32-driver grid complete for 2024 DTM ESports Pro Championship

32-driver grid complete for 2024 DTM ESports Pro Championship RD.jpg
Following an open time trial stage, then two shootout events with six races, the final 32-driver grid for the season ahead is now determined with a €50,000 prize pool.

Images: RaceRoom

The premier sim racing competition on the RaceRoom Racing Experience platform is returning for 2024, and the entry list for the six-round season is now complete.

The 2024 DTM Esports Pro Championship begins in March, but ahead of then, there has been a lengthy process to determine the entrants.

Two open leaderboards on the platform preceded two shootout evenings. During each of these, the top six from the first two heat races qualified for the main championship. Those who finished seventh and 22nd in either of the two heats entered a last-chance qualifier race, from which the top four also made it through.

Shootout 1​

A virtual Motorsport Arena Oschersleben was the venue for the first shoot-out, all contenders using cars from the DTM 2023 DLC which notably added the Ferrari 296 GT3 and Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II to the roster.

MOUZ’s Moritz Löhner returned to RaceRoom competitions – one of several drivers who partook in ESL R1 last year now trying to qualify for the DTM tournament.


The 2020 champion took the first pole position followed by a domination victory to secure qualification ahead of Jack Keithley, Tim Jarschel, Emre Cihan, two-time eWTCR champion Bence Bánki and Erhan Jajovski,

Dörr Esports’ Lucas Müller would take the aforementioned Prancing Horse to victory in the second race, just ahead of Marko Pejic who chased closely for the entire duration. Gianmarco Fiduci, ESL R1 2023 spring champion Marcell Csincsik, Isaac Price and Isaac Gillissen rounded out the qualifiers.


Leonard Krippner would claim pole position for the last-chance-qualifier, a position he would hold until the end of the race to also make it through. Behind, drama befell Ádám Pinczés. An embroglio of GT3 cars resulted in the Hungarian somehow upside down.

Ulaş Özyıldırım, Florian Hasse and 2023 eRace of Champions finalist Michael Romanidis avoided the carnage to make the cut.

Shootout 2​

The final chance to be part of the main grid was at RaceRoom’s interpretation of Zandvoort – sadly missing the 2020 upgrades.

Another ESL R1 round winner, Jiri Toman, was the first to secure an entry to the main DTM competition, with pole and a win in the first heat race. He romped to the win ahead of 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual winner Nikodem Wisniewski, Enzo Bonito, Gergő Báldi, 2022 ADAC GT Masters Esports champion Christopher Högfeldt and Christian Michel.


Reigning virtual DTM champion (2022, the last time it was held), Kevin Siggy, repeated Toman’s feat in the second race ahead of team-mate Jeffrey Rietveld, Dominik Blajer, Jacob Brzezinski and Leandro Werle.

It all came down to the LCQ to determine the final four season-long spots. Leonard Karten breezed to pole and the win to secure a spot ahead of Axel Vermeylen. Sim Formula Europe finalist Remi Delorme squeezed through a pinch at the opening corner to claim the final spot, just behind Leon Rudinger.

Of note, F1 Sim Racing competitor and two-time F1 Esports champion Jarno Opmeer did qualify for the second shootout but was unfortunately wiped out on the opening LCQ lap.

DTM Esports Shootout 2024 Jarno Opmeer
DTM Esports Shootout 2024 – Jarno Opmeer misses out. Image: RaceRoom

Wildcard Leaderboard Now Open​

While the 32-driver grid is set, as the sim racing competitive scene is on unsteady – currently awaiting confirmation on plans for both F1 Sim Racing and ESL R1 – there’s the chance that plans change throughout the year.

With this in mind, another open leaderboard is now live in RaceRoom, until 4th March, to help set the wildcard list. Essentially, the subs bench should some of the main entry list drop out.

Will you be watching the DTM Esports Pro Championship? Why are so many ESL R1 competitors taking part? Let us know your theories in the comments below.

DTM Esports Pro Championship 2024 Entry List​

  1. Moritz Löhner
  2. Jack Keithley
  3. Tim Jarschel
  4. Emre Cihan
  5. Bence Bánki
  6. Erhan Jajovski
  7. Lucas Müller
  8. Marko Pejic
  9. Gianmarco Fiduci
  10. Marcell Csincsik
  11. Isaac Price
  12. Isaac Gillissen
  13. Leonard Krippner
  14. Ádám Pinczés
  15. Florian Hasse
  16. Jiri Toman
  17. Nikodem Wisniewski
  18. Enzo Bonito
  19. Gergő Báldi
  20. Christopher Högfeldt
  21. Christian Michel
  22. Kevin Siggy
  23. Jeffrey Rietveld
  24. Dominik Blajer
  25. Jakub Brzezinski
  26. Leandro Werle
  27. Leonard Karten
  28. Axel Vermeylen
  29. Remi Delorme
  30. Leon Rudinger
  31. Alessandro Ottaviani
  32. Ralf Piringer
Michael Romanidis and Ulaş Özyıldırım withdrawn pre-season, replaced by Alessandro Ottaviani and Ralf Piringer.

2024 DTM Esports Pro Schedule​

  • 01.01.2024 – 15.01.2024: Leaderboard 1
  • 19.01.2024: Shootout 1 Motorsport Arena Oschersleben
  • 19.01.2024 – 29.01.2024: Opening period for Leaderboard 2
  • 02.02.2024: Shootout 2 Circuit Zandvoort
  • 08.03.2024: Round 1 Norisring
  • 15.03.2024: Round 2 Nürburgring
  • 22.03.2024: Round 3 Lausitzring
  • 05.04.2024: Round 4 Sachsenring
  • 12.04.2024: Round 5 Red Bull Ring
  • 19.04.2024: Round 6 Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg
About author
Thomas Harrison-Lord
A freelance sim racing, motorsport and automotive journalist. Credits include Autosport Magazine, Motorsport.com, RaceDepartment, OverTake, Traxion and TheSixthAxis.

Comments

Unpopular opinion:
  • Nobody needs eSports series.
  • Most eSports drivers are total sh*tbags on track. They are quick but the majority of them is unable / unwilling to go side by side or even lose a spot without a silly fight.
  • Watching eSports racing is boring.
  • Artificially keeping an outdated game alive by spending tons of money on eSports is dumb.
 
Unpopular opinion:
  • Nobody needs eSports series.
  • Most eSports drivers are total sh*tbags on track. They are quick but the majority of them is unable / unwilling to go side by side or even lose a spot without a silly fight.
  • Watching eSports racing is boring.
  • Artificially keeping an outdated game alive by spending tons of money on eSports is dumb.
ouch
 
Last edited:
Unpopular opinion:
  • Nobody needs eSports series.
  • Most eSports drivers are total sh*tbags on track. They are quick but the majority of them is unable / unwilling to go side by side or even lose a spot without a silly fight.
  • Watching eSports racing is boring.
  • Artificially keeping an outdated game alive by spending tons of money on eSports is dumb.
That’s indeed an unpopular opinion.
 
Unpopular opinion:
  • Nobody needs eSports series.
  • Most eSports drivers are total sh*tbags on track. They are quick but the majority of them is unable / unwilling to go side by side or even lose a spot without a silly fight.
  • Watching eSports racing is boring.
  • Artificially keeping an outdated game alive by spending tons of money on eSports is dumb.
Unpopular opinion might not be that unpopular, i mostly agree, however some esports races are fun to watch, I like the endurance stuff that e.g. Jardier puts on youtube, although i dont know if that qualifies (haha) as real esports. Also a lot of esports drivers are not that bad. And a silly fight for a spot is generally what you should do in a race :).

Not going to comment on Raceroom :) as i dont have that much racing experience in that sim.
 
Last edited:
Unpopular onion,
I usually cook red ones instead of whites, for flavour. Although it makes me cry more when i prepare it. I'd say it's the price to pay.

And on another note, i'd love to see e-sport on vintage cars. When things weren't glued on the asphalt.
 
Looking forward to this season. Been enjoying watching previous (2022 IIRC) action on the Motorsport TV app.
 
Unpopular opinion:
  • Nobody needs eSports series.
  • Most eSports drivers are total sh*tbags on track. They are quick but the majority of them is unable / unwilling to go side by side or even lose a spot without a silly fight.
  • Watching eSports racing is boring.
  • Artificially keeping an outdated game alive by spending tons of money on eSports is dumb.
jaleous and stuck with ai at 90 ?
 
Unpopular opinion:
  • Nobody needs eSports series.
  • Most eSports drivers are total sh*tbags on track. They are quick but the majority of them is unable / unwilling to go side by side or even lose a spot without a silly fight.
  • Watching eSports racing is boring.
  • Artificially keeping an outdated game alive by spending tons of money on eSports is dumb.
Why do you comment on a topic that doesn't interest you?
 

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Shifting method

  • I use whatever the car has in real life*

  • I always use paddleshift

  • I always use sequential

  • I always use H-shifter

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