In 2020, people were unable to enjoy actual racing on the tracks and many turned to simulator racing at home, giving eSports or what the FIA calls ‘digital motorsports’ a boost in popularity. Some manufacturers got involved in it, among them BMW with its SIM Cups.
After their successful debut in the 2020 season, this year’s BMW SIM Cups will offer an even wider range of race formats, cars and sim platforms on which they take place.
The BMW SIM GT Cup, BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup and BMW SIM Time Attack offer the world’s best sim racers the opportunity to qualify on the iRacing, rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa Competizione platforms for the Grand Finals at BMW SIM Live 2021, and to win attractive prize money. The races will be streamed live on the BMW Motorsport social media channels.
“Having introduced our new BMW SIM Cup formats at BMW SIM Live last December, it is now time to get down to the serious business, as the first races are just around the corner,” said Rudolf Dittrich, Head of BMW Motorsport SIM Racing. “We are understandably excited to see how our new race formats and the wider range of BMW race cars will be received by the sim racing community.”
“We are now active on three major platforms: iRacing, rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa Competizione. This allows us to reach a far larger group of sim racers and their fans than last year. We are obviously hoping to attract a lot of top-class competitors, as well as to receive expert feedback on our race formats and cars, which helps us to keep improving all the time,” he said.
BMW SIM GT Cup – iRacing
The BMW SIM GT Cup is the successor to the BMW SIM 120 Cup. Divided into two seasons, a total of 10 races will take place in 2021. In the five rounds that comprise Season 1, sim racers go head to head in teams of two in the BMW M8 GTE. In Season 2, the new BMW M4 GT3 will be the car of choice for the teams. A total prize purse of US$4,200 (about RM16,870) is offered for the top 3 teams in the first 4 races of each season.
BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup – rFactor 2
Same car, same simulation platform, but new format. This year’s BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup features as a support series for the popular and top-class rFactor 2 GT Pro Series. As a result, the BMW one-make cup will take place at different racetracks, whereas it was previously held exclusively at the Nurburgring and on the Nordschleife. The top three at each event will share a total prize purse of €1,850, and the winners of each race will qualify for the final at BMW SIM Live.
BMW SIM Time Attack by Assetto Corsa Competizione
New simulation platform, new race format, new car. BMW SIM Time Attack by Assetto Corsa Competizione takes the form of a lap time competition on circuits that change monthly. Each month, the competitor who sets the fastest lap time, at the wheel of the virtualM4 GT4, qualifies for BMW SIM Live 2021.
In October 2019, Jaguar revealed its first all-electric sportscar created for the globally-renowned Playstation Gran Turismo series – the Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupe. It was built in the real-world as full-scale design study and served as the starting point for a more advanced car – the Vision Gran Turismo SV.
It was an opportunity to re-evaluate everything that could improve performance and in doing so, re-think what an electric Jaguar endurance racing car could be. Fundamental to that process was detailed analysis of gamer feedback from online videos and forums. This ‘virtual world testing’ combined with many hours ‘behind the wheel’ enabled the design and engineering teams to determine exactly how to optimise the Vision GT SV to create the perfect electric gaming endurance racing car.
Ultimate gaming endurance racer
“Jaguars created for the racetrack and the road have always shared the same DNA – whether that’s the D-type and XKSS, or the I-PACE and the I-TYPE. So, when the design team behind the Vision GT Coupe were asked to create the ultimate electric gaming endurance racer for Gran Turismo, they worked with engineers from SV and Jaguar Racing to create something really special,” said Julian Thomson, Jaguar’s Design Director.
“The Vision GT SV is a dramatic and visually arresting car which showcases what’s possible when the traditional boundaries governing real-world car design are completely removed. In bringing this car to life with a full-size design study, we’ve been able to showcase the most extreme version of an electric Jaguar racing car that is inspired by the past but looks fearlessly to the future,” he explained.
Designed as the ultimate virtual endurance racer, the Vision GT SV pays homage to its illustrious forebears not only in a host of styling and surfacing references but in its unique circuit board livery which nods to milestones such as the Le Mans debuts of the C-type and D-type in 1951 and 1954 respectively.
Engineered by experts
The streamlined, lightweight composite body structure houses 4 Jaguar Racing and SV-designed electric motors (one more than the Coupe), generating a combined output of 1,903 ps/1,400 kW with 3,360 Nm of instant torque. To efficiently and positively transfer all that output to the road is an intelligent all-wheel drive system and torque vectoring. Acceleration from 0 – 60 mph (96 km/h) is said to take just 1.65 seconds, on the way to a maximum speed of 410 km/h.
“We were given one objective: take everything that makes the Jaguar Vision GT Coupe so special – the performance, the handling and the soundtrack – and take it to another level,” recalled Jamal Hameedi, Engineering Director for the Jaguar SV. “And the team didn’t just achieve that target – they exceeded it, developing a virtual electric car which really could compete successfully in the extremes of 24-hour endurance racing.”
“Not only that, they were able to see their work in the virtual world, turned into reality with the production of the stunning full-scale model which will no doubt excite gamers about what’s to come in Gran Turismo,” he added.
The Vision GT Coupé’s elegant silhouette is still clearly recognisable in the GT SV, including the curvature of the C-type and D-type-inspired fenders, and – even with the additional motor driving the front axle – the wheelbase remains unchanged at 2721 mm.
Measuring 5540 mm from nose to tail, the GT SV is 861 mm longer overall – a change driven entirely by aerodynamics. To deliver the increased downforce needed for greater traction for faster cornering and increased high speed stability on long straights, the GT SV has a new front splitter and a new deployable rear wing.
In addition to the larger, more effective splitter – which produces downforce over the front axle – apertures in the front valance channel air across the face of the front wheels to reduce turbulence and help air to flow cleanly towards the rear of the car. Air passing through the wheel wells is also smoothed towards the rear via exit vents in the fenders.
The completely enclosed, sculpted underbody – which includes a keel element behind the front axle to aid high-speed stability – accelerates airflow, reducing its pressure and therefore helping to reduce lift, before it exits at the rear via a large venturi.
Deployable rear wing
The single most effective aero feature developed for the GT SV is its deployable rear wing, inspired by endurance racing cars from Jaguar’s past, including the XJR-14. Meticulously developed from concept to final design through many iterations, the wing’s main, fixed, section wraps over and around the back of the car, blending smoothly into the rear haunches.
The wing is designed as an integral element of the sculpted bodywork while also providing the aerodynamic performance required for endurance racing: two moveable sections automatically rise at speed to deliver extra downforce when needed but drop back to their nominal positions to minimise drag.
As a result, the GT SV has a drag coefficient of Cd 0.398 – remarkably low for a racing car – but also generates 483 kgs of downforce at 320 km/h.
Jaguar Racing engineers developed the GT SV’s quad-motor all-electric propulsion system. They also designed the system for the first Jaguar Vision GT car, applying all of their knowledge and experience from developing the Jaguar I-TYPE over 6 successive seasons.
Power comes from a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery pack which is housed low down in the light, stiff body structure, delivering a low centre of gravity, a low roll centre and near-perfect weight distribution.
The thermal management system is enhanced by an additional liquid nitrogen circuit which provides extra capacity to enable the battery to provide maximum power for longer while remaining within its ideal temperature range. The nitrogen cooling is also linked to the boost button within the cabin to ensure that even during the most demanding operating conditions the battery will not exceed its upper temperature limit.
Ultimate virtual driving experience
The unique, powertrain soundscape so fundamental to the visceral driving experience of the Vision GT Coupe has been further enhanced for the GT SV version. Reflecting the increase in power and torque from the 4 electric motors to its precursor’s three, the GT SV generates a sound that is even more purposeful and distinctive, and is authentically yet futuristically Jaguar. Building to a crescendo at the 40,000 rpm redline, it reflects the GT SV’s true racing DNA and delivers unrivalled driver reward.
Four months ago, Ford’s Team Fordzilla unveiled a world-first at this year’s gamescom event which was described as ‘the ultimate virtual racing car’. Designed with collaboration between Ford designers and the gaming community, the car was developed under the codename ‘Project P1’. At that time, Ford also announced that it would build a scale model of the P1 concept before the end of the year at its design studios in Germany.
The model has now been completed and was recently unveiled online. While seeing real cars transferred to computer games is commonplace, this is the first-ever time an automaker has brought to life a gamer-collaborated virtual car – yet to be featured in a game – with a physical model. It’s part of its continuing theme of exploring the parallels between the real-world and the virtual one, with learnings from design in the digital world being applied to concepts for reality.
Gamers chose the design features
The journey of the Team Fordzilla P1 racing car started in March this year when gamers were asked to vote on the package and features of the car on Twitter, including seating configuration, engine position and cockpit definition. Nearly a quarter of a million fan votes were submitted throughout the polling process.
The innovative Team Fordzilla P1 racing car features an exterior designed by Arturo Arino and an interior that was the vision of Robert Engelmann, both Ford designers. The car is built around the monocoque structure partially covered by a large, hyper-transparent jet fighter-style canopy, protecting the driver and co-driver. The transparent canopy not only blurs the boundaries between the exterior and the interior but it also emphasises the unique F1-like driving position.
The exterior form is the combination of a sleek GT-like front end with sculped front fenders and extremely sculpted bodyside panels. Twist and floating buttresses visually connect the cockpit with the rear wheels. The rear end is completely exposed and presents the ‘rawness’ of aerodynamics and racing circuits. 21-inch wheels are fitted front and rear, with the front ones sized 315/30 and the rears 355/25.
In the cockpit are LED notification units, keeping the driver and co-driver up-to-date on the track status in their peripheral view. In addition, an integrated screen on the steering wheel enables live data exchange with the team at the pit wall. The whole interior is designed to help the driver to minimize any sort of distraction during the race and heighten the enjoyment of racing.
From CAD to reality in 7 weeks
Team Fordzilla P1 is Ford’s first ever car built digitally without any face-to-face interaction throughout the process. Due to the current pandemic, it was designed by a team who had never met, working remotely – and spread across 5 different countries. It was built in just 7 weeks which is less than half of the time it would normally take. The finished build is a full-size, inside-outside model with extreme proportions and truly unmistakable character.
Being co-created by gamers for gamers, the hypercar features a few special touches that speak to the sim-racing community. On the floor in front of the co-pilot’s seat, there is an AFK (Away From Keyboard) message, a playful reminder that occupants of that seat are away from keyboard. A #levelup graphic acknowledges that gamers and racing drivers aim to better themselves each time they play or race, while a #liftoff graphic is a nod to the lifting off of this race car from a virtual world and transitioning it to the real one.
On the front of the 4731 mm long car, by the lower spoiler, there’s the most important message: a GLHF (Good luck, Have Fun) reminder to every gamer and racing driver to truly have fun and enjoy the ride.
“This project had so many firsts. It was the first fully digital project for us. It was the first car to be designed publicly with full transparency and the first we’ve ever designed remotely with designers located in 5 different countries, some of whom have never met face to face. That we completed it all in less than half of the usual time is a real testament to the team and the passion they had for the project,” said Boris Ferko, Design Manager at Ford of Europe.
Even before the increased activity in simulator racing this year, BMW Motorsport has been an active participant in the world of virtual racing. Its presence at such online events help to actively promote the industry with innovations in the hardware that forms part of its holistic involvement.
Recently, BMW Motorsport SIM Racing took the transfer of technology between real and virtual racing to a totally new level with three world premieres at its digital BMW SIM event. The BMW M4 GT3, which is set to become the new flagship in the BMW M Customer Racing range of racing cars from 2022, made its debut on the iRacing sim racing platform as a prototype ahead of its first real race outing.
The steering wheel in the BMW M4 GT3 has been developed in cooperation with Fanatec and is the first of its kind to work in both a racing car and a race simulator.
The third global innovation is the concept study of the Fusion SL sim lounge furniture. In just a few simple steps, it can be converted from a designer table into a fully-fledged race simulator.
“With BMW Motorsport SIM Racing, we are following a 360-degree approach. This means that we have our eye on the big picture,” said Rudolf Dittrich, Head of BMW Motorsport SIM Racing. “We have achieved an awful lot in the first year of our involvement. At the same time, we have also identified great potential and, based on that, have decided to continue to focus strongly on hardware developments in 2021, with which we can promote technical innovations and develop new product categories and markets.”
The BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel
BMW Motorsport has collaborated with sim racing hardware producer, Fanatec, to develop a steering wheel for the M4 GT3 that can be used in both a real racing car and a race simulator> It’s technology transfer which has never been seen before in motor racing. Absolutely no modifications are required for it to be used in the racing car.
The carbonfibre steering wheel has a typical motorsport design, with illuminated buttons and magnetic, dual-action shift paddles also made of carbonfibre. The fact that the hybrid steering wheel perfectly fulfils both roles was demonstrated emphatically by BMW works driver Philipp Eng at BMW SIM Live. He entered the stage in the real M4 GT3, emerged holding the steering wheel, inserted it into the simulator, and promptly completed a number of laps in the car’s virtual counterpart.
Extensive tests allow the BMW Motorsport engineers to constantly monitor the durability of the steering wheel in real racing situations. It will be available from Fanatec in the first half of 2021.
“The first time I heard of the idea to design the BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel to be compatible with a simulator, I was flabbergasted – because I was thrilled by the concept from the word go,” said Eng. “You have to take your hat off to the pioneering role that BMW Motorsport and Fanatec have taken on here, and to the courage to implement a project of this kind.”
“Compared to the steering wheel in the BMW M6 GT3, for example, the new wheel has extremely good ergonomics. It is very comfortable to hold. You can tell that real professionals have been at work in every area,” he added.
BMW M4 GT3 prototype on iRacing
As with the M8 GTE and M4 GT4 before it, BMW Motorsport has worked very closely with popular sim racing platform iRacing over the past few months in order to integrate the BMW M4 GT3 as faithfully as possible in the simulation.
The difference this time is that the car is being used as a test car on iRacing even as it is being developed. As such, the sim racers can follow the development together with BMW Motorsport, and can help drive the development forward until the final version is available on iRacing and to real motor racing customers later in 2021.
At the same time as the real car is being developed, BMW Motorsport engineers have provided their colleagues at iRacing with CAD data and photos as a reference, which they can then use as a basis when programming and designing the virtual M4 GT3. In an additional data package, iRacing received all the information on the driving dynamics of the racing car. In total, over 70 GB of data has already been exchanged. The common goal: to recreate the actual driving dynamics as realistically as possible.
Philipp Eng was impressed by how successfully this had been achieved when he took the virtual M4 GT3 for a spin for the first time on the simulator at BMW SIM Live. “I find it extremely cool that the BMW M4 GT3 has been introduced on iRacing parallel to its actual development. After all, I am not only a thoroughbred racing driver, but also a thoroughbred sim racer,” said Eng, who, as an alpha tester for iRacing, plays a role in ensuring that the handling of the car is as close as possible to reality.
Fusion SL concept furniture
Sim racing is growing in popularity all over the world. As such, the number of users building comprehensively-equipped rigs at home is also growing. At BMW Motorsport, this raised the question of how to integrate these rigs in everyday life. Together with BMW Designworks and furniture manufacturer Sedus, they have come up with a solution. The concept study is called “Fusion SL” – a unique combination of sim racing rig and lounge furniture.
The idea was to develop a piece of furniture that would save space and could be aesthetically integrated into a modern living environment. It can be converted into a rig in just a few simple steps, but which is otherwise folded down to serve as a desk, coffee table or seat, thus making ‘boost’ and ‘ease’ concepts that can be experienced not only in the car, but also in the living room.
To implement the project, the engineering quality of BMW Motorsport, design expertise of Michael Scully and his BMW Designworks team, and the production performance of Sedus came together. “The Fusion SL concept combines the best of two worlds,” said Scully. “It is not necessarily intended to replace the high-end sim rigs used by professionals. Our goal was rather to make sim racing and the hardware required attractive for new target groups – and, to be honest, their fellow occupants.”
“It is not easy to strike the right balance between the necessary stability, portability, flat profile, torsional rigidity and a visual impression that will bring the piece of furniture out of the cellar and into the living room, as many of these aspects contradict each other. However, design is all about overcoming these challenges,” explained Ernst Holzapfel, Head of Marketing at Sedus Stoll AG.
The Fusion SL concept can be the perfect home office for sim racers. The Wooom chair is its perfect partner. One minute you can be relaxing comfortably in it, the next it offers you everything you would expect from a good racing seat, with its sporty seating position and good lateral support, thanks to the padding provided.
Online racing or sim racing has been growing over the years and this year, its popularity has accelerated (or at least activity) due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. As people around the world were forced to stay home and large-scale activities like motor racing were not permitted, the alternative very quickly became racing online. There were already some popular series running and some manufacturers began to also create their own championships.
One of them has been Toyota which has been stepping up its presence in motorsports through Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR). One of the new activities created was the GR Supra GT Cup ASIA 2020, a regional event which would see the best sim racers from 5 countries – Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and India – competing against each other.
Organized by Toyota Motor Asia Pacific, it was the first virtual motorsport racing championship in Asia. Each country has held its own series to find three of the best racers, and these were the ones who represented the country. The 15 contestants challenged each other using identical GR Supra RZ20 racing cars on the PlayStation platform, watched by millions of viewers worldwide… certainly way more than a real-world race.
Three races, 15 competitors
The event comprised 3 races, starting at the Fuji Speedway in Japan. At the end of this race, A. Aleef from Singapore led the pack with a strong 6-second lead. He was followed closely in second and third place, respectively, by Muhammad Iqbal Ahmad Suji and Taj Aiman, both from the Malaysian team.
The second race was an exciting 5 laps through the night ‘Shuto’ expressway of Tokyo – obviously only possible in the virtual world! Lap 5 saw one of the most exciting duels of the race as Suji, Tanapat (Thailand) and Shaz (Singapore) race 3-wide through the long straight to compete for P7 in a one-lane turn. But it was Aleef who again finished with a strong first place, followed closely by N. Sirigaya (Thailand) and T. Lallave (Philippines).
Nurburgring was where the final battles took place. This circuit runs over 20 kms and has more than 150 turns, requiring a mandatory pitstop and tyre change. After 3 intense laps, Taj Aiman came in first with an incredibly close second from Sirigaya and Aleef in third.
The overall winners were determined by their total points at the end of the three races. Aleef had the highest score of 36 points, while Taj Aiman came second with 33 points, and Sirigaya was in third with 25 points.
Overall winner faces global challengers
Aleef won US$6,000 in cash and a coveted spot to race in the global final GR Supra GT Cup 2020 in December. He will this represent Asia against the best of class e-Motorsport challengers from around the world.
Taj Aiman, placed second, received US$3,000 while Sirigaya, who came in third, won US$1,500 USD. All three winners were also awarded trophies.
“It has been a phenomenal year for me, having won the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship, given the honour to represent Malaysia and going on to finish second in the GR Supra GT Cup Asia, What an incredible experience!” said Taj Aiman. “Coming in second and just 3 points short of an overall victory is tough but that’s racing, and it is what it is.”
Malaysian event inspiration for GR Supra GT Cup Asia
UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) continues to be the first, and remains as the only car company in Malaysia to be associated with e-Motorsport activities. The company has run three seasons of the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship, which was also instrumental in inspiring the very first GR Supra GT Cup Asia series.
The Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship has been held in Malaysia over the last three years.
“With simulator racing becoming more competitive and also regarded as an important stepping stone for some of the world’s best real-life racers and teams, it is important that Malaysian virtual racers are also given the opportunity to compete at regional as well as international levels. At Toyota, we are delighted to be able to provide them with this exposure,” said Akio Takeyama, GAZOO RACING Malaysia’s Chief Motorsport Officer.
President of UMW Toyota Motor, Ravindran K., said the company’s contribution to Malaysian motorsports will continue both on the racing track and in the virtual world as it aspires to bridge both disciplines and bring motor-racing to the masses.
“It’s amazing to see how far virtual racing has come and, in many ways, today becoming an important element in accelerating the learning and development of a driver on the track. Virtual racing has also been instrumental in growing the interest and appreciation for motorsports and moving forward, UMWT will continue to invest in its potential,” he said, adding that part of UMWT’s initiatives include the recent launching of a GAZOO RACING Young Talent Development Program which is aimed at allowing both young karters and simulator racers to transition into real racing.
Team mates and friends Taj Izrin Aiman Taj Madira, Mior Muhammad Hafiz and Muhammad Iqbal Ahmad Suji won big time at the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship Grand Final when they clinched the top three positions to win almost RM40,000 in cash prizes.
The 2-day event brought together an elite group of 20 online racers who competed in a semi-final, with the top 10 fastest drivers advancing to the Grand Final. Held at the UMW Toyota Motor headquarters complex in Shah Alam, Selangor, the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship was streamed online was had more than one million views.
In total, some 720 participants entered the Toyota GAZOO RACING Velocity Esports Championship which had kicked off with a series of 4 qualifying rounds. The championship offered more than RM70,000 in total prize money, most lucrative virtual racing event in Malaysia.
How Taj Izrin Aiman won
Taj Izrin Aiman was victorious in Race 1 behind the wheel of a GR Supra RZ at the Autodrome Lago Maggiore circuit in Italy, finishing ahead of Mior Muhammad with Rio Pandukusuma in third place in the 15-lap race. In Race 2, at the Autopolis Racing Course in Japan, Moo Shuan Jinq crossed the finish line ahead of Mior Muhammad in the 18-lap race in a FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo, with Taj Izrin Aiman finishing in third position.
For Race 3, run at the virtual Circuit de la Sarthe in France which is the venue for the annual Le Mans 24-Hour race, Muhammad Iqbal piloted a TS050 Hybrid to victory ahead of Mior Muhammad and Ariff Roslan in second and third places, respectively.
By the end of the 3 races, the overall championship was down to three potential winners with Mior Muhammad leading with 54 points, followed by Taj Izrin Aiman at 50, and Muhammad Iqbal with 45 points.
In the fourth and final 18-lap race at the famous 13. 6-km Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, Taj Izrin Aiman however, stamped his authority by leading the race from start to finish in a Toyota-powered Dallara Super Formula SF19, building an unassailable lead of 9 seconds ahead of Arif Roslan and Rio Pandukusuma who finished second and third respectively. Low Wooi Kit crossed the finish line in fourth place, followed by Muhammad Iqbal in fifth, while Mior Muhammad who was fourth at one point in the race dropped to sixth, finishing more than 35 seconds behind the race winner and essentially bidding farewell to his hopes of winning the overall championship.
Like racing in the real world
“Virtual racing is an entirely different discipline. It requires a lot of practice and seat time. Just like real racing requires you set-up a vehicle, in virtual racing you have to adapt to the steering and pedal techniques, and at the same time you have to adopt a strategy and manage your tyre wear as well as fuel during a race,” said 22-year-old Taj Izrin Aiman who is an avid motorsports enthusiast and is only into his first year of competitive virtual racing.
Clinching the overall Toyota GAZOO RACING Velocity Esports Championship is also his first major title in virtual racing. Together with his winning team mates, the trio will also represent Malaysia at Toyota’s Regional eSports competition.
In a special 17-lap exhibition race involving celebrities who have competed in the Toyota Vios Challenge, musician Shawn Lee proved that he was indeed a force to be reckoned with both on and off the racing circuit. Lee, a two-time champion in the Promotional Class of the Toyota Vios Challenge, led the virtual 17-lap race at the 4.5-km Fuji International Speedway from start to finish. Behind him was GAZOO RACING Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama, and celebrity gamer Daddy Hood.
“Competing in Toyota GAZOO RACING Velocity Esports Championship is an excellent warm-up for us in preparation for Season 4 of the Toyota Vios Challenge. I can’t wait to get back into racing,” said comedian Nabil Ahmad, who used a Toyota GR Supra Racing RZ.
High driving standards of virtual racers
GAZOO RACING Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama noted that the driving standards and technical knowledge the competitors brought to virtual racing was very high.” They are very serious about what they do and, despite never having experienced real racing, the degree of race craft, the strategies they adopt, discipline and familiarization as well as adaptability to the different types of vehicles and tracks they are exposed to is simply phenomenal.”
“Virtual racing is indeed becoming an important bridge to real racing, and this is also an area we at Toyota are investing in with the start of our GAZOO RACING Young Talent Development Program which will not only provide young karters, but also virtual racers, with the opportunity to transition into real world saloon car racing,” he added.
Virtual racing or esports will be another strong pillar for Toyota to bring motorsports to the masses. The Toyota GAZOO RACING Velocity Esports Championship began in 2018 and UMW Toyota Motor was the first and still the only car company in Malaysia to be associated with the fast-growing sport that is also recognised by the FIA (the world motorsport governing body).
UMW Toyota Motor will continue to support and promote motorsports in Malaysia.
More motorsports-focussed initiatives
“Moving forward, the GAZOO RACING brand will continue to spearhead and expand Toyota’s presence in Malaysian motorsports with a number of new initiatives to be rolled out soon,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
This, he added, will include continuity of the Toyota Vios Challenge racing series and the Toyota GAZOO RACING Velocity Esports Championship, the roll-out of a new range of race-bred and race-inspired GAZOO RACING-badged vehicles, and the expansion of specialty showrooms in the form of GAZOO RACING (GR) Garages for the benefit of customers.
For the first time, Porsche Asia Pacific and Porsche Cars Australia have teamed up with Forza Motorsport 7 to run a simulation racing tournament. Known as the Porsche Asia Pacific Forza Cup, it will see some of the best sim racers in the region compete on the Forza Motorsport 7 tracks of Bathurst, Nurburgring, Le Mans, Silverstone and Hockenheimring.
Qualifiers
The races will begin in a Porsche 918 Spyder which holds the distinction of being the first series production car to beat the lap record of 7 minutes at the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 2013. The race will take place on the rollercoaster Bathurst track which offers an extraordinary mix of 23 fast and slow corners, and gradients of up to 16%.
Subsequent qualifying rounds, to be held in October, will use the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife, in the 911 GT3 RS, and then Le Mans with the 919 Hybrid. Finally, the top 16 players, limited to a maximum of three from one country, will compete to bring home the first Porsche Asia Pacific Forza Cup over two races in a Cayman GT4 Clubsport.
The Finals
The first of the final races will be at the Silverstone track after which the finalists will then go head to head for their second finals race at the Hockenheimring. All 16 finalists and the top 3 participants of the finals will win prizes from the Porsche Driver’s Selection and HUGO BOSS, the official sponsor of the Porsche Asia Pacific Forza Cup.
The titleholder will win an opportunity to race on a real track during a track experience at the Porsche Experience Centre in Hockenheimring, Germany, in 2021.
The tournament is currently open for registrations online from players from the Asia Pacific region. They must hold a Xbox game pass and have either access to a PC, Xbox One, Xbox One S, or Xbox One X. Click here to sign up, or find out more about the race details and points scoring system.
Porsche in Esports
Porsche’s involvement in Esports or sim racing – also referred to as digital motorsports by the FIA – goes back some 3 years and has been growing in recent times, especially this year when real-world racing was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Racing games and Esports connect the real and virtual worlds and enable us to gain further access to the young target group. It means that they can develop a passion for Porsche even before buying their first sportscar”, said a senior executive of the company.
One of its major sim racing events – the Porsche Esports Supercup – was included in a gala event to honour the successes of the teams and driers in motorsport. Porsche was the first major carmaker to recognise the achievements of virtual racers at the same event as their real-world racing peers.
When UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) started the Toyota Vios Challenge One-Make series, one of the aims was to bring new blood into the racing scene, especially at grassroots level. Now, after three successful seasons, the company is introducing the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program. This is aimed at identifying and nurturing young Malaysian racing talent transitioning from karting and sim-racing to saloon car racing.
“One of the principal achievements of the Toyota Vios Challenge has been its ability to not only attract young racers but giving them an equal opportunity to excel competing alongside more experienced racers,” said Akio Takeyama, GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, and Deputy Chairman of UMWT.
The six recruits for the program with GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, A. Takeyama (right) and Ravindran K., President of UMWT (left).
Young newcomers joining racing series
“In three seasons of the Toyota Vios Challenge, we have noticed a stream of young drivers making their way into the series. Affordability and cost of participation has certainly played a significant part in this but its one-make race format has also provided young drivers as well as newcomers with a fair and level playing field in terms of racing as they compete against more experienced drivers. This and the combination of having to drive in a super competitive environment has resulted in an accelerated learning curve,” said Mr. Takeyama, who also participates in the series.
“The success of the series in nurturing young talent could not have been better validated than with the crowning of 16-year-old Hayden Haikal as the Sporting Class champion in Season 3 with another teenage driver, 18-year-old Bradley Benedict Anthony clinching second place overall in what was only his first year of saloon car racing, both of whom were karters making the transition up to saloon car racing,” he said.
Mr. Takeyama said the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program underlined Toyota’s continued investment and commitment towards the development of Malaysian motorsports.
The racers will undergo intensive training at the GAZOO Racing School using the race-prepared Toyota Vios model.
Transition from sim racing and karting
The programme, for those between the ages of 14 and 20, has identified 6 young racers, based on their karting and sim-racing accomplishments, overall performance and level of commitment. They will be coached before being provided with the opportunity to compete in Season 4 of the Toyota Vios Challenge series.
They are sim racers Mika Hakimi (17) and Naquib Azlan (20), and karters Amer Harris (17), Jwan Hii (18), Putera Adam (14) and Troy Eimann (16).
The racers will undergo intensive training both on and off the track under the close guidance of instructors at the GAZOO Racing School beginning this month. They must satisfy a number of criteria before being certified competent to race. As with all racing drivers, they must also fulfil all conditions for the issuance of a national competition license (for circuit racing) by Malaysia’s motorsports-governing body, the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM).
UMWT has been supporting eSports with a championship series that is in its third season this year.The Vios Challenge, which has completed three seasons, has seen a stream of young new racers coming into motorsport.
Toyota’s growing presence in motorsports
GAZOO Racing and Toyota’s growing presence in Malaysian motorsports has collaboratively helped to develop both the sport and brand as more dynamic, vibrant, emotive and exhilarating entities.
“The commitment from the onset had been to establish an even bigger footprint in Malaysian motorsports and to be in the position to give Malaysian motorsports a further boost. In 3 seasons, we have been able to make an impactful difference by establishing a series that ran on purpose-built street tracks instead of at traditional racing circuits. That successfully attracted not only first-time competitors but also amateur and professional racers to the series. With Season 4, we intend to take this one step further by providing young racers with a gateway into the higher levels of motor racing,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
Simulator racing has been growing over the years, both in terms of technological advances that increase realism as well as popularity globally. Companies making the hardware and software for simulators are pushing the envelope further and further, and with the AMR-C01 Racing Simulator, those who want to compete in the virtual or the real world can have the ultimate luxury home simulator.
Designed by Aston Martin and engineered by Curv, the AMR-C01 has a lightweight carbonfibre monocoque structure and utilises the latest technology to provide a fully immersive driving experience for the home user. The seating position mirrors that of the Aston Martin Valkyrie, adding a futuristic hypercar feel to the simulator.
Carbonfibre bodywork
Hand-assembled by Curv Racing Simulators, using the highest quality components and latest Assetto Corsa software, the AMR-C01 has a unique look, thanks to the work of the Aston Martin Design team. Crafted in carbonfibre, the front of bodywork is shaped to invoke the signature Aston Martin Racing grille.
The all-carbonfibre monocoque provides a rigid structure, the design of which also adds to the sporting look of the simulator. As what customers would expect of any Aston Martin car, there is a high level of refinement and surface quality as well as finish.
“This was a challenge for the design team as, although the simulator isn’t a car, it is inspired by our racing cars. It needed to exude the same elegance, boasting the same dynamic lines and balance of proportions as any Aston Martin with a racing lineage. I can picture the AMR-C01 in the most beautiful of residences as a sculptural work of art in its own right,” said Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman.
For the love of racing
Curv Racing Simulators is led by Aston Martin works driver, Darren Turner, who is a simulator specialist with over 20 years’ experience in cutting edge Formula 1 simulation. “The AMR-C01 is all about the love of racing. We’ve created a home simulator with incredible immersion that offers users the opportunity to have a great time racing in the virtual world, from the comfort of their own home,” said Turner.
Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar
Hypercar experience
“We modelled the driving position on the Aston Martin Valkyrie so users of AMR-C01 can get the full hypercar experience. I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve, with design and engineering creating what I believe to be the most beautiful home simulator available,” he added.
Only 150 of these state-of-the-art simulators will be available, each priced from £57,500 (about RM304,000) in the UK. The first units can be delivered during the fourth quarter of this year.
During the period of the Movement Control Order when all public activities in Malaysia came to a standstill, motorsports enthusiasts were saddened that not only could they not attend their favourite events but there was also nothing to watch. However, a number of carmakers decided to go racing online and even sent their professional racing drivers to compete in events that were watched globally.
In Malaysia, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) held the Toyota GAZOO Racing Online Challenge between April 23 April and May 21, bringing racing excitement to everyone who had to stay at home around the country. The company was the first and is still the only auto brand in Malaysia to become involved in esports, as it is known. In total, the Toyota GAZOO Racing Online Challenge offered prize monies amounting to RM7,500 over the 5 rounds.
Following that successful event, which attracted gamers as young as 6 years old, a second phase will be held on July 12 which will see the top challengers in the first phase compete in a final showdown of the fastest sim-racers in the country.
The Online Challenge Finals will be a mini-championship of 4 rounds, each featuring iconic racing cars – including the Playstation Gran Turismo-exclusive Toyota GT86 Group B Rally Car. The sim-racers will challenge each other around some of the world’s iconic circuits, including the Red Bull Ring and Autodromo De Interlagos.
“The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the physical aspect of motor racing but there is no reason why the spirit of competition cannot continue virtually. GAZOO Racing is a philosophy that extends beyond the racing track and that was precisely why we pursued an online presence,” said Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama.
Mr. Takeyama, who is also Deputy Chairman of UMWT, said that the Toyota GAZOO Racing Online Challenge is also a natural extension to the company’s existing Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship. “It underlines the company’s commitment to not only bring motorsports to the masses but to make it more accessible and affordable,” he explained.
The third edition of the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship will be held between August and September this year (dates and race formats to be announced soon).
In addition, Toyota Motor Asia Pacific (TMAP) will also be organizing the first-ever GR Supra GT Cup Asia 2020 regional esports competition in October 2020. This event will see qualifying rounds being held in Malaysia (through the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship), Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and India from July to September to select the top three virtual racers who will represent their respective nations at the regional finale.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities, the result of which has seen esports and virtual racing propelled to the forefront at an unprecedented scale. The timely introduction of a regional event will certainly fuel Toyota’s momentum of pursuing an aggressive esports agenda in Malaysia,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
“Simulator racing has had a profound impact on Malaysian esports, appealing to both gamers and racing drivers proving that it is an excellent conduit between the virtual and physical realms in motor racing,” he added. “As an automotive brand, Toyota in Malaysia is today in a position of strength being in the forefront of both spectra – with a strong virtual racing presence.”
Mr. Ravindran said that these initiatives solidified Toyota’s commitment to bring motorsports to the masses, promoting the GAZOO Racing philosophy that embodies performance and excellence, besides introducing to the market its new range of specialty models that wear the GR badge.
Toyota’s esports activities complement the real-life one-make Vios Challenge which has been successfully run for three seasons.
