eSports is as popular as never before in sim racing. Upcoming Project CARS 2 and Gran Turismo Sport will both have a great focus on eSports, Automobilista has something in the works and now also RaceRoom is back with another big eSports competition.
In an interview a couple of months ago, Sector3 studios already hinted that there was more eSport content in the works. The studio kept promise and shortly after releasing the WTCC 2016 cars for RaceRoom, the Swedish developer announced the official eSports World Touring Car Championship, presented by FIA WTCC, Eurosport Events, KW, RaceRoom and Sector3.
How it will work
Two competitions will be running. Firstly, there are the Leaderboard Hotlap Competitions, which run eight days each and secondly, there is the Online Multiplayer Championship, which you qualify for through the Leaderboard Hotlap Competition.
The Championship is divided into four Divisions, with 24 drivers per division. Division 1 races will even be broadcasted live. To race in Division 1, you must be among the 24 top drivers in the worldwide Leaderboard Hotlap Competition. Division 2, 3 and 4 will take the next 24, 24, and 24 drivers, but the times have to be 102%, 104% and 106% of the overall best time respectively.
Essentially, this rule keeps a slower driver from being slotted into a higher Division than they should be due to lower-than-expected participation. This means that while the Division 1 field could be 24 cars, if the top 24 drivers aren’t within 102%, then the field will only be made up of drivers that are – however many that may be – and so-on and so-on down the Divisions.
Here is the calendar for the Hotlap Competition:
In the races, points and cash prizes will be awarded on which more details are to follow.
You will be able to choose from all the 2016 WTCC cars, which are:
- Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1
- Citroen C-Elysée WTCC
- Honda Civic WTCC
- LADA Vesta WTCC
- Volvo S60 Polestar TC1
Once a car has been chosen for a race, the decision is final and car changes are only allowed in case an update to the game changes physics of certain cars. RaceRoom staff will notify you, should a change be possible.
Races will be run with the following settings:
Difficulty: GetReal
Fuel Usage: 50L fixed
Tyre Wear: Off
Mechanical Damage: Off
Damage: Off
Fixed Setups: No
Flag Rules: Enabled
Cut Rules Penalties: Enabled
Automatic Clutch: Allowed
Automatic Gears: Allowed
Game time: Noon
Weather: Default
Ghost: Allowed
Racing line: Allowed
Challenge host of other drivers: Allowed
Challenge racing line of other drivers: Allowed
How to enter
That is where the competition becomes very interesting, because entry is completely free. No content needs to be purchased, you only need a decent internet connection and an installation of RaceRoom, which you can download from Steam for free. Through the “competition” section in the menus, you will be able to participate in the challenges.
For full details, head over to the official rulebook.
