An image of Martin Stefanko and Lasse Sorenson racing in World eX

Everything you need to know about World eX Guide

rFactor 2

If you want to see some of the best drivers from both real-world and esports racing compete in short quickfire races using powerful electric cars, this series is for you. Here’s our World eX Season Two guide.

Image credit: VCO Esports

Last year, RCCO World eX showcased some wacky action in short races with drivers chatting to each other in real time. Teams would field one real-world professional driver and one esports racer in the powerful electric eX ZERO, a 1,000 horsepower sustainable beast that is exclusively on rFactor 2.

Races were as short as one lap or as long as three. Drivers progressed through stages until it ended up being one real world driver going up against one esports driver in a one lap shootout to determine the winner of the eX Prix. After all the eX Prix events, every single race winner was entered into a two-lap race around the Nordschleife. The winner of this race was crowned World eX champion.

Stefanko On Top in World eX 2021

In the end, it was Williams Esports’ Martin Stefanko who won that Nordschleife race and subsequently the championship. The Czech driver managed to hold off TK-9 Espeed driver and Danish Touring Car champion Lasse Sørensen. The Dane was the only driver last season to win more than one eX Prix.

The series is the brainchild of 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours overall winner and 2013 DTM champion Mike Rockenfeller – who we interviewed last November before the finale – with his business partner Thomas Voigt. It was conceptualised as a virtual testing ground for car manufacturers to develop their cars.

So heading into season two, what has changed? Here’s all you need to know.

Simpler Format for World eX Season Two

One of Rocky’s wishes was to make a less complex format for the second season, and they’ve done just that. There were six levels last season which have now been shortened to just four levels. The first of these is a 20 minute qualifying session with 22 drivers. Then, there are Quarter Final races, one for the Pro Drivers and one for the Esports Racers. Both races are 10 minutes in length.

The top five from both races progress onto a single Semi Final race that is 8 minutes long. After that, the best placed Pro Driver and best placed Esports Racer enter into a two lap Final to decide who wins the eX Prix. It’s highly likely that the championship will be decided once again by a two lap dash around the Nordschleife with all the eX Prix winners.

An image depicting the World eX Season 2 race format
Will this streamlined format make for better racing? Image credit: RCCO

Who Is Competing?

In the first round alone, there are plenty of big names involved. Reigning champion Stefanko will be coming back for Williams where he will be joined by former F2 driver Jack Aitken. Should they choose, each team will be permitted an extra Pro and Esports entry for the round that they sponsor.

Other season one eX Prix winners like Biela duo Nicolas Hillebrand and Luca Kita will be coming back, as will Lasse Sørensen who will look to right the wrongs of last season. However, if Sørensen were to win this year, it won’t be necessarily him who wins the championship.

New for this season is the fact that the a car, rather than an individual, will win the championship. The driver’s and team’s championships from last year have been merged where a team’s collective total points from the previous nine rounds from all their drivers will set the grid for the two-lap Nordschleife Super Final.

All teams must run five drivers in both Pro and Esports categories across the year as well as the designated ‘Team Principal’. This position features the likes of Frank Biela, Tom Kristensen, Romain Grosjean, Patrick Long, Bruno Senna and Bruno Spengler.

The Super Final will have drivers from all teams competing and the driver who crosses the line first in that race will win the championship for their team. That team then receives a pot of money to donate to a climate conservation charity of their choice.

How To Follow

World eX will be broadcast on the likes of Motorsport.TV as well as World eX’s own YouTube and Twitch channels with the first starting tonight at 21:00 CEST. The schedule is as follows:

Rd 1: Williams eX Prix of Great Britain – Silverstone – 3 May
Rd 2: Patrick Long eX Prix of USA – Daytona – 29 May
Rd 3: TK9 E-Speed eX Prix of France – Le Mans – 28 June
Rd 4: BS+ eX Prix of the Netherlands – Maastricht – 26 July
Rd 5: Absolute Racing eX Prix of China – TBC – 30 August
Rd 6: WRT eX Prix of Belgium – Spa-Francorchamps – 20 September
Rd 7: NIANCO eX Prix of Italy – Monza – 25 October
Rd 8: R8G eX Prix of Indianapolis – Indianapolis – 22 November
Rd 9: Biela Racing eX Prix of Germany – Nürburgring – 13 December
Rd 10: Season 2 Super Final – Nürburgring Nordschliefe – 13 December

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9th3klXWCI

Who do you think will win World eX this season? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!

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