I tried out F1 Arcade and changed my Lottery spending plans

The main one would have been an F1 simulator appearing in my garage.

However, as I’d not yet been fortunate enough to have my lucky numbers drawn out, I headed down to F1 Arcade in Birmingham to try out the racing action on offer there.

And, safe to say, it has changed my mind what I will one day spend my millions on.

Because who wants to be in their garage when they can be in one of the most vibrant venues in the centre of Birmingham among family, friends and fellow F1 fans?

Myself and sports desk colleague Luke Powell are rather competitive, and it was the two of us who took on the challenge of seeing if we could get our simulator cars around legendary tracks such as Silverstone, Suzuka and Monza.

We had booked the head-to-head battle package and after grabbing a welcome drink from the incredible bar area - complete with upside down F1 car - we were shown the ropes on the simulators and settled in for 45 minutes of frantic action.

There are five levels to choose from, so if you are a complete beginner and need help getting round from the driver assists, or you’re brave enough to turn the traction control off, all ability levels are catered for.

We started low, though not the lowest, and worked our way up, though Luke’s pirouetting on the pro level meant we never quite reached the highest level - I wasn’t going to go on the highest level and risk losing the race because he had more assists on!

This isn’t just like having a steering wheel for your games console, this is the real deal. You could feel every rev of the accelerator, every bump of the kerb, and every crash into the barrier (there were a few!)

There are also many ways to win - which I will admit led to a disagreement between myself and Luke on the train home about who was the real victor.

While Luke won by three races to two, I did manage to accumulate the most points with overtakes, fastest laps and more, and also got the better of the harder level.

And because I’m writing this review, we can just say I won anyway!

What we could both agree on, however, was the quality of the food - particularly the massive flatbreads.

We retreated to our table for the post-race debrief and ordered from the extensive menu featuring sharing plates, burgers, the aforementioned flatbreads and more.

I had a flatbread smothered in butter chicken, while Luke went for the buttermilk chicken burger - complete with F1 Arcade branding - and we continued to enjoy the selection of drinks on offer.

We also enjoyed some sides and went for pudding after. While the main menu was outstanding, the pudding was less so - next time we’ll order an extra starter and hold the sweet treats.

As well as the branded burger, there was so much attention to detail that would impress F1 fans - including my personal favourite of circuit-shaped lights.

It was also great to chat with staff and other guests who were F1 fans through the evening, recalling favourite drivers, teams, races and circuits - Jenson Button, McLaren, Canadian GP 2011 and Spa, for those of you asking mine.

While it was quiet when we walked in just before 4pm, there was a great vibe as late afternoon turned into evening - I will definitely be back to experience some of the events they have on.

As well as being able to book racing sessions, it is also a great place to watch the races - which, as any F1 fan knows, can take place at all times of day depending on where in the world is hosting.

These events take place for every Grand Prix, with the action shown on big screens around the venue, while there are also competitions, quizzes and a live DJ to keep the atmosphere going once the chequered flag falls.

For £29, you can join F1 fans to watch the Baku race on Saturday, September 25, and jump in and out of the sims to test your own skills round some of the most testing tracks on the planet.

For those who just want to focus on their own racing, you can book a head-to-battle, like Luke and I did, for two-to-three drivers; team racing for 4-12 drivers or a group event for parties of 13 people or more.

While we were there, a huge group booking came in and were jumping in and out of the seats, laughing at the thrills and spills of racing their work colleagues and enjoying the food and drink on offer.

There are also Sprint Social events - £25 for three hours of friendly, competitive action - on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month and a host of other events throughout the year.

Forget the garage simulator, the vibe at F1 Arcade makes my dream much more fun!