Author: bostrom

The third edition of the FIA Motorsport Games in Valencia, Spain, this year (October 23-27 2024) will feature a hugely expanded Esports programme with two gold medals up for grabs across two separate gaming titles.

The GT Esports racers will again have the opportunity to chase gold on the Assetto Corsa Competizione title but a separate competition also will be staged with racers competing in a virtual version of FIA Formula 4 on iRacing. The Esports GT category will focus on slightly longer races, including a mandatory pit stop. The Esports FIA F4 category will have shorter sprint races, providing more action.

The spectacular City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia will host the Esports competitions, where 24 simulators will be on stage to provide all drivers with identical high-level hardware from an industry-leading manufacturer.

More than 100 drivers representing their home nation’s ASN (FIA National Sporting Authority) are expected to compete this year, making Esports the most fiercely contested discipline at the Games.

Sixteen separate disciplines were contested in Marseille last year. Still, this year’s edition will see at least ten new competitions taking place in Valencia, including the new FIA Formula 4 Esports race. It will also feature on-track events for GT, Touring Cars, Single-seaters, Drifting, Karting, Modern and Historic rally, Cross Car, Drifting and more.

In 2024, the Esports competitions – which will be managed by AK Esports – will feature a structure similar to 2022, with a knockout format consisting of a General Qualifying, Quarter Finals, Last Chance, Semi-Finals, and the gold medal Final to decide the results across both categories. All drivers must be at least 16 years old and possess a valid ITD1 licence from their respective ASN.

The first two editions of the FIA Motorsport Games in Rome, Italy (2019) and Marseille, France (2022) included GT-based Esports competition, with Team Australia winning the gold in 2019 with Cody Nikola Latkovski and Team UK triumphing in 2022 with James Baldwin.

In Marseille, a total of 57 Esports racers represented their home nation. Not only will the addition of Formula 4 competition significantly boost the number of Esports drivers chasing gold in Valencia, but the entry fee also has been reduced by 20%, meaning it is now €800 per driver across both categories, lowering the barrier to enter the FIA Motorsport Games.

“We are delighted to welcome a second Esports discipline to the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games,” said FIA Esports Commission President Niroshan Pereira.

“The Esports GT Category with Assetto Corsa Competizione proved to be hugely popular in Marseille, and we have no doubt that the Esports F4 Category with iRacing will be a similar success. 

“This addition to the programme will offer ASNs and their selected Esports representatives even more opportunities to shine and compete for medals. 

“With the reduced entry fee lowering the barrier to competition, we are hopeful of attracting more than 100 entries across the two Esports categories as the FIA Motorsport Games continues to showcase the skills of the stars of both the present and the future.”

The Assetto Corsa Competizione title will be used for the GT competition for the second consecutive edition of the Games. Developed by Kunos Simulazioni in Italy, Assetto Corsa Competizione is also used for multiple SRO-run GT World Challenge Esports events around the world.

“Cooperating with the FIA Motorsport Games through Assetto Corsa Competizione has been a privilege, and it has been a true pleasure to work alongside a prestigious organisation to spread the word of sim racing at such an international level, said Marco Massarutto, co-founder and Executive Manager of Kunos Simulazioni. 

“We continue to work tirelessly to provide the best possible racing experience to our audience and involve the new generations in finding the most talented drivers of the future.”

The addition of iRacing further expands the scope for potential entrants for the FIA Motorsport Games. Last year, the Boston-based developer began a partnership with the FIA to feature the FIA Formula 4 car as part of its fiercely contested online competitions.

“iRacing is excited to be a part of the FIA Motorsport Games in 2024. The FIA F4 is one of the fastest growing forms of racing on our service, and we are pleased to see our partnership with the FIA continue to grow through collaborations like this,” said iRacing President Tony Gardner.

Entries for the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games are expected to open at the end of February. Competitors interested in representing their country should contact their local FIA National Sporting Authority (ASN). The next edition of the FIA Motorsport Games will be held from October 23-27 2024.

The world’s finest esports competitors are set to take part in the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games, with Esports confirmed as one of the 17 competition disciplines for the second edition of the event being staged 26-30 October in Marseille.

Each FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) National Sporting Authorities (ASNs)  can nominate a single driver for the Esports competition, which was known as the “Digital Cup” in the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games in 2019 in Italy.

The 2022 competition will utilise the world-renowned Assetto Corsa Competizione platform with racers competing in virtual GT3 cars – digital versions of the same cars that will compete in GT, GT Sprint, and Endurance disciplines at the event.

The inaugural FIA Motorsport Games gold medalist in the discipline was Australian driver Cody Nikola Latkovski who qualified second fastest for the event in 2019 and took victory in Semi-Final B before taking the gold medal.

With part of the goal of the FIA Motorsport Games to introduce competitors from non-traditional motorsport countries, the 2019 silver medalist was a standout performer – Costa Rica’s Bernal Valverde finishing runner-up ahead of Italian bronze medal winner Stefano Conte.

A knock-out format will decide the 20 finalists for the Esports FIA Motorsport Games competition. More than 80 individual racers from countries around the world are expected to compete in the event, all racing for national pride at Circuit Paul Ricard’s Mistral Hall – overlooking the famous Mistal Straight at the home of the French Grand Prix.

Competition in the Esports discipline will begin on Thursday, October 27, with the final taking place on Saturday evening, October 29. This event is expected to feature the largest number of entries of any discipline in the second edition of the Games.

The Assetto Corsa Competizione platform takes advantage of the long-term experience of Italian developer Kunos Simulazioni. The platform utilises 3D computer graphics game platform Unreal Engine 4 to ensure photorealistic weather conditions and graphics, night races and motion capture animations. It sets a new standard in terms of driving realism and immersion, thanks to its further improved tyre and aerodynamic models.

For the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games, Kunos Simulazioni will make a custom build of the circuit for the event. 

“The FIA Motorsport Games are an exceptional opportunity for Esports competitors to compete for medals alongside traditional race drivers,” said FIA Esports Commission President Niroshan Pereira.

“Working hand in hand with ASNs, we strongly believe that the FIA Motorsport Games Esports discipline can help to introduce competitors from non-traditional motorsport countries and unearth stars of the future.

“We are delighted to be able to work with Kunos Simulazioni and use their Assetto Corsa Competizione product at this occasion. It is one of the most popular esports titles in the industry, as well as among our ASNs, so being able to collaborate with them is great.”
 
Marco Massarutto, co-founder and Executive Manager of Kunos Simulazioni, said: “We are very pleased to be the choice of the FIA for the Motorsport Games, as with Assetto Corsa Competizione we raised the bar even higher than with Assetto Corsa, bringing the thrill of real racing simulation to a very high number of countries, that we are looking forward to see competing in an event where each of the sim racers can make his or her nation proud. 

“We love racing and sports, and with Assetto Corsa Competizione each player has the opportunity to prove that skills, focus, and dedication can make the same difference in Esports like when racing on a real track.”

Assetto Corsa Competizione is also the official simulation platform of SRO Esports.

AK Informatica, meanwhile, will support the FIA Motorsport Games as the Esports production partner, coordinating the qualifier stages and producing the live-stream broadcast.

Entries for the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games opened last Wednesday, 15 June via the dedicated FIA registration platform. Competitors wishing to represent their country are encouraged to contact their respective National Sporting Authorities, a full list of which can be found here: fia.com/members/member_club/sport-mobility-3/member_club/sport-1