Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series continues to merge the virtual and real GT World Challenge worlds in 2022

The revolutionary esports championship – that takes real-world SRO GT World Challenge Europe drivers and places them on Assetto Corsa Competizione for a race during real-world race weekends – is returning in 2022, and will continue to pay out Teams’ championship points.

Up to a maximum of five Teams’ points per race in both the Overall and Silver classes of the GT World Challenge Europe, five for the win down to one point for fifth, is on offer for the drivers who will compete on the Saturday evening of five race weekends within an on-site Fanatec Arena.

29 drivers are on the provisional entry list for the first round at Imola, including Nicki Thiim, Daniel Juncadella, Luca Ghiotto, Dries Vanthoor and Dennis Lind – but not all will race due to a revised qualification system.

A hot lap qualifying system will determine which 12 Pro and 12 Silver category drivers will make up the 24-car grid for each race.

Each race will last one hour. The confirmed rounds this will take place on so far are Imola, Paul Ricard, Spa and Barcelona, while the fifth track will be open to a fan vote.

To keep the competition on an even keel, each competitor will use an identical AK Informatica gaming PC plus Fanatec Rennsport Cockpit V2, Podium Wheel Base DD2, Podium Hub, Clubsport Pedal V3 and Podium Wheel Rim R300.

The BMW M4 GT3 and Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II will be available for the first time too, thanks to their recent additions to Assetto Corsa Competizione in the version 1.8 update and Challengers Pack DLC respectively.

Last season, it was Emil Frey Racing taking the laurels, after two race wins for Arthur Rougier, while Madpanda won the Silver category, with Juuso Puhakka even winning the season finale overall in Barcelona.

You can watch the first round on Saturday 2nd April on the SRO YouTube channel from 6.05 pm GMT / 7.05 pm CET.

Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series 2022 calendar

Imola – 2nd April

Circuit Paul Ricard – 4th June

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – Between 28th and 31st July

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – 1st September

Fifth round – TBC, fan vote

Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series 2022, Round 1, provisional entry list

Luca Stolz – Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo – GetSpeed Performance – PRO
Jeff Kingsley – Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo – GetSpeed Performance – SILVER
Jannes Fittje – Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo – Haupt Racing Team – SILVER
Lorenzo Patrese – Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 – Tresor by Car Collection – SILVER
Luca Ghiotto – Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 – Tresor by Car Collection – PRO
Konsta Lappalainen – Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo – Emil Frey Racing – SILVER
Arthur Rougier – Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo – Emil Frey Racing – PRO
Joel Strum – Porsche 911 GT3-R II – Allied Racing – SILVER
Lucas Legeret – Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 – Sainteloc Junior Team – PRO
Nicolas Baert – Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 – Sainteloc Junior Team – SILVER
Brendon Leitch – Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo – Leipert Motorsport – SILVER
Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer – Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 – Team WRT – SILVER
Dries Vanthoor – Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 – Team WRT – PRO
Marvin Kirchhöfer – McLaren 720S GT3 – Jota Sport – PRO
Neil Verhagen – BMW M4 GT3 – Rowe Racing – PRO
Nicklas Nielsen – Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo – Iron Lynx – PRO
Matteo Cairoli – Porsche 911 GT3-R II – Dinamic Motorsport – PRO
Marius Nakken – Porsche 911 GT3-R II – Dinamic Motorsport – SILVER
Alex Aka – Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 – Attempto Racing – SILVER
Casper Stevenson – Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo – AKKODIS ASP Team – SILVER
Daniel Juncadella – Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo – AKKODIS ASP Team – PRO
Ezequiel Perez Companc – Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo – Madpanda Motorsport – SILVER
Nicki Thiim – Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 – Beechdean AMR – PRO
Juuso Puhakka – Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 – Attempto Racing – PRO
Dennis Lind – McLaren 720S GT3 – JP Motorsport – PRO
Patryk Krupinski – McLaren 720S GT3 – JP Motorsport – SILVER
Ethan Simioni – Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 – Garage 59 – SILVER
Yuki Nemoto – Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo – Vincenzo Sospiri Racing – SILVER
Fabian Schiller – Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo – Al Manar Racing by HRT – SILVER

Images: SRO