are racing competitively at a high level. Obviously sitting in your living isn't the same as the track, but stating "almost nothing in common" is certainly not the case.
Once again, random person on HackerNews, or the words of someone who has successfully made the leap:
"Of course you feel the G-force which you don't in the game, but you're so tightly strapped into the seat, that it's not really an issue."
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2014/apr/07...
Here's another eSports star on the track:
https://futurism.com/sim-racing-virtual-motorsport-beat-form...
https://f1esports.com/news/esports-star-enzo-bonito-defeats-...
These guys are not down at the local track on the weekend, lapping grandpa; they are racing competitively at a high level. Obviously sitting in your living isn't the same as the track, but stating "almost nothing in common" is certainly not the case.