Simulator racing, or sim racing, has been around since the 1980s. Over 40 years, the virtual form of motorsport has grown in popularity and both the hardware and software have advanced tremendously. Today’s sim racing software is so realistic that even F1 drivers use them for training and they are used for championships with global participation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic when countries went into lockdown and people were confined to their homes, sim racing became even more popular. While real-world racing activities had to be stopped, sim racing took off as an alternative for motorsports lovers.
Almost anyone can get into sim racing. The basic requirements are a computer/game console, sim rig, large monitor and a fast internet connection. Players can compete against computer rivals or real human rivals around the world.
Genesis has announced its debut in Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Gran Turismo 7 (GT7) sim racing videogame series as an official manufacturer partner of the Gran Turismo World Series, an online global motorsport championship. GT7 is developed by Polyphony Digital Inc. and was recently released on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles.
The luxury brand of the Hyundai Motor Group will make available to championship competitors the Genesis X GR3 and G70 GR4 concept vehicles, as well as the G70 Sport Sedan for the Manufacturer’s Cup.
“Genesis is pleased to be presenting the dynamic G70 sport sedan and our ambitious GR3 and GR4 concepts in Gran Turismo 7,” said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice-President and Head of Genesis Global Design Centre. “This platform allows fans of racing to get behind the wheel and discover the bold designs and performance ambitions of Genesis as we continue to explore the brand’s entry into motorsport.”
The X GR3 and G70 GR4 are concept vehicles which were shown last year when Genesis revealed the vehicle design process at an ultra-modern experiential installation called ‘The Performance of Design’ during Monterey Car Week. The two concept vehicles were part of a trio of models developed in collaboration with the creators of the Gran Turismo videogame series.
The X GR3 is based on the Genesis X Concept shown last year and reinterpreted in the Gr.3 racing specification. It is powered by a 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo engine with 555 ps.
The G70 GR4 Gran Turismo, is a California-built 420 ps racing car derived from the Genesis coupe. It is a completely reimagined G70 sport sedan for competition with a GT-inspired racing package. Building on the existing G70 model to create a bold, yet elegant, high-performance racing car, it showcases the motorsport intent of the brand.
Other concepts under study are the GR1 Alpha_DB, GR1 Bravo_GB, and GR1 Charlie_ET, all of which are potential designs for a future Vision Gran Turismo Concept that will be an elite racing car.
Gran Turismo 7, the super-realistic sim racing videogame by Polyphony Digital/Sony Interactive Entertainment received its latest update recently. This follows the update in April which saw the addition of 3 new cars (2 Subaru BRZs and the Suzuki Cappuccino) and the 24-hour layout of Spa-Francorchamps.
With this update, players get another 3 new cars – the Roadster Shop Rampage, Toyota GR010 HYBRID ’21, and Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo. Additionally, new events have been added to the World Circuits, namely the Lightweight K-Cup, Vision Gran Turismo Trophy and Gr. 1 Prototype Series.
Toyota GR010 HYBRID ’21
Roadster Shop Rampage
Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo
Of the 3 new cars, the Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo has been much anticipated. It showcases Suzuki’s expertise in both 2-wheel and 4-wheel products, highlighting the company’s involvement in both motorcycles and automobiles. Only a handful of companies can lay claim in mastering the two genres, and fewer still can boast international racing success in both.
Suzuki’s Vision Gran Turismo, which joins a number of other Vision Gran Turismo models from other many carmakers, was developed as a unique all-wheel drive super sportscar which fuses the company’s motorcycle and automotive know-how.
The 2-seater in the familiar yellow colour of the brand has a convertible bodystyle with a front-engine/rear-wheel-drive layout. It has a very powerful hybrid drivetrain consisting of the 1340 cc inline-4 petrol engine taken from the company’s flagship sports bike, the Hayabusa, and electric motors.
There are 3 electric motors – 2 in front and 1 at the back. The combined system output is shown as 318 kW/432 ps at 9,700 rpm with 610 Nm of torque.
During development of this virtual supercar, Suzuki employed much of its racing technology in the construction, using as many lightweight components as possible. As a result, the car weighs just in 970 kgs.
As for the styling, the Vision Gran Turismo’s low stance and flowing lines were inspired by popular Suzuki production sportscar models like the Swift Sport and Cappuccino.
This isn’t the first time Suzuki fitted its powerful Hayabusa engine into an automobile. In fact, the company used it to power the GSX-R/4, a mid-engine sportscar concept that was shown in 2001. With the Vision Gran Turismo, Suzuki is recalling memories of that legendary showcar while introducing the latest technology.
According to Polyphony Digital, there will also be a Gr.3 version of the Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo soon. That would certainly raise this classic sportscar formula to the next level.
In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic kept people in their homes and racing activities came to a standstill, Lamborghini started a one-make championship online. Not surprisingly, the event known as ‘The Real Race’ was a success as driving enthusiasts took to racing virtually. More than 2,500 drivers from 109 countries participated in the first edition of the Lamborghini eSports championship.
Huracan GT3 EVO for all participants
The immersive competition had the Huracan GT3 EVO for use by all participants. Each car had exclusive race livery created by Centro Stile, Lamborghini’s in-house design department. Participants could customize the looks in 12 different versions, with each car displaying the trademark logos of long-standing Lamborghini Squadra Corse partners – Pertamina, Pirelli and Roger Dubuis.
The competition returned in 2021 with 10 races and a new and upgraded regional format. The new format had a more global approach as racers competed both in traditional Grand Prix and in three Endurance races to earn points within their regional tournaments in Europe, America and Asia. As in 2020, they all drove a Huracan GT3 EVO in Assetto Corsa Competizione, the advanced racing simulation game.
Assetto Corsa Competizione was developed alongside car manufacturers and provides a dynamic platform for Lamborghini’s latest racing series. It has photorealistic weather conditions and graphics, night races, motion capture animations, reaching a new standard in terms of driving realism and immersion. The game is also used by official Lamborghini Squadra Corse test and race drivers in their real-world preparations.
The winners of the 6-month long championship enjoyed a track experience with the Lamborghini Squadra Corse and a VIP experience at Lamborghini Headquarters. Additionally, the top-ranked player of each regional series would be invited to become a Lamborghini Official Sim driver.
Creation of a ‘factory team’
Lamborghini decided to create its own official team – a ‘factory team’, just as in real life competition – to build on the valuable experience gained with The Real Race. The eSports Team represents a further opportunity to expand the brand’s presence in a sector that is constantly developing, highly competitive, and also strengthen its commitment to the eSports scene.
The three sim drivers chosen to represent the brand in the major international eSports competitions are Jordan Sherratt, Gianfranco Giglioli and Giorgio Simonini. Sherratt (South African, 23) and Giglioli (Italian-Venezuelan, 24) will compete together in the GT World Challenge Esports Sprint Series Europe, and Simonini (Italian, 22) will join the pair to form the crew for the 2022 Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports Endurance Championship.
The Sprint calendar consists of 5 races and started last weekend with the Misano race. The last round is set for August 3, with the grand finale scheduled in the virtual version of the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.
The Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports series starts next weekend (April 16) with the 12 Hours of Bathurst, the famous Australian endurance race. Here too, there are 5 rounds on the calendar, with the competition concluding on August 27 with the 9 Hours of Kyalami at the famous circuit in South Africa.
Support from Squadra Corse
The three sim racers have been training hard, sharing important information on driving and set-up. They will be supported during the season by the Squadra Corse staff who are dedicating a team principal, driver coach and engineers to offer their expertise in the development and analysis of telemetry data, from the track to the virtual simulation.
“Sim racing is an important platform in today’s motorsport scene. Videogames were born to allow those who didn’t have opportunities for real-life racing to be like the professional drivers. Now, after several decades of development in the industry, sim racing is getting closer and closer to its real-life counterpart. Moreover, sim racing is an additional tool for us to develop some of the fundamental aspects of real racing, such as car set-ups and software applications that will play an important role in the future of our brand,” said Automobili Lamborghini’s Head of Motorsport, Giorgio Sanna.
Malaysia will once again have entrants in the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT CUP ASIA event which will be broadcast at 6:30 pm today. The event, organized by Toyota Motor Asia Pacific, will see Team Malaysia going up against the region’s elite racers from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Korea, India and Taiwan for a chance to become Asia’s two representatives at the TGR GT Cup Global Finals, plus a Grand Prize of US$6,000 (about RM25,000) in cash.
Gunning to become champion in the second running of the event is Taj Izrin Aiman who finished second overall in the inaugural event last year. Compatriot Muhammad Iqbal will also be making his second appearance in the TGR GT CUP ASIA after finishing fourth overall last year. Both drivers earned their way to being participants by finishing in the top two positions, respectively, in the 2021 Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship, where Taj Izrin Aiman winning his second consecutive title. Nabil Azlan is the third member of the team.
The three members of the Malaysian team who will challenge racers from other countries in the region.
4 races, including a street circuit
The TGR GT CUP ASIA will be contested over 4 online races with competitors awarded points based on their placings. The opening race will see drivers competing behind the wheel of a GR Yaris in a 5-lap race around the 7.3-km Tokyo Expressway – where the Top 10 will proceed to the finals.
They will then switch to a GR Supra for another 5 laps for the consolation race, this time at the famous 4.5-km Fuji Speedway. For this race, the Top 5 will be given second wind to be part of the finals.
One of the races will be on the Tokyo Expressway.
Making its debut this season will be the all-new GR 86, and racers will take on 5 laps of the 7.0-km Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. During the race, every car must make a mandatory pit-stop and also a tyre change, which means departing from the race momentarily. The fourth and final race will certainly be the most gruelling – 3 long laps of the 13.6-km historical Le Mans Circuit de Sarthe in France behind the wheel of a TS 050 Hybrid sportscar.
Aiming for overall victory
Besides competing for the individual Grand Prize, our Malaysian drivers will also be vying for the US$6,000 team prize pool money. For Taj Izrin Aiman, 23, two straight Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship titles and his second appearance in the TGR GT CUP ASIA, will help boost his confidence and determination to take the overall title this time.
The sim racers will use the TS 050 HYBRID racing car for the final race. This is the real car on the way to one of its wins at the Le Mans 24-Hour race.
“If last year’s event is anything to go by, all I can say is that the TGR GT CUP ASIA is insanely competitive considering we will be racing against the region’s best drivers,” he said prior to this evening’s races. “The most important thing will be to remain focussed and consistent. You cannot afford to make mistakes in any of the races; if you do, the odds of bouncing back into championship contention will be anything from slim to impossible.”
His performance in the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship has been exceptionally consistent and almost dominant when he won two of the three races and finished second once earning him the overall prize of RM20,000. More than 800 participants participated in the championship which began with qualifying rounds in late August, before the top 20 racers moved on to compete in semi-finals held on September 18.
Racing in real and virtual worlds now
“E-racing has taken the country and the region by storm, and this has uncovered an incredible pool of talented simulator racers. Racing is an integral part of Toyota’s heritage and today, that takes place both in the real and virtual worlds,” said GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama.
“Simulator racing technology has also evolved exponentially over the years and today it is becoming an increasingly important training platform to bring new drivers into motor racing. This is something we have already experienced first-hand with the participation of virtual racers in the Vios Challenge – street racing championship in Malaysia. They are not only capable of making a quicker transition into a racing car, but they are also excelling in racing,” added Mr. Takeyama, who is also a racer himself in the Vios Challenge.
Billed as one of the most lucrative local online racing series in the country, the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship was first held in 2018 and UMW Toyota Motor remains the first and the only Malaysian car company to be associated with fast-growing E-sports motor racing activities.
Similarly, the TGR GT CUP ASIA is also the only event of its kind in the region organized by a manufacturer. The Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship was instrumental in inspiring the series.
Both the TGR GT CUP ASIA and the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship support UMW Toyota Motor’s ongoing initiative to bring motorsports to the masse, according to Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor. “Our objective in Malaysian motorsports is to cultivate greater interest, awareness and appreciation for the sport. There is also enormous talent both on the racing circuit and online, and we would like to bring this to the forefront in support of youth development,” he said.
The excitement of the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship returns this weekend with the top 20 simulator racers in Malaysia vying for the honours of winning a share of the total prize pool of RM70,000. Additionally, the top three winners will go on to represent the country in the GR GT Cup Asia qualifiers organized by Toyota Motor Asia Pacific.
Most lucrative local online racing series
Billed as one of the most lucrative local online racing series in the country, the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship offers a cash prize of RM20,000, RM10,000, RM7,000, RM5,500, RM4,500 to the top 5 overall winners. The 6th to 10th finishers will receive RM4,000, RM3,500, RM3,000, RM2,500 and RM2,000, respectively.
There’s also a prize of RM500 each for those who finish in 11th to 20th positions. Additional cash prizes of RM450 and RM200 will be awarded to the first and second place winners in each of the two individual races.
Prior to this weekend’s semi-finals and finals, more than 800 participants from around Malaysia participated in the championship which began with qualifying rounds last month. Then came the quarter-finals which were held on September 4 and 5 to select the top 20 racers who will compete in the semi-finals on September 18. The 10 best racers will then move to the final challenge on Sunday.
The semi-finals and finals have been held in public spaces in previous years. This year, due to the pandemic and need for social distancing to be maintained, the racers will connect from their homes using Sony PlayStation’s Gran Turismo Sport platform.
Unlike previous years when the events were held in public spaces, this year’s finale will be run completely online from each competitor’s home, with the race utilizing Sony PlayStation’s Gran Turismo Sport platform. Spectators can follow the race action which will be broadcast on TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Facebook and YouTube pages and also over Astro eGG, the first eSports channel in Southeast Asia.
The Toyota 2000GT is one of the cars the sim racers will use. Only 351 units of Japan’s first supercar were produced between 1967 and 1970. Being of an earlier era, its driving dynamics will be different from the modern racing cars like the Le Mans-winning TS050 HYBRID (below) which will also be used.
Racing at famous circuits
In the semi-finals, all the racers will first pilot the Toyota 2000GT (the first Japanese supercar) in a 15-minute race around the 73-year old Goodwood Motor Circuit in England, and afterwards another reversed-grid order race of the 3.8-km circuit. The third race behind the wheel of the GR Supra Racing Concept for a 30-minute race at Australia’s 6.2-km Mount Panorama-Bathurst circuit, well known for its annual 12-hour race.
One of the tracks will be Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.
The final is also a 3-race format. The first two races will see a 15-minute sprint race with racers competing in the FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo GR.3 at the 7-km Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. The championship decider will be a 40-minute finale at Fuji Speedway, behind the wheel of the Le Mans-winning TS050 Hybrid, during which they must make at least one pit-stop.
The two-day semi-finals and finals will see 4 previous GR Velocity Esports Championship winners returning. They include defending champion Taj Aiman, and last year’s runner-up and third place winner Iqbal Suji and Mior Hafiz, as well as 2018 winner Muhammad Uzair. Last year, Taj finished second overall in first-ever GR Supra GT Cup Asia.
The finals will also see several racers currently competing in the Vios Challenge Promotional, Sporting, Super Sporting and Rookie classes, in an exhibition race. Having challenged each other in the first round at Sepang earlier this year, they will now have a chance to continue the duels while waiting for the series to be resumed.
Some of the racers from the Vios Challenge, in Season 4 this year, will also participate in an exhibition race online.
During the broadcasts on the two days, there will also be interviews with the racers as well as GR Ambassador, Tengku Djan Ley and the event’s Race Director, former F1 driver Alex Yoong. The broadcast times will be 10:30 am to 6 pm on Saturday and 3 pm to 6 pm on Sunday.
Fourth year of championship
First held in 2018, the number of participants in the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship has grown from 400 to more than 800 this year. Last year’s event drew more than 1 million online spectators who watched the 2-day event via the Facebook and YouTube channels. Until today, UMW Toyota Motor remains the first and the only Malaysian car company to be associated with e-sports, a fast-growing activity which has even been recognised by the FIA, the world motorsport governing body.
“The momentum and the level of interest for the GR Velocity Esports Championship have grown tremendously in just 4 years. This is a huge boost for both e-sports and motorsports and we are glad that we persevered to keep the championship going despite the restrictions faced due to the pandemic,” said President of UMW Toyota Motor, Ravindran K.
The Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship has been run since 2018.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama, said the company remains committed to its aspirations of establishing a bigger footprint in Malaysian motorsports.
“In the 4 years that the GAZOO Racing brand has actively been in Malaysian motorsports, we have seen the eco-system dynamically transform. At one point, we experienced young racers joining the Vios Challenge street racing series, and then it evolved to having simulator racers not only joining the event but proving they are also capable of winning a real race. Today, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we see a growing population of professional racers not just globally but also domestically, migrating to compete online in the absence of physical events. This is a fantastic evolution for both esports and motorsports and I believe moving forward one will be dependent on the other in order to produce racers of exceptional quality,” said Mr. Takeyama.
Michelin Malaysia’s first-ever e-Racing competition – the Michelin Virtual Racing Series 2021 – is now underway. It is Michelin’s first major endeavour into the local e-sports industry which has seen increased activity in the past few years, especially last year when the Movement Control Order (MCO) limited outdoor motorsports events.
The event, which is open to Malaysian residents, is hosted exclusively on Gran Turismo Sport, and is an official e-Racing sanctioned event under the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM). Driving Standards regulations from real-world MSF SuperTurismo regulations will be implemented for this event.
6-week event
The competition has 3 phases in June and July. beginning with time trial submissions until June 27. The top 94 participants with the fastest times will go through time trial Verification Sessions and then race head-to-head in Tournament Rounds. These will be held over 2 weekends in July.
All the races will be held on the Sardegna Road Track A II with participants using the BMW M6 GT3 M Power equipped with Michelin racing medium tyres. Driving Standards regulations from real-world MSF SuperTurismo regulations will be implemented for this event.
The event offers winners prizes worth a total of RM70,000, with prizes in cash as well as passenger car tyres and exclusive merchandise.
“As an active supporter of the e-sports and e-gaming industry on a global level, we are proud to channel our support locally as well, with the first-ever Michelin Virtual Racing Series in Malaysia. With the global pandemic limiting our movement in the real-world, we encourage residents of Malaysia – who are doing their part by staying at home and keeping everyone safe – to take part in this exciting journey with us from the comfort of their home,” said Oliver Biggart, MD of Michelin Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
With most countries having movement restrictions of one kind or another over the past year, many driving enthusiasts have taken to racing online – sim racing. It was therefore not surprising that the first edition of Lamborghini eSports ‘The Real Race’ in 2020 was a major success, attracting more than 2,500 drivers from 109 countries.
The competition returns with 10 races for its second year in 2021 with a new and upgraded regional format. Once again, the world’s leading sim racers will compete driving a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO in the simulation racing game, Assetto Corsa Competizione.
More global approach
Following 2020’s inaugural competition won by German sim racer Nils Naujoks, this year’s event offers a more global approach to ‘The Real Race’. Racers will compete both in traditional Grand Prix and in three Endurance races to earn points within their regional tournaments in Europe, America and Asia.
The competition will take place from June to November in which racers around the world can sign up for the open qualifiers, running weekdays Monday to Friday (to sign up, go to https://esports.lamborghini/). The top 40 players from the open qualifiers go to the closed qualifier hosted every Saturday. Finally, the top 20 participants from the closed qualifiers will enter ‘The Real Race’ on Sunday, competing twice on the same track. The 10 weekly qualifiers for each region will offer participants the chance to earn points for their respective regional ranking and climb the ladder to become the next regional champion.
6 months long
“eSports is a field where we want to play a major role,” said Federico Foschini, Lamborghini Chief Marketing & Sales Officer. “’The Real Race’ is 6 months long, allowing players to live the thrill of true competition through the preparation and participation in races against some of the best sim racers in the world. We’re proud to host this competition and to offer the winner the opportunity to live a real-life immersive experience in the world of Lamborghini and be provided with the prospect of a career in eSports.”
For ‘The Real Race’, the Huracan GT3 EVO, a 3-time winner of the Daytona 24 Hours, has received an exclusive race livery from Lamborghini’s Centro Stile, its in-house design department. The livery is customizable in 12 different versions by competitors, with each car and displaying the trademark logos of partners, Kaspersky and Assetto Corsa Competizione.
Lamborghini Official Sim driver
The winners will enjoy will a track experience with the Lamborghini Squadra Corse and a VIP experience at Lamborghini Headquarters as well as a chance for the TOP 1 player of each regional ranking to become a Lamborghini Official Sim driver.
Assetto Corsa Competizione was developed alongside car manufacturers and provides a dynamic platform for Lamborghini’s latest racing series. The game is also used by official Lamborghini Squadra Corse test and race drivers in their real-world preparations.
This second edition of ‘The Real Race’ strengthens Lamborghini’s support and commitment to the eSports scene. After launching its first digital competition last year, Lamborghini has signed partnerships with major gaming brands on the eSports scene including Rocket League and Asphalt 9: Legends, which now offer players the opportunity to drive Lamborghini models including the Huracan STO and the Essenza SCV12.
While Formula E is known as the leading all-electric single-seater championship run globally, the organisation running it has also had a parallel esports competition. Last year, it had the Formula E Race at Home Challenge in support of UNICEF and building on the success of that event, it will run the Formula E Accelerate esports championship in 2021.
“We have evolved our esports product for both gamers and fans. The added element of energy management and Attack Mode translates the real-life Formula E racing experience into the virtual world more accurately than ever before and tests the sim racers’ ability to master electric racing,” said Hannah Brown, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer of Formula E.
Blending real and virtual worlds
Over 6 events, 24 rising stars from the world of motorsport and esports will compete against one another in a simulated racing experience using rFactor2 software. Blending the real and virtual worlds, each competitor will score Formula E Accelerate points for a real-life Formula E team. The virtual racers will also receive expert tips, mentoring and other talent development opportunities from the team they are attached to.
Competitors will need to contend with new energy management and Attack Mode features during the online e-Prix. Prior to the competition, there will be online qualifying open to the public with at least the top 3 quickest times on the Berlin Tempelhof E-Prix circuit earning places on the Formula E Accelerate virtual grid.
€100,000 prize pool
Everyone who participates in all 6 races will receive a share of a minimum prize pool of €100,000 (about RM493,000) with the overall winner earning a test drive in a Formula E Gen2 car.
Formula E drivers also participate
There will be two additional virtual races, each featuring 12 real-life Formula E drivers, one per racing team, during Round 4 and the Grand Final of Formula E Accelerate. Points from these races will be added to the overall team standings.
The first round starts on January 28 and the championship will run up till March 25 this year. Each 25-minute Formula E Accelerate race will be broadcast in a 90-minute programme, featuring Formula E drivers, Team Principals and other special guests. All races will be live on Formula E social and streaming platforms.
“Formula E continues to create opportunities for fans and the next generation of racing drivers to get involved with the sport, and Formula E Accelerate will see a number of improvements that bring us closer to the real-life experience since our last event,” said Stoffel Vandoorne, ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge Driver Grid winner.
“Having won the ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge, I learnt how competitive and demanding it is to race at such a high standard on a regular basis. This time there will be an extra challenge, having to contend with the introduction of energy management and Attack Mode – something even I haven’t tried yet – so it will be interesting to see how drivers manage,” he added.
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.
