The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s multidisciplinary competitive event is taking shape as we near its October kick-off, as further information is revealed about the esports representation.
First held in 2019, it has seen a two-year layoff during the COVID-19 pandemic but will return later this year to find out which is the world’s greatest motorsport nation.
Racing will take place in the real-world across 16 distinct disciplines such as rallying, GT3, LMP3, drifting, karting and TCR, with the 17th discipline being racing esports.
This part of the competition will use Assetto Corsa Competizione as the sim racing platform, alongside the exclusive use of Fanatec equipment.
In use for all competitors who qualify for the event held at Circuit Paul Ricard will be Fanatec’s Podium Wheel Base DD2, Podium Steering Wheel Fanatec GT World Challenge and ClubSport Pedals V3 all mounted within a RennSport Cockpit V2
The Motorsport Games competition is a collaboration between the FIA and the SRO Motorsports Group. The latter, formerly the Stéphane Ratel Organisation, runs the GT World Challenge Europe championship, where Fanatec is the title partner.
Both Fanatec and SRO run the Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series competition, with the assistance of AK Esports, that is held on GT World Challenge Europe weekends using the same equipment list.
The FIA has jettisoned Gran Turismo, replacing it with Assetto Corsa Competizione when compared to the 2019 event. However, this is just for Motorsport Games specifically, as the organisation hopes to work with Polyphony Digital again in the near future. The long-term aim is to have multiple FIA-backed virtual competitions on different platforms.
“Polyphony Digital has been super honest with us. So we said, ‘okay, let’s make it easy.’ We needed something for the upcoming Motorsport Games event, so we found an alternative option. Then hopefully they keep on going forward with development for 2023 to something which is at the level we all expect,” said Frederic Bertrand in July, the FIA’s director of Formula E and Innovative Sport Activities Department.
”When esports takes a bigger space in motorsport, the opportunities for more teams, drivers and spectators also expand,” said Fanatec’s Head of Esports, Robert Rossi.
“We’re delighted to share our passion for virtual racing with everyone who loves motorsport together with the FIA and the 2022 Motorsport Games.”
The esports discipline competitors will take to the grid in France beginning Thursday 27th October ahead of the final on Saturday 29th October.
