Category: pr

> Padayachee and Tse eyeing Real-PRO & AM race win hat-tricks
> Three points cover Sim-PRO’s top-four; Petersen and Rayton renew AM rivalry
> Entry lists: Real-PRO & AM | Sim-PRO & AM
> Championship points: Real-PRO & AM | Sim-PRO & AM

GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works’ 2020 season reaches its halfway mark with two more virtual 60-minute races at Silverstone.

The home of British motor racing regularly hosts several SRO Motorsports Group series but now welcomes the Asia-Pacific region’s best real and sim racers for the first time thanks to Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS.

The incredibly close Sim-PRO & AM standings are in stark contrast to their Real equivalents where double race winners Duvashen Padayachee (PRO) and Kevin Tse (AM) have collected the maximum 50 points available thus far.

Padayachee was a runaway Real-PRO class winner at Monza but had to work his way through from ninth to make it back-to-back victories two weeks ago at Laguna Seca where other contenders fell by the wayside. As such the Tarmac eMotorsports Mercedes-AMG driver enjoys an imposing 30-point advantage over Tengku Ezan Ley (Tedco Racing, BMW), while Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG team-mates JiaTong Liang and Melvin Moh are both two points further back.

Tse has also amassed maximum Real-AM points thanks to a methodical, fault-free approach in rounds one and two. The Craft-Bamboo driver enjoys a 25-point buffer over Yuke Taniguchi, whose consistency has kept KCMG’s Nissan just ahead of Antares Au (Modena Motorsports, Porsche), Alex Au (Ryzen Racing, Lamborghini) and Kai Fung Lo (Audi Sport Asia TSRT).

Sim-PRO on the other hand remains incredibly tight after two rounds, largely thanks to both race winners only scoring once. Indeed, Wako’s Fliptable Racing’s Kin Long Li leads fellow Mercedes-AMG driver Andika Rama Maulana (Legion of Racers) by one point, while Joseph De Jesus (Tarmac eMotorsports, Mercedes-AMG) and Andrew Laurenson (Laundry House, Porsche) are two further back after winning at Monza and Laguna, respectively.

Sim-AM is also close with Laundry House team-mates Karl Petersen (Mercedes-AMG) and Terry Rayton (Lamborghini) separated by three points. Championship leader Petersen was forced to qualify via public hot lap selection after an early collision prevented him from finishing amongst the top-five at Laguna, which would have secured an automatic entry for Silverstone.

Mia Rose (privateer, Aston Martin) lies third after becoming the first woman to win a SRO-sanctioned esports race at Laguna, while another Laundry House representative, Philippa Boquida (McLaren) is just one point further back in fourth.

Both races will be livestreamed back-to-back on GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS’s Facebook page and SRO’s Youtube/Twitch channels later today at 19:40 and 21:00 HKT. The same coverage is also available with native commentary on Chinese digital platform, Huya.

ABOUT GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY TARMAC WORKS

SRO Motorsports Group’s officially sanctioned sim racing franchise extends to Asia this autumn with the creation of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works. The five-round campaign began on October 6 and follows standalone, non-championship Charity Cup races at Suzuka on August 29.

Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – will host all six events after successfully staging SRO’s European and US esports championships earlier this year.

Indeed, following the success of its other esports series, SRO is now fully focused on providing Asia’s real-world drivers, pro sim racers and general public with a professionally managed and highly competitive online racing environment. Experience gained in Europe and America will make GT World Challenge Asia Esports SRO’s most polished sim racing product to date and introduce several new aspects familiar to fans of real-world competition.

Like its continental counterparts Asia’s esports series will be staged on Assetto Corsa Competizione’s popular PC platform with the help of ACC’s developers, Kunos Simulazioni, while AK Informatica will once again provide first-class technical assistance and management.

2020 GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CALENDAR

Charity Cup – August 29 – Suzuka, JPN (non-championship)
R1 – October 06 – Monza, ITA
R2 – October 27 – Laguna Seca, USA
R3 – November 10 – Silverstone, UK
R4 – November 24 – Spa-Francorchamps, BEL
R5 – December 08 – Suzuka, JPN

> Qualifying closes November 7
> 19 Sim-AM spaces available at Round 3
> Silverstone takes place on November 10
> Register and qualify here

Round 3 of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works takes place at Silverstone on November 10. And YOU can be part of it!

Amateur sim racers from across the Asia-Pacific region can set hot lap times on the PC version of Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – in an effort to qualify for the third of this year’s championship rounds.

19 of the fastest drivers will compete against the continent’s best professional sim racers and Laguna Seca’s top-five Sim-AM finishers – Mia Rose, Terry Rayton, Sergey Mironenko, Philippa Boquida and Ryan Hoolihan – who have all automatically qualified. 

Points will once again be awarded at the end of two 60-minute races – one for real-world professionals and amateurs, the other for sim drivers – which take place at the home of British motorsport in early November.

Amateur sim racers from across the Asia-Pacific region should visit asia.sro-esport.com to register and qualify before November 7.

ABOUT GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY TARMAC WORKS

SRO Motorsports Group’s officially sanctioned sim racing franchise extends to Asia this autumn with the creation of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works. The five-round campaign begins on October 6 and follows standalone, non-championship Charity Cup races at Suzuka on August 29.

Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – will host all six events after successfully staging SRO’s European and US esports championships earlier this year. 

Indeed, following the success of its other esports series, SRO is now fully focused on providing Asia’s real-world drivers, pro sim racers and general public with a professionally managed and highly competitive online racing environment. Experience gained in Europe and America will make GT World Challenge Asia Esports SRO’s most polished sim racing product to date and introduce several new aspects familiar to fans of real-world competition.

Like its continental counterparts Asia’s esports series will be staged on Assetto Corsa Competizione’s popular PC platform with the help of ACC’s developers, Kunos Simulazioni, while AK Informatica will once again provide first-class technical assistance and management.

2020 GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CALENDAR

Charity Cup – August 29 – Suzuka, JPN (non-championship)
R1 – October 06 – Monza, ITA
R2 – October 27 – Laguna Seca, USA
R3 – November 10 – Silverstone, UK
R4 – November 24 – Spa-Francorchamps, BEL
R5 – December 08 – Suzuka, JPN

Images (click to download): Xynamic Automotive Photography

Download more high-resolution esports images at www.gt-world-challenge-asia.com/press-members
Username: asiamedia
Password: media2017

All media enquiries: Tom Hornsby | tom@sro-motorsports.com

Web sro-esport.com/asia   Facebook GTWorldChallengeAsia   Instagram @GTWorldChallengeAsia   Twitter @GTWorldChAsia

> Rose makes history; Tse scores second class win in as many races > Race results: Sim-PRO & AM | Real-PRO & AM > Points: Sim-PRO & AM | Real-PRO & AM

Laundry House’s Andrew Laurenson (Porsche) and Tarmac eMotorsports’ Duvashen Padayachee (Mercedes-AMG) claimed a GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works win apiece during Round 2 at Laguna Seca earlier today, while there were also class wins for Mia Rose (privateer, Aston Martin) and Kevin Tse (Craft-Bamboo Racing, Mercedes-AMG). Padayachee and Tse scored their second Real-PRO and AM victories, respectively, in as many rounds, Laurenson converted pole position into a routine Sim-PRO win, and Rose became the first woman to claim an SRO Esports-sanctioned race by winning the Sim-AM class.

SIM-PRO & AM: ROUTINE FOR LAURENSON, ROSE MAKES HISTORY

Andrew Laurenson took advantage of the chaos on lap one to run out a comfortable winner in the day’s opening 60-minute race. Yuki Shirakawa and Andika Rama Maulana completed the podium places just 0.2s apart while nine different manufacturers featured in the top-13. Laurenson was never troubled en route to a six-second victory after his task was made easier by a Turn 1 pile-up triggered by Laundry House team-mate and erstwhile championship leader Karl Petersen spinning around another likely contender, Joseph De Jesus. The subsequent mayhem resulted in 14 cars pitting at the end of lap one to fix damage during their mandatory stop while the top-four featuring Laurenson, Andrew O’Hara, Shirakawa and Maulana inherited a sizeable advantage. Server issues accounted for O’Hara soon after, which left Laurenson free to pull clear of the battling Shirakawa and Maulana. The Australian had opened a 10s gap before pitting and duly stroked it home to give the Laundry House team its second overall Sim victory of the season. Shirakawa and Maulana’s race-long battle continued right up until the chequered flag where the Ferrari just held on to second place ahead of the Mercedes-AMG. Behind, Naquib Azlan made the most of the first corner chaos to come through from 15th to finish fourth. The Lexus did well to initially bridge the gap Maulana but dropped back after stopping later in the race. Mia Rose also made serious inroads from her lowly 18th place on the grid to finish fifth overall and become the first woman to win an SRO Esports-sanctioned race. The Australian’s Sim-AM victory aboard a privately entered Aston Martin was built on sheer pace and some robust passing moves, including a particularly well executed late lunge that relieved Kin Long Li of fifth. Li’s Wako’s Fliptable Racing Mercedes-AMG maintained its consistent start to the season with sixth, while Terry Rayton charged back up to seventh after stopping early to repair his Lamborghini which had been caught up in the lap one incident. Bank Thanathip, Sergey Mironenko (Honda) and Philippa Boquida (McLaren) after a post-race penalty dropped Yat Lam Law (BMW) to 13th.

REAL-PRO & AM: PADAYACHEE PREVAILS IN WILD FINISH

Another chaotic start and equally unpredictable finish helped Duvashen Padayachee climb from ninth on the grid to make it two wins in as many races at Laguna Seca. Pole-sitter Aaron Borg was turned around by front row partner Evan Chen into Turn 1, while the same attempted move also accounted for Dominic Ang’s Porsche. Freddie Ang’s spin at The Corkscrew delayed another potential contender later on lap one before Chen, who’d inherited the lead, was hit with a 10s stop-go penalty for his part in the Turn 1 incident. All of that left Matt Solomon – who’d started fifth – leading from Padayachee after Matthew Marsh also dropped out of the top-two in the first 20 minutes. Shaun Thong ran third ahead of a recovering Freddie Ang who’d prevailed in a lengthy scrap with Alister Yoong, while Melvin Moh was making up time lost to a drive-through penalty by taking sixth from Kang Ling. But that would all change during an action-packed final 20 minutes featuring pitstops and on-track incidents. Solomon looked odds-on to maintain his net lead after pitting but lost time on track before the stops had shaken out. That briefly left Ang in the box seat before a tangle with Yoong allowed Padayachee to slip past and into the lead once the late-stopping Shaun Thong visited the pits. That wasn’t the end of the story, though. Stopping with two laps remaining dropped Thong behind Yoong and just ahead of the scrap involving Solomon, Moh and Ang, which then became fifth when the Audi driver out-braked himself at the final corner. The same confusion also caught out Solomon, which allowed Moh to make up two places as the race ticked on to the final lap. Ahead, Yoong had been hit with a drive-through penalty for his part in the earlier incident with Ang, which left Solomon and Thong to fight over the remaining podium place behind breakaway leader Padayachee and Moh. However, the Mercedes-AMG and Audi would come to blows halfway around the final lap when Thong spun himself and the Mercedes-AMG. Thus Padayachee took the chequered flag 3.3s ahead of Yoong, whose drive-through converted to a 30s post-race penalty dropped the Lexus to seventh. That elevated Moh and Ang to the final podium spots, while early pitter Tengku Ley found himself fourth. Thong recovered to finish fifth on the road but was handed a 30s post-race penalty for his part in the clash with Solomon, who inherited the place as a result. Yoong dropped to sixth in the amended result ahead of James Russell’s Honda and Ling’s Lamborghini. Alex Au and Kevin Tse enjoyed a race-long battle for Real-AM honours but it was the latter who ultimately prevailed to pick up another maximum score after also winning the class at Monza. Both also finished inside the overall top-10 as a result of Thong’s penalty and another issued to Evan Chen post-race. Billy Lo completed the Am class podium in 14th overall. Next up is Silverstone where the championship reaches its halfway stage on November 10.

ABOUT GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY TARMAC WORKS

SRO Motorsports Group’s officially sanctioned sim racing franchise extends to Asia this autumn with the creation of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works. The five-round campaign began on October 6 and follows standalone, non-championship Charity Cup races at Suzuka on August 29.Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – will host all six events after successfully staging SRO’s European and US esports championships earlier this year. Indeed, following the success of its other esports series, SRO is now fully focused on providing Asia’s real-world drivers, pro sim racers and general public with a professionally managed and highly competitive online racing environment. Experience gained in Europe and America will make GT World Challenge Asia Esports SRO’s most polished sim racing product to date and introduce several new aspects familiar to fans of real-world competition.Like its continental counterparts Asia’s esports series will be staged on Assetto Corsa Competizione’s popular PC platform with the help of ACC’s developers, Kunos Simulazioni, while AK Informatica will once again provide first-class technical assistance and management.

2020 GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CALENDAR

Charity Cup – August 29 – Suzuka, JPN (non-championship) R1 – October 06 – Monza, ITA R2 – October 27 – Laguna Seca, USA R3 – November 10 – Silverstone, UK R4 – November 24 – Spa-Francorchamps, BEL R5 – December 08 – Suzuka, JPN  Images (click to download): Xynamic Automotive PhotographyDownload more high-resolution esports images at www.gt-world-challenge-asia.com/press-members Username: asiamedia Password: media2017All media enquiries: Tom Hornsby | tom@sro-motorsports.comWeb sro-esport.com/asia   Facebook GTWorldChallengeAsia   Instagram @GTWorldChallengeAsia   Twitter @GTWorldChAsia

> Two more 60-minute races take place this Tuesday
> Monza’s four class winners eager to extend early points advantage
> Entry lists: Real-PRO & AM | Sim-PRO & AM
> Championship points: Real-PRO & AM | Sim-PRO & AM

GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works blasts back into action later today (October 27) when another star-studded Real and Sim entry assembles for round two at Laguna Seca.

89 drivers spilt across two 60-minute races will tackle the legendary Corkscrew ‘in’ California where Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli’s real-life American round took place in 2017-19.

Now the best of Asia-Pacific’s GT drivers travel there on Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – three weeks on from the championship’s season opener at Monza.

Round 1 overall and class winner Duvashen Padayachee heads another strong Real-PRO entry comprising the best of Asia-Pacific’s teams and drivers. They include Monza’s Real-PRO runners-up JiaTong Liang and Shaun Thong, as well as championship debutant Jasper Thong.

The Real-AM class also features in the same 60-minute race where all of the early championship contenders – headed by Monza podium finishers Kevin Tse, Bihuang Zhou and Yuke Taniguchi – are present and correct.

Meanwhile, the Sim-PRO & AM race – which actually takes place before the Real contest this evening – is again packed with Asia-Pacific’s top esports talent.

Karl Petersen leads the early standings after Laundry House team-mate Andrew O’Hara was punted out of the lead at Monza. They, and Round 1’s other top-five Ams (Fadhli Rachmat, Philippa Boquida and Terry Rayton) have earned an automatic invitation to race at Laguna Seca, while the remaining 19 spaces are filled by the fastest public hot lap qualifiers.

The Pro contingent failed to out-shine the part-timers at Monza where pole-winner and hot tip Joseph De Jesus finished third after fluffing his pitstop. Third overall was still sufficient to take the early class championship lead from Kin Long Li and Youngchan Kim, each of whom also feature at Laguna Seca.

Both GT World Challenge Asia Esports races will be livestreamed back-to-back on GT World Challenge Asia’s Facebook page and SRO’s Youtube/Twitch channels later today at 19:40 and 21:00 HKT.

ABOUT GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY TARMAC WORKS

SRO Motorsports Group’s officially sanctioned sim racing franchise extends to Asia this autumn with the creation of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works. The five-round campaign began on October 6 and follows standalone, non-championship Charity Cup races at Suzuka on August 29.

Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – will host all six events after successfully staging SRO’s European and US esports championships earlier this year. 

Indeed, following the success of its other esports series, SRO is now fully focused on providing Asia’s real-world drivers, pro sim racers and general public with a professionally managed and highly competitive online racing environment. Experience gained in Europe and America will make GT World Challenge Asia Esports SRO’s most polished sim racing product to date and introduce several new aspects familiar to fans of real-world competition.

Like its continental counterparts Asia’s esports series will be staged on Assetto Corsa Competizione’s popular PC platform with the help of ACC’s developers, Kunos Simulazioni, while AK Informatica will once again provide first-class technical assistance and management.

2020 GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CALENDAR

Charity Cup – August 29 – Suzuka, JPN (non-championship)
R1 – October 06 – Monza, ITA
R2 – October 27 – Laguna Seca, USA
R3 – November 10 – Silverstone, UK
R4 – November 24 – Spa-Francorchamps, BEL
R5 – December 08 – Suzuka, JPN

Images (click to download): Xynamic Automotive Photography

Download more high-resolution esports images at www.gt-world-challenge-asia.com/press-members
Username: asiamedia
Password: media2017

All media enquiries: Tom Hornsby | tom@sro-motorsports.com

Web sro-esport.com/asia   Facebook GTWorldChallengeAsia   Instagram @GTWorldChallengeAsia   Twitter @GTWorldChAsia

> Qualifying closes October 22
> 19 Sim-AM spaces available at Round 2
> Laguna Seca takes place on October 27
> Register and qualify here

Round 2 of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Powered by Tarmac Works takes place at Laguna Seca on October 27. And YOU can be part of it!

Amateur sim racers from across the Asia-Pacific region can set hot lap times on the PC version of Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – in an effort to qualify for the second of this year’s championship rounds.

19 of the fastest drivers will compete against the continent’s best professional sim racers and Monza’s top-five Sim-AM finishers – Karl Petersen, Andrew O’Hara, Fadhli Rachmat, Philippa Boquida and Terry Rayton – who have all automatically qualified. 

Points will once again be awarded at the end of two 60-minute races – one for real-world professionals and amateurs, the other for sim drivers – which take place at the demanding Laguna Seca Raceway in California later this month.

Amateur sim racers from across the Asia-Pacific region should visit asia.sro-esport.com to register and qualify before October 22.

ABOUT GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS

SRO Motorsports Group’s officially sanctioned sim racing franchise extends to Asia this autumn with the creation of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works. The five-round campaign begins on October 6 and follows standalone, non-championship Charity Cup races at Suzuka on August 29.

Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – will host all six events after successfully staging SRO’s European and US esports championships earlier this year. 

Indeed, following the success of its other esports series, SRO is now fully focused on providing Asia’s real-world drivers, pro sim racers and general public with a professionally managed and highly competitive online racing environment. Experience gained in Europe and America will make GT World Challenge Asia Esports SRO’s most polished sim racing product to date and introduce several new aspects familiar to fans of real-world competition.

Like its continental counterparts Asia’s esports series will be staged on Assetto Corsa Competizione’s popular PC platform with the help of ACC’s developers, Kunos Simulazioni, while AK Informatica will once again provide first-class technical assistance and management.

2020 GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CALENDAR

Charity Cup – August 29 – Suzuka, JPN (non-championship)
R1 – October 06 – Monza, ITA
R2 – October 27 – Laguna Seca, USA
R3 – November 10 – Silverstone, UK
R4 – November 24 – Spa-Francorchamps, BEL
R5 – December 08 – Suzuka, JPN

Images: Xynamic Automotive Photography

Download more high-resolution esports images at www.gt-world-challenge-asia.com/press-members
Username: asiamedia
Password: media2017

All media enquiries: Tom Hornsby | tom@sro-motorsports.com

Web sro-esport.com/asia   Facebook GTWorldChallengeAsia   Instagram @GTWorldChallengeAsia   Twitter @GTWorldChAsia

> Class wins for De Jesus and Tse
> Mercedes-AMG clean up in all four classes
> Official qualifying results: Sim-PRO & AM | Real-PRO & AM
> Official race results: Sim-PRO & AM | Real-PRO & AM
> Championship points: Sim-PRO & AM | Real-PRO & AM

Karl Petersen and Duvashen Padayachee became the very-first GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works race winners at Monza earlier today after triumphing in their respective Sim and Real contests.

Petersen, who earned his entry via public hot lap qualifying, beat fellow AM and Laundry House team-mate Andrew O’Hara by 5.2s while Charity Cup winner Joseph De Jesus (Tarmac Emotorsports) picked up the PRO class spoils in third overall.

The second 60-minute encounter for real-world drivers was far more chaotic but produced a clear-cut winner in Padayachee (Tarmac Emotorsports) who delivered a fault-free performance to beat Craft-Bamboo’s JiaTong Liang by 32s. Shaun Thong (Excape Racing) completed the podium while Kevin Tse (Craft-Bamboo) took the AM spoils in eighth overall.

SIM: PETERSEN TAKES ADVANTAGE OF TEAM-MATE O’HARA’S MISFORTUNE

In truth, any one of the top-three could have won today’s Sim-PRO & AM contest. But, as it was, consistency and a slice of late-race luck proved key to Karl Petersen’s overall and AM victory.

De Jesus picked up where he’d left off in Suzuka’s non-championship Charity Cup race by claiming pole position from Kin Long Li and Charles Theseira whose attempted pass at Variante della Roggia allowed O’Hara to slip past and into second on lap one.

The opening stint continued with De Jesus slowly but surely inching clear of Laundry House’s BMW, which in turn broke free of Li who was coming under increasing pressure from Laurenson and Petersen. Neither could find a way past before the Wako’s Fliptable Racing Mercedes-AMG made its mandatory splash and dash fuel stop on the half-hour mark.

By contrast De Jesus, who pitted not long after with an 8s advantage over O’Hara, opted for 70 litres of fuel. But the additional time was compounded by missing his pitstop marks, which saw the Tarmac Emotorsports Mercedes-AMG slot back in between Li and Laurenson. The latter’s subsequent drive-through penalty left De Jesus to pester a resolute Li while the pair were held up in traffic.

All of that was playing nicely into the hands of O’Hara and Petersen who both ran longer first stints. And the upshot was a Laundry House one-two after the turquoise BMW and Mercedes-AMG served their pitstops.

O’Hara’s five-second lead should have been enough to claim victory. But with 10 minutes left on the clock he was clattered by a backmarker while approaching the Rettifilo, which allowed Petersen to nip through and into an unassailable lead.

De Jesus, meanwhile, had finally got the better of Li after several laps of taking and losing third place. But he wasn’t close enough to also take advantage of O’Hara’s misfortune and had to settle for the final podium spot, as well as Sim-PRO class victory.

Li’s deteriorating pace also allowed Fadhli Rachmat past before the chequered flag, while Philippa Boquida came through from 10th on the grid to complete the top-six in her privately entered McLaren – one of only two non-Mercedes-AMGs amongst the first half-dozen finishers.

Terry Rayton and Ryan Hoolihan also made progress after starting 12th and 13th, Youngchan Kim finished ninth, and Scott Blair completed the top-10 after qualifying only 25th.

REAL: NO STOPPING PADAYACHEE

Duvashen Padayachee survived a chaotic start to claim a comfortable Real race victory at Monza ahead of JiaTong Liang and Shaun Thong.

Kang Ling’s qualifying pace marked him out as a pre-race favourite but the pole-sitting Lamborghini was one of many first-corner casualties that lost several positions, endured compromised race pace or retired altogether.

Instead, it was Liang – up from sixth on the grid – who initially led the fourth place-starting Padayachee and front row occupant Melvin Moh. However, the Craft Bamboo driver’s time at the front lasted less than eight minutes before the Tarmac Emotorsports Mercedes-AMG slipped down the inside at Turn 1.

From there Padayachee serenely went about his business. Indeed, a near-10s advantage before his mandatory splash of fuel meant he emerged comfortably clear of those who had also pitted. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t become the outright race leader until the final five minutes.

Instead, he was kept waiting by several other podium contenders who opted to run extended opening stints. They included Tengku Ezan Ley, Adderly Fong and long-time leader Moh who initially passed Liang but was closed down by Shaun Thong as the race entered its final quarter.

Indeed, Moh’s pace dropped off to such an extent that he ended up finishing 14th.

Back at the front, Thong’s pace and consistency, as well as the decision to pit at almost the final opportunity, helped the Excape Racing Audi climb from 19th on the grid to third at the finish behind Liang who produced a similarly consistent performance en route to second.

But the star of the show was undoubtedly Padayachee who took the chequered flag 32s clear of Craft Bamboo’s Mercedes-AMG.

Fong survived a mid-race spin to come home fourth ahead of Aaron Borg who, having pitted early, spent most of the final 20 minutes battling the fast but erratic Ling. The Climax Racing driver’s first lap excursion was later compounded by a drive-through penalty for contact, but such was his pace that a top-six finish remained possible. He and Borg battled intensely before the latter finally passed the battle-scarred Lamborghini, which retired soon after.

Ley also lost time before the pitstops but recovered to complete the top-six ahead of Matthew Marsh who surged through to finish seventh after starting 32nd.

Kevin Tse was best of the real-world amateur drivers in eighth overall, while Aaron Lim and Charity Cup winner Evan Chen rounded out the top-10.

The GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works now moves on to Laguna Seca for two more 60-minute races on October 27.

> Region’s top real and sim racers set for opening round
> Provisional 89-car entry features real-world teams and drivers 
> Entry lists: Real-PRO & AM | Sim-PRO & AM

Monza plays host to the opening round of 2020’s GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works this Tuesday (October 6) when the region’s top real-world and sim drivers battle for supremacy in two 60-minute races.

The first of five championship rounds follows Suzuka’s standalone Charity Cup event in late August when SRO Motorsports Group successfully trialled its latest sanctioned esports series on Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS.

Positions and points now count towards the ultimate accolade of Overall Real and Sim Drivers’ Champions, while separate PRO and AM class titles will also be awarded in both categories.

RACE 1: SIM-PRO & AM

Tuesday’s first race combines Asia’s top sim racing talent with 24 amateur qualifiers.

Joseph De Jesus IV’s dominant Charity Cup victory has resulted in a switch to the Sim-PRO ranks and a new deal with Tarmac eMotorsports. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 is also a proven package at Monza after another example won GT World Challenge Europe’s Esports Charity Cup race there in March.

Amateur qualifiers filled the Charity Cup’s top-five Sim race positions so it will come as no surprise to see two more of them – Andrew Laurenson (Laundry House, Porsche) and Yat Lam Law (Wako’s Fliptable Racing, BMW) – moving to the championship’s PRO ranks with De Jesus IV.

Charity Cup class winner Zheng Yin (Mercedes-AMG) also returns along with fellow PRO podium finishers Li Kin Long (Wako’s Fliptable Racing, Mercedes-AMG) and Ferrari’s sole representative, Yuki Shirakawa (SACCESS eSports).

Meanwhile, other real-world teams are also represented in the Sim contest thanks to Craft-Bamboo Racing (Charles Theseira), Vattana Motorsport (Bank Thanathip) and Legacy Racing Team Malaysia (Mika Hakimi).

The 24 Sim-AM entries have all earned their place on the grid via GT World Challenge Asia Esports’ public qualifying competition. Each GT3 manufacturer’s two fastest representatives will now battle their PRO counterparts for overall and class victories, just as they did in Suzuka’s Charity Cup event. Results in that race suggest the amateurs will be more than a match for their better-known rivals.

RACE 2: REAL-PRO & AM

Race 2 features many more teams and drivers familiar to Asia’s traditional motorsport fanbase. Indeed, the Real-PRO and AM entry is packed with real-world talent eager to make their virtual mark.

Charity Cup winner Evan Chen (Porsche) is an undoubted victory candidate once again, while most of Suzuka’s top-six Overall and PRO class finishers – Duvashen Padayachee (Tarmac eMotorsports, Mercedes-AMG), Matt Solomon and JiaTong Liang (both Craft-Bamboo Racing, Mercedes-AMG) and Dominic Ang (Viper Niza Racing, Porsche) – should also feature prominently. 

Elsewhere, 2019’s real-world GT World Challenge Asia championship contender Tanart Sathienthirakul heads a list of familiar names that also include fellow race winners Weiron Tan, Shaun Thong and Darryl O’Young, as well as Alex Yoong, Adderly Fong, Melvin Moh and Chris van der Drift.

The Real-AM roster is similarly stacked with the cream of Asia’s amateur motorsport scene. Indeed, the majority of the teams and drivers will be well known to GT World Challenge Asia fans.

Leona Chin and Tengku Djan Ley were due to be Legacy Racing Team Malaysia co-drivers this year but will now pilot separate virtual versions of their Mercedes-AMG. Likewise Andrew Haryanto who’s behind the wheel of JMW’s Bentley.

Race winner Yuke Taniguchi returns to the same KCMG Nissan with which he finished second in 2018’s Pro/Am standings, 2017 GT4 champion Frank Yu represents Craft-Bamboo, and former GT3 Am Cup champion Naoto Takeda drives a BMW.

VSR (Alex Au), Audi Sport Asia TSRT (Billy Kai Fung Lo) and Modena Motorsports (Real-AM Charity Cup class winner Antares Au) complete the list of real-world teams, while the likes of Rick Yoon, Douglas Khoo, Philip Tang and David Pun have all notched up GT World Challenge Asia starts.

Elsewhere, Nan Lin (Toro Racing, Mercedes-AMG) and Kevin Tse (Craft-Bamboo Racing, Mercedes-AMG) both return after sharing Suzuka’s Charity Cup class podium with Au in August.

Both of Tuesday’s races will be livestreamed one after another on SRO’s Youtube and Twitch channels, GT World Challenge Asia’s Facebook page, and on Huya with native commentary in China. Race 1’s build-up begins at 19:30 HKT.

MONZA TIMETABLE – ALL TIMES HKT/CST (GMT +8)

19:30 – 19:40 Live build-up
19:40 – 20:40 Race 1
21:00 – 22:00 Race 2 

ABOUT GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS

SRO Motorsports Group’s officially sanctioned sim racing franchise extends to Asia this autumn with the creation of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works. The five-round campaign begins on October 6 and follows standalone, non-championship Charity Cup races at Suzuka on August 29.

Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – will host all six events after successfully staging SRO’s European and US esports championships earlier this year. 

Indeed, following the success of its other esports series, SRO is now fully focused on providing Asia’s real-world drivers, pro sim racers and general public with a professionally managed and highly competitive online racing environment. Experience gained in Europe and America will make GT World Challenge Asia Esports SRO’s most polished sim racing product to date and introduce several new aspects familiar to fans of real-world competition.

Like its continental counterparts Asia’s esports series will be staged on Assetto Corsa Competizione’s popular PC platform with the help of ACC’s developers, Kunos Simulazioni, while AK Informatica will once again provide first-class technical assistance and management.

2020 GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CALENDAR

Charity Cup – August 29 – Suzuka, JPN (non-championship)
R1 – October 06 – Monza, ITA
R2 – October 27 – Laguna Seca, USA
R3 – November 10 – Silverstone, UK
R4 – November 24 – Spa-Francorchamps, BEL
R5 – December 08 – Suzuka, JPN

Main image (click to download): Xynamic Automotive Photography

All media enquiries: Tom Hornsby | tom@sro-motorsports.com

Web sro-esport.com/asia   Facebook GTWorldChallengeAsia   Instagram @GTWorldChallengeAsia   Twitter @GTWorldChAsia

> SRO Motorsports Group extends agreement with broadcast partners XCel and CTVS
> Dedicated Mandarin commentary for one of the world’s biggest esports markets

The inaugural GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works will be livestreamed across mainland China as part of a new agreement with SRO Motorsports Group’s regional real-world partners XCel Broadcast and CTVS.

One of the world’s biggest esports markets will receive free access to all five rounds of the new sim racing series, which begins at Monza on October 6. Dedicated Mandarin commentary will accompany each broadcast on Huya, the native digital platform that accounted for 6.1 million real-world GT World Challenge Powered by AWS livestream views in 2019.

Chinese esports fans can look forward to several of their compatriots taking on Asia’s top GT racing talent. While Monza’s complete entry list will be revealed early next week, organisers can already confirm that JiaTong Liang, Kang Ling, Bihuang Zhou, Nan Lin and Heng Min will contest the race for real-world drivers after professional sim racers Zheng Yin and Peiwen Wu enter the first 60-minute contest. More Chinese drivers could also compete subject to public qualifying, which ends today (October 1).

XCel Broadcast and CTVS have worked closely with the traditional GT World Challenge Asia  Powered by AWS series since 2018 when the championship first began livestreaming across China. The relationship expanded further last season to encompass all six Asian events, which collectively amassed more than 10 million views across China’s biggest domestic livestreaming platforms.

XCel and CTVS were also responsible for livestreaming GT World Challenge’s European and American series in China. Collectively the three championships generated a combined 22 million digital views in the country.

Anthony Comas, SRO Motorsports Group Marketing and Business Development Manager: “This is a very important step for our new Asian esports championship and partners. XCel Broadcast and its facility partner, CTVS, have a proven track record in China where the real-world GT World Challenge Powered by AWS enjoyed significant exposure last year as a result of their expertise. This new agreement with Huya – which generated the largest number of views across our Chinese digital roster in 2019 – promises to build on that existing partnership while also providing China’s increasing esports fanbase with an opportunity to support their sim racing compatriots on the regional stage.”

Dave Roberts, XCel Broadcast Managing Director: “We really value our partnership with SRO Motorsports Group and are excited to be involved with their new Asian sim racing venture. China is now one of if not the world’s most valuable esports market so it’s imperative that GT World Challenge Asia’s new championship gains a foothold there. XCel and CTVS have the expertise to provide it, as proven with our previous work in traditional live sports streaming. I’m relishing the opportunity to apply our real-world production values to SRO’s esports championship in Asia.” 

Gernot Kuntze, CTVS General Manager: “We are delighted to be a part of SRO’s exciting new esports project. As a China-based company CTVS has kept a close eye on esports’ growth within the country and region generally. I think it says a lot about the industry’s increasing importance and mainstream acceptance that our partnership has directly expanded from real-world motorsport. Indeed, producing the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship for a Chinese audience is a natural next step for us.”

The GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship’s opening round takes place at Monza next Tuesday. Race 1, featuring professional and amateur sim racers, begins at 19:40 CST before the second – a mix of real-world pros and ams – gets underway at 21:00 CST.

Chinese viewers can watch both 60-minute races live with Mandarin commentary on Huya, while SRO’s Youtube and Twitch channels will stream English-speaking coverage to the rest of the world.

ABOUT GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS

SRO Motorsports Group’s officially sanctioned sim racing franchise extends to Asia this autumn with the creation of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship Presented by Tarmac Works. The five-round campaign begins on October 6 and follows standalone, non-championship Charity Cup races at Suzuka on August 29.

Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – will host all six events after successfully staging SRO’s European and US esports championships earlier this year. 

Indeed, following the success of its other esports series, SRO is now fully focused on providing Asia’s real-world drivers, pro sim racers and general public with a professionally managed and highly competitive online racing environment. Experience gained in Europe and America will make GT World Challenge Asia Esports SRO’s most polished sim racing product to date and introduce several new aspects familiar to fans of real-world competition.

Like its continental counterparts Asia’s esports series will be staged on Assetto Corsa Competizione’s popular PC platform with the help of ACC’s developers, Kunos Simulazioni, while AK Informatica will once again provide first-class technical assistance and management.

2020 GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CALENDAR

Charity Cup – August 29 – Suzuka, JPN (non-championship)
R1 – October 06 – Monza, ITA – Registration Sep 2-Oct 1 – Qualifying Sep 21-Oct 1
R2 – October 27 – Laguna Seca, USA
R3 – November 10 – Silverstone, UK
R4 – November 24 – Spa-Francorchamps, BEL
R5 – December 08 – Suzuka, JPN

Main image (click to download): Xynamic Automotive Photography

All media enquiries: Tom Hornsby | tom@sro-motorsports.com

Web sro-esport.com/asia   Facebook GTWorldChallengeAsia   Instagram @GTWorldChallengeAsia   Twitter @GTWorldChAsia

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> 24 public slots reserved for Monza season opener, which moves to October 6
> Hot lap qualifying runs September 21 – October 1
> Real-world drivers and sim pros invited by championship organisers

Registration for the inaugural GT World Challenge Asia Esports Championship presented by Tarmac Works opens today (September 2) before qualifying begins on September 21.

Amateur sim racers from across Asia can set hot lap times on the PC version of Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – in an effort to qualify for the first of this year’s championship rounds, which takes place at Monza on October 6. The two fastest qualifiers per manufacturer will take one of 24 slots reserved for the general public at Monza where amateur and pro sim racers go head-to-head in a 60-minute race.

The provisional schedule has been pushed back by three weeks to give more sim racers a chance to register and qualify for the season opener. The revised campaign now begins on October 6 but retains five rounds, albeit with Suzuka’s finale moving to December 8. All events still take place on Tuesday evenings in Asia.

Monza’s Sim-AM entrants will compete for class and overall honours, Esports Championship points, and five guaranteed slots at Laguna Seca, which hosts round two on October 27.

Meanwhile, championship organisers have hand-picked 22 professional Asian sim racers (Sim-PRO) to compete against their Sim-AM counterparts at all five rounds. The full entry list will be revealed before Monza.

Elsewhere, each event also features a separate 60-minute race for pre-selected real-world teams and drivers. The latter will be separated into Real-PRO and Real-AM entries who simultaneously compete for class and overall honours. Real-world Asian teams and drivers – including those not currently competing in GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS – can request further information by emailing asia@sro-esport.com.

All drivers must represent the same manufacturer throughout the season, while each race will feature a mandatory pitstop following the format’s successful esports introduction during Saturday’s Charity Cup event at Suzuka. Custom Balance of Performance will be applied for public qualifying and all championship rounds.

Public qualifying for Monza closes at 15:00 ICT / 16:00 HKT / 17:00 JST on October 1. Visit asia.sro-esport.com to register.

ABOUT GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS

SRO Motorsports Group’s officially sanctioned sim racing franchise extends to Asia this autumn with the creation of the GT World Challenge Asia Esports presented by Tarmac Works. The five-round campaign begins on October 6 and follows standalone, non-championship Charity Cup races at Suzuka on August 29.

Assetto Corsa Competizione – the official game of GT World Challenge Powered by AWS – will host all six events after successfully staging SRO’s European and US esports championships earlier this year. 

Indeed, following the success of its other esports series, SRO is now fully focused on providing Asia’s real-world drivers, pro sim racers and general public with a professionally managed and highly competitive online racing environment. Experience gained in Europe and America will make GT World Challenge Asia Esports SRO’s most polished sim racing product to date and introduce several new aspects familiar to fans of real-world competition.

Like its continental counterparts Asia’s esports series will be staged on Assetto Corsa Competizione’s popular PC platform with the help of ACC’s developers, Kunos Simulazioni, while AK Informatica will once again provide first-class technical assistance and management.

2020 GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA ESPORTS CALENDAR

Charity Cup – August 29 – Suzuka, JPN (non-championship)
R1 – October 06 – Monza, ITA – Registration Sep 2-Oct 1 – Qualifying Sep 21-Oct 1
R2 – October 27 – Laguna Seca, USA
R3 – November 10 – Silverstone, UK
R4 – November 24 – Spa-Francorchamps, BEL
R5 – December 08 – Suzuka, JPN

Main image: Xynamic Automotive Photography

All media enquiries: Tom Hornsby | tom@sro-motorsports.com

Web asia.sro-esport.com   Facebook GTWorldChallengeAsia   Instagram @GTWorldChallengeAsia   Twitter @GTWorldChAsia