For Immediate Release  INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022) – If the virtual world is a mirror of the real thing, Felix Rosenqvist may be poised for a big rebound in the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Rosenqvist, who was winless in the 2021 season with Arrow McLaren SP, won the inaugural INDYCAR-Motorsport Games Pro Challenge esports event Wednesday, Feb. 9 on Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He beat series rookie David Malukas of Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Motorsports to the finish by 3.010 seconds in the 20-minute feature race on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit. Sage Karam of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing finished third. The top three finishers received donations to a charity of their choice, with Rosenqvist winning $10,000 for Conquer Paralysis Now, Malukas $8,000 and Karam $5,000. Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing earned $2,500 for charity in an entrant lottery among the remaining finishers in the 20-car field. “It’s always that vibe between the drivers when we have these (virtual races),” Rosenqvist said. “We all say that we don’t take it seriously, but I definitely did. Today I think I spent the last five or six hours in the simulator. You want to do well. “It was fun. It’s always nice in this part of the season to get a little action going between the same names you’ll be fighting in the real season and take the rust away a little bit from the months of the offseason.” The race was the first official esports event between Motorsport Games and INDYCAR, with racing taking place on the rFactor 2 PC platform. The event was streamed live on INDYCAR’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Rosenqvist started second in the feature after combined points scored in two 10-minute heats set the starting grid. Karam, who won the second heat, took the lead from the pole at the start and extended his lead to two seconds while Rosenqvist and Malukas had a fierce side-by-side duel for second with about 16 minutes remaining. With 11 minutes left, Rosenqvist dove under Malukas in Turn 1 to take second place and set his sights on Karam, whose tires were losing grip due to his torrid early pace. Rosenqvist cut the gap to Karam to just three-tenths of a second with about nine minutes, 30 seconds to go, trimming huge swaths of time from Karam in every corner. It didn’t take long for Rosenqvist to dispose of Karam and take the lead for good. He passed Karam on the outside of Turn 7 at the end of the back straightaway with nine minutes, 17 seconds to go. Rosenqvist extended his lead to two seconds with six minutes remaining and cruised to the victory. Malukas snagged second by passing Karam entering Turn 1 with four minutes, 40 seconds remaining. Romain Grosjean of Andretti Autosport, who won the first heat, finished fourth. Rookie Christian Lundgaard of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing rounded out the top five. The event was part of an exclusive agreement reached in July 2021 between INDYCAR and Motorsport Games, a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. The partnership will produce a virtual series and an INDYCAR video game expected to launch in 2023 on PlayStation, Xbox and PC. Real-world NTT INDYCAR SERIES action starts with the 2022 season opener, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on Sunday, Feb. 27 at St. Petersburg, Florida. Live coverage starts at noon (ET) on NBC, Telemundo, Peacock and INDYCAR Radio. |
Tag: Motorsport Games
From Indycar: Inaugural INDYCAR-Motorsport Games Pro Challenge Set for Feb. 9
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| Esports Event To Feature NTT INDYCAR SERIES Drivers INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022) – Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) and INDYCAR announced today that the INDYCAR-Motorsport Games Pro Challenge will take place Wednesday, Feb. 9, with the first official esports event between the two parties including many NTT INDYCAR SERIES stars .Among the drivers expected to compete are reigning champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, four-time Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Helio Castroneves of Meyer Shank Racing, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden of Team Penske and more. Fans can tune in to watch the full race day at the INDYCAR YouTube channel, starting with the pre-show at 6 p.m. (ET). The green flag for both heats and the race will drop at 6:30 p.m., with the race conclusion and interviews to take place thereafter at approximately 7:15 p.m. NBC Sports’ INDYCAR host and pit reporter Kevin Lee will be the host. “The 2022 INDYCAR-Motorsport Games Pro Challenge is our first foray into the world of esports with our new partners, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this competition to the fans,” said George Holmquist, Motorsport Games vice president of marketing. “Viewers can expect the same world-class experience as our other esports events, such as the highly renowned Le Mans Virtual Series, to be carried over into this new series. We cannot wait to continue producing live esports events with INDYCAR in the future, all leading up to our first game in 2023.” This event is part of an exclusive agreement reached in July 2021 between INDYCAR and Motorsport Games, a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. The partnership will produce a virtual series and an INDYCAR video game expected to launch in 2023 on PlayStation, Xbox and PC. “INDYCAR fans are a passionate, global audience hungry for quality motorsports gaming content,” said SJ Luedtke, INDYCAR vice president of marketing. “With our partners at Motorsport Games, we are now able to bring those same fans a premier virtual esports experience while also cultivating a new base of INDYCAR supporters and followers. We cannot wait for everyone to see the first-ever INDYCAR-Motorsport Games Pro Challenge this year, and we are thrilled to keep producing these events in the many years to follow.” Racing will take place on the rFactor 2 PC platform. The track will be announced the day of the race, to keep drivers guessing and add a fun element of mystery to the competition. The format for each heat and the race: Heat 110-minute duration Random draw starting grid Points will be awarded Heat 210-minute duration Starting grid order to be the reverse of Heat 1Points will be awardedRace20-minute duration. Starting grid order to be determined by points position after both heats. Double points will be awarded. The top three finishers will receive donations to a charity of their choice, with first place winning $10,000, second place $8,000, third place $5,000 and an entrant lottery of $2,500.rFactor 2 players will soon be able to participate in official INDYCAR events through the game’s competition system, which has recently undergone a UI overhaul. Further details will be announced at a later date. In July 2021, Motorsport Games and INDYCAR entered into an exclusive partnership to create and distribute INDYCAR video games, with the first set to be released in 2023. The companies will jointly create a brand-new franchise that has been eagerly anticipated by racing and gaming fans alike. After nearly two decades without a gaming title, the premier North American open-wheel racing series will be back in people’s homes to play at any time. To watch all the action, please visit: Traxion.GG Twitch, YouTube and Facebook. To keep up with the latest Motorsport Game news visit www.motorsportgames.com and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. About Motorsport Games:Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, combines innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers around the globe. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile, including NASCAR, INDYCAR, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”). Motorsport Games is an award-winning esports partner of choice for 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula E, BTCC, the FIA World Rallycross Championship and the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, among others. About INDYCAR:INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including reigning series champion Alex Palou, six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden and four-time and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2022 season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com. |
New NTT INDYCAR SERIES Video Game Racing to Consoles, PC in 2023
Big news from Indycar. I know many fans have been asking for this for several years. The news release:
| Esports Competition Also Included in New Partnership with Motorsport Games INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, July 15, 2021) – INDYCAR has formed a new, official partnership with leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) to create and distribute INDYCAR video games, with a debut title expected to launch in 2023 on Xbox and PlayStation consoles and PC. In addition to the new game, an NTT INDYCAR SERIES esports competition featuring potential driver participation and collaborations could begin as early as this year. Details will be announced at a later date. “Our partnership with Motorsport Games will bring the fierce competition of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to a global gaming audience hungry for quality motorsports content,” said Mark Miles, president and CEO, Penske Entertainment Corp., the parent company of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “Like the talent and depth of our field, INDYCAR’s universe continues to expand and grow rapidly. Motorsport Games is an industry leader with a track record of innovation, and we know our fans will have 2023 and the debut of this new NTT INDYCAR SERIES video game circled on their calendars. ”Motorsport Games’ partnership with INDYCAR will produce a brand-new franchise that has been eagerly anticipated by racing and gaming fans. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ bold, audacious and unapologetic style of racing is primed for a video game franchise built entirely around its expanding brand. North America’s premier open-wheel racing series features a growing roster of rising young stars and talented veterans with global name recognition. These defiant athletes compete across a uniquely challenging and diverse set of ovals, road and street courses. “I am super excited our fans will be able to bring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES into their homes with this new video game franchise,” Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O’Ward said. “This is such a great opportunity for fans to connect to our series even more, from watching us on the weekends to playing as us on their favorite tracks whenever they want. ”Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, combines innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers around the globe. The company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series and events, including NASCAR, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). Motorsport Games is an award-winning esports partner of choice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula E, BTCC, the FIA World Rallycross Championship and the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, among others. “Motorsport Games and INDYCAR are thrilled to provide fans with a long-overdue dedicated gaming experience,” said Dmitry Kozko, CEO of Motorsport Games. “After decades of world-class racing, we cannot think of a more deserving league for a video game franchise. INDYCAR shares our commitment to bringing authentic experiences to motor racing enthusiasts. Fans can anticipate the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to meet the same level of excellence and immersive gameplay they expect from Motorsport Games. ”Information about the new NTT INDYCAR SERIES video game will be available in the future at https://indycargame.com. For more information about Motorsport Games visit: www.motorsportgames.com. |
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 