The FIA has released further details of the inaugural Motorsport Games to take place in 2019 in Italy in conjunction with promoter SRO Motorsports Group.
A press conference was held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on Thursday to reveal the details of the new initiative, which is being carried on after the success of the GT Nations Cup, held last year at Bahrain International Circuit.
The four-day event is scheduled for October 31 and November 3 in 2019 at Vallelunga Circuit in Italy, with an opening ceremony to take place on October 31 in Rome, as the participants will celebrate their presence in places like Colosseum and Piazza del Popolo.
As known from before, Motorsport Games will be held across six different disciplines, which are GT, Touring Cars, Formula 4, Drifting, Digital Motorsport and Karting Slalom. Only one entry per nation is allowed via National Sporting Authorities (ASN).
The Top 3 will be presented with medals like in Olympic Games, that of Gold, Silver and Bronze, which will contribute to the overall medal table to determine the winning nation at the end of the event on November 3.
The FIA has explained the rules for each category, they are:
GT Cup
“The GT Cup will headline the FIA Motorsport Games, taking the success of the 2018 GT Nations Cup to the next level. The event enjoyed a successful first running, when 18 nations from across the globe contested a hugely exciting series of races at the Bahrain International Circuit.
It was won by the Turkish crew of Ayhancan Guven and Salih Yoluc, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 prepared by Ram Racing. Each driver pairing must be categorised by the FIA as either all Bronze or Bronze/Silver.
The GT Cup will offer a total of six hours of track time per entry between Friday and Sunday. Following two one-hour-long races, the final one of the same length will determine the medal-winning pairings.”
Touring Car Cup
“The competition will provide entrants with a total of three hours’ track time, split into two 30-minute practice sessions and two qualifying sessions of the same length. Race one will last at least 25 minutes + 1 lap, while Race 2 will run for at least 30 minutes + 1 lap.
Top 10 finishers from Race 1 will score points, with the allocation being expanded to top 15 finishers in the second of the races. The worldwide success of the TCR platform makes Touring Car an accessible competition for drivers from all over the globe, allowing them to represent their country during this revolutionary motor sport initiative, while a wide variety of available brands will guarantee a strong and diverse entry.
All competing cars must comply with TCR Technical Regulations and each be approved by the FIA. Balance of Performance (BoP) will be published by the FIA in agreement with WSC.”
Formula 4 Cup
“KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) took the opportunity to reveal its groundbreaking new Formula 4 car for the single-seater category. Designed and built specifically and exclusively for the FIA, it will be the first hybrid-powered single-seater outside of Formula 1.
For the first time in F4, it will also feature the Halo safety device, which is currently in use in Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 and which was not due until the next generation of F4 cars in 2021.
The category will utilise an “arrive and drive” format and all cars will be operated by Hitech GP with identical set-ups and limited tyres, and with data being shared between all drivers and engineers.”
Drifting Cup
“The action will commence with solo runs. According to their rank after those runs, the drivers will later be paired against each other to compete in the knockout stage. The Drifting Cup will feature on Friday and Saturday evenings and will be held under floodlights, utilising part of the Vallelunga Circuit’s main straight as well as the complex between Turns 10 and 14. All cars must comply with the FIA safety regulations.”
Digital Cup
“The competition will be played on Gran Turismo Sport, the bestselling racing game on PlayStation 4 using the same systems as developed by Polyphony Digital Inc. for the FIA-certified Gran Turismo Championships.
A large stage will be set up with 12 racing rigs in front of a large LED screen where a series of qualifying and knockout stages will take place. The top 12 drivers will then advance to the Grand Final. The competition will be held under the supervision of a real-life FIA Race Director and Stewards.”
Karting Slalom Cup
“This discipline is open to all young women and young men between 14 and 16 years old, with no licence or experience required. It is a parallel slalom competition in a relay format, with mixed (female/male) pairings of drivers. The entry fee is €500 per nation.
Two equal slalom courses will be created. Each driver will take part in all sessions, completing three laps of the course. The first tour will be a test run while laps two and three will be timed laps. The competition will start with Friday’s practice sessions followed by a qualifying session held on Saturday and the Final Knockout Tournament on Sunday.”
Rome to host Olympics-style inaugural ‘Motorsport Games’ in 2019