Simulated race car ride close to real thing

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Chances of getting to drive a Formula 1 race car--not so great. But this weekend in Austin you can get pretty close to the real thing.

Mobil 1 is offering a unique opportunity.

It sounds real. It looks real. It even feels real.

"That was too real!" says Tessy Vasquez, "I freaked out! The movement of the chair--it was just surprising."

It's not as far from the real thing as you might think.

"They can interact, just like a formula one racer would," says Melissa DiOrio, "Real race car drivers use something similar, so that they can learn the tracks before they go out and drive on them."

The Mobile Performance Zone simulates the actual course of the Circuit of The Americas race track in Austin. It's fit for a pro, but puts you in the driver's seat.

"It has the chair that shakes with you and all the different gears and stuff," DiOrio says.

But don't expect an easy drive.

Participants found themselves running off course and getting turned around. There's no doubt a learning curve. Even right down to the basics.

"This is the gas. This is the brake," on the Performance Zone workers explains. 

The simulator allows drivers to reach speeds a kid could only dream of.

"Like you were in a real race car!" says Trevon Adkins.

And that's exactly the point.

For a chance to test out the F1 race car simulator--Mobil 1 will be at Austin Fan Fest Nov. 16-18 with the Mobil Performance Zone. They'll be at Colorado and Third Street.