Mois : octobre 2021

When the Le Mans Virtual Series kicked off a month ago on Italy’s Temple of Speed, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, the Race Director had his work cut out to monitor and penalise some of the many suspect on-track moves.

Race director?  For a game?  Yes, and not just any Race Director!  One of the FIA’s most experienced and respected figures, Eduardo Freitas is the official FIA Race Director for the World Endurance Championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and numerous other championships across the globe. He, together with Motorsport Games’ Ben Rossiter-Turner and Lewis Edmondson, form the Race Direction panel for all five rounds of the LMVS including the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual taking place live at Autosport International in January 2022.

The Le Mans Virtual Series is the next level up in esports competition, with the stated aim of having the most professional and competitive virtual series grids and with real world synergies with one of the most high-profile international motorsport series, the WEC. This includes nominated driver line ups, with a defined mix of professional and sim racers, series’ partners representing some of the world’s biggest brands, quality presentation and broadcasts of the events, an event organisation team of the highest level and much more.

From the sporting side, teams and drivers have their part to play too. There are, for example, minimum and maximum driving times for each member of a line up, a strict limit to the number of people allowed on the server, driver briefings and a code of conduct which must be adhered to … just as in real life racing. Check out the full sporting regulations here.

While a racing incident or accident may not be as injurious in terms of physical harm as in the real world, in LMVS racing it’s not just a case of pressing escape and carrying on unaffected. The rFactor2 platform allows that damage will affect a car but that it can be repaired in a pitstop. The car will be driveable but may not perform as well as at the start and, in a series as competitive as this, every second counts.  Penalties for misconduct range from a reprimand to disqualification with drive throughs or stop and go sanctions between. In endurance racing, the winner is all too often not the quickest car but the one which has played the smartest strategy and spent the least amount of time in the pits.

Finally, the code of conduct also applies off track and participants are expected to be respectful of organisers, fellow competitors and sponsors at all times. Obscene gestures, language, or offensive comments in any communication – whether on Twitch, Discord or social media channels – are not tolerated. We all recognise that racing raises the adrenaline levels and that the red mist sometimes descends when things go wrong but being part of a pro series means acting professionally at all times.

And that’s why Le Mans Virtual Series is a step up. It’s the very best of the best in all areas!

The second round of the Le Mans Virtual Series, a thrilling 6 Hours of Spa race, has officially concluded with Team Redline’s Felix Rosenqvist, Atze Kerkhof and Bono Huis taking first place overall. In second and third places were Floyd ByKolles-Burst and Rebellion GPX Esports. Rudy van Buren, Enzo Bonito and Kevin Siggy from BMW Team Readline took first place in the LMGTE category. Both classes were incredibly competitive, with the battles for first place in LMP2 and LMGTE coming down to the final minutes of the race. A tough fought contest on the rFactor2 platform, the event featured:

• An incredibly close battle between Team Redline and RG8 Esports in the LMP2 class, with differing tyre and fuel strategies culminating in a P1 finish from Team Redline that went down to the wire
• An equally close flight in LMGTE, which was dominated in the opening hours by Proton Competition and the other Porsche 911 RSR GTE teams, before the BMW M8 GTE of BMW Team Readline took first place with less than ten minutes to go thanks to fuel saving throughout the race.
• Philippe Denes for Mahle Racing Team securing the fastest lap with a time of 1:58.894

After the race, Felix Rosenqvist from Team Redline said “In the end we have to thank the team with the amazing fuel saving strategy. There were some concerns about rain, but in the end it never came so we didn’t need to worry about it. It was so much fun, with these races there’s so much at stake all the time…” 

Le Mans Virtual Series, 6 Hours of Spa – Post Race Report

• 6 Hours of Spa, the second of five rounds of the Le Mans Virtual Series, kicked off Saturday 16th October with 114 drivers across the LMP2 and LMGTE classes taking to the start line. Star drivers such as Indycar driver Felix Rosenqvist, FIA F3 Vice Champion Jack Doohan and IndyCar’s Sage Karam lined up for one of the most hotly contested sim racing events of the year.
• As usual with Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, all eyes were on the sky as rain was forecast for the later hours of the race. However, dry conditions prevailed which meant drivers were able to push the pace on the soft tyre compounds. The lack of rain didn’t hinder the race drama, with a number of dramatic moments in the race, such as an unfortunate mistake from Round 1 winner Realteam Hydrogen Redline that saw their LMP2 car hit the wall and retire from the race in the first hour.
• In the LMP2 Classification, RG8 Esports took the lead in the second hour and held the position for much of the race.
• However, in the final hour a strong challenge from Felix Rosenqvist’s Team Redline proved too much, who alongside drivers Atze Kerkhof and Bono Huis took and held the race lead. They were followed 13s behind by Floyd ByKolles-Burst in second place, with Rebellion GPX Esports completing the podium – just missing out on 2nd by 0.4s!. Their second place finish means Floyd ByKolles-Burst now lead the LMP2 Championship by 2 points.
• In the LMGTE Classification, the three Porsche teams of Proton Competition and Porsche Esports Team looked very dominant in the opening hours, challenging to own all three podium spots. However, as the race went on BMW Team Redline applied continuous pressure, challenging the race favorites and eventually securing first place with less than ten minutes to go thanks to fuel saving throughout the race. Porsche Esports Team took 2nd and 3rd, the No.91 Porsche Esports Team just 1.7s behind the winner. Porsche Esports Team and BMW Team Readilne now sit tied at 43 points each in the LMGTE Team’s championship.
• The fastest lap in the LMP2 class was Philippe Denes from MAHLE RACING TEAM, who secured a 1:58.894 time on the 51st lap. Over in LMGTE, Charlie Collins in the Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR GTE was the fastest with a 2:13.075 lap time which he drove on his 49th lap. 
• Felix Rosenqvist from Team Redline said “It’s been such a long preparation for this race. We all put so many hours in. In the end we have to thank the team with the amazing fuel saving strategy. There were some concerns about rain, but in the end it never came so we didn’t need to worry about it. It was so much fun, with these races there’s so much at stake all the time, when I did my two stints I was completely fried afterwards.”
• Kevin Siggy from BMW Team Redline commented on the close finish in LMGTE “The final stint was very hard, with the fuel saving we had to do to get past the Porsche, but in the end we nailed the strategy and came out with first place. We ended the race with 0.4 litres of fuel, so it was very very close. After we passed the Porsche, it was about fuel saving as much as possible and making it to the end.” 

Two more races remain in 2021, with the next round the 8 Hours of Nurburgring coming in 4 weeks, all before the finale to the Le Mans Virtual Series season, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual race on January 15/16, 2022 which will be held live at the Autosport International Show at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. 

• Round 3    8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany    November 13, 2021
• Round 4    500 Miles of Sebring, USA    December 18, 2021
• Round 5    24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual    January 15/16, 2022

Following a successful start two weeks ago to Le Mans Virtual Series, the second round is now hours away.  The second of five rounds for the 2021-22 season will be the 6 Hours of Spa Virtual, and the 38 prototype and GTE entries (entry list HERE) will be competing virtually on the infamous 7km Belgian circuit which includes such famous corners and bends such as Eau Rouge, Raidillon, Stavelot and La Source.

The live broadcast will feature lead commentary by the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Duncan Vincent together with Chris McCarthy and Lewis McGlade and will begin at 12:30 pm (UTC+1) (13:30 CEST / 07:30 am ET ).  Full details of how and when to follow the broadcast and all the action is detailed in the visual above and below.

The first round of the esports world’s top endurance racing championship was an action-packed and incident-filled 4 Hours of Monza on September 25. With more than 2.6 million impressions on official channels during race week alone, Monza has set the stage for a wildly successful series, and viewers can expect even more thrills and excitement for the coming round!

The series brings together top level real life drivers such as Jenson Button, Alex Palou, Stoffel Vandoorne and Louis Deletraz and some of the world’s best sim racers to compete together in 5 endurance races of between 4 hours and 24 hours in duration and concludes with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live at the Autosport International show in Birmingham, UK in January 2022.

And here’s when you can follow the races, live and uninterrupted:

Friday, Oct 15:  (all times British Summer Time)

18:00                Qualifying show live  (not available on WEC or 24 Heures du Mans channels)

18:10 – 18:30    Qualifying GTE

18:40 – 19:00    Qualifying LMP

Saturday, Oct 16:

09:00 – 11:00    Warm up

12:30                Le Mans Virtual Series show live

13:00                6 Hours of Spa – RACE

For further media information contact Fiona Miller, Miller Media & Communications, on +44 7770 371332 or miller.media10@btinternet.com

The second round of the Le Mans Virtual Series is fast approaching and the 38-strong, star-studded entry list for the 6 Hours of Spa Virtual on Saturday, October 16 has today been revealed.

Whether in real life or in the virtual world, any race held at Spa is an event which never fails to deliver excitement, tension and drama. The 7km track always provides incidents and plenty of action, and the combined skills of the racing pros and sim experts will be fully put to the test on the rFactor2 platform’s excellent portrayal of the legendary circuit.  Among the features which can be put into play by the event organisers are dynamic weather and, as unpredictable conditions at Spa are extremely common, this may well shake things up even further.

Leading the battle among the 21 LMP2 prototype entries will be Monza winners, Realteam Hydrogen Redline, with Jeffrey Rietveld and Michal Smidl being joined for this round in the No.70 by FIA F3 star Caio Collet as Dani Juncadella has prior racing commitments.

With the IndyCar season now over, ex F1 driver Felix Rosenqvist joins the series in the No.123 entry, as does recently crowned FIA F3 Vice Champion Jack Doohan in the No.11 Red Bull Racing Esports ORECA 07 LMP2.  Both will be relying heavily on the talents and experience of the sim stars (Atze Kerkhof/Bono Huis in #123 and Alex Siebel/Dennis Nordan in #11) in their entries as they get to grips with the Le Mans Virtual Series.

After four hours of intense racing in the opening Italian round, a scant 2 seconds separated the No.22 GPX Williams Esports and No.4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst cars and both will be looking to maintain their good form – the experienced sportscar racer Tom Dillman replacing Sergio Sette Camara in the No.4 for this round.

No fewer than five manufacturers (Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Corvette and Aston Martin) have entries in LMGTE and Porsche will be hoping for a repeat of their Monza success.  The No.91 Porsche Esports Team 911 RSR GTE retains the winning line up of Mitchell deJong, Mack Bakkum and Martin Krönke, as does the No.71 BMW Team Redline of sim star turned pro racer, Rudy van Buren, Enzo Bonito and Kevin Siggy which took a close second and will be looking for a step up on the virtual podium.

Indy 500 and IndyCar hotshot Sage Karam makes his Le Mans Virtual Series debut with Porsche Esports Team, as does Ryan Cullen in the No.87 GR Wolves Racing Porsche and current ADAC F4 champion Jonny Edgar who will be racing the No.111 Corvette C8.R for Red Bull Racing Esports.

The Le Mans Virtual Series brings together top level real life drivers and some of the world’s best sim racers to compete together in 5 endurance races of between 4 hours and 24 hours in duration and concludes with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live at the Autosport International show in Birmingham, UK in January 2022.

For more details on the championship, the teams and events go to www.lemansvirtual.com.

For further media information contact Fiona Miller, Miller Media & Communications, on +44 7770 371332 or miller.media10@btinternet.com

 

About Motorsport Games:

Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, combines innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers around the globe. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series including NASCAR, INDYCAR, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”). Motorsport Games is an award-winning esports partner of choice for 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula E, BTCC, the FIA World Rallycross Championship and the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, among others.