Global sim racing championship enters the critical phase at Spa
The “Ardennes rollercoaster“ of Spa-Francorchamps represents yet another spectacular Grand Prix circuit on the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup (PESC) programme. The storied Belgian racetrack is one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar of the global esports championship. This event marks the seventh of ten rounds run on iRacing’s simulation platform. On the undulating 7.004-kilometre circuit, racing drivers face famous passages such as Eau Rouge/Raidillon, Blanchimont and La Source. The fast corner combinations, extreme compressions and tight hairpins demand not only top driving skills from the 40 sim racers but also a wealth of experience in setting up the digital Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Joshua Rogers (AUS), #92, Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup, 2021
After six rounds, Joshua Rogers from the Virtual Racing School team holds a steady course for the crown. At the last race weekend on the virtual Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, the Australian PESC champion of 2019 extended his overall lead. Thanks to his victory in the sprint race and seventh place in the main event, he increased his advantage over his American teammate Mitchell deJong by 87 points. Britain’s Kevin Ellis Jr. (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Esports) ranks third with 281 points. With 257 points to his credit, the reigning champion Sebastian Job still has a chance to defend his title. The Briton competes for the Red Bull Racing Esports squad.
On the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, 40 PESC sim racers contest a six-lap sprint race on Saturday from 8:15 pm (CET). The main event over twice the distance begins at 8:45 pm. Round seven of the season also includes a free practice, qualifying and warm-up session. Fans can watch the iRacing events live on Porsche’s channels YouTube (https://youtu.be/QapqnS8OC0c) and Twitch (www.twitch.tv/porsche).
Prior to this, well-known content creators from the world of Esports will showcase their skills as part of the programme. They will fight for victory for the first time this season with the Porsche 911 RSR. The live stream begins at 6:30 pm with the All-Star qualifying session. The two influencer races get the green light at 6:45 pm and 7:10 pm respectively.
Further information on the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup can be found on the Porsche Motorsport Hub, Porsche Newsroom and the Twitter account @PorscheRaces.
The schedule (all times CET)
Saturday, 13 March
6:35 – 6:45 pm: Qualifying All-Stars
6:45 – 7:00 pm: Sprint race All-Stars
7:05 – 7:10 pm: Warm-up All-Stars
7:10 – 7:30 pm: Main race All-Stars
7:45 – 8:03 pm: Free practice PESC
8:03 – 8:15 pm: Qualifying PESC
8:15 – 8:32 pm: Sprint race PESC
8:34 – 8:44 pm: Warm-up PESC
8:45 – 9:15 pm: Main race PESC
Remaining races on the 2021 calendar
27.03.2021 – Germany: Nürburgring Nordschleife, 24h version (2/4 laps)
10.04.2021 – France: Le Mans (3/6 laps)
24.04.2021 – Italy: Monza (7/14 laps)
In brackets: number of laps sprint / main race