Formula E race team Maserati MSG Racing has hired a sim racer to work for Maserati as the team’s official simulator driver and help them develop the real race car. It’s just another example of the blurring of the lines between sim racing and real-world motorsport.
This week I also have details on Racing Prodigy’s 2024 race series where 16 Prodigy Passes are up for grabs for Prodigy Week Part 2. As usual there is also general and competitive sim racing news, tech reviews, tips, and a look at James Baldwin’s pro sim racing setup.
All this and more in this week’s edition of the Sim Racing Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. Its sim racing news for racers not gamers.
From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
Maserati MSG Racing will “join forces” with longstanding French eSports outfit Race Clutch where they will share one of its drivers.
In a joint statement released by the Monaco-based team and French eSports squad Race Clutch, both parties have agreed to a collaboration that will see one of its long-term drivers, Hungarian Balazs Remenyik, also work for Maserati as the team’s official simulator driver.
Alex Dardelet, Maserati’s Head of Performance, said: “This strategic appointment will bolster our team with a dedicated and experienced eSports driver.
Richard Arnaud, CEO of Race Clutch, said: “This collaboration with Maserati MSG Racing reflects our ongoing commitment to bringing the worlds of virtual and real motorsport closer together. We are convinced that Balazs’ contribution as an official simulation driver will strengthen the Maserati MSG Racing teams on the real track. We can’t wait to get this next season started!”
Remenyik himself added that joining Maserati “is an exceptional opportunity. Together, we’ll be exploring new horizons in sim racing and helping to maximise the teams’ performance on real circuits. It’s a thrilling adventure that I’m delighted to be part of.”
Racing, RaceRoom, and Street Kart Racing sim racing competitions are open at www.racingprodigy.com. Register now! 16 Prodigy Passes are available to win in these 3 Official Series in the PRL. Don’t miss your chance to learn, train, and compete at Prodigy Week Part 2, May 13-15 and the chance to be drafted as a paid pro driver in the real-world Prodigy Racing League.
iRacing Mazda Spec MX-5 Golden Ticket Series
Powered by SuckerPunch, this Official iRacing series will have a regular season that runs February 16 to March 31 with a one-day post-season on April 7. There are a total of six Prodigy Passes up for grabs in this series. More details here. Get your iRacing or combo game pass by Feb 15 (9 am ET) to race in week 1 of the Mazda Spec MX-5 cup golden ticket series. 6 prodigy passes are on the line!
RaceRoom Mazda MX-5 Cup Golden Ticket Series
Powered by SuckerPunch, this Official RaceRoom series awards six total Prodigy Passes. PRL racers compete in up to three tournament events and an overall series leaderboard points chase running from Feb 15 – March 24. More details here. Get your Raceroom or combo game pass by Feb 15 (1 pm et) to race in round 1 of the Mazda MX-5 Cup golden ticket series. 6 prodigy passes are on the line!
SK Racing PRJ Golden Ticket Series
Powered by SuckerPunch, this Official Street Kart Racing series, with three competitive events, runs February 7 to April 2 exclusively on iOS mobile devices. Race for the chance to earn one of four Prodigy Passes. More details here. Street Kart Racing PRJ Golden Ticket Series is now live! 4 prodigy passes are on the line. Register now to enter – it’s free!
The race entry deadlines are tomorrow (February 15, 2024). Racing Prodigy has a discounted membership option that you can take advantage of. Special introductory offer for racing prodigy memberships (RPMS) ends Thursday, February 15. Get your single game pass 33% off regular price and combo game pass 25% off before end of day tomorrow. Sign up to enter all PRL events over the next year.
Speaking of Racing Prodigy, the videos above take a look at days 1 and 2 of last October’s Prodigy Week.
Sim racing prodigy Max Esterson has made it to Road & Track as they ask the question, Can This American iRacing Phenom Make It to F1?
“A lot about this story already doesn’t make sense. But it all adds up in the end. It’s the story of a video game nut turned motor racing phenom who has quietly paved a path to the elite realms of the F1 feeder world. When Max first got into a race car, he had already established himself as one of the top iRacing competitors in the U.S.“
Jake Dennis talks to Sports Business Journal about pushing the limits of the Next Gen Formula E car and being Red Bull’s simulator driver.
Competitive Sim Racing News
- eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Goes Bigger Than Ever for 2024 Season (iRacing)
- Verstappen happy with Team Redline: ‘I love racing!’ (GP Blog)
- iRacing will be also part of the FIA Motorsports Games 2024 (Box This Lap)
- R8G Esports on sim racing: “It’s not shooting zombies, it’s real” (eSports News UK)
- New eSports series steers rookie racer towards future glory (Motorsport UK)
Sim Racing Tips & Techniques
- Sim Racing: Adjusting Your Brake Bias During The Race (Box This Lap)
- Sim Racing: Can Loadcell Pedals Make a Difference in Lap Times? (Box This Lap)
Sim Racing Tech Roundup
Here is a roundup of the latest sim racing tech news, reviews, and recommendations from around the world.
- Playseat Challenge X review: “An excellent option for living room racers” (Games Radar)
- February 2024 Sim Racing PC Build (Box This Lap)
- Fanatec Unveils the Gran Turismo DD Extreme Bundle (Box This Lap)
- Fanatec Gran Turismo DD Extreme Review: Hardcore Rig, Hardcore Price (The Drive)
- Fanatec Clubsport DD+ & Gran Turismo DD Extreme (Game Reactor)
General Sim Racing News
- Everyone Has an Excuse in Sim Racing: Which One Is Yours? (Box This Lap)
- Pitwall.live Joins The SimGrid Family (SimGrid)
- D-BOX Technologies Reports Fiscal 2024 Third Quarter Results (Business Insider)
- This Week in iRacing: February 13-19, 2024 (iRacing)
- Assetto Corsa 2: The Biggest Challenge of 2024 (Box This Lap)
- ‘EA Sports WRC’ Season 3 Begins Next Week, Adds New Challenges, Moments, Unique Liveries and More – Trailer (Worth Playing)
- FIA Esports E-Training: Empowering ASNs Globally (FIA)
- Here’s How Gran Turismo Captures Its Impressively Realistic Car Sounds (Road & Track)
- The 24 Best Racing Games On The Switch (The Gamer)