Formula E has launched a new Esports championship that will have nine races and take place every Saturday over the next nine weeks.
CEO Jamie Reigle announced in a virtual press conference that most of the Formula E drivers will compete in a total of nine virtual runs together with a number of professional Simracers starting on Saturday, April 18.
The new “ABB Race at Home Challenge” will be its own championship with the points being based on the current Formula E format. The virtual races will take place on the next nine Saturdays up to and including June 13 and is aimed to be broadcasted on various platforms such as Live streams on YouTube, Facebook and Twitch. Formula E is also currently negotiating with TV partners such as Eurosport.
“Formula E has always tried to blend the boundaries between reality and virtual space, something with Fanbost or Attack Mode,” explains Formula E boss Jamie Reigle. “I think this new way of combining both worlds is super cool!” In the past few weeks, he and his team have brainstormed how Formula E could get better involved in the simracing scene. The “ABB Stay at Home Challenge” is the result.”
The first race will initially be held as a test run and will not be included in the overall standings. Races should take place every Saturday from 3:30 pm BST.
Formula E will use the simulation software rFactor 2, which currently has all of the official cars in the game, as well as the Hong Kong circuit and the Monaco short layout. In terms of hardware, all pilots are getting professional simulators from Formula E these days. “Our partner DHL has to face a few challenges at this time because there is a problem here and there at the borders. But we hope that all drivers will have their simulators until Saturday, “admits CEO Reigle.
How it works
Gamers will need to qualify ahead of each round and set a time using highly reputable rFactor 2 simulation software. The quickest 18 drivers over the course of the set qualifying window, which runs from Monday to Thursday every week, will automatically progress to the main event and be joined by a selection of influencers and familiar faces from the world of motorsport.
The ABB FIA Formula E Championship drivers will also race against one another remotely using the same software, in a simulator provided by Playseat®, wheels and pedals from Fanatec and the latest gaming PCs, monitors, headphones and other peripherals by Asus.
Currently, 14 of the 24 active Formula E drivers are on board. These include, for example, both Audi, BMW, Porsche, Jaguar, Dragon pilots as well as Edoardo Mortara and Antonio Felix da Costa, who also attended the virtual press conference from his home in Portugal. “I think you should definitely keep an eye on Stoffel (Vandoorne) and Max (Günther), but Mitch (Evans) is also currently practising,” jokes the DS-Techeetah driver about his probably strongest competitors.
Venturi colleague Felipe Massa was also switched on from his Brazilian homeland and commented on the new challenge: “Of course I know all these guys from the real race track. This time it will certainly feel very different. I am really looking forward to this new challenge. “
With the new Esports series, Formula E primarily wants to draw attention to the new partnership with UNICEF and raise funds. These should be used in the fight against the corona pandemic – especially for the health and education of children.