Simply Race

What Simply Race does

Simply Race is a UK-based private company that operates physical sim racing venues where customers drive professional-level, non-motion racing simulators for pay-per-session racing experiences. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Manchester, the company runs two venues: one inside the Chill Factore entertainment complex in Manchester (Unit 9, The Snow Centre, Trafford Park) and another in the Milton Keynes Theatre District (Unit G3, 12 Garrick Walk). The business holds Motorsport UK Approved status and targets individual motorsport enthusiasts, junior/youth groups (children aged 7+ with a minimum height of 125cm), corporate team-building groups of 16-75 drivers, and competitive racers. A central online booking platform (via Booking Hound) handles reservations for both sites.

The core product is time-based access to high-quality simulator rigs loaded with 100+ cars across categories such as GT3, GT4, DTM, touring, classic, open-wheel, oval, and prototype vehicles, paired with tracks from 30+ countries. Session formats span 20-, 40-, and 60-minute practice sessions (£12.50-£28.50 per person), single-race formats (Mini, Sprint, Grand Prix at £17-£24), multi-race variety packages (£30-£40), themed special events (£32), junior party packages, and endurance team races for groups (from £52.50 per team for the first hour). Telemetry and leaderboards are delivered through an integration with Telemetry.club, supporting public performance tracking and a competitive community through recurring events such as Friday Night Social, Nurburgring Nights, and the SRES (Simply Race Endurance Series) championship.

Revenue is generated entirely through one-time, per-person (or per-team) session fees, gift voucher sales valid for one year at either venue, and 25% deposits on exclusive events. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: customers book online or walk in, with marketing executed through organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok), email marketing, word-of-mouth referrals, and the gifting channel. The business carries no disclosed debt, equity funding, parent company, or acquisitions.

Name

Simply Race

Legal name

Simply Race

Website

https://simplyrace.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Simply Race is a UK private company operating two professional sim racing venues in Manchester and Milton Keynes, offering pay-per-session simulator racing, events, and junior and corporate packages for motorsport enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sim Racing Venue Entertainment

NAICS

Other Spectator Sports (711219), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Motorsports & Racing Experiences (THAJAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Motorsports Events (F1, NASCAR, Rally, Moto) (MPAGAMAD), Race Tracks, Circuits & Motorsport Venues (MPAKAGAE), Racing & Flight Simulation Hardware (Wheels, Pedals, HOTAS) (HDACANAE)

Keywords

• Sim racing venue
• Racing simulator experiences
• Motorsport entertainment
• Corporate team building
• Birthday party events

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Practice Sessions: Pay-per-session model offering 20, 40, or 60 minute practice sessions at £12.50, £22.00, and £28.50 per person respectively. Customers select car and track combination and race with other booked drivers on the same circuit.
2. Single Race Events: Race events including Mini (10 min practice + 15 min race, £17.00), Sprint (10 min qualifying + 20 min race, £20.00), and Grand Prix (10 min qualifying + 30 min race, £24.00) formats. Top 3 drivers receive medals.
3. Multiple Race Events: Two Race Variety (£30.00, 50 min total) and Three Race Variety (£40.00, 75 min total) events where customers race different cars/tracks. Points are accumulated across races to determine winners.
4. Special Events: Themed events featuring iconic motorsport formats at £32.00 per person. Includes Friday Night Social (75 min of racing), Nurburgring Nights (2 hours), and recreations of NASCAR, IndyCar, V8 Supercars events.
5. Junior Parties: Birthday party packages for children aged 7+ (min height 125cm) including Junior Simple Party, Junior Tournament Party, and Junior Variety Party options with shorter event formats suitable for younger drivers.
6. Large Group / Corporate Events: Events accommodating 16-75 drivers for corporate team building. Large Heats Race splits drivers into groups with finals. Teams Race starts at £52.50 per team for first hour with £10 per additional half hour. Drivers share one car rotating throughout endurance races.
7. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers sold for all event types, redeemable at either Manchester or Milton Keynes venues. Vouchers valid for one year from purchase date.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Simply Race operates physical sim racing venues in Manchester and Milton Keynes, UK, offering in-person racing sessions and organised events on linked, professional-level racing simulators. Sessions range from 20-minute practice runs to 24-hour team endurance races, with packages tailored for individual motorsport enthusiasts, junior birthday parties, and corporate group events of up to 75 drivers.

Product overview

Simply Race is a racing simulator venue operating two UK locations (Manchester and Milton Keynes) offering professional-level racing simulators. The company provides a unified entertainment platform combining racing simulators with event management services. Core offerings include Practice Sessions/Arrive & Drive, Single Race Events (Mini, Sprint, Grand Prix), Multiple Race Events (Heats Race, Two/Three Race Variety), Junior Parties, Friday Night Social, Nurburgring Nights, Large Race Events (16-75 drivers), Teams Race endurance events, and the SRES (Simply Race Endurance Series) championship. Additional services include Gift Vouchers, Lap Data tracking, and access to a wide selection of licensed cars (Classic, GT, Open-Wheel, Oval, Prototype categories) and international tracks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Practice Sessions / Arrive & Drive Self-guided racing sessions where customers pick a car and track combination and race for 20, 40, or 60 minutes alongside other booked drivers on the same circuit. Suitable for solo visitors and small groups of 1-15 drivers.
• Single Race Events Race events including Mini Race (10 min practice + 15 min race), Sprint Race (10 min qualifying + 20 min race), and Grand Prix (10 min qualifying + 30 min race). Top 3 drivers receive medals.
• Multiple Race Events Multi-race events including Two Race Variety (two different car/track combinations, 50 min total) and Three Race Variety (three different car/track combinations, 75 min total). Points are accumulated across races to determine winners.
• Junior Parties Birthday party packages for younger drivers aged 7+ (minimum height 125cm), including Junior Simple Party, Junior Tournament Party, and Junior Variety Party with shorter event formats. Top 3 drivers receive medals.
• Friday Night Social Open race evening where drivers compete against other motorsport fans on car/track combinations that change weekly. Includes at least 75 minutes of driving.
• Nurburgring Nights Two-hour racing sessions around the Nurburgring Nordschleife available every Monday at 6pm and 8pm in a car of the customer's choice.
• Large Group / Corporate Events Events for groups of 16-75 drivers, including Large Heats Race (split into groups with finals) and Teams Race (1-24 hour endurance races where drivers share one car). Designed for corporate team building and large group entertainment.
• SRES (Simply Race Endurance Series) Championship endurance racing series featuring iconic motorsport events including NASCAR, IndyCar, V8 Supercars, and GT racing. Events include GP of Sebring, Simply Race Classic, and Homestead 200.
• Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers available for purchase and redeemable at either Manchester or Milton Keynes venues across all event types. Vouchers are valid for one year from purchase date.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 75 drivers can race simultaneously for corporate team building events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Telemetry.clubcoreTechnology or IntegrationConnected telemetry and leaderboard provider used for lap timing, driver profiles, race statistics, community features, and performance tracking across Simply Race venues. Processes and displays simulator and competition-related information within the ecosystem.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• iRacing: Leading online sim racing platform and content provider that supplies the underlying software and content library used by many sim racing venues including Simply Race. Indirect competitor through home use and an ecosystem enabler for the venue model.

Direct peers

• Base 51 Sim Racing: UK-based sim racing centre offering professional-level simulator rigs with event-based and session-based pricing. Directly comparable to Simply Race in venue concept, product tiering, and customer segments.
• Podium 1: UK/European sim racing venue operator offering professional simulators, race leagues, and competitive events. Compares to Simply Race in the motorsport enthusiast and competitive racing community segment.
• Sector 7 Sim Racing Centre: UK-based multi-location sim racing venue operator offering similar professional-level racing simulators, arrive-and-drive sessions, and event formats. Directly competes with Simply Race for the same motorsport enthusiast and corporate event customer base.
• The Race Centre: UK sim racing venue offering professional simulator rigs, race events, and group bookings. Comparable to Simply Race in service model, target audience (motorsport fans, corporate groups), and use of professional-grade simulators.
• GT Sport Sim Racing: UK sim racing venue specializing in GT and motorsport simulator experiences with race events and group bookings. Directly comparable to Simply Race in product positioning and motorsport enthusiast target market.
• Simworx: UK family entertainment and simulation venue operator with simulator offerings among other attractions. Overlaps with Simply Race on the in-person simulator experience, though with a broader entertainment portfolio.
• Velocity Sim Racing: UK sim racing venue operator running professional simulator rigs with similar arrive-and-drive, race event, and group booking formats. Competes for the same Manchester/northern UK motorsport enthusiast market.
• VRXperience: UK sim racing venue chain operating multiple locations with professional motion and static simulators, group events, and corporate experiences. Similar business model and target customer base as Simply Race.

Broad incumbents

• F1 Arcade: UK-headquartered F1-branded racing experience venue chain with multiple locations. Larger, brand-backed competitor offering a similar motorsport-themed entertainment experience, though at higher price points and with F1 licensing as a differentiator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/simplyrace
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SimplyRaceTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/SimplyRace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/simply-race
• Instagraminstagram.com/simplyrace
• TikToktiktok.com/@simplyracemk

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Simply Race