It all started last year, with the Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) full-sized simulator coming to town just before the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

This year, it's practically been raining simulators.

The RBS simulator came to town again with Nico Rosberg making a cameo appearance, followed by another simulator at Singapore Pools' premises at Selegie just before the Bahrain GP, and another ongoing series hosted by Mobil One at Plaza Singapura.

Even nightspots are getting in on the action, with Thumper at Goodwood Park Hotel hosting a Grand Prix simulator for the second time round at the end of last month.

About 300 clubbers turned up to drink, dance, and testdrive the simulator.

At stake were bottles of Mumm champagne - the same kind that's popped on the podium by the likes of Raikkonen and Hamilton at the end of Formula One races.

David Chin, one of Thumper's key investors, is upbeat about holding more motoring related events at the club.

"With Thumper's ability to display automobiles in front of the club, we have always been interested in automobile related tie-ups," said Mr Chin

"And with F1 just months away, we are planning a series of related motoring events to build up the hype to F1 in September."

But if you're thinking about buying a simulator for your living room so you can thrash everyone the next time another simulator pulls into town, be warned that prices are known to start from $8,000 to $30,000, depending on the size of the machine and how elaborate the effects are.

The two simulators at Thumper's Grand Prix event cost a total of $49,000.

I think I'd rather buy a real hatchback for that kind of money.

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Thumper Grand Prix podium finishers
1st: Dennis Chang
2nd: Derryn Wong
3rd: Alan Chew