After a triumphant inaugural Le Mans Esports Series season, which came to a head at the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Esports competition is back for a new series of races in 2020. 20,000 players took part in last year’s competition, won by the Veloce Esports team.

NEW SEASON, NEW AMBITIONS!

Organised jointly by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and Motorsport Network, the Le Mans Esports Series has a new qualifying format for this new season. Now, professional and amateur sim racers will qualify separately. The aim is to give less experienced players a chance of reaching the Super Final, as happens at the legendary French endurance race, open to both Pro and Am competitors.

The competition will again use Xbox One and the Forza Motorsport 7 game from Turn 10. In this universally acclaimed sim racing game, players drive an array of cars that have marked the history of the world’s greatest endurance race.

THE NEW QUALIFYING FORMAT

The Pro division

Professional Esports teams can sign up (from 31 October to 7 November 2019) to compete in the Le Mans Esports Series. Each team will enter three drivers. The competition comprises five qualifying rounds, all of which take place online. A prize fund total of $50,000 is up for grabs during this qualifying phase.

Pro division calendar

• 30/11/19 – Le Mans, Ferrari #51 AF Corse 458 Italia GTE
• 01/02/20 – Silverstone, Mazda #55 Mazda 787B 
• 29/02/20 – Nürburgring, Porsche #78 MOMO 935/78
• 28/03/20 – Sebring, Ford #66 Ford. Racing GT Le Mans
• 02/05/20 – Spa-Francorchamps, Porsche #92 Porsche GT Team 911 RSR

The ProAm division

The ProAm format is open to all drivers but not to professional Esports teams.

“Pro” drivers will go through six qualifying “hot laps” online. Three drivers will be selected per round, making a total 18 finalists. The competition is open to all, right from your living room playing the Forza Motorsport 7 game on your Xbox One.

ProAm division calendar (for Pro driver qualifying)

• 15/11/19 to 24/11/19 – Porsche #2 (Porsche) Team 919 Hybrid – Le Mans
• 13/12/19 to 22/12/19 – Ferrari #51 AF Corse 458 Italia GTE – Road Atlanta
• 10/01/19 to 19/01/20 – Mazda #55 Mazda 787B – Silverstone
• 31/01/20 to 09/02/20 – Porsche #78 MOMO 935/78 – Nurburgring
• 20/03/20 to 29/03/20 – Ford #66 Ford Racing GT Le Mans – Sebring
• 24/04/20 to 03/05/20 – Porsche #92 Porsche GT Team 911 RSR – Spa-Francorchamps

“Am” drivers will be selected at special events at the Autosport International show (Birmingham) for Europe, and at Sebring for the Americas. Another event will also be held, with details to be released at a later date. Nine players (three per event) will be selected. The Pro and Am drivers will be brought together by geographic zone and teams established at a Draft session ahead of the Super Final at the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans. The aim is to have one representative from each region (Americas, Europe, and Middle East/Asia) on each team.

ProAm division calendar (for Am driver qualifying)

• 9–13January 2020 – Autosport International Show Birmingham (UK, Europe)
• 20 March 2020 – Sebring International Raceway (USA, Americas)

A BIGGER CASH PRIZE

Last year, competitors at the Super Final shared a prize fund of $100,000, but for the second season, that fund has been boosted to a total $200,000! There will be $50,000 to be won by Esports teams during the qualifying stages and the rest up for grabs at the Super Final.

Sign up now on the official Le Mans Esports Series website for all the latest news. And be sure not to miss the start of the Le Mans Esports Series!