Le Mans eSport Series coming soon

ESports fans will soon be put to the test on the same track as the international racing masters taking part in this weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championships with a new platform called Le Man esports series launching soon.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most high-profile annual racing events of the year, kicks off Saturday in France, with on-track masters pushing the limits of high-tech prototypes and sports cars.

It will also be where the race organizer Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) will announce its joint venture with Motorsport Network, whose platforms represent the largest audience of motorsport and auto enthusiasts in the world, to introduce a new platform called Le Mans eSports series.

The Le Mans eSports series will be “based at the outset on the Forza Motorsport platform, in partnership with Microsoft,” noted Motorsport Network in an announcement. “The event is open to all categories of competitors; from the elite esports drivers to amateur gamers the world over. The fastest qualifiers from the online game will also have the chance to race against and to meet the leading drivers from the world’s most iconic endurance race.”

As for events and formats, they will be managed by Glory4Gamers, a Paris-based eSports company. The plan is to feature various innovations as well as authentic details to create an exciting challenge for gamers.

The full format will be revealed at the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Silverstone (6 Hours of Silverstone) on Aug. 18 to 19. Following that, there will be a series of offline qualifying events at future events: 6 Hours of Fuji, Japan (Oct. 13 to 14); 6 Hours of Shanghai, China (Nov. 17 to 18); Autosport International Show in Birmingham, United Kingdom (Jan. 12 to 13); 1000 Miles of Sebring, Florida, United States (March 15); and Total 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (May 3 to 4).

The grand finale will then take place during the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans race weekend. JB