Fanatec, CEO, Thomas Jackermeier commented: “The community has asked for an affordable direct drive wheel with load cell pedal and we took a lot of efforts to make the impossible come true. The steering wheel was entirely designed in collaboration with Polyphony Digital and we worked closely together to make everything work perfectly with Gran TurismoSport and the upcoming Gran Turismo 7 which is announced for release in 2022. Direct Drive is the new standard in sim racing and every racer who tried it once will never go back to a belt drive wheel.” There is no doubt this is another huge succes sstory for Fanatec after having already agreed rights as the eclusive wheel supplier for both F1 and WRC Esports championships. Gran Tursimo 7 will be a huge title 2022 and Fanatec will benefit hughely from the exposure this brings. We’ll keep an eye out for future updates and you can expect to see our review, should we get a hands-on in the future. Spec, futher details and the official trailer below.

Features
Gran Turismo DD Pro Wheel Base:

The first official Direct Drive Wheel for the Gran Turismo series
Officially licensed for PlayStation®5 consoles and PlayStation®4 consoles
Direct-Drive system delivers instant, detailed force feedback
Linear, consistent performance (5 Nm peak torque)
Optional Boost Kit 180 (sold separately) unlocks maximum strength (8 Nm peak torque)
Patented, exclusive FluxBarrier technology optimises motor efficiency and smoothness
Full Fanatec SDK support ensures game compatibility out of the box for all major racing games
Standard Tuning Menu allows beginners to get started quickly without having to worry about settings
Advanced Tuning Menu allows enthusiasts to fine-tune the force feedback characteristics to suit their driving preferences
High-resolution (contactless) Hall-position-sensor, same as Podium Series
Steering axis made from carbon fibre-enhanced composite
Fanless: wheel base housing is made from aluminium (passive heat sink, core structural component) with composite end caps
Slip ring system (life-tested for thousands of hours) provides cable-free delivery of power and data between steering wheel and wheel base
Automotive-grade quick release, exchangeable
T-nut rail system on sides and bottom for easily adjustable hard-mounting
Table clamp included, supports 5 to 60 mm table thickness
Ports:
Power supply
USB-C to console / PC
Shifter 1
Shifter 2 (Sequential only)
Pedal
Handbrake
Front-mounted threaded inserts for Fanatec accessories (e.g. ClubSport Static Shifter Paddles, available separately). Not intended for front-mounting the wheel base to a sim racing chassis/cockpit.

Steering wheel for Gran Turismo DD Pro:
Designed in collaboration with Polyphony Digital
Tactile rubber grip with blue centre stripe
Compact 280 mm diameter and light weight for crisp response
Diffused RevLED strip (yellow, red, and blue LEDs)
White OLED display for Tuning Menu access and telemetry output (where supported)
5-way directional stick for menu navigation
Four additional 5-way directional sticks
Ergonomic shifter paddles
11 buttons optimised for the PlayStation® console control scheme interface
Fiberglass-reinforced plastic construction
Exchangeable QR1 Lite Wheel-Side quick release system

Pedals for Gran Turismo DD Pro:
Two-pedal set (throttle and brake), upgradeable to three pedals (upgrade kits sold separately)
All-metal construction (excluding pedal faces). Pedals are made from heavy steel, which helps to prevent the set from sliding on the floor (if not hard-mounted to a rig)
Optional anodised aluminium pedal plates (‘CSL Pedals Tuning Kit’, sold separately)
Contactless Hall sensors (12-bit) on both brake and throttle for high precision and durability
Brake pedal spring is stiffer than throttle pedal spring, PU foam damper adds additional resistance for progressive braking feel
Upgrade to a three-pedal configuration with Clutch Kit or Load Cell Kit (sold separately)
CSL Pedals Clutch Kit provides a third pedal for the lowest price
CSL Pedals Load Cell Kit also provides a third pedal, and upgrades the brake and electronics
Pedal position can be adjusted sideways along heel rest
Height-adjustable pedal faces
Modular design means inverted mounting to a rig is possible
Vertical rear plates allow pedals to be easily braced against a wall or other vertical surface
Pearl chrome plating on pedal bases and arms
Black powder coating on heel rest
Pedals connect directly to Gran Turismo DD Pro Wheel Base

Price and availability
EU – 699,95
US – 699,95
AU – 1.229,95
JPN – 92.900,00

Pre-order starts on 26.11.2021 on www.fanatec.com

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The new season follows on from the success of the Ferrari Esports Series inaugural season in 2020, which saw 20,000 European drivers competing for victory, eventually won by 21-year-old Italian racing driver, Giovanni Da Salvo in an exciting and drama filled final event.

The 2021 Ferrari Esports Series will begin on April 5th, while registrations are open from 21.00 CET on March 16 on the official website at www.ferrariesportsseries.gg and are open to European entrants, (including the UK). The 2021 tournament will again use Kunos Simulazioni’s Assetto Corsa and feature four of Ferrari’s real-world vehicles, including two exclusively available to drivers who register for the Series – the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo and the brand-new Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo.

All of the information is presented in the video below and we’ve added the official information provided by Ferrari Esports outlining the competition details. I’ve also taken the time to add some initial thoughts on the business aspect and wanted to thank Jane Reeve for taking the time to answer my question.

Onto the details then and the qualification stage will begin with four hot lap sessions to decide the participants of the qualification races which runs from April 5th until late July. The best 48 drivers will qualify for the main Ferrari Esports Series competition, which is set to run from late August until November. The season will culminate with the top 24 drivers taking part in the Grand Final, scheduled for mid-December and will feature three races and decide who becomes the 2021 Ferrari Esports Series Champion. All the action will be streamed on the Ferrari Esports Twitch Channel https://www.twitch.tv/ferrariesports on the last Tuesday of the month from later August until the end of the season.

Two additional elements have been added to the format in 2021 in order to add to the fun and competition – registered players will be offered the chance to participate in various prize draw events throughout the season, with a selection of outstanding prizes up for grabs (more details to be revealed soon). The winner of each prize draw will be announced live on air by the race broadcast team during each race’s live-streamed event.

Secondly, 2021 will also feature an original official competition developed especially for design-minded Ferrari esports fans: the all-new Car Livery Contest. Participants will be able to create and submit liveries for some cars used by the Series via a specially created website. The best of the liveries will be shared on Ferrari’s official social channels, and the design most popular with the Ferrari community will be incorporated into the game and used during the official Series races.

So, that’s it. Time to get registered and get up to speed, competition will be tough.

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The competition is open to players between 17 and 26 years old, a multi-phase selection process will give the most promising drivers the opportunity to take part in a training and coaching program supervised by the FIA. Seven finalists, including one female driver, could ultimately start their international career before aiming to join the FIA Junior WRC.

“Being innovative and global, FIA Rally Star’s ambition is to develop new solutions allowing young drivers from all over the world to reveal their potential. As soon as we introduced the project to NACON and KT Racing teams, they showed great enthusiasm and we couldn’t have hoped for better platform than WRC 9 to select the most promising candidates.” declares Yves Matton, Rally Director at FIA. “The FIA World Rally Championship brings together fans from every continent. Many of them dream to get behind the wheel and our wish is to make our sport more accessible. Through FIA Rally Star and its digital version in WRC 9, living this passion is simpler than ever.”

“The idea that the future stars of rally will start their professional driving careers because of WRC 9 is a great pride for the entire team and one of the best rewards for all the work we have put in over the last few years,” said Roman Vincent, founder and CEO of KT Racing development studio. “After the success of eSports WRC, which has already unearthed hugely talented players, we can’t wait to find out who will be the finalists of FIA Rally Star!”

This all sounds very exciting for the rally gaming genre. As for my advice, should you be lucky enough to make it all the way, you are strongly advised to get some driving lessons, get into shape and do some karting, this will help with any physical activities. Also make sure to use a sim racing wheel, this will aid in the transition to the real car. We’ll be producing some detailed coverage on WRC 9 in the coming weeks and months, sharing advice and information and the many aspects, besides checking out all of the upcoming DLC.

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Today Ferrari announced the ‘Ferrari Hublot Esports Series’ launching in September. Hublot forming as the title partner Thrustmaster for technical partnership. The event will be divided into two categories: the AM Series and the PRO Series, with the winner offered the opportunity to join the Ferrari Driver Academy Hublot Esports Team in 2021. So, no actual prize, you just get to be part of an auspicious name and play in a team with F1 Esports Drivers’ Champion Tonizza and Enzo Bonito. This isn’t unusual for car manufacturers but on paper it certainly isn’t much in the way of initial reward unless association can be of any tangible benefit.

Ferrari confirm; the new GT Esports championship is being organized by Ferrari in Europe on the “Assetto Corsa” Kunos Simulazioni. Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo, which is being made available exclusively to participants. Pre-entries open on Monday, August 7, and will be reserved solely for European citizens of 18 years and over. Register free at www.ferrariesportsseries.gg

The initial structure will be as follows: The first round of the championship is Qualifying for the AM Series starting in September. The winners of this will join sim racers invited by Ferrari to the PRO Series, a category numbering 24 Esports drivers who will compete on the same circuits as their AM counterparts. The 12 fastest drivers in each category to emerge from the four October races will go forward to the finals in November when the overall winner will be decided over three races.

We look forward to seeing how this series evolves and will keep an eye on developments in the coming months.

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The announcement celebrates Toyota’s recent unveiling of the new Toyota GR Yaris – a performance car born from Toyota’s title-winning experience in the World Rally Championship – by awarding it to the winner of the eSports WRC competition.

The 5th season of eSports WRC (which utilises WRC 8) started last January during the iconic Monte Carlo Rally. Since its inception, the competition has continued to grow with ever-improving structure and quality which is recognised by both professional and virtual racers alike. This season, eSports WRC is already benefiting from the support of famous partners such as Fanatec, BenQ, and PlaySeat.

Currently, Lebanese competitor Sami-Joe leads the 2020 eSports Championship claiming his second win of the year last weekend at Rally Portugal, moving a point ahead of 2017 and 2019 champion Lohan ‘Nexl’ Blanc with four rounds remaining. Both are looking set to qualify for the grand final this October, we look forward to seeing how the competition evolves.

WRC 8 is already available on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. Meanwhile, the recently announced WRC 9, will be heading to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC (via Epic Games Store) on September 3 with an Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and Switch version to follow.

The post Toyota Gazoo Racing sponsors eSports WRC offering Yaris to winner appeared first on Team VVV.

Meanwhile, MotoGP has been gradually developing with arguably the most comprehensive coverage, this demonstrating that despite the different inputs, bike racing can be just as exciting in the world of Esports competition. Now NACON and KT Racing have got in on the action by announcing their virtual TT Isle of Man Race which utilises the TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2 title.

It is fair to say fans were gutted at the cancellation of their favourite sports, especially given the TT race happens only once per year, so this announcement partially fills that void.

Details on the structure have revealed there will be an initial event between eight teams composed of invited competitors from the TT Races and experienced players from June 2-6. Riders who would have been taking part in the TT Races will get the chance to race against each other and win the first virtual version of the famous race.

Highlights of each team’s performance can be seen on the official iomttraces.com website and social media channels. Davey Todd, Conor Cummins and Peter Hickman are some of the big TT names who will meet. Those riders will certainly require some practice, Davey Todd was on the pace when we interviewed him as we took a tour of the IOM circuit earlier this year, you can see that video below.

Following the official biker tournament gamers from all over the world can get involved, ‘players of TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2 on PlayStation 4 and PC can enter an open competition and go head to head in an event that runs from June 13-25. They will be competing to win a trip for two to the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man in 2021 to meet their heroes. The runner-up will win an official and limited-edition TT 2020 Arai helmet – not a bad prize at all and no doubt we’ll see some cracking times laid down in the process.

The event will consist of three rounds:

• From June 13-17, open qualification on the Circuit of Ireland to select the top 50 players
  From June 20-22, a lap of the Isle of Man to select the top 10 players
  On June 25, the final battle to win the Senior TT over six laps of the Isle of Man

Following the announcement David Talmat, Marketing Director at NACON commented: “The Tourist Trophy is the culmination of the year for many riders after preparing for it all season. And for many fans it’s a dream to watch it in person one day! It’s a great disappointment that the race can’t go ahead this year, but we’re delighted to set up this competition based on TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2, which will allow two people to experience the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy first hand next year!”

You can see all of our coverage on TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2 here. Additional details on how to take part in the competition are available on the official Facebook page. TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2 is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

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Also, noticing the new Fanatec branding and wheel set-ups which looked very nice indeed. Luckily, it all felt very intuitive to operate and despite being up for 15 hours having flown over that day, I managed to keep my head together and put in a solid result with a strong second place to WRC Esports Pro Greekman. The feeling from the game came back to me with every round and the new hardware was perfectly intuitive, aiding a decent result. Flash forward a couple of months and the official announcement has finally arrived as Fanatec unveils the new partnership with WRC Esport and the new WRC licensed Steering Wheel, which is to be expected in Q4 2020.

Fanatec is the official hardware supplier of the 2020 Esports WRC Championship, announcing a multi-year agreement, the exact length of this agreement has not been disclosed. Development of new rally products is underway and will be revealed later in 2020

Thomas Jackermeier, CEO of German-based Endor AG, which owns Fanatec, said: “the company was honoured to join the WRC family and would play its part in allowing sim rally drivers to get as close as possible to the real thing.” He continued, “Rally driving is one of the most intense forms of motorsport and one which is extremely difficult to practise. “Fanatec is developing a range of rally products in close co-operation with WRC, which will be perfectly suited to simulate this exciting sport and to compete in official WRC sim racing competitions”.

WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesla said: “Fanatec’s enthusiastic support of WRC’s virtual rallying would further boost soaring interest in eSports motorsport. We welcome Fanatec to the championship’s growing portfolio of premium partners and it’s great to see the company’s passion and commitment in creating bespoke products for WRC sim racers.”

The challenge is open now to anyone playing WRC 8. “Like all global sports, WRC is currently paused due to Covid-19, but the WRC Weekly Challenge allows sim racers to compete against their rivals on classic roads from famous rallies. It provides our existing fans, and young gamers who are building their interest in the sport, with a means to preserve their WRC ‘fix’ and we’re delighted Fanatec has chosen to support this challenge,” concluded Ciesla.

So, if you enjoy a bit of rally action, get stuck in and we hope to take a closer look at the new Fanatec WRC products later this year.

The post Fanatec announce exclusive multi-year agreement with eSports WRC appeared first on Team VVV.

The announcement includes; the luxury super sports car brand will feature the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO: ‘the three-times winning car of the Daytona 24 Hours. Lamborghini’s Centro Stile, its in-house design department, has created 12 exclusive race liveries for competitors, with each car displaying the trademark logos of long-standing Lamborghini Squadra Corse partners, Pertamina, Pirelli and Roger Dubuis.’ 

In terms of competition structure, ‘The top three players from the tournament’s live finals will enjoy a three-day experience in Italy, the home of Lamborghini. Players will have a chance to train alongside Lamborghini Squadra Corse drivers and to drive a real Lamborghini race car at an internationally- renowned racetrack. The competition is open to all experience levels. Registration opens today, with a free download over the weekend of 29-31 May of the Assetto Corsa Competizione game, from The Real Race and Kunos-Simulazioni.‘

There will be five qualifier weeks take place from 29 May to 2 August. The top three players from first and last qualifier weekend and top two players from the second, third and fourth weekend, will be whisked away by Lamborghini to the live final on 18 September, where the best drivers will be determined. Great to see but a shame the console players appear to be left out.

Stefano Domenicali, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automobili Lamborghini, comments: “Sim racing is one of the fastest growing sectors in esports, with esports increasingly important to younger generations. I also follow it closely! This is an opportunity for us to combine the excitement of virtual racing with the appeal of Lamborghini cars and our motorsports program. Esports creates an environment where race heroes and top drivers can be challenged by anyone. This encourages wider engagement with real-life racing, reflected by Lamborghini’s investment in this new sports platform,”

“I’ve paid close attention to the rise of esports. Seeing the realism of racing games and how drivers are using racing simulators to practice, or professional esports players going from simulation to the real thing, is just incredible,” said David Coulthard MBE, former Formula One racing driver, who will be the studio-based commentator for the live event. “The Real Race is designed to portray realism and professionalism. Skills in sim racing are so transferable, which is why Lamborghini wants to give players an opportunity to test drive the real thing as part of the prize. There’s nothing quite like getting behind the wheel of a Lamborghini.”

The Real Race event is supported by the following partners: Timing Partner: Roger Dubuis, Technical Partner: Pirelli, Technical Partner: Pertamina. The first qualifier week starts today with the first race taking place on 7 June. Follow @Lamborghini or visit esports.lamborghini.com for more information.

It does seem like everyone is getting involved in Esports at the moment, the commercial case has never been clear. Why Esports? What is the value of a world-renowned brand? It’s not like this will sell more cars and in effect, it simply runs the risk of diluting the Esport industry further.  Lots of money going in, very unclear where it comes out but as ever, we’ll keep our ear to the ground and see how this all develops.

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The official announcement details “virtual races will run in place of every postponed Grand Prix, starting this weekend with the Virtual Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday March 22. Every subsequent race weekend will see the postponed real-world Formula 1 race replaced with a Virtual Grand Prix*, with the initiative currently scheduled to run until May**. The first race of the series will see current F1 drivers line up on the grid alongside a host of stars to be announced in due course. In order to guarantee the participants safety at this time, each driver will join the race remotely, with a host broadcast live from the Gfinity Esports Arena (or remotely if required) from 8:00pm (GMT) on Sunday March 22.”

It will certainly be interesting to see which real drivers sign up apart from the regulars being Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. “The series will use the official F1 2019 PC video game, developed by Codemasters, and the first virtual GP on the Sakhir track will be a 50% length race with 28 laps. The broadcast, which will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, is expected to run for 1 hour 30 minutes, with a qualifying period where grid positions will be determined based on the drivers’ fastest lap time.” We’ll be keeping up with the news on Team VVV and embedding the video, so do watch this space.

Given that some drivers will be famous YouTubers or various players from the world of entertainment or sport, F1 has acted as a leveller to let players use the assist they need. “Due to the wide variety of gaming skill levels amongst the drivers, game settings will be configured in such a way to encourage competitive and entertaining racing. This includes running equal car performance with fixed setups, reduced vehicle damage, and optional anti-lock brakes and traction control for those less familiar with the game.” Great, this will bring the players together, general public have no chance against the seasoned Esports pro’s.

Formula 1 are keen to note that “The series is strictly for entertainment purposes, to bring racing action to fans in this unprecedented scenario the world has been affected by, with no official World Championship points up for grabs for the drivers.” Let’s have some fun and enjoy some action and potentially ludicrous racing.

But that’s not all “During non-race weekends, Formula 1 will also be hosting online exhibition races, where fans from around the world will be given the chance to go head-to-head with F1 drivers. More details of these events will be available across the official Formula 1 social media channels in the coming weeks.” Team VVV will do our best to keep you all updated.

Supporting this announcement Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports said: “We are very pleased to be able to bring some light relief in the form of the F1 Esports Virtual GP, in these unpredictable times, as we hope to entertain fans missing the regular sporting action. With every major sports league in the world unable to compete, it is a great time to highlight the benefits of esports and the incredible skill that’s on show.”

While Frank Sagnier, Chief Executive Officer, Codemasters added: “We’re excited to be a part of the new F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix Series. With sporting events currently on hold around the world, it’s great that the official F1® video game can help fill the void by bringing together an exciting line-up of talent to race online during the postponed race weekends. It’s going to be competitive, action-packed, and a lot of fun for everyone involved.”

John Clarke, Gfinity Chief Executive Officer said: “Gfinity is proud to be playing its part in the design and delivery of the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series, which will bring exciting virtual racing to a legion of Formula 1 and Esports fans around the globe. The virtual Bahrain GP will feature all the thrills and spills of racing with F1 drivers and special guest celebrities going head-to-head, which promises to put a smile back on the faces of millions of sports fans.”

*Grands Prix not available in the 2019 official F1 video game will be replaced with an alternative Grand Prix.

Let’s hope this is the start of something new to support the world of F1, it would be great to see as many of the drivers as possible coming together to support this sport and bring some light-hearted relief to their fans during this challenging period. Team VVV will do our best to cover it where possible.

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According to the car maker, the upcoming machine (known only by its “Team Fordzilla P1” code name) will be unlike anything else that’s been made by the company to date. As well as being a clean sheet design, with no ties whatsoever to an existing real-world vehicle, the car is being described as Ford’s first ever “virtual racing car”.

While Ford of Europe’s designers will be primarily responsible for the finished car, Ford has said racing game fans will be able to have a hand in its development. Five of Ford’s regional “Fordzilla” esports team captains (including Leah Alexandra, the captain of the UK Fordzilla team) will be closely involved in designing the car, and Ford will let other users help decide certain features of the car in a series of polls on the official Team Fordzilla Twitter page.

Ford didn’t say when the car will be finished, though it has confirmed work on the Team Fordzilla P1 will begin later this week, with the first Twitter poll due to be launched later today (11th March).

Ford of Europe’s design director Amko Leenarts said: “Coming up with a no-holds barred race car for the virtual world is when the gloves come off and the design team can really let their imaginations fly. The expertise of gamers is crucial to ensuring that this will be the best-looking car on the grid.”

Team Fordzilla UK captain Leah Alexandra added: “We all love racing our dream cars but ultimately these are usually painstaking recreations of vehicles that actually exist in the real world. It will be an absolute thrill to get behind the wheel of the Team Fordzilla P1 for the first time knowing that not only have we helped to create it but that no-one else has ever driven it before.”

While the Team Fordzilla P1 is set to be Ford’s first virtual racing car, it isn’t the first time the car maker has attempted to make a new vehicle for racing game players to get behind the wheel of. At the time of writing, Ford is still listed as a participating brand in Gran Turismo’s Vision Gran Turismo concept car programme, though it’s unclear when Ford’s car (which, according to the teaser image below, is an open-wheel single-seater model) will be added to a Gran Turismo game.

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