Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Dream Team Driver

Crew Chief Brad: [00:00:00] Welcome to Screen to Speed powered by INIT Esports. In this podcast, we dive into the journeys of remarkable individuals making waves in sim racing and bridging the virtual with the real. From the thrill of digital circuits to the roar of real life racetracks, we explore the passion, dedication and innovation that drives the world of motorsports.

We’ll hear from athletes, creators, and pioneers sharing their stories, insights, and the powerful ways sim racing is connecting communities and creating pathways into motorsports. So buckle up, Screen to Speed starts now.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Welcome everyone, uh, to Unique Talks show. Um, hope you’re doing well this evening. Welcome everybody. And we have an Esmerelda today with us. Uh, [00:01:00] thank you so much for taking your time, uh, to be with us today. Yeah, it’s great to

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: be here. Uh, I’d love to share all my experiences, but yeah, it’s great to be here.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. So let’s start, uh, you’ve been on Simracing Expo. Um, so we would like to know a little bit more about it. Uh, how was it for you? Uh, was it your first, uh, offline event or not?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Yeah, so it was awesome. Uh, I met so many people, um, and also to race there in front of, uh, the public, that was really special.

Uh, it wasn’t my first time cause I went to, uh, US, uh, last year, uh, also with Screen of Speed. Um, we all had to qualify and the top 15 went to Vegas. So that was my first offline event, which, you know, it was really awesome to be a part of. And as well as Germany this weekend, uh, it’s just [00:02:00] really great to see that many women in sim racing and then race against the best of them.

That’s just, that’s a great experience.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Awesome. Uh, how was your race and, uh, at sim racing expo?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Oh, it was, I think it went well. I’m really happy with the results. Uh, obviously I wanted to win, but, uh, yeah, I just lost out on it. So P3 in the, in the first race, um, which I was lucky with an incident in front of me.

Yeah, sometimes you just have to be there and, you know, even if you’re behind the pack, at least you, you’ll get there and scrape by. Uh, and then, uh, the second race, I was actually in the lead for a couple of laps. So, uh, yeah. Yeah. Uh, with Saoirse behind me, chasing me, and yeah, I just lost out, but it was, uh, a great race, and I ended up, uh, P2, uh, P3 overall, so yeah, I’m, I’m really happy.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Great, congrats to you. That’s [00:03:00] a good result to get the podium. Was it your type of car which you drove on the event? I know you’ve been driving the Formula 4 at Nürburgring. So can you tell me a little bit about this?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Yeah, so I race a lot of cars in iRacing. Um, mostly the MP2. And I had tried the F4 for a couple of practice sessions, but not a lot.

So yeah, it was quite a new car for me, um, to, to drive, but, um, I don’t know. I kind of just, it felt right though. It wasn’t that hard for me to, to get into it.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: I think as you got a lot of experience, as you said, with LMP2, uh, it’s a quite easy to get used to Formal 4 as that card was, was a down force and it’s fast also.

Um, so yeah, I think that’s why you didn’t have a lot of issues with this. Um, [00:04:00] how long ago did you start iRacing? Did you start SimRacing overall?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Um, I think it was 2020, early 2020 that I started SimRacing and I think I went into iRacing Immediately when I was starting, I’m not completely sure. Uh, but yeah, I did ACC and iRacing at the same time, kind of.

So yeah, four, four years ago, right in the COVID pandemic.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. I think just many people, uh, so we had on any talks to many people started from a pandemic time. Uh, I started also, um, I think just, you know, everybody gets tired at home and Going to do something and it was simracing, other games, and uh, someone went to streaming.

Um, that, that was, uh, [00:05:00] that was great time, uh, to start, uh, the simracing, the new hobby for yourself, definitely. Alright, um, so was it hard for you to start in iRacing, uh, do you have any Like, uh, si racing, racing experience before maybe you play some racing games, uh, before you started in sim racing or not?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Oh yeah. I , I actually played the Ong games like 2015 through, I think it was like 2018 or 2019 that I did. Uh, and, and that was just my experience. It wasn’t really sim racing. It. Um, I just did it for fun with like all the assets on, um, eventually in 2017, I bought, uh, the, uh, Trismaster T300. That was like my first wheel.

And I think it was two months before I got the F1 wheel add on. So it was just so, um, into Formula One at that time, [00:06:00] uh, still, by the way, but yeah, and I just played it for fun until, um, I, I met Iwona. And she got me really into sim racing.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s awesome. Um, can you tell me more, uh, about what equipment equipment you got right now?

So you definitely did some upgrades. I’m pretty sure in this. Yeah.

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: So I’ve got a bit of a luxury setup. I’ve got the Hasingfeld sprint pedals. Um, I’m not connected to Heusinkveld, but I can really recommend them. They are awesome and they really help with my consistency. Uh, and then I’ve got the Fanatec CSL PD, uh, with the boost kit.

So it’s eight newton meters of course. And then I’ve got the, I can actually show you because I’m right in front of you. I’ve got the, uh, P2. [00:07:00] 5 steering wheel with the advanced Nice,

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: this one is awesome.

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Yeah, yeah, it’s, I’m really a fan of the wheel. Yeah, it’s great. The only thing that’s missing is the screen on it.

Yeah, I hope they get one someday.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm hmm. Um, how’s the, uh, how’s community for you in the, like, you know, racing and sim racing? Also, because we, uh, been talking. about this with, uh, other guests on the new talks show, uh, and, uh, find out that, uh, community and some racing overall really friendly, really welcome.

Uh, do you feel that too?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Yeah, yeah, it’s, um, I don’t know, I don’t know how to actually say this, but they, you’re, they make you feel welcome. Uh, so I had no trouble in Germany, um, to just get into the group on the first night that we met each [00:08:00] other. We, with the whole group, we went out to dinner in Dortmund and we had an amazing time.

Uh, so it’s just so easy to get into and I don’t know. They’re they’re all such nice people and Hopefully there are some bad ones in there as well. But overall my experience is so great

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s good, uh Usually people especially when you’re coming first time into sim racing. They try to help you with advices.

They try to like guide you to You Find your journey in simracing and it’s really cool indeed, um, to have, uh, really welcome people because not all the time you have this in other games and, uh, yeah, sometimes the community not really welcome, uh, and it’s, it’s really good that it’s, uh, an upside for simracing.

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: That’s great. Yeah. I mean, if you want someone to help you, [00:09:00] you just have to ask and they’re all prepared to help you and to make time. So yeah, overall, that’s just, it’s a great community.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Okay, so as you said that LMP2 is your, like, main car in our racing. Uh, do you remember any Highlight of events which you did with it.

Maybe you did some endurance races where you finish on the podium or something like this

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Oh, i’ve got a couple of highlights But uh, they didn’t end really well No, I had I definitely had amazing experiences with mp2 Uh, I I started with a team of well, we were just friends And not really professional, so we ended up between entire barriers and stuff. So, yeah, I think As It was so much fun, [00:10:00] but for really, um, ending up high, I think all of our races ended up in the wall somehow.

Yeah, so not really memorable. I think we, we once got a podium, and then one of our drivers I can’t. One of our drivers, uh, didn’t drive enough laps.

So we got disqualified as well. Oh no!

Yeah, so, um, yeah. I mean, didn’t end well, but I had so much fun in all of these races. So it was worth it, totally worth it. Yeah, I think the F4 is the, for me, the best car, as in that I actually accomplished something with that car. Oh, and the Ford Mustang Next Gen, [00:11:00] which we drove in Las Vegas last year, which I, I completely despise.

It’s a horrible car, but I got P5 in the US, so that was a great accomplishment, but that’s not the MP2. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s awesome. Uh, it’s really hard, I can tell you, to drive a Nascar car on the road track. So I had some experience with Xfinity cars, not with next gen. We’ve been running them on VCO Infinity events.

We had a race at Monza with Xfinity. It was really crazy. Uh, you know, a lot of crashes happen. Some people rejoin right after they out of track. It was really fun. Indeed. Yeah. Um, and talking about prototype LMP two, um, I had really bad experience because, uh, I started our racing when we had, uh, Honda HPD here and, uh, been running this car a long time and I was really good [00:12:00] in it.

Um, and then when we switched to this. Delario and B2, I was like, Oh, this car, not the best. Yeah. Yeah. Unfortunately. Um, are you doing any ovals in a racing? Because you said that you, um, not. Yeah. All right. Uh, can you tell me a bit more about, uh, Formula 4, uh, and what’s your favorite combo with this car?

What’s your favorite track with this?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Okay. So this is hard because I’ve got one favorite track. Everyone that knows me knows it’s my favorite and that’s Spa. So, it doesn’t matter which car I drive. So, although the next gen Ford Mustang could ruin it. But, um, every car is like, it’s really fun to drive on Spa.

Uh, but now that I’ve done the Nürburgring and I’ve actually put in the time to practice there. I think that [00:13:00] might be, I mean, it’s kind of close. I don’t know which one of the two would be my favorite with the F4. But definitely one of those two.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Great, uh, Spy is definitely a good choice, uh, good track for, like, any type of car, even if you, with slow car here, you’ll be in Draft having fun, then in LeCombe and fighting with people, uh, if you with, uh, uh, You’re just going to, um, like go with the flow on the spy.

It’s, it’s awesome. I agree with you about this. Um, what can you suggest to people who starting then, um, like getting into our racing, into, uh, STEM racing? Uh, what will be your advice of like, from what to start? Should they stick with the one car or like what you can suggest from your side?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: I think this is, uh, quite difficult to answer.

[00:14:00] Um, mostly just have fun because without fun, you won’t get the drive to get better and better. Um, and for consistency, definitely stick with one. But I haven’t done that. I’ve done so many cars and I think it also gave me a lot of experience because if you look at Last year, I keep going back there, but, uh, we had the next gen Mustang, and it was horrible to drive.

You had to be so careful on the throttle, because, uh, a little bit more than halfway, exiting a corner, and you’d be turned around. So, you learn so much, uh, from driving such difficult cars, that if you step into any other car, you It feels so easy. Um, you know, so that definitely helped me, I think, with my racecraft [00:15:00] overall consistency.

So I guess just have fun. Don’t necessarily stick to one car as long as you still have fun. And just keep driving and you’ll get those lap times eventually.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, absolutely agree. Um, to start with the one car. So I just suggest this to everybody as well, uh, because this is how you can gain, uh, some confidence, comfortable on track.

Um, so just suggest people to start with the one car and then just, uh, Focus on tracks, focus on like breaking points and all this stuff, instead of just jumping, uh, from car to car. Uh, but also, as you said, uh, it’s really good sometimes to change car, um, as you gaining some new experience from each car and, uh, definitely, Then in the future, if you’re jumping, I know, to a random race, uh, where, like, you got a leak, fun leak, uh, [00:16:00] with, uh, some different cars in it, uh, you need less time to adapt to the cars.

So that’s a good thing. Alright, um, speaking about your sim racing career, um, Are you planning something big for yourself? Like, uh, do you want to be maybe a part of the eSports team? Uh, maybe you want to gain 5K rating, 6K rating, something like this. Uh, so tell us more about your plans in the future. Um,

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: well, I’m already part of a sim racing United sim team.

Oh my god, I had to think about that for a second. Um, so yeah, and I’m really happy to be there with the people around me, so. Um, definitely want to stay there. Uh, I guess for my goals. I got a couple, um, so they have the Screen Esprit Dream Team, which I would love to be a part of. Uh, [00:17:00] so I’m definitely gonna be aiming for a spot on the team.

Uh, and it would probably be a great idea to, uh, really gain some iRating as well, because it’s really low. But yeah, uh, I mean that’s what you get because I, um, actually barely do any official races. So everything I do is hosted or in a league. Um, I never actually gained any iRating. I think I must have been able to get like 3k if I’d actually practice and race official races.

So, that’s definitely a good goal as well.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, you got a really good plan. So, can you tell me about more your, uh, about your sim racing team, uh, where you’re in? Yeah,

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: I’m, I’m in a United sim team and we welcome everybody. It doesn’t matter who you are, you’re always welcome to drive with us. We’ve got a loads of drivers, uh, [00:18:00] also different categories.

So we’ve got iRacing, ACC, rFactor2, uh, I think there’s a couple that are still driving a set of courses as well. Um, And then we’ve got Gran Turismo as well, so it really doesn’t matter what you’re gaming on, uh, there’s always a place for you at United

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Sim

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Team.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s awesome, uh, that your team is really flexible with categories, because some teams they really only focus on, like, one simulator.

That’s awesome. Are you doing any specific preparation before League races? Can you tell me more about your routine of how you prepare for the races?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Oh, my routine is not preparing at all and panicking 10 minutes before race start, I think about everything that I haven’t done, like, Oh, how much fuel do I actually need?

And then for the last 10 minutes I’m always doing loads of stuff that I didn’t account for [00:19:00] earlier. Uh, I’m chaos. Yeah, I got no race preparation at

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: all. Yeah. Alright, uh, the main question, is it working in races? Sorry? Is it working in races, like you, you’re not having any preparation, uh, and you’re having good results, yes?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Uh, I, I think, I, I did prepare for Uber Green, uh, the, the e bike racing race. Um, but then you don’t need to refuel. Otherwise, it’s not working out, no. I, I, I think everyone that followed me knows that I, I did make a couple of mistakes in a couple of races, which actually made me take a break from racing for a really long time.

And I actually only started racing again for the ADAC Sim Racing Expo. [00:20:00] Um, and I think taking a break sometimes works out really well. For me it did. Yeah, I’m definitely going to change my, um, approach to races.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I think, um, if you, if you’re going to have, uh, more practice, that’s definitely going to give you, uh, more confidence on the track.

So I think that you notice that because you prepare for, uh, SimRacing Expo event, uh, already. So you should notice that you felt a lot better. Yeah, but we all, you know, sometimes jumping into races without practice, it’s absolutely okay. I’m doing this as well. Uh, then I’m like, okay, we’re just going to like, practice in the race with the other people on the track.

It’s fine.

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Yeah, yeah, but it’s really difficult as well because you don’t know the car and then there has to be just a tiny change that makes you spin that you’re not prepared for because you haven’t practiced enough. So I [00:21:00] definitely can’t recommend it.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: All right, uh, do you have any plans in Maybe one day go to real life racing.

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Uh, not at this

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: moment.

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Um, uh, I think I’m fine with some racing. Full roads to real racing. I mean, I’m trying. Uh, I don’t think, um, that I ever get to have the money to do that. I mean, I’d like to keep dreaming

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: more of a

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: realistic.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, understandable. Because in real life racing, definitely, uh, so expensive and it’s really hard to get into. Even if you got good results and, uh, Like, everything, you got your talent and speed. Um, it’s really hard to get sponsors [00:22:00] and to get into the team then, unfortunately. Um, I hope in the future, maybe it will be, like, more open, uh, opportunity for everybody.

That would be great. Uh, especially, you know, You know, we got championships, uh, like, uh, Tag Heuer, Porsche, sports, uh, Super Cup, where, um, people can get, like, into the real car, can try it. So that’s a good opportunity. So hopefully we’ll get, uh, you know, people from sim racing, maybe taking a part in, uh, big championships in real life as well.

Then after they winning, uh, in sim racing, it will be Awesome.

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Yeah, we’re really working hard on that. Um, but yeah, it’s, it’s a really big step, and there is so many 1000 women out there. Um, so yeah, it’s definitely possible, just, I think for me it’s a little bit out of my league. But as I said, I’m more of a [00:23:00] realistic person, and I mean, if I get a shot at it, uh, then I absolutely, I would take it.

I think I’ll stick to some racing for now.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Let’s dream a little bit and imagine like you get an opportunity to test the racing car. What this car would be for you? Like, what is your dream car to drive on the real track?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: It’s a very difficult question. Uh, I think It’d be the LMP2 Or the F4 because I’ve driven those the most at this time. I think it’d really be one of those two All right. Yeah It’s so difficult to choose

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: between one or

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: the other

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: yeah people in chat guess that uh will be LMP2[00:24:00]

Yeah. Yeah. And, um, speaking about, uh, the women in, uh, sim racing and motorsport also, how do you feel to be a girl in a male dominated sport?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: I mean, it’s hard getting women into the whole group, because the community is really lovely. Um, but that community that I’m in largely consists of only women. And, um, for men, it’s really hard to lose against women in sim racing. And I think You can still see that everywhere. So I just hope that we can learn to work together and do things together and women against men, but, you know, try to get [00:25:00] them both to compete in sim racing, but also in real life racing.

And it’d be so great to see a woman making it into F1 like Susie Wolfe did and everyone that went before her. But yeah, but I think there’s still a lot that needs to change before we can see that happen.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I think, um, from my side of view, that’s all starting, um, you know, that from childhood with splitting things like that’s a girl’s stuff, that’s a boy’s stuff, so that’s all starting from this.

If this thing, uh, will disappear somehow, uh, because, uh, when I was young, uh, my dad led me, like, you can choose whatever toys you want, and I always, uh, been choosing the, the cars, so I play with them. Uh, so that’s why, you know, I’ve ended, uh, in the karting, and then in real life racing, and now in some racing.

Uh, so I think if, uh, this thing will, uh, [00:26:00] disappear, like, uh, people not going to split, like, boy stuff and girl stuff, uh, Children can choose what they want, like toys to play with. Um, then maybe we’ll see more girls into karting and into some racing as well. Uh, and overall, uh, also boys and guys, they’re not going to feel like, Oh my God, I’ve been beaten by the, by the girl and it’s a bad thing or something like this.

So they just, uh, going to treat us as, uh, uh, equal competitors and that’s it. So I think

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: that’s really important.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yes. Uh, I think that’s everything started like from childhood and then going to adult life and, uh, the, yeah, that’s why we got this situation and, um, definitely screen to speed doing the good stuff.

Uh, so taking more girls and, uh, women into, uh, some racing and into racing as well. It’s really cool [00:27:00] to see.

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: Yeah, it is. Yeah, it’s awesome that, uh, that they, they’re trying to pave a way for us into motorsport. Um, and not just, you know, uh, in front of the camera, but also behind the scenes. There, there’s lots of possibilities, um, which is really commendable.

And I think Steffi Pau deserves a shout out for this because she tries so hard to make this all possible for us. And I’m grateful for all that she does. Um, and it got me two great experiences. One to the US, which was my first time and then to Germany as well, where I met so many people. So, um, yeah, it’s given all of us.

So many great opportunities, uh, yeah. And I really hope that one day we can return the favor by really [00:28:00] getting women into motor sports.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. So I absolutely agree with you, uh, that Stefie doing her best for us and, uh, Really, uh, dedicated of, uh, what she’s doing, uh, for us and for simracing and motorsport and that’s a good thing.

Um, so before we wrap up, uh, can you tell me what will be your motto of the life?

Esmeralda Beemsterboer: A motto? That is I have not thought about that one.

Oh, I don’t think I can answer that. It is I am so bad at those things. Um,

if you [00:29:00] leave it, you can make it, I think that will be my motto. It is the most horrible

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: motto there is. No, it’s not. It’s great. Okay, thank you so much for taking your time and talking with us. That was really fun. Thank you so much. Yeah, it was. Yeah, everyone, thank you so much for joining, and we’ll see you on Indie Talk next time, on Thursday, next week.

See you. Thank you for watching. Bye bye.

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