#RaceAtHome: Four points split WTCR “Beat the Drivers” top duo ahead of Sepang super-finale part two

Just four points separate top simracers Gergo Baldi and Moritz Löhner in the battle to win the inaugural Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers finale at a virtual Sepang International Circuit on RaceRoom from 19h30 CET today (Monday).

They appear on an A-list of online racers competing against real-life drivers from the WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup past and present for two series-deciding races on the track where Norbert Michelisz and Esteban Guerrieri fought it out for WTCR title gold last December.

As well as entertaining fans staying safe at home while they wait for the WTCR proper to begin, all Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers will be promoting the FIA’s #RaceAtHome campaign.

All roads lead to Malaysia
Today’s Sepang event is the fourth and final round of the Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers series and follows online races at Hungaroring, Slovakia Ring and Ningbo International Speedpark, with drivers using cars and liveries from Esports WTCR 2019. A prelude to the full Esports WTCR online championship due to begin later this year, the pre-season series lists TrackTime, TAG Heuer and KW Suspensions as partners with a TAG Heuer watch going to the champion.

How they stand with Sepang super-finale remaining
After six races, just four points split Hungary’s Gergo Baldi (M1RA Esports) and German Moritz Löhner (Williams Esports). Baldi races as Gabriele Tarquini in a Hyundai i30 N TCR with Löhner competing as Tom Coronel in a CUPRA TCR. The standings after round three are as follows: http://game.raceroom.com/championships/48#standings

Top simracing talents in action
As well as Gergo Baldi and Moritz Löhner, other top simracing talents set for action at a virtual Sepang include last season’s live champion Kuba Brzezinski and newly-crowned Time Attack winner Bence Bánki. Below are the 20 simracers in action on RaceRoom’s top server today and here’s the pre-qualifying leaderboard link: http://game.raceroom.com/competitions/1030/leaderboard

Bence Bánki (Slovakia, Red Bull Esports) Honda #86 Guerrieri
Juan Manuel Gomez (Argentina, Fast Lap Esports) Audi #52 Shedden
Zoltán Csuti (Hungary, M1RA Esports) Lynk & Co #11 Björk
David Nagy (Hungary, M1RA Esports) Hyundai #5 Michelisz
Elmar Kurbanov (Russiia) CUPRA #37 Haglöf
Balint Szoboszlai (Hungary) CUPRA #37 Haglöf
Gergo Baldi (Hungary, M1RA Esports) Hyundai #1 Tarquini
Moritz Löhner (Germany, Williams Esports) CUPRA #50 Coronel
Leandro Werle (Brazil, Fast Lap Esports) Audi #22 Verwisch
Néstor García (Spain, Red Bull Esports) Honda #29 Girolami
Tomasz Mironowicz (Poland, Sim Racing Champions) Audi #69 Vernay
Krisztián Juhász (Hungary) Volkswagen #25 Bennani
Adam Pinczes (Hungary, Triple A Esports) CUPRA #21 Panis
Nikodem Wisniewski (Poland, Williams Esports) Hyundai #88 Catsburg
Kirill Antonov (Russia, LADA Sport Rosneft eRacing Team) Volkswagen #14 Kristoffersson
Kuba Brzezinski (Poland, Williams Esports) Lynk & Co #111 Priaulx
Brandon Abraham (Great Britain, Team Highlands Racing) Honda #18 Monteiro
Lucas Werle (Brazil, Fast Lap Esports) Lynk & Co #100 Muller
Gianmarco Fiduci (Italy, Absolute Motorsport Racing Team) Volkswagen, #12 Huff
James Montgomery (Great Britain) Alfa Romeo #55 Ma

Azcona outpaces Guerrieri in Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers pre-qualifying
History is repeating for Esteban Guerrieri ahead of the final round of the pre-season Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers series at a virtual Sepang International Circuit this evening (Monday). When the Argentine raced for real at the Malaysian venue last December, he was locked in a thrilling fight with Norbert Michelisz for WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup title glory until contact with Mikel Azcona sent him off track and out of the fight. But having been the best of the real-life WTCR racers online so far this year, Azcona went faster in pre-qualifying with a 2m11.969s compared to Guerrieri’s 2m11.980s to underline his competitiveness.

Home hero Cheah up for Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers finale
Mitchell Cheah, who raced for real when the WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup visited his native Malaysia last season, will make a guest start in the Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers series, contesting today’s finale at a virtual Sepang International Circuit. Other drivers with real-life WTCR experience taking part include Kevin Ceccon, Aurélien Comte, Yann Ehrlacher, Néstor Girolami, Mato Homola, Niels Langeveld, Attila Tassi and the ultimate gamer-turned title-winning-racer Norbert Michelisz.

Bánki is fastest out of 14,604 to become Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers Time Attack champion
Slovakia-based Bence Bánki (Red Bull Racing Esports) is the Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers Time Attack champion for 2020. He set the best time at a virtual Slovakia Ring and Sepang International Circuit to land the best overall score ahead of M1RA Esports drivers Gergo Baldi, the current Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers title leader, and Dávid Nagy. A total of 14,604 drivers set lap during the four sessions. Click here to view the final Time Attack leaderboard.

Baldi keeps Ningbo win despite Guerrieri clash
Top online talent Gergo Baldi has escaped sanction following his clash with Esteban Guerrieri in the second of two pre-season Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers races at a virtual Ningbo International Speedpark earlier this month. Guerrieri was leading at the time of the incident, which occurred a handful of corners from the finish. However, stewards from RaceRoom confirmed no action would be taken. Click here to find out more.

All the action streamed live on Motorsport.tv, Facebook and YouTube
Tonight’s Esports WTCR Beat the Drivers finale will be streamed on Motorsport.tv, Facebook and YouTube with James Kirk and Robert Wiesenmüller providing their usual expert commentary.

RULES IN SHORT
*Same points format for server 1 as used in Esports WTCR 2019 (5-4-3-2-1 in qualifying, 25-20-16-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 to the top 15 in Race 1 and Race 2). Server 2-4 races for fun so no points
*Tyre wear on, penalties and balance of performance applied
*Set-up blocked, fuel consumption and pitstops off

SERVER 1 RACE FORMAT
19h00: Server opens for practice
19h30: Live stream begins
19h35: Qualifying (15 minutes)
19h50: Race 1 (25 minutes)
20h15: Race 2 (25 minutes, top 10 reverse grid)
20h45: Live stream ends
(Server 2, 3 and 4 races won’t be streamed but results will be published)