With a new season of the Formula E: Accelerate esports series on the horizon, the more powerful and smaller Gen 3 car is coming to rFactor 2.
Image credit: Studio 397
For the 2023 season, Formula E introduced their third generation car which has caused quite the stir. Compared to the Gen 2 car (used from 2018 to 2022), the Gen 3 car has more power – up from 335 to 470 horsepower – and is also both lighter and smaller. As a result, it has an estimated top speed of over 200mph.
The Gen 3 car is now officially being added to rFactor 2, the platform that hosts Formula E’s official esports championship named Accelerate. The car’s release will coincide with a new season of FE Accelerate, with the qualifiers opening up 14 April.
Accelerate: What’s New for 2023?
In the lead-up to the Berlin and Rome ePrix, qualifiers will open up on rFactor 2 for European based players aged 16 and over. These last for three days, taking place intermittently over the weekend before the race weekend itself.
The top 88 drivers are split into four qualifying groups. The best 22 of those drivers across three qualifying races will then progress into the main race.
Those main races will be held on the Saturdays of the double header Berlin and Rome ePrix events, both running between qualifying and the ePrix. After each event, the best eleven drivers in the standings will be invited to the London ePrix to compete in an on-site finale.
The competitors points from the previous two rounds carry over, and there will be two races. First is a half distance race with the top six drivers from qualifying inverted. That is then followed by a full length ePrix distance race with the qualifying order intact.
What Can be Won?
There is €40,000 on offer, with €10,000 offered per individual round, and another €10,000 handed out based on final championship standings. €4,500 is given to the winner of each round, meaning the most that an individual can win is €18,000 if they win all three rounds and the championship.
Unlike previous seasons though, it would appear that the champion won’t be offered a Formula E test. Two-time Accelerate champion Frederik Rasmussen and Race at Home Challenge champion Kevin Siggy both got real world test drives of a Formula E car.
How To Qualify
The open hotlap qualifiers for the Berlin round open on 14 April from 6pm to 9pm CEST, then on 15 April from 1pm to 4pm and 6pm to 9pm. Then the two hotlap qualifiers format repeats on 16 April. The qualifying races are then held on 18 April from 6pm to 8pm, with the main round on 22 April.
The same applies for the Rome round. The first hotlap qualifier session will take place on 7 July, followed by two on 8 and 9 July. The qualifying races take place on 11 July before the main round on 15 July between the Rome ePrix qualifying session and race.
To learn more, look at this document published on the Formula E: Accelerate Discord.
Will you be getting the Formula E Gen 3 car? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
