Uncategorised Archives - Le Mans Virtual Series

From the latest report undertaken by YouGov Sport, the five-round Le Mans Virtual Series, which ran from September 2022 through to January 2023, recorded growth in TV and digital audience figures in almost every area.

The virtual racing series took place over five months on extremely detailed and realistic representations of iconic and well-known circuits in Bahrain, Monza, Spa and Sebring, with the finale to the season being held at the iconic Circuit des 24 Heures in Le Mans, France.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual on 14/15^th January brought together 45 LMP and GTE cars with 180 drivers from 41 different countries. Teams battled it out for a $250,000 series prize pool across the five rounds, with the competitors racing on 164 simulators worldwide – representing manufacturers such as Alpine, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes, Peugeot and Porsche.

Despite a number of serious technical issues during the 24-hour event – which have been fully investigated and addressed, 37 of the competitors took the chequered flag in a dramatic and passion-filled event. No other major technical issues were experienced throughout the other four rounds within the closely-fought season.

An impressive, cumulative, audience reach of over 8.5 million via TV, OTT and digital audiences was recorded for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in a recent report by YouGov Sport. The worldwide viewership enjoyed a slick and commanding broadcast across each round, with the season finale played out on a 25-hour TV special seen in 68 broadcast markets across four continents on channels such as Eurosport, CNBC, Fox/Disney and Motor Trend. After incredible battles up and down the field between the world’s best professional and sim racing drivers representing elite esports teams, the Le Mans Virtual Championships were won by Porsche Coanda (LMP) and BMW Team Redline (GTE).

Some key facts and figures from the Le Mans Virtual Series season:

558 hours of content was consumed by the #LeMansVirtual audience
36 million social media impressions (Source: FIA WEC, ACO, LMVS and Traxion), +19% year on year
10 million video views (Source: FIA WEC, ACO and Traxion GG), +43% year on year
5 million total broadcast audience reach (linear TV/digital streaming (source: YouGov Sport) for 24H Virtual alone
Reigning F1 World Champion plus FIA F2 and F3 Champions took to the grid for the 24-hour event
Up to 227 drivers from 41 different nations – a greater representation than ever this season
40 full season entries split in two classes (29 LMP and 21 GTE) with +5 cars for 24H Virtual
Up to 164 simulators used in 38 different countries across the world (41% more)
356 laps completed by the winner, #2 Team Redline ORECA 07 LMP2 (Drugovich/Rosenqvist/Bennett/Lulham)
365,033 kilometres of racing over the five rounds, with technical difficulties only being encountered at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual
36,951 overtakes, making for compelling viewing
2,226 total pitstops, as teams crunched the numbers and implemented strategies

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, which is a partner in the Le Mans Virtual Series commented: “It is very encouraging to see that the Le Mans Virtual Series season was an overall success, despite some technical problems encountered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. We are delighted to see the popularity of endurance sim racing continuing to increase year on year, and we all look forward to the launch of the official Le Mans Esports game at the end of this very special centenary year.”

Gérard Neveu, Executive Producer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual: “On behalf of all of us at Le Mans Virtual Series, we want to sincerely thank all our competitors and teams who made this possible, our partners for their ongoing, loyal support, and the millions of fans who followed our events and who brought the social media sites alive with their comments of support, enthusiasm and fervour.

“When you look at the figures, the scale of the popularity of the series – especially the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – is clear to see. We are constantly pushing the boundaries of technology, of sporting excellence and organisation, and of what we expect of ourselves. Sometimes, as we have seen, this doesn’t go to plan but we learn from this and move forward as the future for the series is bright.”

The chequered flag has been shown for the 2023 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – the grand finale to this season’s Le Mans Virtual Series. The event’s 45 entries brought together 180 elite drivers from both the real and esports worlds. Together they represented 41 different countries, and raced on the legendary French track on 164 different simulators located around the world.

At the chequered flag 37 cars successfully concluded the world’s biggest virtual endurance race, with the first 6 cars completing 356 laps of hard racing. A total of 188,038 kilometres were covered during the 24 hours of racing and the winners today were the No.2 Team Redline of Felipe Drugovich, Felix Rosenqvist, Luke Bennett and Chris Lulham. In GTE the No.888 of Romain Grosjean’s team R8G Esports took victory, the Ferrari 488 GTE in the hands of Alexander Smolyar, Scott Andrews, Timotej Andonovski and Erjan Jajovski.

The race didn’t run entirely smoothly for many, however, with two red flag stoppages and a number of subsequent issues for individual competitors. To explain further we asked Gérard Neveu, Executive Producer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual:

Q1: We didn’t see any stoppages during the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual last year. What happened in this 2023 edition?

“It became clear within the first 7 hours of the race that we had some serious server issues which led to us showing the red flag on the race twice. After some initial investigation, it seems that some race competitors accidentally shared to the public the IP addresses connecting them to the server, which is not supposed to happen. This put us in a weakened position, and we were subjected to some security breaches which caused the global disconnection of all competitors. It should never happen if the IP addresses are well protected.”

Q2: Why were some cars given laps back for lost time, and others not?

“Within the Sporting Regulations (article 14.11) for the Le Mans Virtual Series it states that if four or more competitors suffer disconnections, Race Control will compensate any time lost by “giving back” the time in laps. This was done for the red flag stoppages and on other occasions. Where fewer than four competitors are affected by disconnections, it’s difficult to prove where the fault lies and therefore the rules state that laps are not given back.

“We obviously feel very sorry for all the affected competitors including Max Verstappen, and understand their frustrations, but we cannot change the regulations mid-race, even if it’s for a double World Champion who we fully respect, as this would be very unfair on all the other competitors.

“We have asked the rFactor2 platform to launch a full investigation to find out where these problems are coming from and of course we will look at our processes and guidelines to try and reduce chance of similar issues taking place in 2024.”

Q3: How did the event run otherwise?

“These problems apart we think that when we look back at the 2023 edition, we can have a certain satisfaction about what we have achieved in terms of bringing together this amazing field of competitors and top teams, and with the broadcast that came live from Le Mans Virtual Series’ studio at Silverstone in the UK to TV and digital channels across the world.

“37 cars took the chequered flag and millions of viewers followed us during the weekend. The race itself was really intense and competitive delivering worthy winners and champions. You know, the 24 Hours of Le Mans always delivers drama and passionate emotions, and this is the same in the virtual version, with some competitors ending up happy and some sad.”

Q4: And what about the Le Mans Virtual Series as a whole?

“As well as our Team Redline and R8G Esports race winners, we of course have crowned our series’ champions Porsche Coanda and BMW Team Redline. Over the five-race season 365,038 kilometres of racing have successfully taken place and – this race apart – we have had very few issues.

“It takes a huge team effort with many, many people involved in multiple areas and we want to pay tribute to everyone for their energy, persistence, professionalism and expertise, especially in light of the technical problems we had. Specifically, we want to thank:

Our competitors and fantastic grids, without whom this would not have been possible
The millions of fans worldwide who have followed these events on TV, online and on social media
The represented manufacturers, Alpine, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche
Our sponsors and commercial partners, notably Rolex, Lego Technic, Goodyear, Algorand,
Thrustmaster and Total Energies
Everyone involved from the ACO and the FIA WEC
The entire broadcast production crew including the commentators who talked, analysed,
interviewed and entertained from start to finish
Our Race Direction team led by Eduardo Freitas, Jimmi Allison and Federico Schiarra
Our official timekeepers Alkamel Systems
Mission H24 for their support of our Leading Car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual
The sporting team led by Lewis Edmondson
The combined marketing teams
The combined media and communications team from MSG, ACO, WEC and TraxionGG
The logistics team
And very special congratulations and appreciation to the whole of the esports organisation team, led by Ben Rossiter-Turner for their professionalism, skill and execution in making the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual and all the other rounds of the series happen

Thank you all for being part of another great chapter in esports history and for all that has been achieved together. See you in June for the real 24 Hours of Le Mans and, of course, next year for the fourth edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.”

Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games” or the “Company”) today announced the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, the esports finale to the ever-entertaining Le Mans Virtual Series, takes place this weekend on January 14 and 15, 2023. The all-star entry list has attracted the interest of major broadcasters from around the globe including Motor Trend On Demand in North America, CNBC Pan Latin America and Pan Europe, Eurosport Player across Europe and M-Net SuperSport in the Sub-Saharan regions of Africa. With broadcasters streaming the event digitally through OTT platforms and on demand services, this exciting and extremely popular esports discipline will be available to millions of homes across the world.

The event features motorsport and esports champions from all four corners of the world, including Formula One Champion Max Verstappen, who will be racing from Monaco, Formula 2 Champion Felipe Drugovich in Brazil and Formula 3 Champion Victor Martins in France, who will join IndyCar’s Romain Grosjean and Felix Rosenqvist, plus a host of real world and esports racing stars ready to take on the world’s greatest virtual endurance race. The full SPOTTERS GUIDE can be found here.

The storied Silverstone racing track in the UK will be the host venue for a special, live TV show covering this unique two-day event, and the studio will welcome an expert commentary team made up of FIA World Endurance Championship lead commentator Martin Haven, real world racing and esports experts Chris McCarthy and Lewis McGlade, plus highly experienced motorsport commentator Ben Constanduros. A number of “pitlane” reporters will be based around the world to capture interviews and live action including Hayley Edmonds in Paris and current WEC competitor, 2020 Le Mans Virtual driver and FIA F2 and F3 commentator Alex Brundle in the UK.

The 180 competitors – representing 41 different nationalities – piloting the 45 cars (4 drivers in each car in rotation over the 24 hours) will be located on 164 different simulators across the world, and the digital interest from a wide variety of international broadcasters fully reflects the spread of drivers and teams.

Eurosport will cover the full 2-day event live throughout its European regions on Eurosport Player, and global coverage will be on Motorsport.tv. With a large number of successful esports racers hailing from Eastern Europe, the twice-round-the-clock event will be shown live in Croatia (Max Sport), Poland (Motowizja FB and SportKlub), Slovakia (Arena) and Ukraine (Sports TV Ch2), while countries such as Malta (TVMSports+) and Turkey (BeIN) will also broadcast live coverage.

Motor Trend will cover the full race live in North America on its OTT service, while TYC in Mexico will show the first and last hour of the event within the populous country. Mnet SuperSport and Africa XP will take the broadcast live across Sub-Saharan and Pan-Africa regions, thus extending the coverage to four continents around the world. Finally, live coverage will be aired in Fiji (FBC) and Singapore (delayed) on Singtel.

In addition to the live airings above, a wide range of territories will show a special 52-minute highlights show after the event, and information about these broadcasters including CNBC, Disney/Fox in China and Sport 1 in India will be communicated in due course.

The ACO and FIA WEC’s official YouTube and social media channels will be showing all the action live from start to finish, as will the Le Mans Virtual Series official website (www.lemansvirtual.com). The broadcast begins at 12:15 GMT (13:15 CET/07:15 EST) and the famous French national flag will be dropped for the start of the biggest endurance esports event of the year at 13:00 GMT (8:00 EST / 14:00 CET).

Another star-studded ENTRY LIST has today been released for the third edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, the final round of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series season. The event will take place on 14 & 15 January 2023 and will be held virtually, with the 180 drivers on simulators located all around the world.

The award-winning virtual event continues to be a huge draw for drivers at the top of their game in both the real and sim racing worlds. A fantastic line up of drivers includes two-time F1 World Champion Max Verstappen, former F1 and current INDYCAR star Romain Grosjean, FIA F2 Champion Felipe Drugovich, and FIA F3 Champion Victor Martins. Among the entries are three-time World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx who will be racing with his son Seb – himself a Porsche Carrera Cup North America Champion – in the Le Mans Virtual Cup guest car. They will be competing with INDYCAR’s Felix Rosenqvist, a noted race winner in both the real and virtual worlds, and Luke Browning, GB3 Champion and Aston Marin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year, together with many, many more well-known names.

In addition to real-world racing stars (listed as PRO on the entry list), internationally-renowned esports stars and former 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual winners such as Jeffrey Rietveld, Joshua Rogers and Nikodem Wisniewski are on the entry list, to name but a few. Also competing will be James Baldwin, recently awarded the prestigious Autosport Award for Esports Driver of the Year. The roster of talented and determined sim racers who will be combining with the pros to provide twice-round-the-clock racing, rivalry and entertainment is truly impressive and they have multiple esports championship titles between them.

In total, 180 drivers representing more than 40 different nations will be taking on the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe for the first event in the ACO’s centenary year. Manufacturers officially represented include Alpine, AMG Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche, with renowned drivers such as David Brabham, Romain Grosjean and Olivier Panis also fielding teams.

Further details will be revealed in the coming days about individual car liveries, plus how you can follow the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual on TV, online and on social media channels around the world.

All information on the event can also be found on www.lemansvirtual.com.

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

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’ top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with elite esports squads to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) – the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).

Round 1 8 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain September 17, 2022

Round 2 4 Hours of Monza, Italy October 8, 2022

Round 3 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium November 5, 2022

Round 4 500 Miles of Sebring, USA December 3, 2022

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 14/15, 2023

About Motorsport Games:

Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, is a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. Combining innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers, Motorsport Games strives to make the joy of racing accessible to everyone. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile, including NASCAR, INDYCAR, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), as well as the industry leading rFactor 2 and KartKraft simulations. rFactor 2 also serves as the official sim racing platform of Formula E, while also powering F1 Arcade through a partnership with Kindred Concepts. 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. Motorsport Games is building a virtual racing ecosystem where each product drives excitement, every esports event is an adventure and every story inspires.

Guernseymen racers Andy and Sebastian Priaulx will be taking on the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual (14/15^th January) in the No.24 Le Mans Virtual Cup entry, teaming with sim racers Shaun Arnold (GBR) and Zoltán Várkonyi (HUN). Three-time World Touring Car Champion and multiple race winner in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Ford Chip Ganassi, Andy, has raced with son Seb once before in the prestigious esports endurance event in 2020 and both Multimatic-contracted drivers are really keen to have another go. Seb is a current WEC driver and class winner with Dempsey Proton Racing and the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North American Champion. The Le Mans Virtual Cup is a 4-round competition which offers the rFactor 2 sim community the chance to race at a world-class level in front of a live audience, with a view to earning a seat in the main 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual at the end of the season. Shaun Arnold and Zoltán Várkonyi are the successful entrants who will be taking the big step onto the world stage in the coming 24-hour event. The full entry list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual will be released tomorrow (5^th January) at 2pm GMT/3pm CET/9am ET and expect to see a star-studded roster of names competing alongside the celebrated father-son pairing from the Channel Islands.Keep up to speed with all the latest news from the Le Mans Virtual Series at lemansvirtual.com and @LeMansVirtual across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 – 8 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain September 17, 2022Round 2 – 4 Hours of Monza, Italy October 8, 2022Round 3 – 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium November 5, 2022Round 4 – 500 Miles of Sebring, USA December 3, 2022Round 5 – 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 14/15, 2023

The entry list for the 500 Miles of Sebring, fourth round of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series – the global, elite endurance esports series and a joint venture between Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (“ACO”) – has today been revealed. With a full field of 40 cars, the complete roster for the 500 Mile-event (approximately 4 hours) can be found HERE. The race will take place on Saturday, December 3 and is the final round before the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in January.

The list features standout names from the real world of motorsport, including Team Redline’s two-time Formula One World Champion Max Verstappen, former F1 and current INDYCAR star Romain Grosjean and W Series and sportscar racing’s Beitske Visser for Mahle Racing Team, plus many more representing the most prestigious automotive manufacturers in the world. They are joined by elite esports squads from around the globe, and gaming stars such as Jeffrey Rietveld (Team Redline), Josh Rogers and Tommy Østgaard from Porsche Coanda Esports, and Lorenzo Arisi from Ferrari’s SIM Maranello entry.

Many teams are taking the opportunity to field pro drivers who will use the 500 Miles of Sebring as a prologue for Le Mans, giving them an opportunity to re-familiarise themselves with the fFactor2 platform and the increasingly competitive entrants. With just one round to go before the finale of the Le Mans Virtual Series, the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual (January 14-15), Team Redline leads the LMP Points classification from Floyd Vanwall Burst and BMW Team Redline heads Oracle Red Bull Racing in the GTE category’s points leader board. There is all to play for in each of the two categories and endurance esports laurels at stake together with the US$ 250 000 prize pool.

The race takes place on the technically tricky and virtually bumpy Sebring International Raceway, and full, uninterrupted coverage will begin from 12:30 pm (GMT / 7:30 am ET) on Saturday, December 3. The Florida track is unmatched for its history, especially in endurance racing, and the passion it invokes in motorsport fans – real or virtual. Be sure that plenty of action will be in store!

Qualifying is on Friday, December 2, and all race action can be followed on the FIA WEC, Le Mans and TraxionGG’s YouTube channels, on twitch.tv/traxiongg, and on multiple social media channels.

The legendary Spa-Francorchamps track in Belgium has long been at the top of the “favourite” list for drivers throughout the world, and the 6 Hours of Spa – third round of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series – has enticed some big names to the entry list which is revealed HERE.

Two-time F1 World Champion Max Verstappen will compete in the #1 Team Redline LMP entry (Verstappen/Rietveld/Benecke) for the first time this season, and he will be joined by R8G Esports Team Owner and INDYCAR star Romain Grosjean who will be driving the #18 R8G Esports LMP car (Grosjean/Hemmingsen/Ozyildorim) on the increasingly-strong grid.

LMP Championship leaders Floyd Vanwall-Burst (Viscaal/Simončič/Pedersen) will be looking to stretch out its narrow 2-point advantage over Team Redline, while in the hotly-contested GTE category the Oracle Red Bull Racing team (Kasdorp/Siebel/Jordan) will be planning to put its disastrous Monza showing into the background and return its Porsche to its Bahrain-winning form. BMW Team Redline and SF Velas Esports (Ferrari) are close behind and all the manufacturer-led teams will have their eye on victory.

The race takes place on the rFactor2 platform on the virtual, fast and technically challenging 4.35 mile/7km long Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and full, uninterrupted coverage will begin from 12:30 pm (GMT/13:30 CET) on Saturday, November 5. Expect some fireworks, hot track action and maybe some rain…a probability at Spa in the real world, whatever the season!

A total of 40 cars will battle it out in two different classes – 24 in LMP, with all competitors using an ORECA 07 LMP2 model, and 16 in GTE with teams having a choice of Ferrari, BMW, Porsche and Aston Martin Vantage models. Manufacturer support also comes to teams representing Alpine and Mercedes AMG.

Qualifying is on Friday, November 4, and all race action can be followed on the FIA WEC, Le Mans and TraxionGG’s YouTube channels, on twitch.tv/traxiongg, and on social multiple social media channels.

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

www.lemansvirtual.com

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 8 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain September 17, 2022

Round 2 4 Hours of Monza, Italy October 8, 2022

Round 3 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium November 5, 2022

Round 4 500 Miles of Sebring, USA December 3, 2022

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 14/15, 2023

Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”), a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, announces today The entry list for the second round of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series, 4 Hours of Monza. The list is available (HERE). The high level of both real life and sim drivers due to compete in the upcoming Monza event is a great indication that another closely contested race is likely from start to finish.

Names such as 2021 ELMS champion Yifei Yi, Mexican motorsport legend Luis Diaz and Porsche factory driver Ayhancan Güven will be racing alongside esports elite, including those representing Bahrain victors Floyd Vanwall-Burst (Dillmann/Simončič/Pedersen) in LMP and Oracle Red Bull Racing (Webster/Siebel/Jordan) in GTE.

The race will take place on the rFactor2 platform at the virtual Autodromo Nazionale Monza and full, uninterrupted coverage will begin from 12:40 p.m BST (CEST = +1 hour / EST = -5 hours) on Saturday, October 8. The Italian temple of speed is unmatched for its history and the passion it invokes in motorsport fans – real or virtual – and esport racing fans can be sure that plenty of action will be in store!

Qualifying begins on Friday, October 7 at 6:00pm BST, and all race action can be followed on the FIA WEC, Le Mans and TraxionGG’s YouTube channels, on twitch.tv/traxiongg, and on multiple social media channels.

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

www.lemansvirtual.com

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’s top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with elite esports squads to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) – the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).

Round 1 8 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain September 17, 2022

Round 2 4 Hours of Monza, Italy October 8, 2022

Round 3 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium November 5, 2022

Round 4 500 Miles of Sebring, USA December 3, 2022

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 14/15, 2023

About Motorsport Games:

Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, is a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. Combining innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers, Motorsport Games strives to make the joy of racing accessible to everyone. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile, including NASCAR, INDYCAR, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), as well as the industry leading rFactor 2 and KartKraft simulations. RFactor 2 also serves as the official sim racing platform of Formula E, while also powering Formula 1™ centers through a partnership with Kindred Concepts. 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. Motorsport Games is building a virtual racing ecosystem where each product drives excitement, every esports event is an adventure and every story inspires.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the timing, participants and expected benefits of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series, 4 Hours of Monza event. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: difficulties, delays in or unanticipated events that may impact the timing and expected benefits of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series, 4 Hours of Monza event, such as due to unexpected changes in the event participants, as well as less than anticipated participation in or viewership of the event. Factors other than those referred to above could also cause Motorsport Games’ results to differ materially from expected results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2022, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. Additionally, the business and financial materials and any other statement or disclosure on, or made available through, Motorsport Games’ website or other websites referenced or linked to this press release shall not be incorporated by reference into this press release.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:

Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (ir.motorsportgames.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media and blogs, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company and our products. It is possible that the information we post on our websites, social media and blogs could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the websites, social media channels and blogs, including the following (which list we will update from time to time on our investor relations website):

Websites	Social Media
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The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Press:

ASTRSK PR

motorsportgames@astrskpr.com

Thrustmaster Competition Code: ‘EP63LYDH’

The 8 Hours of Bahrain race opened this year’s Le Mans Virtual Series, which came to a pulse-racing conclusion as Jesper Pedersen, Jernej Simončič and Damian Skowron from FLOYD VANWALL-BURST topped the podium on the stunning new-to-rFactor2 virtual track – the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. In second and third places were R8G Esports and Team Redline.

Cooper Webster, Yuri Kasdorp and Dennis Jordan from Oracle Red Bull Racing took first place in the GTE category over the 5.41km/3.36-mile long track. An exciting contest throughout on an incredible track, the day-to-night (finishing under floodlights) event featured:

A strong performance from FLOYD VANWALL-BURST crowning them the winners of the first race of the Le Mans Virtual 2022-23 season
An intense battle for 2nd between R8G Esports and Team Redline in the final few laps with R8G Esports coming out on top
Collin Spork from Alpine Esports and Jordy Zwiers from SF Velas Esports Team secured the fastest laps in the two categories

We’re sharing the highlights of the race for news interest–you can see the full post-race report below. You can also watch the official highlights video here.

Le Mans Virtual Series, 8 Hours of Bahrain – As it happened

8 Hours of Bahrain, the first of five rounds of the Le Mans Virtual Series, kicked off Saturday 17th September with 120 drivers across the LMP and GTE classes competing for victory. Star drivers such as 2021 Le Mans Virtual Series champions Jeffrey Rietveld and Michal Smidl, Formula E racer Sergio Sette Camara, and former 24 Hours of Nürburgring winner Sami-Matti Trogen all competed in one of the most hotly contested sim racing events of the year.
Bahrain provided clear, dry weather conditions throughout the 8-hours providing the perfect backdrop for entertaining and nail-biting racing
In the LMP classification, FLOYD VANWALL-BURST took first place with Jernej Simončič taking his team over the finish line. Simončič had a comfortable lead in the final few laps and saw FLOYD VANWALL-BURST finish with a total race time of 8:01:19.750.
Team Redline and R8G Esports provided a wealth of excitement in the last few laps with an intense race for 2nd place overall. Despite showcasing an impressive performance throughout the race, last year’s champions Team Redline had to be satisfied with third place.
Jernej Simončič from FLOYD VANWALL-BURST spoke after the race about the close race with Team Redline: “We were so confused by the Redline strategy. We were trying to make sense of it for one hour or so and in the end, it didn’t make sense but they still appeared to be ahead of us. So we knew that we just needed to keep going with our strategy advantage; we had 2/3 laps on them. We carried that and tried to strike in the end. Fortunately in the end I had the pace to make the catch for the lead.”
Collin Spork from Alpine Esports set the fastest lap in the LMP category with an impressive lap time of 1:42.606.

In the GTE classification, it was a dominant showing from first time Le Mans Virtual race winner, Oracle Red Bull Racing, with a final race time of 8:02:57.504. SF Velas Esports Team recorded a series’ best result for a Ferrari to finish in second, and BMW Team Redline came in third.

- Dennis Jordan from Oracle Red Bull Racing spoke about his teammate Yuri Kasdorp after the race: “Yuri was just on fire. What he did at the start was just incredible. In his first two stints, I have never seen anything like it, all credit to him. It’s his birthday today as well; he really made us win the race today,”

Jordy Zwiers from SF Velas Esports Team was awarded the fastest GTE lap with a time of 1:54.813

Three more races remain in this thrilling competition before the finale of the Le Mans Virtual Series season, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual on January 14/15, 2023, all of which will be held online on the rFactor2 platform.

Next Up: Round 2 – 4 Hours of Monza – October 8th 2022

Images from 8 Hours of Bahrain can be found here.

The opening round of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series, a joint venture between Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (“ACO”), is almost upon us, kicking off this week on Friday, September 16, 2022, leading up to the 8 Hours of Bahrain on Saturday, September 17, 2022. Fans are invited to follow the action provided by the star names, the elite of real and virtual racing, in the biggest endurance esports grid outside the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.

The five-round season, which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual as its grand finale, will see names such as Max Verstappen, Romain Grosjean, Daniel Juncadella and Rudy van Buren – the sim-racer-turned-pro-racer just signed as a simulator driver to Red Bull Racing F1 – competing with the many factory-supported esports superstars that have become household names. Within the regulations, it should be noted that the pro drivers do not have to take part in every round (see below).

A link to the TV preview show giving all the details for the season ahead can be found HERE, the entry list for the first round, the 8 Hours of Bahrain, can be found HERE, and the spotters guide for the first round can be found HERE.

The Le Mans Virtual Series will once again benefit from the knowledge and talents of top-flight broadcasters who will cover the whole series, plus Le Mans Cup LIVE. Using their expertise, in-depth understanding and analytical skills, they will bring insights into what’s happening on track during the events – plus explanation of rules, behind-the-scenes news and interviews – to fans, competitors and gamers across the world.

The broadcast team will be led by Martin Haven (Rounds 2 and 3) and Ben Constanduros (Rounds 1 and 4), the former one of motorsport’s best-known commentators and lead voice for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the latter the face and voice of the World Rally Championship and many top esports series. As in previous years, they will be accompanied by Chris McCarthy – who has been making his mark in international commentaries for IndyCar and FIA F3 – and Lewis McGlade, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of sim racing and racers through his commentaries on series such as Formula Pro and Formula E Accelerate, as well as real life GB3 and GB4 championships.

The competition among the 40-strong entries is likely to be as hotly contested as always in both the LMP and GTE categories, racing together via the rFactor 2 platform on the same track and time. No fewer than 120 drivers will be battling it out for the first time on the colourful and iconic virtual Bahrain International Circuit, a welcome addition to the Le Mans Virtual Series.

Changes in the regulations regarding the composition of drivers now include:

The requirement for the FIA International license holder (i.e., the pro driver) within the nominated roster of four to be a minimum of Bronze-rated and they only have to compete in a minimum of one of the regular LMVS events;
Teams must field no fewer than three drivers in each of the first four rounds, increasing to four for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual to be held in January 2023;
All drivers on a team’s nominated roster of drivers must compete in at least one LMVS round or the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual; and
Changes made to the driver line-up after the official entry list for that round has been announced will result in a time penalty to be taken during the race. Special dispensation may be given on a case-by-case basis.

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

Friday, Sept. 16: (all times British Summer Time / CEST = +1 hour / EST = -5 hours)

18:10 – 18:55 Le Mans Virtual Cup Round 1 – RACE

19:00 Qualifying show live

19:10 – 19:30 Qualifying GTE

19:40 – 20:00 Qualifying LMP

Saturday, Sept. 17:

09:00 – 11:00 Warm up

12:30 Le Mans Virtual Series show live

13:00 8 Hours of Bahrain – RACE

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance and sim racing’s top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with elite esports squads to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between Motorsport Games, a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) – the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).

Round 1 8 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain September 17, 2022

Round 2 4 Hours of Monza, Italy October 8, 2022

Round 3 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium November 5, 2022

Round 4 500 Miles of Sebring, USA December 3, 2022

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 14/15, 2023

About Motorsport Games:

Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, is a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. Combining innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers, Motorsport Games strives to make the joy of racing accessible to everyone. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile, including NASCAR, INDYCAR, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), as well as the industry leading rFactor 2 and KartKraft simulations. RFactor 2 also serves as the official sim racing platform of Formula E, while also powering Formula 1™ centers through a partnership with Kindred Concepts. 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. Motorsport Games is building a virtual racing ecosystem where each product drives excitement, every esports event is an adventure and every story inspires.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the timing, participants and expected benefits of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: difficulties, delays in or unanticipated events that may impact the timing and expected benefits of the Le Mans Virtual Series, such as due to unexpected changes in the event participants, as well as less than anticipated participation in or viewership of the Le Mans Virtual Series events. Factors other than those referred to above could also cause Motorsport Games’ results to differ materially from expected results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2022, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. Additionally, the business and financial materials and any other statement or disclosure on, or made available through, Motorsport Games’ website or other websites referenced or linked to this press release shall not be incorporated by reference into this press release.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:

Websites	Social Media
motorsportgames.com	Twitter: @msportgames & @traxiongg
traxion.gg	Instagram: msportgames & traxiongg
motorsport.com	Facebook: Motorsport Games & traxiongg
	LinkedIn: Motorsport Games
	Twitch: traxiongg
	Reddit: traxiongg

The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Contacts:

US Press: ASTRSK PR, motorsportgames@astrskpr.com

EU/UK Press: Swipe Right PR, motorsport@swipterightpr.com

The opening round of the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series season is fast-approaching and the premier endurance esports championship has once again attracted top level attention from major automotive marques, elite esports teams and top-level drivers from both the real and virtual worlds. The full entry list for the 8 Hours of Bahrain on Saturday, September 17 can be found HERE.

The 40 team entries are split between two categories – LMP (using an ORECA 07 LMP2 model) and GTE, with teams free to use either an Aston Martin Vantage GTE, BMW M8 GTE, Ferrari 488 GTE or Porsche 911 RSR GTE. These manufacturers join with Alpine and Mercedes-AMG in supporting esports teams in the series.

A mix of ‘pro’ drivers from the real motorsport world and elite competitors from the sim racing scene will be racing together to represent their teams in the 8 Hours of Bahrain. Among the names who will be on the grid are Formula E racer Sergio Sette Camara for Nextview Vanwall Burst, former 24 Hours of Nürburgring winner Sami-Matti Trogen in the Williams Esports entry, James Baldwin for AMG Team Petronas Esports, gamer-turned-real world racer Dylan Pereira for Proton Coanda Esports and former DTM Champion Bruno Spengler who continues his long-time association with BMW competing for BMW Team BS+COMPETITION.

Joining them are 2021 Le Mans Virtual Series champions Jeffrey Rietveld and Michal Smidl for Team Redline, Josh Rogers and Mitchell deJong for Porsche Coanda, Yuri Kasdorp for Oracle Red Bull Racing, plus 2021 Le Mans Cup Champion Christopher Högfeldt who graduates to the premier grid with R8G Esports. Add into the mix sim racing stars such as Michi Hoyer, Kevin Siggy, Bono Huis and many more and fast and furious racing action is guaranteed.

120 drivers will be competing from around the world on the all-new virtual Bahrain International Circuit, s vying for victory. Full season entries are eligible for the US$250,000 prize fund, with monies being split evenly between the LMP and GTE classes.

Supporting this year’s Le Mans Virtual Series will be some of the world’s most high-profile brands, including: Thrustmaster as Official Hardware Partner, Rolex as Official Timepiece Partner, Total Energies as Official Energy Partner, Goodyear as Official Tire Partner, LEGO® Technic as Official Engineering Partner and Algorand as Official Blockchain Partner.

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

www.lemansvirtual.com

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 8 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain September 17, 2022

Round 2 4 Hours of Monza, Italy October 8, 2022

Round 3 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium November 5, 2022

Round 4 500 Miles of Sebring, USA December 3, 2022

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 14/15, 2023

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.

With a recently-announced raft of elite motorsport manufacturers and top esports teams due to compete in the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series, attention now turns to who will be piloting the 40-strong entries to success.

All will be revealed in an exclusive TV show, hosted by renowned motorsport commentator Martin Haven and esports specialist Lewis McGlade, which will be shown later today on Traxion.GG’s YouTube channel at 18h00 BST / 19h00 CEST / 13h00 EST.

Superstar names from Formula One, IndyCar, WEC, from all major esports championships and many, many more real and virtual series from around the world will be announced, stunning car liveries will be revealed and the latest update on the composition of driver line ups will be explained.

Tune in to see how the coming Le Mans Virtual Series season will unfurl starting with the 8 Hours of Bahrain on Saturday, 17^th September with the broadcast beginning at 12h30 BST (13h30 CEST/07h30 EST). The full entry list for Round 1 will be revealed tomorrow, Tuesday 13^th September.

The entry list for the 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series, the global, elite endurance esports series, has today been revealed and it features teams representing some of the most prestigious automotive manufacturers in the world, as well as elite esports squads from around the globe. The biggest full season Le Mans Virtual Series entry list to date can be found HERE.

Driver names – including championship-winning superstars from multiple disciplines around the world who will be making an appearance during the season – are due to be released on Monday, September 12^th during a special TV Preview Show. Stay tuned to social media channels for more news on how to view the show.

An additional 10 cars are expected to join the entry list for the increasingly popular, high profile 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual on January 14/15, the final round of the five-race series, attracting even more star names to add to the excitement.

The 40 full season entries are split between two categories of car (LMP2 – 24 cars; LMGTE – 16) which will compete in races which range between four and 24 hours in duration. Top worldwide brands such as Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche return for more top esports action and success, many with multiple entries.

The prestige manufacturer names are joined by the elite of sim racing competition, including LMP and GTE 2021 champions Team Redline and GTE Vice Champions Porsche Coanda Esports who are stepping up to the prototype class. Among others, Romain Grosjean’s R8G Esports team will be competing alongside Floyd Vanwall-Burst, Williams Esports, Alpine Esports, YAS Heat Veloce, AMG Team Petronas Esports and Jenson Button’s Rocket Simsport team in the prototype category, and all entries will compete with an ORECA 07 LMP2. Joining them for 2022 are Mexico Racing Team, Pescarolo Esport Monaco, Team Fordzilla and Brabham Esports, the latter new to the Le Mans Virtual Series but bringing with it a name steeped in motorsport history.

Some of endurance racing’s most steadfast teams such as the European Le Mans Series’ Panis Racing, GR Vector eSport (a combination of two WEC teams), Proton Competition, D’Station Racing and ARC Bratislava are also featured on the list across the two categories.

The GTE class offers competitors a choice of Aston Martin Vantage GTE, BMW M8 GTE, Ferrari 488 GTE and Porsche 911 RSR GTE cars, and names familiar to both the real and sim racing world such as MAHLE Racing Team, SIMMSA Esports, Oracle Red Bull Racing and Prodrive FYRA Esport will be among the competitors vying for championship success.

No fewer than 15 different nations are represented on the team entry list from Europe, the USA, Africa and the Far East, a 25% increase on last season. The appeal of Le Mans Virtual Series racing continues to rise!

Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) — a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world — and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) — the creators and organizers of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). It will take place over five rounds with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual as its grand finale. The calendar of events features some of the world’s most famous and recognizable racetracks – Monza, Spa, Bahrain, Sebring and Le Mans – which will challenge all the drivers, international FIA-licensed and sim racers alike, and thrill the millions of esports enthusiasts worldwide.

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 8 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain September 17, 2022

Round 2 4 Hours of Monza, Italy October 8, 2022

Round 3 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium November 5, 2022

Round 4 500 Miles of Sebring, USA December 3, 2022

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 14/15, 2023

About Motorsport Games:

Websites/Social Media:

motorsportgames.com

Twitter: @msportgames & @traxiongg

Instagram: msportgames & traxiongg

Facebook: Motorsport Games & traxiongg

LinkedIn: Motorsport Games

Twitch: traxiongg

Reddit: traxiongg

The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Contacts:

Investors: Ashley DeSimone, Ashley.Desimone@icrinc.com

US Press: ASTRSK PR, motorsportgames@astrskpr.com

EU/UK Press: Swipe Right PR, motorsport@swipterightpr.com

Le Mans Virtual Series, a joint venture between Motorsport Games Inc. and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), returns this September for more of the elite, endurance esports competition which has attracted world motor racing champions, captured global attention, and received plaudits from teams, drivers and fans alike. The announcement was made today at the official ACO annual press conference ahead of the 90^th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Last year’s successful Le Mans Virtual Series culminated in a thrilling 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in January 2022 with multiple, major motor manufacturers entering teams and F1 World Champion Max Verstappen and IndyCar Champion Alex Palou within the 200-strong driver line up. An impressive, cumulated TV and digital audience figure of more than 81 million (Source: YouGov Sport) was registered throughout its 5-month season.

Similar to the 2021/22 series, all five rounds of the coming series will be held online on the rFactor2 platform including the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, the climax of the premier endurance esports championship. This format allows teams to compete virtually on simulators located all around the world, for a total prize fund of US $250,000.

To allow more flexibility within professional drivers’ schedules – now fully restored after the disruption of the global health pandemic – a change has been made to the driver requirements. Teams must enter one professional driver in at least one regular round of the series (Rounds 1-4) instead of the full season.

The 2022/23 calendar features some of the world’s most famous and recognizable racetracks across three continents which will challenge drivers from the real and sim worlds, and thrill the millions of esports enthusiasts around the globe. New for 2022 is the season-opening 8 Hours of Bahrain, a more modern classic which fits in comfortably with the history and legendary status of Monza, Spa, Sebring and, of course, the most iconic venue of them all, Le Mans.

Giving their full and continued support to the Le Mans Virtual Series will be some of the world’s best known and most prestigious brands: Thrustmaster as Official Hardware Partner, Rolex as Official Timepiece Partner, Total Energies as Official Energy Partner, Goodyear as Official Tire Partner, Algorand as Official Blockchain Partner, and LEGO® Technic as Official Engineering Partner.

Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, commented: “We are very pleased to have supported and followed the success of the Le Mans Virtual Series to date with, as its highlight, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. The link between real-life motorsport and esports is an essential element for our manufacturers and teams, and we believe it has an important role to play in attracting a new, younger audience both on and off track. We all look forward to another excellent season of esports competition.”

CEO of Le Mans Virtual Series, Gérard Neveu, said: “Last year’s Le Mans Virtual Series was extremely successful but we always aim for better! The audience figures and returns we saw in 2021-22 go a long way towards recognizing the support of our impressive portfolio of partners, the collaboration of elite manufacturers and the commitment of the best sim racing teams including our current champions, Team Redline. We are confident we will continue to attract champions from all different categories of motorsport and sim racing, and that we can produce another exciting and professional esports series for the massive worldwide gaming and spectator audiences to enjoy.”

The vision for the virtual series remains to be as prestigious and recognizable as the real-world FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans as its cornerstone event. The esports series will continue to use rFactor 2 as its platform, which is focused on the sim racing audience and provides a more authentic racing experience. Focus on increased race and strategy analysis and professional broadcasts of the races will further boost fan interest and engagement. As in previous years, FIA-licensed drivers and sim racing experts compete together in either LMP or GTE models. More details on the entry list will be revealed at the beginning of September.

The 5-round 2021-22 Le Mans Virtual Series, which was brought to a glittering conclusion last weekend with the star-studded 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, registered impressive, cumulated TV and digital audience figures of more than 81 million (Source: YouGov Sport) throughout its 5-month season.

The grand finale to the Le Mans Virtual Series on 15/16^th January brought together 50 cars with 200 drivers from 39 different countries, racing on 116 simulators worldwide in 28 countries on an extremely accurate virtual rendition of the iconic Circuit des 24 Heures in Le Mans, France. Heading a grid of famous racing names, and leading the charge in early stages was Formula One World Champion Max Verstappen, competing alongside INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou and motorsport legend Juan Pablo Montoya amongst others.

After incredible battles up and down the field between the world’s best professional and sim racing drivers representing elite esports teams, the event was won by Realteam Hydrogen Redline, with BMW Team Redline taking victory in the GTE category.

An impressive cumulative TV/OTT and digital audience of over 81 million (Source: YouGov Sport) enjoyed a slick and authoritative 25-hour TV special seen in countries across four continents on channels such as Eurosport, Motor Trend, L’Equipe Live and Motorsport.TV.

Some key facts and figures:

360,000 hours were consumed by the #LeMansVirtual audience
8 million TV/OTT audience (source: YouGov Sport)
2 million social media impressions (FIA WEC, ACO, LMVS) through the season
7 million video views (across FIA WEC, ACO and Traxion GG – Source: Hookit)
200 drivers from 39 different nations
50 cars split in two classes (29 LMP and 21 GTE)
116 simulators in 28 different countries
2 servers (1 main/1 backup) operated rFactor2 and 0 server issues
33,000 connections on the official Alkamel timing system (Source: Alkamel)
407 laps completed by the winner, #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline
Organisation team of 120 people including production, sporting, marketing, media and digital, TV, logistics

Gérard Neveu, Executive Producer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual and Motorsport Advisor to Motorsport Games: “On behalf of all of us at Le Mans Virtual Series, we want to sincerely thank all our competitors and teams who made this possible, our partners for their unwavering support, and the millions of fans who followed our events and who brought the social media sites alive with their comments of support, passion and race-enthusiasm.

“These impressive figures and the quality of the events are clear confirmation that the Le Mans Virtual Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual are now firmly established at the very top level of esports and sim racing. Let’s now get ready for next season and make it even better!”

An incredible performance at a star-studded 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual last weekend saw Team Redline emerge victorious across both LMP and GTE classifications, as well as take home the coveted Le Mans Virtual Series title plus more than US$ 60,000 in prize money (monies won by both LMP and GTE Redline teams).

The #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline, driven by Felipe Drugovich, Oliver Rowland, Jeffrey Rietveld and Michael Smidl topped the LMP podium at the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe, while sister team #71 BMW Team Redline raced to victory in the LMGTE category.

With double points on offer for the 24 Hour of Le Mans virtual, as the biggest and most important race of the Le Mans Virtual Series, the double podium finish saw the two Team Redline entries soar to the top of the Series rankings. The Realteam Hydrogen Redline team scooped the LMP Series title with two victories (Monza and Le Mans) but by just half a point after an excruciatingly close season battling rivals Rebellion GPX Esports and Floyd ByKolles-Burst. In GTE, BMW Team Redline rounded off a stellar season of three victories (Spa, Sebring and Le Mans) to edge out its Porsche Esports Team rivals by 26.5 points to secure a dominant Series victory.

As the backdrop for a decisive season-defining event, the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual brought together 200 top line professional drivers, including F1 World Champion Max Verstappen, INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou and motorsport legend Juan Pablo Montoya, and the world’s best sim racers from 39 different countries, racing on 116 different simulators in 50 cars on the legendary French track.

The endurance race was packed with action, and the early stages saw F1 World Champion Max Verstappen leading the field and performing strongly although he ultimately fell foul of the 14km street/circuit layout of the Circuit de la Sarthe after hitting a barrier which saw his car’s exit from the race. Alongside racing royalty, the likes of YouTube star and endurance racer Jimmy Broadbent also had multiple stints behind the wheel at the race to make the twice-round-the-clock race an unforgettable one.

After the race, #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline driver, and Formula E race champion Oliver Rowland said: “There’s everything that goes into a normal race weekend and probably more into this because we spend so many hours practising. It was amazing to see how much the real drivers, [Felipe] Drugovich, Felix [Rosenqvist] and Max [Verstappen], were putting in as well to get the result that, ultimately, we achieved. This win shows that anything can happen; I wasn’t the fastest in the world, but it’s a 24-hour race and we kept our heads and didn’t make any mistakes.”

Gérard Neveu, Executive Director of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual commented: “This has once again been a huge team effort with so many people involved in multiple areas. Many congratulations to our winners of the 24 Hours Virtual, and of the whole Le Mans Virtual Series, and to all our competitors and partners – this would not have been possible without them. We want to pay tribute to everyone for their energy, enthusiasm, professionalism and expertise, and we hope to see you for the coming Le Mans Virtual Series and, of course, for the third edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.”

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

www.lemansvirtual.com

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of 5 rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’s top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with leading esports protagonists to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live and televised at the Autosport Show International in Birmingham, UK. The Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and ACO-the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA WEC. www.lemansvirtual.com

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021

Round 4 4 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022

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, KartKraft, rFactor 2 and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, the Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

The chequered flag has been shown for the 2022 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – the grand finale to the 2021-22 Le Mans Virtual Series. The event brought together 200 top line professional drivers, including F1 World Champion Max Verstappen, INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou and motorsport legend Juan Pablo Montoya, and the world’s best sim racers from 39 different countries, racing on 116 different simulators in 50 cars on the legendary French track.

Following a successful and impressive event which was broadcast live from Studio Gabriel in Paris on TV and digital channels across the world, the world’s biggest virtual endurance race has drawn to a conclusion.

Gérard Neveu, Executive Director of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual commented: “This has once again been a huge team effort with so many people involved in multiple areas. Due to the ever-evolving worldwide Covid pandemic, changes in format and to driver line ups all had to be made at relatively short notice. We want to pay tribute to everyone for their energy, enthusiasm, professionalism and expertise by saying a sincere and warm thank you to…

Our competitors and this fantastic grid, without whom this would not have been possible
The millions of fans worldwide who have followed this event on TV, online and on social media
The represented manufacturers, Ferrari, Porsche, Alpine, Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Aston Martin and Corvette
Our sponsors and commercial partners, notably Rolex, Lego Technic, Goodyear, Algorand, Thrustmaster and Total Energies
Everyone involved from the ACO and the FIA WEC
The entire AMP Visual TV production crew including the commentators who talked, analysed, interviewed and entertained from start to finish
The Studio Gabriel (TV studio) for its very warm welcome and support
Our Race Direction team led by Eduardo Freitas and Ben Rossiter-Turner
Everyone at Studio 397/rFactor2 for 24 hours of green flag racing
Our official timekeepers Alkamel Systems
Mission H24 for their support of our Safety Car
The sporting team led by Lewis Edmondson
The combined marketing team
The combined media and communications team from MSG, ACO, WEC and TraxionGG
The logistics team and Bivouac Catering
And a very special congratulations to the whole of Motorsport Games for their skill, performance and execution in making the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual happen

Thank you for being part of this great chapter in esports history and for all that has been achieved together. See you in June for the real 24 Hours of Le Mans and, of course, next year for the third edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.”

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

www.lemansvirtual.com

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021

Round 4 4 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022

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, KartKraft, rFactor 2 and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, the Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

The 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, the final round of the Le Mans Virtual Series, ended in spectacular fashion as #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline and Felipe Drugovich, Oliver Rowland, Jeffrey Rietveld and Michael Smidl topped the podium at the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe.

Renowned as the most intense and gruelling race in real world motorsport, the field for the biggest endurance esports event of the year was littered with racing stars eager to test their mettle against the famed 24-hour endurance test, including newly-crowned F1 World Champion Max Verstappen, IndyCar 2021 Champion Alex Palou and motorsport legend Juan Pablo Montoya.

The competitiveness of the field and the attritional racing of the 24 Hours took their toll on even the biggest stars, as Max Verstappen in the #123 Team Redline car crashed out in the eighth hour, while 16 other cars were forced to retire or were not classified, including Juan Pablo Montoya’s #40 LMP Cup Champion.

In second and third places were #1 Rebellion GPX Esports and #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst, while Rudy van Buren, Lorenzo Colombo, Enzo Bonito and Kevin Siggy in the #71 BMW Team Redline took first place in the LMGTE category to make it a spectacular double win for Team Redline.

As the Le Mans Virtual Series finale, the twice-round-the-clock endurance race was also the backdrop to a championship-deciding clash between #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline and #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst, with the former claiming the championship trophy and the coveted prize money by just half a point after earning double points at Le Mans. Some high profile entries, such as the all-female W Series line up and the official Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports LMP2, suffered from technical issues which saw them exit the race at an early stage, but their presence added immeasurably to the starting grid.

A pulse-racing contest with plenty of action throughout on the iconic endurance circuit, the event featured:

A dominant display from #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline to secure victory at Le Mans, after Jeffrey Rietveld drove a spectacular qualifying lap to pip F1 World Champion Max Verstappen in #123 Team Redline for pole position in qualifiers.
An epic three-way showdown between #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline, #1 Rebellion GPX Esports and #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst for the Le Mans Virtual Series Championship and $250,000 prize pool, as Team Redline earned the series title by just half a point, with the Le Mans race victory earning double points.
An unprecedented result for Team Redline, which earned a double race victory, as well as claim the Series title across both LMP2 and LMGTE classifications
An attritional 24-hour battle across the field, as the gruelling endurance race saw a total of 17 cars retired or not classified
Tom Lartilleux for #14 Race Clutch Alpine securing the fastest lap at 3:21.734

After the race, #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline driver, and Formula E race champion Oliver Rowland said: “There’s everything that goes into a normal race weekend, and probably more goes into this because we spend so many hours practising and how much the real drivers, [Felipe] Drugovic, Felix [Rosenqvist] and Max [Verstappen], were putting in as well to get the result that, ultimately, we achieved.

“[This result] shows that anything can happen, I wasn’t the fastest in the world, but it’s a 24 hour race and we kept our heads and didn’t make any mistakes.”

We’re sharing the highlights of the race for news interest–you can see the full post-race report below. You can also watch a highlights video here, and find official imagery here.

**Le Mans Virtual Series, *24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual* – Post Race Report**

The 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, the fifth and final round of the Le Mans Virtual Series, kicked off Saturday 15th January with 200 drivers in 50 cars across the LMP2 and GTE classes taking to the start line. The drivers used 116 different simulators located in 28 different locations across the globe, including four in the Parisian studio used to live broadcast the race.
2021 F1 World Champion Max Verstappen led a star-studded driver line-up that featured names from across motorsport, including 2021 INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou, ex-F1 driver Felix Rosenqvist and former F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya, racing alongside his son Sebastian Montoya.
Having led the race at the start, swiftly overtaking the #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline, and looking like the team to beat in an attritional battle for top spot, the #123 Team Redline crashed out of the race in the eighth hour, after hitting the barrier at the Ford Chicane with Verstappen at the wheel.
Conditions were clear at Circuit de la Sarthe, and all eyes on each team’s strategy for the fiercely competitive 24 Hours ahead. Naturally teams had to keep a close eye on tyre wear as the endurance race took its toll on rubber, while minimum and maximum times behind the wheel would make the order of drivers very impactful over the 24 hours, with many starting with their pro drivers. Most notably, the #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline in pole started with Brazilian Formula 2 race winner Felipe Drugovich and #123 Team Redline entered the race with F1 World Champion Max Verstappen behind the wheel to try to push their advantage in the early stages. Having fresh eyes through the night would also prove crucial, as attrition, traffic and low-light conditions took their toll on several contenders near the halfway mark.

In the LMP Classification, the race began with Felipe Drugovic in the #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline leading the grid, after Jeffrey Rietveld gave a spectacular qualifying drive, 0.002 seconds ahead of F1 World Champion Max Verstappen #123 Team Redline, to earn pole position. Verstappen and the #123 car started in second but quickly gained the race lead amid feisty opening clashes. Further down the grid the opening traffic caused some chaos, resulting the #31 Team WRT SIMTAG Esports entry hitting the barriers after contact and back onto the circuit to collide with the championship-leading #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst. A surging James Baldwin in #28 Veloce Esports rose from fourth to second and began trading blows with Verstappen upfront, both setting fastest sector times before a strategy decision saw the Veloce pit early to swap Baldwin for Isaac Gillissen to allow Redline to extend its lead.
In the eighth hour of the race, the #123 Team Redline looked imperious up front with Max Verstappen once again behind the wheel, but disaster struck at the Ford Chicane. The LMP car appeared to lose control over the kerb and struck the tyre barriers to force the car’s retirement and hand the lead to a lightning-quick Jeffrey Rietveld in the #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline. Approaching the halfway mark as darkness descended on the Circuit de la Sarthe, Formula E race winner Oliver Rowland was now behind the wheel of the still-leading #70, while reigning champions #1 Rebellion GPX Esports were up to second. By this time the field had opened up a little, as the famously attritional race and competitive driving saw some cars falter, including the #24 Le Mans Cup Champions entry driven by Juan Pablo Montoya and his son Sebastian Montoya as well as Luca D’Amelio and Christopher Högfeldt, which was forced to retire after striking a barrier.
By the final few hours the #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline had extended its lead to a minute ahead of #1 Rebellion GPX Esports, which in turn held a significant lead over #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst, which had risen to third after #28 Veloce Esports ran out of fuel to force an unfortunate retirement. With much focus and precision crucial amid marathon stints by several drivers, the quality and precision on the circuit was on full display as crisp driving saw the leading pack try in vain to gain on the #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline, which crossed the finish line on lap 407. The result not only secured the team its first 24 Hours of Le Mans victory, but also won the Le Mans Virtual Series title by just half a point

Over in the LMGTE Classification, a stunning qualifying lap by #111 Red Bull Racing Esports Corvette by Sebastian Job would see the team start in class pole, with Dennis Lind behind the wheel, while #91 Porsche Esports Team and #71 BMW Team Redline were second and third on the grid respectively. The lead didn’t last however, as Mitchell deJong in the #91 Porsche and Rudy van Buren in the #71 BMW Team Redline both overtook the Red Bull team in the opening laps. By the end of the opening exchanges it was familiar faces leading the LMGTE pack, with the #91 and #92 Porsche Esports Team cars leading the race and the #71 BMW Team Redline sat in third. Although the leaders had largely remained apart from the chaos further down the grid, Joshua Rogers in the #92 Porsche narrowly avoided the #44 ARC Bratislava to cause an early scare.
By the halfway point, a four-way battle was well underway and the #70 BMW Team Redline had played the long game to perfection, and taken advantage of the squad’s impressive fuel-saving ability to lead the class, after Kevin Siggy overtook Sage Karam in the #92 Porsche. The chasing pack remained extremely close, however, as pit stops regularly saw the BMW trade leads with the two Porsches, while the #51 Ferrari Driver Academy Esports 488 was still a threat in fourth place and within twenty seconds of top spot. The infamous night drive saw a big casualty in the third quarter of the race, as Tommy Østgaard in the #92 Porsche Esports Team was forced to retired after being hit by Nico Varrone in the #65 Panis Racing LMP, which was in turn given a drive through penalty.
Approaching the final stints, the #71 BMW had retained its position at the top of the grid as its fuel-saving strategy continued to give it an incredible advantage over the remaining #91 Porsche. While the BMW was winning the race for first, a hair-raising battle for third between #77 Proton Competition and #51 Ferrari finally saw a victor after Ferrari’s Nicklas Nielsen ran alongside Kevin van Dooren and slid into the barrier to force a calamitous pit for repairs, leaving the Proton clear in the podium places. Ultimately, the second-placed #91 Porsche was unable to close the 30-second gap in the final stages of the race, and #71 BMW Team Redline crossed the chequered flag after 367 laps to complete a double victory at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as win the Le Mans Virtual Series across both classifications.

Tom Lartilleux for #14 Race Clutch Alpine recorded the fastest lap time in the LMP2 Classification, with a blistering 3:21.734 on the 117th lap, 1.5 seconds faster than the next best. In the LMGTE Classification, Sebastian Job in the #111 Red Bull Racing Esports secured the fastest lap, recording an impressive 3:47.453 on the 91st lap.
After the race, Team Redline Team Manager Atze Kerkhof said: “This feels like redemption for last year, putting in an amazing performance by the team at such an incredible event. The team pulled it off like we did throughout the season last year and now 2022 is starting really well and we’re super happy.” On securing a double win with victory in the GTE class, he added, “we pulled it off again, the guys got the maximum they could from the car and the engineers supported us all night long. [GTE driver] Rudy van Buren’s wheel broke and he had to drive three hours across Holland to our offices at 3am to race in a new sim for him, so the guys were really under pressure and held their nerve.”
Oliver Rowland, #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline driver and Formula E race champion said: “There’s everything that goes into a normal race weekend, and probably more goes into this because we spend so many hours practising and how much the real drivers, [Felipe] Drugovic, Felix [Rosenqvist] and Max [Verstappen], were putting in as well to get the result that, ultimately, we achieved. [This result] shows that anything can happen, I wasn’t the fastest in the world, but it’s a 24 hour race and we kept our heads and didn’t make any mistakes.”

The result means that #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline takes home the Le Mans Virtual Series Championship, fighting off the #1 Rebellion GPX Esports and #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst teams with just half a point between the top two and only 2.5 points splitting the top three, after an historically close season.

Images from 24 Hours of Le Mans can be found here.

If you have any questions or require more information please let me know. We can also offer interviews with the drivers–please let me know if you have any requests.

A host of major broadcasters including Motor Trend in the USA and Eurosport Pan-Europe will televise this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual (15/16 January), bringing the exhilarating combined world of motorsport and esports to millions of homes across the globe.

A special TV show covering this unique event will be produced live from Paris and will include an expert commentary team made up of FIA World Endurance Championship lead commentator Martin Haven, esports experts Chris McCarthy and Lewis McGlade, motorsport commentator Ben Constanduros plus “pitlane” reporter Hayley Edmonds. Also in the studio will be current WEC competitor, 2020 Le Mans Virtual driver and FIA F2 and F3 commentator Alex Brundle to bring a driver’s eye to proceedings.

The 200 drivers – representing 39 different nationalities – taking part in the 50 cars (4-drivers in each car in rotation over the 24 hours) will be located in 28 different countries and this is fully reflected in the digital interest from broadcasters globally. The drivers come from both real life motorsport, including F1 World Champion Max Verstappen, and sim racing and combine together to show their talents in the virtual world.

Eurosport will cover the full twice-round-the-clock race live throughout its European region on Eurosport Player, and global coverage will be on Motorsport.tv. Also airing the full 24 hours on OTT channels in Europe will be L’Equipe Live in France, Sport 10 (pay TV) and RTBF Auvio (OTT) in Belgium, Viaplay in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Sport 1 in Germany (+ Austria and Switzerland) will show a special 44 minute programme on Sunday evening on free-to-air TV with a potential reach of 72 million.

Motor Trend will cover the full virtual race live in North America on its OTT service, while Star+ will show the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in Latin America plus Brazil. SuperSport DStv will take the broadcast live on its dedicated motorsport channel across Africa, thus extending the coverage to four continents around the world.

Finally, the ACO and FIA WEC’s official social media channels will be showing all the action live from start to finish, as will the Le Mans Virtual Series official website (www.lemansvirtual.com). The broadcast begins at 13h30 (CET / 12h30 GMT / 07h30 ET) and the famous French national flag will be dropped for the start of the biggest endurance esports event of the year at 14h00 (13h GMT/08h00 ET).

To view the full entry list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – Click Here

To view the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual Spotters Guide – Click Here

The biggest endurance sim racing event of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, takes place this weekend (15/16 January) with some of motorsport’s biggest names including the F1 World Champion Max Verstappen competing alongside the crème de la crème of sim racers. The online event begins at 14h CET and 200 drivers will compete in 50 cars for 24 hours of hard virtual racing.

Leading the field away as the official “Leading Car” will be the LMPH2G, the hydrogen-electric racing car developed by H24Racing for the MissionH24 project initiated by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and GreenGT. As leading car and safety car, as was the case for the inaugural 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, the LMPH2G will head the field around the famed Circuit de la Sarthe course for the formation lap and will intervene to slow the pace during the race if necessary.

The Mission H24 project goal is a hydrogen class at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Automobile Club de l’Ouest is working with leading figures in endurance, the manufacturers and technical partners, on the creation of a category reserved for electric-hydrogen-powered prototypes. MissionH24 and their team, H24Racing, are trialling the best technical and sporting solutions to compete in this category.

The electric-hydrogen solution employed in mobility is safe, reliable, controlled, and decarbonised and is one of the keys to the ecological transition of the transport industry. It is particularly well adapted to endurance racing which demands both high power levels and substantial autonomy.

To follow the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual go to www.lemansvirtual.com or you can find it on all ACO and FIA WEC official social media channels.

Miami, FL – January 7, 2022 – The star-studded entry list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, scheduled to be held January 15 & 16, 2022, has today been revealed and it shows once again the fascination, charm and lure of motorsport’s greatest endurance race. The race will be held virtually and on simulators located all around the world.

A glittering roster of drivers includes newly-crowned F1 World Champion Max Verstappen, an Alpine Esports team captained by (non-driving) former F1 and FIA WEC World Champion Fernando Alonso, plus 2021 INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou. Among the entries are former CART and IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Champion and former F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya, racing alongside his son Sebastian Montoya in a Le Mans Virtual Series guest car, and INDYCAR’s Felix Rosenqvist – a race winner already this season and championship title contender who will have Verstappen alongside him in the Team Redline entry.

Single-seater stars on the list comprise ex Williams F1 young driver and Formula E star Oliver Rowland, Formula E’s Sergio Sette Camara, Indy 500 racer Sage Karam, Bent Viscaal, Felipe Drugovich, Victor Martins plus the W Series entry which features pro drivers Fabienne Wohlwend and Ayla Agren and their two female sim driver teammates, Emily Jones and Lyobuv Ozeretskovskaya.

Also on the entry list from W Series is Beitske Visser who has, in 2021, started to make quite a name for herself in endurance racing. A feast of successful names from the FIA WEC, ELMS, IMSA and GT racing worldwide will be on the grid: 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual winner Louis Deletraz together with his 2021 ELMS co-champion Yifei Ye, 2021 Petit Le Mans winner Gabriel Aubry, Job Van Uitert, Dani Juncadella, Arthur Rougier, WEC GTE Am champion Nicklas Nielsen, former DTM Champion Bruno Spengler, Porsche specialists Matt Campbell and Ben Barker, and current British GT3 champion Dennis Lind.

While the focus may initially fall on the real world racing stars (listed as PRO on the entry list), internationally-renowned esports stars such as Joshua Rogers (2020 24H Virtual GTE winner), Kevin Siggy, Bono Huis, Atze Kerkhof, Michi Hoyer, Jernej Simončič and Nikodem Wisniewski are just a few of the very talented and determined sim racers who will be combining with the pros to provide a true feast of competition and entertainment.

In total, 200 drivers have signed up to take part in the event, the finale to the Le Mans Virtual Series which brings together motorsport’s real life racers with the world’s best esports squads. In addition to shining a spotlight on the famous French sports car classic and providing 24-hours of top entertainment for competitors and fans around the world, championship titles and prize money are at stake for full-season competitors.

Further details will be revealed in the coming days about individual car liveries, plus how you can follow the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual on TV, online and on social media channels around the world.

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021

Round 4 4 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022

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, KartKraft, rFactor 2 and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, the Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

Silverstone, UK – January 5, 2022. Names from Formula One and the motorsport world at large, familiar to all, are joining with some of the most successful sim racing teams in existence to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. The finale to the 2021-22 Le Mans Virtual Series will take place online on 15/16 January, and the list of drivers will include champions from F1, IndyCar, WEC, GT Racing in Europe and the USA and many, many more well-known names. The full driver list will be released on Friday, January 7, 2022.

The event brings together the world’s best professional drivers and sim racers, teamed together for 24 hours of virtual racing around the legendary French track and the whole event will be televised live across the world via a special TV programme to be made live from Paris.

Real world interest in the virtual world

The 50-strong team entry list reveals that Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports will be making its debut in the Le Mans Virtual Series, competing against Alpine Esports and Red Bull Racing Esports – the official sim racing divisions of the F1 Grand Prix teams. Joining them will be an all-female team from the W Series, an official Prodrive Esports team, and a return to the spotlight for a famous French racing name, Pescarolo. They will line up alongside Le Mans Virtual Series full season endurance esports entries from Team WRT, JOTA, Panis Racing, Duqueine, GR Racing, Proton Competition, Team Project 1 and D’Station Racing.

The crème de la crème of sim racers will be representing such well-known esports teams as Rebellion GPX Esports, Rocket Simsport, Floyd ByKolles Burst, R8G Esports, Team Redline, Veloce Esports, Team Fordzilla and SIMMSA Esports. The list is long and exciting.

GTE’s diversity as impressive as at the real 24 Hours of Le Mans

The entries for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual are split into two categories of cars, LMP and GTE. While all LMP teams will use the ORECA 07 LMP2 model, the range and variety of GTE cars entered strongly reflects the diversity and popularity of the virtual race’s real-life heritage. Ferrari’s official FDA Esports Team will compete with a Ferrari 488 GTE, also used by SIMMSA Esports, while Porsche Esports Team leads the way for no fewer than 10 Porsche 911 RSR GTE entries.

Current GTE championship leader BMW Team Redline is one of five teams using the BMW M8 GTE – the W Series entry opting for this model for their entry to endurance racing. Two Aston Martin Vantage GTE cars, including one from Prodrive Esports, and two Corvette C8.Rs make up the extremely competitive and always entertaining GTE category

The full team list can be found HERE

The full entry list including driver line ups will be released on January 7, but in the meantime more information about Le Mans Virtual Series including press releases, visuals, official poster and a presentation can be found HERE. All information on the event can also be found on www.lemansvirtual.com.

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

www.lemansvirtual.com

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021

Round 4 4 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022

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, KartKraft, rFactor 2 and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, the Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

If you’re looking for something to entertain and bring cheer to you in January, when the days are short and the skies are not always so blue, then the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual is the event for you!

Echoing its real-world big brother, the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s biggest esports event of its kind will be held online on 15/16^th January. The star-filled grid of 50 cars, split between LMP prototypes and GTE cars, will be piloted by 200 elite drivers from both real world and sim racing competing together, but on different simulators situated on all four points of the globe.

FIA World Endurance Championship Race Director Eduardo Freitas will be keeping his experienced eye and steady (virtual) hand on the competitors to ensure that all runs smoothly on track for the 24 hours of racing. Race Control – together with the award-winning technical and organisation team from Le Mans Virtual Series – will be on site at Studio Gabriel in Paris for the event.

Bringing the whole event to you from Paris will be the topflight WEC TV production team who were involved in the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in June 2020. A special broadcast TV programme will be aired on linear channels around the world, featuring all the action, VIP guests in the studio and many more being interviewed from their homes around the world, and social media interaction from fans everywhere.

So, don’t miss a minute and make a note in your diary…2pm CET on Saturday, 15^th January for the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.

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

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021 Online only

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021 Online only

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021 Online only

Round 4 4 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021 Online only

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022 Online only

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”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

Save the date and get ready to follow the grand finale of the 2021/22 Le Mans Virtual Series, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. The biggest esports event in endurance racing will take place online on 15/16^th January 2022, and the official poster has today been revealed. More info to come so stay tuned!

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

www.lemansvirtual.com

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021 Online only

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021 Online only

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021 Online only

Round 4 4 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021 Online only

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022 Online only

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”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

The 500 Miles of Sebring, the fourth and penultimate round in the 2021-2022 Le Mans Virtual Series, came to a pulse-racing conclusion as #1 Rebellion GPX Esports and Augustin Canapino, Nikodem Wisniewski and Kuba Brzeszinski topped the podium at the legendary Sebring International Raceway in Florida, United States. In second and third places were #8 R8G ESPORTS and #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline.

Rudy van Buren, Kevin Siggy and Enzo Bonito from #71 BMW Team Redline took first place in the LMGTE category after an intriguing strategic battle with #91 Porsche Esports Team over the 6km / 3.7 mile long track.

The results mean an incredible finale awaits at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual on January 15/16. In the LMP2 Classification, the #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst now leads the #123 Team Redline by just half a point, while Sebring winners #1 Rebellion GPX Esports now sit a mere four points off top. With so little between the top teams, the stage is set for a three-way winner-takes-all battle for championship honours at Le Mans.

Over in the LMGTE, the #28 BMW Team Redline has extended its championship lead to 77 points, with the #91 Porsche Esports Team further behind in second place with 65.5 points.

Yet with double points up for grabs at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in January – across both classifications – there is so much still to drive for going into the biggest virtual endurance racing event on January 15/16 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A gripping contest throughout on the infamously bump-filled layout, the event at Sebring featured:

A thrilling action-packed battle for the podium in LMP, with #1 Rebellion GPX Esports, #8 R8G Esports, #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline and the #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst clashing throughout the race.
Intense drama atop the championship rankings as the #123 Team Redline received a drive-through penalty and dropped down the standings for causing a collision with the #888 TESLA R8G Esports GTE, before mounting an impressive comeback.
A strategic masterclass in LMGTE, which saw #91 Porsche Esports Team slip through into an early lead above the championship-leading #71 BMW Team Redline M8, but an incredible pit stop strategy and a brilliant drive from Porsche’s Enzo Bonito created a tense battle that saw them top the podium.
Isaac Gillissen in the #49 YAS Heat recorded the fastest lap time at 1:45.341

After the race, Augustin Canapino from GPX Rebellion Williams said: “It was a great job from everyone on the team and I enjoyed every lap of the race. It was a great drive from Niko [Wisniewski] to finish so strongly and now the car is in a really good position to fight for the championship in the final round.

Sebring presented the final challenge to teams and drivers before the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual race, which will be held entirely online on January 15/16, 2022.

Miami, FL – December 17, 2021 – The final Le Mans Virtual Series round of 2021, the 500 Miles of Sebring, takes place tomorrow (Saturday, December 18) on the legendary and historic Sebring International Raceway (FL) track layout. The approximately four hours of racing will provide a last opportunity for teams to pit their strategic wits and for drivers to display their skill, experience, and knowledge prior to the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual final that will be held entirely online in January. This race may yet prove to be one of the most challenging to date for the competitors.

The fourth of five rounds for the 2021-22 season will see 114 pro and sim race drivers pilot the 38 prototype and GTE entries (entry list HERE) on the former airfield, one of the oldest continuously-operated tracks in the United States. Its 17 corners are punctuated by long straights and a mix of high-speed and very technical slower corners. The bumps are the one thing that stands out at Sebring, being the feature which is mentioned by every single driver who has competed there. The aging asphalt and concrete sections of the circuit make for a highly challenging and entertaining lap and every driver should heed Sebring Raceway’s own catch phrase, “Respect the bumps.”

The live broadcast will feature lead commentary by the voice of the FIA World Endurance Championship, Martin Haven, together with Chris McCarthy and Lewis McGlade. Coverage will begin at 7:30 am EDT (12:30 pm GMT / 13:30 CET) with the race beginning 30 minutes later. Full details of how to follow and when to tune into the broadcast for all the action is detailed in the visual above and information below.

Leading the battle among the 21 prototype entries will be LMP championship points leaders, the No. 123 Team Redline, with Spa and Nürburgring winners Felix Rosenqvist (former F1 driver and current INDYCAR star) and Bono Huis (2021 rFactor2 Formula Pro Series champion ) being re-joined for this round by the extremely competent Atze Kerkhof. Just 3.5 points behind them in second is the No. 4 Floyd ByKolles Burst entry of Tom Dillmann, Jesper Pedersen and Jernej Simončič, one of the most consistent lineups all season. All entrants will be aiming for a strong result in the Sebring event to consolidate their positions ahead of the double points-paying, and potential prize-fund-winning, final round in January.

Of the five manufacturers (Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Corvette and Aston Martin) entered in the GTE category, it was the No. 888 BMW M8 GTE of the TESLA R8G Esports team which scooped the winner’s points for the last round, their first of the season. The battle for championship honors is as tight in this class as it is in the LMP category. The No. 71 BMW Team Redline BMW M8 GTE entry leads the way with a 4.5 point lead over the No. 91 Porsche Esports Team 911 RSR GTE, with both teams fielding an unchanged driver line up.

The Le Mans Virtual Series brings together top-level, real-life drivers, such as Alex Palou, Stoffel Vandoorne, Sake Karam and Louis Deletraz, and some of the world’s best sim racers to compete together in five endurance races of between 4 and 24 hours in duration and concludes with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place in January 2022. This event will now be held online only in response to the ongoing Covid-19 variants and the Government’s recent directives related to the Omicron variant, as well as tightened international travel restrictions throughout Europe related to the Omicron variant, which has led to the cancellation of most teams’ and partners’ plans to attend the event in person.

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

Friday, Dec 17: (all times EDT)

1:00 PM Qualifying show live (not available on WEC or 24 Heures du Mans channels)

1:10 – 1:30 PM Qualifying GTE

1:40 – 2:00 PM Qualifying LMP

Saturday, Dec 18:

4:00 – 6:00 AM Warm up

7:30 AM Le Mans Virtual Series show live

8:00 AM 500 Miles of Sebring – RACE

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’ top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with leading esports protagonists to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US $250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place entirely online. The Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) – the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). www.lemansvirtual.com

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021 Online only

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021 Online only

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021 Online only

Round 4 6 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021 Online only

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022 Online only

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”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the expected future impact of new or planned products, features, offerings or events, including, without limitation the Le Mans Virtual Series events, and the timing of launching such products, features, offerings or events. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to difficulties, delays in or unanticipated events that may impact the timing and scope of new product launches, such as due to delays and higher than anticipated expenses related to the ongoing and prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Factors other than those referred to above could also cause Motorsport Games’ results to differ materially from expected results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the SEC, which may be found at www.sec.gov and at ir.motorsportgames.com, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2021, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. Additionally, the business and financial materials and any other statement or disclosure on, or made available through, Motorsport Games’ website or other websites referenced or linked to this press release shall not be incorporated by reference into this press release.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:

Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (ir.motorsportgames.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media and blogs, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company and our products. It is possible that the information we post on our websites, social media and blogs could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in our company to review the information we post on these websites, social media channels and blogs, including the following (which list we will update from time to time on our investor relations website):

Websites	Social Media
motorsportgames.com	Twitter: @msportgames & @traxiongg
traxion.gg	Instagram: msportgames & traxiongg
motorsport.com	Facebook: Motorsport Games & traxiongg
	LinkedIn: Motorsport Games
	Twitch: traxiongg
	Reddit: traxiongg

The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Investors:

Ashley DeSimone

Ashley.Desimone@icrinc.com

US Press:

ASTRSK PR

motorsportgames@astrskpr.com

EU / UK Press:

Swipe Right PR

motorsport@swipterightpr.com

The fourth round of the Le Mans Virtual Series is right around the corner, and it is not only the final endurance race of 2021 but also the last opportunity for teams to compete together before the season finale in January, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. With that in mind, the 38-strong entry list revealed today for the 500 Miles of Sebring (approximately 4 hours) on Saturday, December 18 features fearsomely strong line ups and star names up and down the grid.

Sebring International Raceway in central Florida, is one of the oldest continuously-operating tracks in the United States. It has a flavour and history all its own and this former airfield is a real physical and mental challenge for any driver. The track is 3.74 miles (6.02 km) long, and its 17 corners are punctuated by long straights, several high-speed corners, and very technical slower corners. However, the one thing that stands out at Sebring, and the feature which is mentioned more by every single driver who has competed there, is the bumps! The aging asphalt and concrete sections of the circuit make for a highly challenging and entertaining lap and every driver should heed Sebring Raceway’s own phrase, “Respect the bumps”.

Leading the battle among the 21 prototype entries will be LMP championship points leaders, the No.123 Team Redline, with Spa and Nürburgring winners Felix Rosenqvist and Bono Huis being re-joined for this round by Atze Kerkhof. All cars in this category are ORECA 07 LMP2 models. Just 3.5 points behind them in second is the No.4 Floyd ByKolles Burst entry of Tom Dillmann, Jesper Pedersen and Jernej Simončič, one of the most consistent line ups all season. Amongst the new, pro Prototype drivers for the North American round is Agustin Canapino, replacing Louis Deletraz in the No.1 Rebellion GPX Esports, and GT World Challenge racer Arthur Rougier (No.18 R8G Sports). All entrants will be aiming for a strong result here to consolidate their positions ahead of the double points-paying final round in January.

Of the five manufacturers (Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Corvette and Aston Martin) entered in the GTE category, it was the No.888 BMW M8 GTE of the TESLA R8G Esports team which scooped the winner’s points for the last round, their first of the season. Australian Scott Andrews, who had an incredibly busy 2021 season racing on both sides of the Atlantic, replaces Alex Smolyar for this round.

The battle for championship honours is as tight in this class as it is in the LMP category. The No.71 BMW Team Redline BMW M8 GTE entry leads the way with a 4.5 point lead over the No. 91 Porsche Esports Team 911 RSR GTE, both teams fielding an unchanged driver line up.

After a frustrating Nürburgring round, with technical issues forcing organizers to call a premature halt to the race, extensive tests have been carried out and the server problem identified and resolved. The hours spent racing this coming Saturday will serve as valuable training for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.

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 five endurance races of between four and 24 hours in duration and concludes with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual 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 Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’ top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with leading esports protagonists to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live and televised at the Autosport Show International at the Birmingham NEC (UK). The Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) – the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). www.lemansvirtual.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”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

The 8 Hours of Nürburgring, the third round in the Le Mans Virtual Series, saw Team Redline and drivers Felix Rosenqvist, Bono Huis and Collin Spork top the podium once again and continue its surge up the championship rankings after technical issues saw the race brought to a premature conclusion. Floyd ByKolles-Burst and Team Fordzilla came second and third respectively.

Alex Smolyar, Timotej Andonovski and Martin Hemmingsen from TESLA R8G Esports took first place in the LMGTE category after an extremely close battle with Red Bull Racing Esports over the 25km/16-mile-long track.

The drama of the race was amped up even further with red flag periods and blistering restarts on the infamously challenging circuit.

Amid red flags spicing up the action, it was a gripping contest throughout on the notoriously gruelling layout, and the event featured:

A back and forth battle between Team Redline and Floyd ByKolles-Burst with the drama cranked up as the two teams exchanged blows on the red flag restarts, culminating in a Team Redline P1 finish.
As always, an incredibly close contest in LMGTE before GTE championship leaders Porsche Esports Team struck the barriers at the half distance, paving the way for a pulse-racing battle between TESLA R8G Esports and Red Bull Racing Esports. The third-placed Proton Competition also narrowly avoided disaster after the MAHLE RACING TEAM vehicle spun out.
Jeffrey Rietveld for Realteam Hydrogen Redline secured the fastest lap with a blistering time of 7:05.361

We’re sharing the highlights of the race for news interest–you can see the full post-race report below. You can also watch the official highlights video here.

Le Mans Virtual Series, 8 Hours of Nürburgring – Post Race Report

8 Hours of Nürburgring, the third of five rounds of the Le Mans Virtual Series, kicked off Saturday 13th November with over 100 drivers across the LMP2 and GTE classes taking to the start line. Star drivers such as ex-F1 driver Felix Rosenqvist, Williams F1 reserve driver Jack Aitken and FIA F2 star Liam Lawson all competed in one of the most hotly anticipated sim racing events of the year.
Conditions were dry at Nordschleife, meaning drivers were able to push the pace on the soft tyre compounds and created lots of early drama with corners aplenty to take advantage of. The Norschleife saw plenty of action as the gruelling circuit’s 150-plus corners, blind crests and little run off took its toll. Packed traffic made for some hair-raising encounters, one of the most significant of which occurred with an hour completed, as Race Clutch Alpine’s Tom Lartilleux made contact with Team Project 1’s Pero Stoyanov Peev and careened into the barriers.
In the LMP2 Classification, the championship-leading #4 Floyd- ByKolles-Burst started on pole position with Jesper Pedersen at the helm, and though the #22 GPX Rebellion Williams quickly snatched a lead at the start, Pedersen regained his position at the beginning of the second lap with some dominant driving. After thirty minutes and every car having pitted, Pedersen remained ahead but a surging Bono Huis behind the wheel of Team Redline’s #123, who started fifth on the grid, eventually took first in an incredible duel with Pedersen. As more cars pitted again, Team Redline maintained its strong lead, and finished ahead over five seconds ahead of Floyd ByKolles-Burst in the 17^th lap, and Team Fordzilla in third before the race was abandoned.
In the LMGTE Classification, an incredible qualifying lap by Porsche Esports Team’s Joshua Rogers saw him take pole position for the opening battles. The race was hair-raising from the start, with the pair of Porsche Esports Team cars managing to secure a one-two position early on at the start, while traffic further down in the pack fell foul of the notorious corners on turn one. The race continued its chaotic pace despite the red flags, where the leading Proton Competition Porsche narrowly avoided disaster after Muhammed Patel in the #10 MAHLE RACING TEAM LMP spun out. Near the half distance mark, championship-leading #91 Porsche Esports Team driven by Mack Bakkum hit the barriers and paved the way for TESLA R8G ESPORTS and Red Bull Racing Esports to capitalise and leapfrog into first and second place ahead of third-placed Proton Competition Porsche before the final red flag.
Jeffrey Rietveld for Realteam Hydrogen Redline recorded the fastest lap time in the LMP2 Classification, with a blistering 7:05.361 on the 12^th lap, nearly two seconds better than the next best. Over in the LMGTE Classification, Dayne Warren for Proton Competition secured the fastest lap, recording an impressive 7:57.583 in the fourth lap.
This weekend’s race saw server issues cut the race short at just over half distance to prevent potential disruption to competitors and viewers. A full investigation into the cause of the server problems has already been launched to prevent it from reoccurring, while half points were awarded to all teams.
After the race Gerard Neveu,Motorsport Advisor to Motorsport Games commented, “Seeing the Le Mans Virtual Series cars take the start on the Nürburgring Nordschleife was a great reward for our competitors’ and partners’ trust and enthusiasm for endurance esports. It was therefore even more disappointing when technical server issues caused the 8-hour race to be cut short. We sincerely apologise to everyone involved that they didn’t have the race we expected, and want to reassure everyone that we are fully investigating why this happened in order to make sure it doesn’t reoccur.”

Just one more race remains in 2021, 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 4 500 Miles of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021
Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022

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

MIAMI, FL – November 12, 2021 – The 8 Hours of Nürburgring takes place this weekend, which will be the longest race of the Le Mans Virtual Series to date. Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between Motorsport Games and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. The third of five rounds for the 2021-22 season, which will come to an end with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in January of 2022, will be the biggest challenge yet for the 114 professional and sim racing drivers participating across the 38 prototype and GTE entries (entry list HERE) on the famously difficult 21 km/13 mile Nordschleife circuit in Germany. With over 100 corners, dramatic climbs and drops, blind crests and little run-off area, the circuit can easily catch out even the most experienced drivers, so viewers can expect plenty of action.

The live broadcast will feature lead commentary by the voice of the FIA World Endurance Championship, Martin Haven, together with Chris McCarthy and Lewis McGlade. Coverage will begin at 07:30 am ET on November 13. Full details of how to follow and tune in to the broadcast and all the action is detailed in the visual above and information below.

The first two rounds of the esports world’s top endurance racing championship were action-packed, with close and unpredictable racing in both the LMP and GTE categories. The No.4 Floyd ByKolles Burst entry currently holds a narrow two-point lead at the top of the LMP standings. However, Spa winner No.123 Team Redline and its star driver line up, including Felix Rosenqvist (INDYCAR) and Bono Huis (2021 rFactor2 Formula Pro Series champion) will be pushing hard for a second consecutive victory. Chasing them close behind is the No.22 GPX Rebellion Williams, which this weekend sees Williams F1 reserve driver Jack Aitken in its line-up. In the GTE category, it is even closer, with the No.91 Porsche Esports Team and the No.71 BMW Team Redline both tied at the head of the standings following one win and one second place finish each. The Aston Martin, Corvette and Ferrari entries will all be battling for more points this weekend and this class is likely to be as fiercely contested as ever.

The Le Mans Virtual 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 five endurance races. Each race lasts between four and 24 hours in duration, concluding with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, which will take place live at the Autosport International show in Birmingham, UK in January 2022.

The races may be followed, live and uninterrupted, on the following schedule:

Friday, November 12: (all times ET)

1:00PM Qualifying show live (not available on WEC or 24 Heures du Mans channels)

1:10 – 1:30PM Qualifying GTE

1:40 – 2:00PM Qualifying LMP

Saturday, November 13:

4:00 – 6:00AM Warm up

7:30AM Le Mans Virtual Series show live

8:00AM 8 Hours of Nürburgring – RACE

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’ top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with leading esports protagonists to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live and televised at the Autosport Show International at the Birmingham NEC (UK). The Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) – the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). www.lemansvirtual.com

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021 Online only

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021 Online only

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021 Online only

Round 4 6 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021 Online only

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022 ASI, Birmingham, UK

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”), across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile. 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. For more information about Motorsport Games, visit www.motorsportgames.com

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the expected future impact of new or planned products, features, offerings or events, including, without limitation the Le Mans Virtual Series events, and the timing of launching such products, features, offerings or events. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to difficulties, delays in or unanticipated events that may impact the timing and scope of new product launches, such as due to delays and higher than anticipated expenses related to the ongoing and prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Factors other than those referred to above could also cause Motorsport Games’ results to differ materially from expected results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the SEC, which may be found at www.sec.gov and at ir.motorsportgames.com, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2021, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. Additionally, the business and financial materials and any other statement or disclosure on, or made available through, Motorsport Games’ website or other websites referenced or linked to this press release shall not be incorporated by reference into this press release.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:

Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (ir.motorsportgames.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media and blogs, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company and our products. It is possible that the information we post on our websites, social media and blogs could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in our company to review the information we post on these websites, social media channels and blogs, including the following (which list we will update from time to time on our investor relations website):

Websites	Social Media
motorsportgames.com	Twitter: @msportgames & @traxiongg
traxion.gg	Instagram: msportgames & traxiongg
motorsport.com	Facebook: Motorsport Games & traxiongg
	LinkedIn: Motorsport Games
	Twitch: traxiongg
	Reddit: traxiongg

The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Investors:

Ashley DeSimone

Ashley.Desimone@icrinc.com

US Press:

ASTRSK PR

motorsortgames@astrskpr.com

EU / UK Press:

Swipe Right PR

motorsport@swipterightpr.com

Silverstone, UK, November 10, 2021. Nestled in the Eifel mountains in western Germany, the Nürburgring Nordschleife is one of the most famous circuits in Europe and has long been one of the definitive tests of skill, speed and endurance for automotive manufacturers and racing drivers across the world. Now it’s going to host round 3 of the 2021-22 Le Mans Virtual Series on Saturday, November 13 which presents the drivers on the entry list – both professional and sim – with a whole new challenge.

The 8 Hours of Nürburgring will take place on the 21 km/13 mile Nordschleife (literally, northern loop) which features over 100 corners, sweeping curves, rapidly changing weather, dramatic climbs and drops, and a straight over 1.6 km/one mile long. It is a notoriously difficult and challenging track and not as regularly used as some other European circuits either in the real or virtual worlds so maximum concentration and competitive spirit will be required as well as a steady touch on the wheel and pedals. In addition, LMP2 cars have never raced on the Nordschleife in real life so there are no recorded laps to reference…it will truly be a race into the dark for many!

IndyCar star Felix Rosenqvist and Bono Huis, this time teamed with Collin Spork, in the No.123 Team Redline LMP2 will be looking to repeat their victory in the last round at Spa, while the No.2 Floyd ByKolles-Burst trio of Dillmann, Pedersen and Simončič will surely be hoping to go one step further than the 3^rd and 2^nd places achieved so far.

GPX Rebellion Williams No.22 will feature the considerable talents of Williams F1 reserve driver Jack Aitken alongside Jiri Toman and Marcell Csincsik, while FIA F2 star Liam Lawson is racing in the No.11 Red Bull Racing Esports entry with Alex Siebel and Dennis Jordan.

Young Argentinian driver Franco Colapinto has fast made a name for himself in endurance racing and now he’s bringing that same racing flair with him to the No.31 Team WRT SIMTAG Esports, the team hoping for a better run than in the last two rounds to complement the FIA WEC LMP2 world championship title just won by Team WRT.

In GTE the fight is going to be as close as ever and the No.71 BMW Team Redline plus the No.91 Porsche Esports entries are currently the teams to beat. Two GTE pole positions from two races, a 2^nd place at Monza and a win on the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit for Kevin Siggy, Enzo Bonito, and Rudy van Buren in the BMW tied them in the standings with the Porsche of Mitchell Dejong, Mack Bakkum and Martin Krönke. This will definitely be a battle to keep a close eye on. Endurance racer Alessio Picariello joins GR Wolves Racing in the No.87 Porsche 911 RSR GTE with Turkka Hakkinen and Philipp Puschke, the team looking for a better result in this longest race of the series before the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in January.

Stay tuned for all the action on www.lemansvirtual.com and on all the social channels. The race begins at 1 pm on Saturday, with the broadcast show starting 30 minutes earlier. Full details on how to watch will be released on Friday, November 12.

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

The full season entry list for the Le Mans Virtual Series is littered with big names from real world motorsport. F1 World Champion Jenson Button, IndyCar Champion Alex Palou, World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen, and championship winners from many different disciplines such as Stoffel Vandoorne, Bruno Senna and Yifei Ye are just some of the internationally crowned and renowned title holders who are bringing their talents to the world of esports endurance racing.

Central to the success of this championship is the crossover between real and virtual and the real world drivers readily admit they lean heavily on the talents and experience of the sim drivers they are teamed with in order to achieve success. So who are these sim stars up and down the grid?

They are young, ambitious, dedicated and come from all over the world. Between them have a roll call of esports honours that many gamers can only dream of. We highlight just a few of the sim champions on our Le Mans Virtual Series entry list to demonstrate that this really is the champions’ championship.

In no particular order we have Josh Rogers, a German-based Australian who achieved victory in the GT class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual 2020, driving for Porsche alongside Nick Tandy, Ayhancan Guven and Tommy Østgaard. The 2021 Porsche Esports Supercup Champion remains with Porsche Esports Team this year, Sage Karam in place of Nick Tandy in an otherwise unaltered line up, and they are challenging hard for their first LMVS 2021 victory.

The esports CV of 22-year-old Slovenian Kevin Siggy is undeniably stellar! A championship winner in touring, GP Masters, ABB FE Race at Home Series among others, BMW Team Redline’s Siggy has also had a storming start to his LMVS campaign. Two GTE pole positions from two races, a 2^nd place at Monza and a win on the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, the line-up of Siggy, Enzo Bonito, Lorenzo Colombo and Rudy van Buren is proving hard to beat.

Nikodem Wisniewski has been a pivotal figure in the Rebellion GPX Williams line up, one of the few completely unaltered since last year. The Pole claimed overall victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual 2020 with team-mates Louis Deletraz, Raffaele Marciello and Kuba Brzezinski, is an esports World Touring Car Champion, and a race winner in many different series on different platforms.

Crowned world champion in the prestigious Porsche Esports Supercup for the first time in 2020, 21-year-old British Red Bull Racing Esports competitor Sebastian Job fought off some of the world’s top drivers on the iRacing platform, his victory even more impressive because of the winning margin over 2019 champion Josh Rogers. Teamed with newly crowned British GT4 Champion Dennis Lind and Japanese hot shot Ryo Hirakawa as pro drivers, Job has yet to run in the LMVS due to other commitments. We can’t wait to see what he can do.

Bono Huis is a five time Formula Sim Racing Champion and, after proving himself at the top level there, the Dutchman has gone to compete in the iRacing GTE World Championship and F1 Esports. The 2021 rFactor2 Formula Pro Series champion and 2020 Formula Challenge Pro Champion took top LMVS honours at the 6 Hours of Spa recently with Atze Kerkhof and IndyCar star Felix Rosenqvist for Team Redline and his experience was a key part of that victory.

2021 GT Pro Series Champion and 2020 Formula SimRacing World Champion Jernej Simončič has proved himself to be extremely versatile, no matter what the type of car, and he’s determined to get to the top in endurance racing too. With Jesper Pedersen and Sergio Sette Camara the Czech claimed 3^rd place overall at Monza for Floyd ByKolles-Burst and moved up to second overall at Spa with Pedersen and Tom Dillmann. You know which step he’s got his eye on next!

The next round of the 2021-22 Le Mans Virtual Series will be the 8 Hours of Nürburgring on the Nordschleife circuit on Saturday 13^th November. Stay tuned to www.lemansvirtual.com to find out more and to follow all the action.

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

Nestled in the Eifel mountains in western Germany, the Nürburgring Nordschleife is one of the most famous circuits in Europe and has long been one of the definitive tests of skill, speed and endurance for automotive manufacturers and racing drivers across the world.

Now it’s going to host round 3 of the 2021-22 Le Mans Virtual Series on Saturday, 13^th November.

The 21 km/13 mile Nordschleife (northern loop) features over 100 corners, sweeping curves, rapidly changing weather, dramatic climbs and drops, and a straight over 1.6 km/one mile long…it is recognised as one of the most difficult and challenging tracks in the world. It is as unique as it is overwhelming. There may be other tracks, but there is only one true Nürburgring.

Built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg, the track has more than 300 metres (1,000 feet) of elevation change from its lowest to highest points. Three times F1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart nicknamed the old track “The Green Hell”, a name which has stuck through the decades and for good reason. It is fast and flowing, but drivers must proceed with caution as the blind crests and little run-off can easily catch out even the most experienced. And that’s before the rain, fog or even snow to contend with!

Between 1982 and 1983 the start/finish area of the original Nürburgring layout was demolished to create a new GP-Strecke, and this is now used for all major and international racing events including the FIA WEC which last visited in 2017. The shortened Nordschleife is, however, still in daily use for racing, testing and public access. “Touristenfahrten” (literally tourists’ laps) mean that anyone with a road-legal car or motorcycle, as well as tour buses, motor homes, or cars with trailers, can access the Nordschleife and see for themselves the famous Flugplatz, Fuchsröhre and Karussell.

So how will our Le Mans Virtual Series competitors fare on this legendary track, especially the LMP2 entrants as these cars have never raced here? It will be a leap into the unknown for many of them, but if you want to really see a master at work check out Timo Bernhard’s record-breaking lap of the Nordschleife in a Porsche 919 Hybrid here. Hold your breath for the lap of your life!.

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:

The first round of the Le Mans Virtual Series, an action-packed and incident-filled 4 Hours of Monza race, has officially concluded with Realteam Hydrogen Redline and drivers Dani Juncadella, Jeffrey Rietveld and Michal Smidl taking first place overall. In second and third places were team GPX Rebellion Esports and team Floyd Bykolles-Burst. Mitchell Dejong, Mack Bakkum and Martin Kronke from Porsche Esports Team took the LMGTE honours in a class that sees no fewer than five different manufacturers represented. They finished 7 seconds ahead of BMW Redline in second, and the No.88 Proton Competition Porsche. A hotly contested race between over 100 of the best sim racing and motorsport drivers in 38 entries, the event featured:

A close battle between Realteam Hydrogen Redline and GPX Rebellion Esports
Porsche Esports Team taking home the LMGTE trophy
Jeffrey Rietveld for Realteam Hydrogen Redline securing the fastest lap at 1.34.160

After the race, Dani Juncadella from Realteam Hydrogen Redline said “I think we had a really really smooth race. We had no incidents at all. Everything went pretty smoothly and that was the key,”

Le Mans Virtual Series, 4 Hours of Monza – Post Race Report

4 Hours of Monza, the first of five rounds of the Le Mans Virtual Series, kicked off Saturday 25th September with 114 drivers across the LMP2 and GTE classes taking to the start line. Star drivers such as Louis Deletraz (last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual winner), Sergio Sette Camara (Formula E), and sim standouts Michi Hoyer and Joshua Rogers, lined up for one of the most hotly contested sim racing events of the year.
The race played host to sunny weather with some clouds turning into a fully clear sky by the end of the race with 50% humidity and no rain in sight.
Strategy played a key part in the 4-hour race as teams had to deal with tyre degradation, a change in track temperature, and a decision on how long each driver competed for within the race.
Realteam Hydrogen Redline was the first to cross the finish line in the LMP class with GPX Rebellion Esports seven seconds behind and Floyd ByKolles-Burst following very closely just nine seconds behind.
The fastest lap in the LMP class was Jeffery Rietveld for Realteam Hydrogen Redline who secured a 1.34.160 time on the 44th lap. Over in GTE, Joshua Rogers for Porsche Esports Team was the fastest with a 1:45.329 lap time which he drove on his second lap of the race.
Dani Juncadella from Realteam Hydrogen Redline said “I think we had a really really smooth race. We had no incidents at all. Everything went pretty smoothly and that was the key. I think Jeffrey did an amazing starting stint then my teammate Michal took over the tires from Jeffery which is never easy when you are sitting directly in the car with someone else’s tires. Then towards the end, I just had to drive it home. It was a lovely race.”
Mack Bakkum from Porsche Esports Team commented “Mitchell and Martin did such a great job before I even got in the car that in the end, it was just about bringing it home. We did get a little surprise from Redline in the end when they skipped tires [at the last pit stop] but we knew even if they came out slightly ahead it would have been the worst-case scenario. These last two stints were very comfortable, which is nice and I didn’t have to worry about too much. Thanks, Mitchell and Martin for their hard work in the harder stints.”

Silverstone, September 24, 2021. The opening round of the Le Mans Virtual Series is just around the corner and here’s how you can all follow the action and, make no mistake, there will be plenty of action from start to finish!

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 (Michi Hoyer, Jan von der Heyde, Kevin Siggy and Nuno Pinto to name but a few) to compete together in 5 endurance races of between 4 hours and 24 hours in duration and kicks off with the 4 Hours of Monza Virtual on Saturday, September 25 (entry list HERE).

This is likely to be hotly contested in both the LMP and LMGTE categories, racing together on the same track at the same time, with a total of 38 cars and 114 drivers battling it out on an incredibly realistic Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

Le Mans Virtual Series has brought together a topflight broadcasters who will cover the whole series live and bring to fans, competitors and gamers across the world not only insights into what’s happening on track during the events, but also behind-the-scenes news, interviews and updates. The broadcast team will be led by Martin Haven, one of motorsport’s best known commentators and lead voice for the FIA World Endurance Championship, and he will be accompanied by Chris McCarthy and Lewis McGlade who both worked with Martin on the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in June 2020. Chris has gone on to become a much sought-after motorsport commentator, covering a multitude of different formulae, while Lewis has an encyclopaedic knowledge of sim racing and racers.

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

Friday, Sept 24: (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, Sept 25:

09:00 – 11:00 Warm up

12:30 Le Mans Virtual Series show live

13:00 4 Hours of Monza – RACE

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

www.lemansvirtual.com

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’ top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with leading esports protagonists to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live and televised at the Autosport Show International at the Birmingham NEC (UK). Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO)- the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). www.lemansvirtual.com

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021 Online only

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021 Online only

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021 Online only

Round 4 6 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021 Online only

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022 ASI, Birmingham, UK

About Motorsport Games

As the first round of the Le Mans Virtual Series approaches this weekend, the 4 Hours of Monza on Saturday, 25^th September, it’s worth a quick reminder about the basic rules and regulations. The series brings together top level real life drivers and some of the world’s best sim racers to compete together on prestige tracks in endurance races from between 4 hours and 24 hours in duration.

A link to the Sporting Regulations can be found HERE, with some of the key points being:

A 38-strong entry list will be divided between two classes, LMP2 and LMGTE. Cars available are a Le Mans Prototype (LMP2 ORECA 07) or a Le Mans GTE (E=endurance) of which Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, BMW and Corvette models are available.
The event will be run on the rFactor2 platform which features driver changes, dynamic weather, dynamic day/night transitions, multi-class racing.
Damage will affect a car but can be repaired in a pitstop. The car will be driveable but may not perform as well as at the start .
Full simulation includes the use of fuel and tyres.
Teams will work to create their own setups to optimise performance.
Each team must field a minimum of 3 of their nominated drivers, of which at least 1 must be a PRO (FIA International Licence holder). Drivers may not compete in more than one car.
Before each round there will be test days and a test race, official free practice sessions and
Drivers must complete a minimum of 10 laps (including a minimum of five (5) full timed laps) during an official Test Session or Test Race prior to each race.
It is mandatory for each individual entry to take part in the 1 hour test race with at least one of the nominated drivers, either sim or pro.
FIA Race Director Eduardo Freitas and Motorsport Games Race Director Ben Rossiter-Turner will be in Race Control to oversee racing conduct, procedures and rules. Penalties may be applied as in real life racing.

Follow all the action this weekend on www.lemansvirtual.com, on FIA WEC, ACO and Traxion.gg’s social media channels including YouTube and Facebook. More details on this will be released on Friday.

View the full entry list here

Silverstone, September 21, 2021. The entry list for the opening round of the recently launched Le Mans Virtual Series, 4 Hours of Monza, has been published (HERE) and the high level of both real life and sim drivers due to compete is a great indication of how closely contested the series is likely to be from start to finish.

Louis Deletraz (last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual winner and, with teammate Yifei Ye, newly crowned ELMS LMP2 Champions), Sergio Sette Camara (Formula E), Beitske Visser (W Series and WEC), Will Stevens (WEC and ELMS), Bruno Spengler (former DTM champion and IMSA competitor), Jan von der Heyde, Michi Hoyer and Nuno Pinto (multiple championships in sim racing between them) are just some of the well-known names from the real and virtual racing worlds who will line up for the start on sim rigs across the world. Bringing perhaps a ‘home’ advantage will be Porsche Esports Team’s Ayhancan Güven who is racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup at Monza this weekend and will therefore be participating in the LMVS event on site, joined by his sim racing teammates.

The race takes place this coming weekend on the rFactor2 platform at the virtual Autodromo Nazionale Monza and coverage will begin from 12:30 pm on Saturday, September 25. Built in 1922, the real Autodromo Nazionale Monza is the true Italian temple of speed and is unmatched around the globe for its history and the passion it invokes in motorsport fans. Expect no different from everyone involved in this new endurance esports series!

A total of 38 cars will battle it out in two different classes – 21 in LMP2, with all competitors using an ORECA 07 LMP2 model, and 17 in LMGTE with teams having a choice of Ferrari 488GTE, BMW M8 GTE, Porsche 911 RSR GTE, Corvette C8.R and Aston Martin Vantage GTE. Negotiating through the traffic at famously challenging sections of the track such as the Variante del Rettifilo (the chicane at the end of the pit straight), the Variante della Roggia and the Curva Parabolica will add to the tension and drama expected in the race.

Free practice sessions will be run on Thursday and Friday, with a one-hour test race taking place on Thursday evening to check servers, systems and communications for both the sporting and broadcast teams. Qualifying is on Friday September 24 from 6:00pm British Summer Time (BST) (19h00 CEST, 1:00 pm Eastern Time) with the session being broadcast live. All the race action can be followed from 12:30 pm (BST) onwards on the FIA WEC and TraxionGG’s YouTube channels, on twitch.tv/traxiongg, and on multiple social media channels. More details on these will be released in the coming days.

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

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’ top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with leading esports protagonists to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live and televised at the Autosport Show International at the Birmingham NEC (UK). Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO)- the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). www.lemansvirtual.com

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021 Online only

Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021 Online only

Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021 Online only

Round 4 6 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021 Online only

Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022 ASI, Birmingham, UK

About Motorsport Games

Impressive Rosters for the Endurance Esports Championship Includes Motorsport and Esports Global Racing Stars

View the full roster of drivers here

Miami, FL – September 14, 2021 — The recently launched 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual Series, a joint venture between Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) — a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world — and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (“ACO”) — the creators and organizers of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (the “FIA WEC”), announces today the full entry list for the 2021-22 Endurance Esports Championship.

The 38 team entries feature 177 driver names on the full-season roster list (see the full list HERE) and include champions and prominent drivers from nearly all major motorsport disciplines, including Formula One, the WEC, INDYCAR, the International Motor Sports Association (“IMSA”), Formula 2 and 3, Formula E and Extreme E, GT World Challenge and more. Participating this season are open-wheel luminaries of motorsport, such as 2009 F1 Champion, Jenson Button, F2 racer, Jack Aitken, Formula E racer Sergio Sette Camara, current INDYCAR Championship points leader, Alex Palou and INDYCAR driver and 2019 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year, Felix Rosenqvist.

The Le Mans Virtual Series’ driver roster also contains some of the most exciting up and coming young professional drivers, including F2 and F3 stars Liam Lawson, Bent Viscaal, Victor Martins and Caio Collet, as well as female driver Beitske Visser, who races in the W Series and the WEC. The FIA WEC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and IMSA are represented by former champion Bruno Senna, plus former F1 stars Stoffel Vandoorne, Harry Tincknell, Will Stevens, Matt Campbell, Yifei Ye and many other prominent racers.

Demonstrating his racing versatility, Timmy Hansen – World Rallycross and Extreme E driver, will race alongside winners from Japan’s Super GT, the Super Formula championships and GT racers from all around the world. Rounding out the list of professional racing drivers is last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual winning line-up, who are reuniting for the Rebellion GPX Williams team to defend their title. Teams making up the rest of the grid include Team Fordzilla, Red Bull Racing Esports, Team Redline, Panis Racing, Team Project 1 and Team WRT, among others, plus championship and Le Mans-winning worldwide brands, such as Alpine, Ferrari, Porsche and BMW, just to name a few.

Joining this roster of esteemed professional racing drivers are elite competitors from the sim racing scene, including popular names such as Michi Hoyer, Bono Huis, Jan von der Heyde, Joshua Rogers and Kevin Siggy. There will be 98 sim drivers within the full 177 driver roster.

An overview of the driver roster construction and format is as follows:

Teams must submit a full-season roster of 4 or 5
A minimum of 2 drivers must be FIA graded (or its equivalent).
The remaining drivers are sim drivers.
For each of the first 4 online rounds, teams will nominate 3 drivers from their full season roster 7 days before each race. Of these, one must be an FIA-graded driver (or its equivalent).
For the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual finale – scheduled to be held January 15^th and 16^th, 2022 in Birmingham, UK at the 2022 Autosport International motorsport show – line-ups will increase to 4 drivers per entry with a minimum of 2 FIA-graded drivers (or its equivalent). An additional 20 entries are expected for the live, televised event, with some of the most well-known motorsport names in the world due to appear.

Given the ongoing calendar uncertainty in real world racing, there is provision within the regulations to allow for the replacement of FIA-graded drivers if the originally nominated drivers are not available.

The combination of top level names from these two racing worlds competing on classic tracks, culminating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – the virtual equivalent to the world’s greatest sportscar event – promises to deliver exciting and highly competitive endurance events that are guaranteed to thrill esports enthusiasts globally. For those same fans, running alongside the Le Mans Virtual Series will be the Le Mans Virtual Cup [see more info HERE] – an esports series where anyone with rFactor 2 can compete and earn the opportunity to secure a spot on the grid for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.

About Le Mans Virtual Series

Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of 5 rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’s top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with leading esports protagonists to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live and televised at the Autosport Show International at the Birmingham, UK. The Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (“ACO”) – the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).

Round 1: 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021 Online only

Round 2: 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021 Online only

Round 3: 8 Hours of Nürburgring, DE November 13, 2021 Online only

Round 4: 6 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021 Online only

Round 5: 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022 ASI, Birmingham, UK

About Motorsport Games

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to difficulties, delays in or unanticipated events that may impact the timing and scope of the events and their participants, such as due to difficulties and delays related to the ongoing and prolonged COVID-19 endemic and its variants, and governmental lockdown responses to the actual or perceived threats from this endemic. Factors other than those referred to above could also cause Motorsport Games’ results to differ materially from expected results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2021, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. Additionally, the business and financial materials and any other statement or disclosure on, or made available through, Motorsport Games’ website or other websites referenced or linked to this press release shall not be incorporated by reference into this press release.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:

Websites	Social Media
motorsportgames.com	Twitter: @msportgames & @traxiongg
traxion.gg	Instagram: msportgames & traxiongg
motorsport.com	Facebook: Motorsport Games & traxiongg
	LinkedIn: Motorsport Games
	Twitch: traxiongg
	Reddit: traxiongg

The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Investors:

Ashley DeSimone

Ashley.Desimone@icrinc.com

US Press:

ASTRSK PR

motorsportgames@astrskpr.com

EU / UK Press:

Swipe Right PR

motorsport@swipterightpr.com

Silverstone, UK – September 7, 2021. The entry list for the newly launched Le Mans Virtual Series, the global, elite endurance esports series, has today been revealed and it features some of the world’s best known motorsport and sim racing names. The full season list of teams can be found HERE, with all driver names – including top stars from many different disciplines around the world – due to be released on Tuesday, September 14.

For the season finale, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual on January 15/16, an additional 20 cars are expected to join the event with prestige team and star driver names coming from all over the world to add to the excitement.

Among the 38-strong entries – split between two categories of car (LMP2 – 21 cars; LMGTE – 17) – there are championship and Le Mans-winning worldwide brands such as Alpine, Ferrari, Porsche and BMW, all with multiple entries. Race and/or championship title winners from the WEC and European Le Mans Series (past and present) include Rebellion Racing, JOTA, Panis Racing, Team Project 1 and Team WRT, while some of endurance racing’s most dedicated teams such as GR Racing, Proton
Competition, D’Station Racing and ARC Bratislava are also featured on the list.

The real world racers are joined by a large number of highly successful and world-famous teams from sim racing competition. Yas Heat, Mahle Racing Team, Race Clutch Alpine, Romain Grosjean’s R8G Esports team, Floyd ByKolles-Burst, Williams Esports, Team Redline, Red Bull Racing Esports and Jenson Button’s Rocket Simsport team all have one or more entries in the prototype category, and all entries will compete with an ORECA 07 LMP2. Among these is the successful 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual-winning partnership, Williams Rebellion Esports, back to defend their title.

In LMGTE, which offers a choice of Aston Martin Vantage GTE, BMW M8 GTE, Corvette C8.R, Ferrari 488 GTE and Porsche 911 RSR GTE cars to entrants, leading marques such as Ferrari, Porsche and BMW will be represented by their own official esports teams together with Red Bull Racing Esports, BMW Team Redline, TESLA R8G Esports, and GR Wolves Racing – a link between the WEC GTE team and British Premier League football team Wolverhampton Wanderers FC.

Twelve different nations are represented on the entry list from Europe, the Middle and Far East.

Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) — a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world — and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) — the creators and organizers of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA WorldEndurance Championship (FIA WEC). It will take place over five rounds with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual as its grand finale. This twice-round-the-clock event will be a live, televised event within the 2022 Autosport International motorsport show in Birmingham, UK on January 15/16.

The calendar of events features some of the world’s most famous racetracks – Monza, Spa, Nürburgring, Sebring and Le Mans – which will challenge all the drivers, international FIA-licensed and sim racers alike, and thrill the millions of esports enthusiasts worldwide.

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

About Le Mans Virtual Series
Le Mans Virtual Series is a global, elite esports series made up of five rounds which bring together endurance racing and sim racing’ top teams to compete on some of the world’s most famous racetracks. International FIA-licensed real-world drivers are teamed up with leading esports protagonists to take on endurance classics for a total prize fund of US$250,000, culminating in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual which will take place live and televised at the Autosport Show International at the Birmingham NEC (UK). Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, Motorsport Games, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO)- the creator and organizer of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021 Online only
Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021 Online only
Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021 Online only
Round 4 6 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021 Online only
Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022 ASI, Birmingham, UK

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.

Joint venture between Motorsport Games and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest returns in September with new and improved features, including four virtual rounds across world-famous racetracks

Miami, FL – September 1, 2021 — Le Mans Virtual Series, a joint venture with Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) — a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world — and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) — the creators and organizers of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), returns to competition this September with a new name, revised format, portfolio of prestige partners and an exciting live grand finale televised for all fans. Following the notable success of last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in June 2020, the newly re-named and expanded Le Mans Virtual Series will be a global, elite series made up of five rounds. For an exciting preview, click here to view the trailer of the Series.

Motorsport Advisor to Motorsport Games, Gérard Neveu, commented on the launch of Le Mans Virtual Series, “Last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual was a huge success, and we have an opportunity to do it even better this time! This year, the event will further benefit the teams, partners and, of course, massive gaming and spectator audiences worldwide. We are extremely pleased to have secured the support of such an impressive portfolio of partners, and we can’t wait to get started this season with the reveal next week of some top-class names on the entry list.”

The first four rounds, taking place between September and December, will be held strictly online, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual taking place as the climax of the premier endurance esports championship. The finale will be a live, televised event within the 2022 Autosport International motorsport show in Birmingham, U.K. on January 15 and 16, 2022, with 50% of the entire U.S.$250,000 prize fund available for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual standalone race.

The calendar of events features some of the world’s most famous racetracks which will challenge all the drivers to their limits and is expected to thrill the millions of esports enthusiasts worldwide. The rounds will be:

Round 1 4 Hours of Monza, Italy September 25, 2021
Round 2 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium October 16, 2021
Round 3 8 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany November 13, 2021
Round 4 6 Hours of Sebring, USA December 18, 2021
Round 5 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual January 15/16, 2022

Giving their full support to the Le Mans Virtual Series will be some of the world’s best known and most prestigious brands: Thrustmaster as Official Hardware Partner, Rolex as Official Timepiece Partner, Total Energies as Official Energy Partner, Goodyear as Official Tire Partner, LEGO® Technic as Official Engineering Partner and Algorand as Official Blockchain Partner.

“Following the real 24 Hours of Le Mans in August 2021, we are delighted to now launch the Le Mans Virtual Series which will include as its highlight the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. The link between real-life motorsport and esports is now an essential element for our manufacturers and teams, and we all look forward to an excellent season of esports competition” said Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO.

The vision for the expanded virtual series is to be as prestigious and recognizable as the real-world FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans as its spotlight event. The esports series will continue to use rFactor 2 as its platform, which is more focused on the sim-racing audience and provides a more authentic experience. There will also be more focus on increased race and strategy analysis during broadcasts to boost fan interest and engagement.

Bringing together the elite of motor racing and sim racing to compete together, the field of 38 LMP and GTE full-season entries must have a line-up of up to five drivers, with a combination of FIA international licensed and sim drivers. More details on the entry list will be revealed on September 7.

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.

Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release, the related conference call and webcast that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the expected future impact of new or planned products, features or offerings and the timing of launching such products, features and offerings, including, without limitation, the launch of Le Mans Virtual Series and whether such series will become a global, elite series or otherwise become successful. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to difficulties, delays in or unanticipated events that may impact the timing and scope of new product launches, such as due to delays and higher than anticipated expenses related to the ongoing and prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Factors other than those referred to above could also cause Motorsport Games’ results to differ materially from expected results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2021, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. Additionally, the business and financial materials and any other statement or disclosure on, or made available through, Motorsport Games’ website or other websites referenced or linked to this press release shall not be incorporated by reference into this press release.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:
Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (ir.motorsportgames.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media and blogs, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company and our products. It is possible that the information we post on our websites, social media and blogs could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the websites, social media channels and blogs, including the following (which list we will update from
time to time on our investor relations website):

The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Investors:
Ashley DeSimone
Ashley.Desimone@icrinc.com

US Press:
ASTRSK PR
motorsportgames@astrskpr.com

EU / UK Press:
Swipe Right PR
motorsport@swipterightpr.com

Catégorie : Uncategorised

Nestled in the Eifel mountains in western Germany, the Nürburgring Nordschleife is one of the most famous circuits in Europe and has long been one of the definitive tests of skill, speed and endurance for automotive manufacturers and racing drivers across the world.

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.

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

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

Saturday, Oct 16:

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.

View the full entry list here

View the full roster of drivers here

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