There will be plenty of esports racing in May. Here are five must watch events that we think are worth following.
It’s the time of the month again where we give our recommendations for major virtual motorsport events to follow. As usual, there’s plenty going on.
There’s something for every kind of esports racing fan. Sprints and endurances, open wheelers and sportscars, with all kinds of interest points. So, here are our picks for esports races you should follow this month.
ESL R1
For those who have been following ESL R1 since the opener in February, the repetitiveness of the same three tracks perhaps has put you off. But with the Major happening soon, the final of the eight main season rounds are certainly worth tuning in for.
It’s on the Hockenheimring again, so no change there. But, there are still many slots left undecided for the Major. With 15 drivers guaranteeing their place, plenty of big name drivers run the risk of not making the top 24. This includes the likes of Bono Huis and Mitchell DeJong; even Jeffrey Rietveld could end up missing out.
But what will also be decided is the team’s championship. Whilst the €45,000 won by an individual driver will have to wait until the Major, the other €45,000 for the winning team will be allocated in round 8. Currently, Redline hold a relatively healthy 72 point lead over R8G Esports. But, in a series where teams can score over 200 points per round, that could always change.
The quarter finals take place on 12 May, with plenty of community channels providing commentary. Then on 15 May, the semi finals and final can be followed on ESL R1’s official YouTube and Twitch channels. The racing starts at 6pm CEST on both days.
Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup
We are now past the halfway stage of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup season, and one driver is currently standing head and shoulders above the rest. Altus Esports’ Jordan Caruso currently leads the championship by just over an entire event’s worth of points, thanks to his remarkable consistency.
Is it Caruso’s to lose? With his rivals having their ups and downs, they’re running out of rounds to make inroads on the Australian. But, if there are any times the established order can be upset, it is now. As PESC enters the eighth and ninth rounds, the tracks will provide a unique challenge.
First, the Supercup pros will tackle the combined Nordschleife circuit on 6 May, one week before the iRacing Special Event. Then on 20 May, it’s the turn of the other major 24 hour racetrack Circuit de la Sarthe, which has always delivered some incredible racing in PESC.
Be sure to tune in to the action at Porsche’s YouTube or Twitch channels at 7pm CEST. Not just for the Supercup, but also the All-Stars where eNASCAR champion Casey Kirwan is on the cusp of wrapping up the title.
F1 Esports Challengers
A run of six straight weeks for F1 Esports Challengers has already come to its halfway point. Hopeful Pro Championship drivers on Xbox, PlayStation and PC are competing to qualify for the Pro Exhibition. The top six get to be considered by the teams, but winning a Challengers title could certainly improve their chances.
Halfway through, three drivers have already been stamping their authority on their respective platforms. McLaren Shadow development driver Harvey Cowan on Xbox, former Ferrari development driver Mirko Suriano on PlayStation and PSGL PC Tier 2 champion Alfie Butcher on PC all earned a podium in the opening round and followed that up with two straight wins.
The final three rounds of the season will be held over the next three weeks. On the 9/10/11 May will see the drivers race Silverstone. 16/17/18 May’s races are on Spa-Francorchamps and rather fittingly, 23/24/25 May’s finales will be on Interlagos.
All rounds will be broadcast on F1’s official Twitch channel starting 8pm CEST.
Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports
After last month’s SRO Esports Sim Pro Series kicked off the ACC action with onsite racing, the online seasons are also getting underway. The GT World Challenge Esports Europe series began on 3 May, and the Americas and Asia series will begin on 6 and 31 May respectively.
But the most prominent online SRO series is undoubtedly the Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports. In this series, teams of three or four drivers from all over the world will compete in five major endurance races. These being the Bathurst 12 hours, Kyalami 9 hours, Spa 24 hours, Suzuka 10 hours and Indianapolis 8 hours.
All of the top drivers on Assetto Corsa Competizione can be found here, and there will be two classes competing. There’s the Pro class for teams with two Pro level drivers which has a €40,000 prize pool, and a Silver class for teams with one Pro level driver that has a €18,000 prize pool.
The opening round is the Bathurst 12 hours. Tune in to the SROMotorsports Twitch or GTWorld YouTube channels on 20 May at 11am CEST.
iRacing Nürburgring 24h
Last but not least, it’s one of the highlights of the sim racing year. The iRacing Special Event permits anyone to compete alongside similarly rated drivers, with the top split being broadcast and commentated on.
In 2022, the top split was won overall by the BMW Bank entry that real life BMW factory driver Bruno Spengler drove. For this year’s event, there are five classes: GT3, Porsche Cup, GT4, Touring Car and new for 2023, Spec.
For anyone who wants to have a go at the race, check for details on your iRacing UI. But for those wanting to follow the top split, the RaceSpot TV YouTube channel will be the place to be on 13 May. The broadcast will begin at 2:30pm CEST, with it split into multiple streams across the 24 hours.
Which of these esports racing events will you be following? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
