Ferrari Velas Esports Series Kicks Off Road to the Grand Finals Today!
The 2022 season of the Ferrari Velas Esports Series is about to head into a pivotal stage of competition, as the latest edition of the acclaimed virtual motorsport championship charges into the final stretch of intensive competitive activity. Today at 3PM EDT/ 9PM CEST, drivers of the European element of the series will take to virtual recreations of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Circuit of the Americas, Spa-Francorchamps and the Indianapolis Grand Prix circuit to do battle for the opportunity to participate in the next stage of the championship, and with it, the chance to progress to a winner takes all on site Grand Final in Italy.
For both drivers and fans of the Ferrari Velas Esports Series, the second qualification show holds significant additional interest thanks to the introduction of two greatly anticipated new circuits, as the series looks to leverage the highly regarded Circuit of the Americas and Indianapolis Grand Prix road course venues that have recently been deployed to Assetto Corsa Competizione, one of two simulation platforms developed by Kunos Simulazioni and used within the 2022 running of the championship. Adding Assetto Corsa Competizione alongside the previously utilized Assetto Corsa software has proven to be an inspired choice for this current campaign, garnering significant positive feedback from both participants and new and existing fans of the series.
Watch the Qualifiers live on Twitch!
Further enhancing the overall European Qualification Race show on September 6th, the Ferrari Velas Esports Series will welcome special guests throughout the event, headed by rising talent and the first female driver within the Ferrari Driver Academy, Italian F4 Championship driver Maya Weug. Maya will join series hosts Nicki Shields and Paul Jeffrey in the Ferrari Esports Studio in Italy, providing insight and analysis of the world of both real and virtual motorsport competition.
Following the European show, on Wednesday, September 7th at 9:00PM EDT/3AM CEST, the Ferrari Velas Esports Series will air the next installment of the North American qualification race show, a new initiative developed for the 2022 racing season.
Similar in format to the proceeding European broadcast, the North American program will feature another star of the Ferrari Driver Academy, as Formula Regional European Championship leader Dino Beganovic joins hosts Amanda Busick and Paul Jeffrey in the Ferrari Esports Studio in Italy. Following the same format of four independent races across four unique and laser scanned circuits within both Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione, this broadcast will present the final opportunity for North American drivers to secure a place in their own Regional Final event, ahead of the combined, on site Grand Final show.
Throughout the course of this qualification race broadcast, both European and North American drivers will utilize the stunning Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 and Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo cars.
As has become traditional within the Ferrari Velas Esports Series, the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team will be represented during both European and North American broadcasts, with an exclusive interview from Monégasque driver Charles Leclerc hosted by Paul Jeffrey (European show) and Amanda Busick (North American show) set to form an undoubted highlight of the evening.
At the conclusion of each respective broadcast, only the very best virtual drivers will have earned the right to qualify for the next stage of the competition – the Regional Finals – set to take place on September 13th at 9PM CEST/3PM EDT for Europe, and the day after, September 14th at 21:00 EDT for North America. The Regional Finals will see the top 24 qualified drivers from each region compete across both the Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione simulation platforms, for an opportunity to earn a shot at racing in the Grand Final – set to be broadcast on Sunday 2nd October at 9PM CEST/3PM EDT.
The regional finals’ tracks have already been chosen: for the European races Silverstone and Imola will take centre stage, whereas for North America both Laguna Seca and Watkins Glen are the venues of choice. Both Finals shows will feature further guest appearances from star names such as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Ferrari F1 Drivers and Grand Prix winners.
Having undertaken a rigorous and hotly contested series of challenges, the overall Ferrari Velas Esport Series champion will have earned the opportunity to join the Scuderia Ferrari Velas Esports team.
Live broadcasts for the Qualifying and Regional Final races can be followed on the Official Twitch channel, and will be presented by Nicki Shields for Europe, and Amanda Busick for North America with Paul Jeffrey as cohost.
All races will be streamed on the Ferrari Esports Twitch Channel https://www.twitch.tv/ferrariesports.
Ferrari Velas Esports Series Shows:
#2 Qualification show:
6th September – 9:00PM CEST – Europe
7th September – 9:00PM EDT – North America
Regional Finals
13th September – 9:00PM CEST – Europe
14th September – 9:00PM EDT – North America
Grand Final
2nd October – 9:00PM CEST – 3:00PM EDT – 19:00 GMT
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Founded in 2009, Next Level Racing is the world’s leading simulation brand revolutionising simulation with its industry product range. As a company Next Level Racing has pride in challenging the industry with world-class products and has a passionate and innovative global team that continues to push boundaries.
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