Five years on from its inception, the Ferrari Esports Series is set to return with an extensive eight-month competition calendar for 2024. Encompassing three regions, the series promises high-adrenaline sim-racing as part of an action-packed season spanning from 13th May to a LAN Grand Final in December.
With events staged in EMEA, APAC, and the Americas (NA & SA), the 2024 Ferrari Esports Series goes from strength to strength, offering even more players the opportunity to experience the thrill of virtual motorsport. From the excitement of watching the world’s best esports racers to competing in live events, the Ferrari Esports Series allows players of all levels to put themselves to the test.
Last year saw the competition open in the APAC region for the first time. Over the course of the 2023 season, thousands of drivers competed, with more than 60,000 laps logged across the world. Luca Giacomin, Gergő Báldi, and Isaac Gillissen, all took to the top step after a thrilling Grand Final ended in a three-way tie, with Báldi and Gillessen earning their seats in the Scuderia Ferrari Esports Team.
Gergő Báldi, Scuderia Ferrari Esports Team driver, said: “The Ferrari Esports Series has always been a very competitive championship - the name speaks for itself, if such a historical brand organises something, it can only be one of - if not - the best out there. That's why there are so many great names in there every year, that's why it brings some unpredictable results, and that's why you can experience a pressure there that nowhere else you could before - and we haven't even talked about the prize that you can get if you do well there.
Since I've been one of the winners in 2023, I've had so many great experiences with the legendary brand, experiences and stories that I was never even brave enough to dream about. So, I think this championship is a must for every single motorsport enthusiast out there, to be able to compete with the very best in the sim-racing world, and then after that even experiencing things that will remain with them for a lifetime."
Isaac Gillissen, Scuderia Ferrari Esports Team driver, said: “Competing in 2023 was a tough test, competing on different sims, cars, and tracks. Winning it in 2023 and becoming a Scuderia Ferrari Esports Team Driver has come with multiple ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences. It's an honour to represent Scuderia Ferrari on the virtual racetrack.”
Ferrari’s 2024 esports efforts will feature multiple competitive stages, with each region initially hosting its own set of Hot Lap Qualifiers, giving all who enter the chance to earn a spot in the Regional Qualifiers set for July.The Regional Qualifiers will narrow the field of competitors further, with the cream of the crop making it through to the Regional Finals running from September through to October.
The Regional Finals across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas (NA & SA) mark the first broadcasted content of the season, with the respective events to be shown live across Ferrari’s YouTube and Ferrari Esports’ Twitch channels. The Top Five from each region will progress into the LAN Grand Final in December, which could offer the opportunity to race in front of an additional live audience.
Competitors will be playing on Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, and iRacing from the comfort of their own sim set-ups, before going head-to-head for the title of the 2024 Ferrari Esports Series Champion in the LAN Grand Final, as well as potentially securing a coveted spot in the Scuderia Ferrari Esports Team.
Tiziana Mecozzi, Scuderia Ferrari Esports Manager, said: "The Ferrari Esports Series offers sim-racers worldwide an equal opportunity to compete and a unique pathway to join the Scuderia Ferrari Esports Team to represent the Prancing Horse."
Rong Chen, Ferrari Esports Series Manager, said: “The Ferrari Esports Series is dedicated to carrying the legacy of the Prancing Horse in the virtual realm, offering the gamer community an authentic sim-racing esports experience.”
Open to non-professionals, there will also be a Community Cup Challenge in play from July through to October. Held across ten weeks of the calendar, an international leaderboard will feature Hot Laps from all corners of the globe, offering everyone an equal opportunity to compete. The winner of the Community Cup will receive a once in a lifetime opportunity to race at the highest level, entering the Ferrari Esports Series LAN Grand Final as a wildcard.
Those that miss out on a sought-after LAN Grand Final spot will still be competing for prizes throughout the season. Competitors will have a chance to get their hands on a Thrustmaster Formula Wheel Add-On Ferrari SF1000 Edition, a 1:2-scale 2024 Charles Leclerc mini helmet, a Bburago F1 car model, Rayban sunglasses, B&O Ferrari edition, and other Ferrari merchandise.
The sign-up process for the global Ferrari Esports Series opens on 29th April 2024. For more details or to submit your entry, please head to the Ferrari Esports Series website (esportsseries.ferrari.com) or the Ferrari Esports Series discord (https://discord.gg/ferrari-esports-series-1044355362142302208).