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.
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.
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 misses out. Image: RaceRoom
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.
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.
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
- Moritz Löhner
- Jack Keithley
- Tim Jarschel
- Emre Cihan
- Bence Bánki
- Erhan Jajovski
- Lucas Müller
- Marko Pejic
- Gianmarco Fiduci
- Marcell Csincsik
- Isaac Price
- Isaac Gillissen
- Leonard Krippner
- Ádám Pinczés
- Florian Hasse
- Jiri Toman
- Nikodem Wisniewski
- Enzo Bonito
- Gergő Báldi
- Christopher Högfeldt
- Christian Michel
- Kevin Siggy
- Jeffrey Rietveld
- Dominik Blajer
- Jakub Brzezinski
- Leandro Werle
- Leonard Karten
- Axel Vermeylen
- Remi Delorme
- Leon Rudinger
- Alessandro Ottaviani
- 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