Paris (AFP)
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, postponed to September 19-20 due to the coronavirus pandemic, will still take place on the dates initially planned, June 13-14, in virtual version, announced the organizers on Friday.
A maximum of fifty cars, prototypes and GTEs, will start these 24 Hours of Le Mans virtual on the rFactor 2 car racing simulation game on June 13 at 3 p.m.
The crews made up of two professional pilots, not only from endurance, and two eSport racing specialists (or "sim racers") will take turns on board.
"It will be a real race, as faithful as possible to the spirit of endurance, with the drama of the 24 Hours", assured during a videoconference press Gérard Neveu, the boss of the World Championship WEC endurance, of which the Le Mans test is the pinnacle.
The game allows the passage from day to night, weather changes, pit stops to change drivers, tires, refuel or even repair a car after an accident.
The manufacturers involved in the real championship, Toyota, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Porsche, will be on the starting grid, as well as private teams.
"The manufacturers take this very seriously. For them, it's more than a game, it's a race and some people already dream of doubling the 24 Hours of Le Mans virtual in June and real in September," said Neveu.
On the pilot side, it promises "the cream of the crop", with names from Formula 1 or even Formula E.
To date, around forty files have been submitted to participate, specify the organizers.
The race, and possibly the qualifications, will be broadcast worldwide on television, as well as on digital platforms (YouTube, Facebook, Twitch ...).
On the initiative of major championships (F1, MotoGP, Formula E, IndyCar ...) and eSport players, virtual races involving professional pilots, "sim racers" and personalities have experienced a real boom with the coronavirus pandemic , the containment measures and the cancellation of the actual races.
© 2020 AFP