Autosport show: Esports Le Mans prize
The latest round of LMES is set to take centre stage next week at Autosport International
The 2019 Autosport International show next week will give gamers the chance to earn their place on the podium at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans, as it plays host to the fourth round of the Le Mans Esports Series.
The competition, which launched alongside the World Endurance Championship round at Silverstone in August last year, is run in partnership with the Motorsport
Network and the Le Mans-organising Automobile Club de l’ouest.
At the NEC, gamers will fight on Forza Motorsport 7 for a place at the showpiece Le Mans Super Final, which will give them a chance to claim a share of the $100,000 prize fund. Three qualification rounds have so far taken place, with nine drivers from the three regions (EMEA, Americas and Asia-pacific) booking their spot in the Super Final.
The latest qualifying round will feature the EMEA race held live on the Sunday of the Autosport Show, on January 13. The 10 fastest gamers from the regional qualification events have already sealed their place in the final, held at the NEC. But there will be a second chance for those who missed out on qualifying, with two spots open to the two fastest drivers who set times at the show. There is no requirement for prior involvement in the competition, meaning newcomers to the series could theoretically qualify for the Super Final at the very first attempt.
As with all the rounds so far, the main race at the Autosport Show will last for approximately two hours. It is hoped that this captures the endurance element of Le Mans, and rewards drivers for their strategy, race management and outright pace.
Brands Hatch will be used as the virtual venue for this round, and five high-end GT cars are available for selection from such manufacturers as Aston Martin, Chevrolet, Ferrari and Porsche.
THE STORY SO FAR
The EMEA region has been highly competitive so far. Shaun Arnold is currently the driver to beat, having won the opening qualifier at Silverstone. In doing so, he became the first driver for his region to qualify for the Super Final. He made it two wins from two with a stellar drive around Suzuka, although that winning streak was abruptly ended during the last round around Yas Marina after his controller broke and he was hit by his team-mate.
A lot of Forza gamers use the controller for other major events, and this has spurred critics to discredit the Forza Esports scene, but Arnold believes that the LMES decision to use onsite wheels and pedals will improve the outward image for the competitors. “There’s quite a lot of stigma in the sim-racing community towards Forza,” says Arnold. “Players in championships such as the [Forza Racing Championship] use a controller, and people say, ‘They shouldn’t be using one, it takes no skill’. It will be good that some of us Forza people can race well on a [steering] wheel as well.”
Isaac Price – the 2017 iracing Blancpain GT champion who switched from the G2
club to Williams Esports in November – echoed Arnold’s thoughts. “If you have the talent you can adapt,” Price says.
He has been using a wheel throughout his sim-racing career, and Arnold identified Price and Forzarc champion Aurelien Mallet as the main competition. Frenchman Mallet labelled Brands Hatch as his “least favourite British circuit,” but that’s offset by his fondness of the GT machinery.
Mclaren’s World’s Fastest Gamer finalist Price is one of the many Williams drivers taking part in LMES, with increased participation levels from top sim-racing teams. He’s a relative newcomer to the game but is taking advice from his more experienced team-mates.
“Our strengths are different,” he says. “Their strengths are knowing the game, and every single time I’m driving something on Forza it’s a first. I’ve usually never driven the car or the track on this game. Then, later on, it should reverse around. I’ve got the experience on the wheel – I can then advise on how to get the most out of that.”
Arnold is the points leader and is part of self-professed ‘group-of-friends’ Forza team Japspeed Racing, highlighting the ethos behind LMES – individuals or groups have the opportunity to compete with the professional sim-racing teams. He also encourages newcomers to give LMES a try.
“There’s no reason not to give it a go,” says Arnold. “It’s easily accessible – if you love motorsport and you haven’t got the money to do it in real life, then the virtual world is the next best thing. Going to Le Mans would be a dream come true for anyone.
Just practice, practice and practice.”
Wise words from a gamer currently leading the race to an authentic 2019 Le Mans 24 Hours experience.