Rock the Track project story
I was always amazed by how Formula 1 cars were elegant and yet mechanically perfect. Back in 1995, my cousin showed me formula 1 on TV. It was the Belgian Grand Prix. He was a Damon Hill fan and asked me which driver I would like to support. I was only 6 at the time and of course I chose the red car. Since that day, I’ve been a Ferrari fan from bone to bone.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw a Formula 1 car at an exhibition when I was 11. If I drew, it was racing cars, if I made something, it was a formula 1 car made of cardboard or plastic, with suspension arms made of toothpicks.
My brother was older, and when I visited him, we played Gran Turismo 2 and Formula 1 games on PlayStation. I remember playing Grand Prix 3 on my sister’s laptop for weeks on end, changing the shape of the cars in the editor. Already then I realized that the desire to create cars has embraced me completely.
And so, the day came when my mom bought me my first computer, and the first steering wheel, naturally for sim racing. Without much deliberation, I began to study game modding for rFactor. At the first attempt, nothing was achieved, and I abandoned this activity. But after a few months, I returned to the project, and began to get better. I then commenced my initial steps in sim racing with the simplest steering wheel, the Logitech Formula Vibration Feedback Wheel. I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful man, Phillip, who was racing with me on the same team. Phillip was amazed by my speed with this steering wheel and when, after another racing session, it broke, Phillip offered to buy me a Logitech G25. In 2007, this was a top-tier steering wheel that cost $300, and naturally was out of my budget as a kid. I couldn’t believe it, but Phillip offered to pay for the steering wheel so I could continue to perform. After one sleepless night, I went with my friends to drive. The results didn’t leave me waiting and in the next qualifying, at the Hungaroring, I qualified at third place. That season I managed to get one pole position and a podium at the final round in Fuji.
After another year in sim racing, I realized that although I had the speed, to achieve serious results, I would have to give all my time to virtual racing, but I loved the process of creating something new too much to give myself to sim racing. That’s when my choice fell on creating mods. First it was rFactor and GTR2, then rFactor 2, and finally Assetto Corsa. I was one of the first to sign up for early access, and started exploring the simulator. Already starting with the creation of the Lotus Elise skins, it was clear that this simulator was the future.
Formula 1 has been a part of my life throughout my entire life, I even proposed to my wife at the first corner of the Monaco Grand Prix Sainte Devote corner.
It’s been 18 years since I’ve been creating professional assets for different modding groups, and it is time to utilize all the accumulated experience to create my own project. Rock The Track Studio was established with the objective of elevating racing game modifications to an unprecedented level, prioritizing the highest quality in visuals, physics, and sounds. Leveraging the latest technology and data, the studio has succeeded in recreating the most realistic race car models in history. There is something special about driving race cars, and we are committed to ensuring that our products offer an unparalleled experience in this regard.
Alexandr Balanesco
Rock The Track Studio founder