Action-packed weekend in store as #SRO E-Sport GT Series prepares for title showdown

Assetto Corsa Competizione takes centre stage this weekend when a trio of one-hour races will bring the curtain down on the 2020 SRO E-Sport GT Series.

Champions will be crowned in both the Pro and Silver Series on Sunday afternoon, with each staging its deciding contest at the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit, while the Am Series reaches its climax on Saturday evening at Bathurst. Kyalami won the right to host the Pro and Silver finales by topping an extensive social media poll, beating stiff opposition from Bathurst, Suzuka and Laguna Seca. The Am venue was selected by a public vote on the RaceDepartment forum, with the legendary Australian track dominating the tally.

With the venues chosen, the stage is set for this weekend’s action. Four drivers representing three different brands are in contention for the Pro Series title, with Louis Deletraz (Porsche) holding the advantage after securing a fine victory last time out at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Having scored in all four races, the Swiss ace sits on top of the table with 59 points.

This gives Deletraz a 10-point cushion, though his Barcelona triumph will mean he carries additional success ballast this weekend. His closest challenger is Lorenzo Marcucci (Audi), who secured victory at Spa and chased Deletraz home at Barcelona.

Nürburgring winner Ben Barnicoat is next on 43 points and, unlike his chief rivals, the McLaren man will race without ballast. Ivan Pareras is the final title protagonists, though with 36 points on the board and 25 to score at Kyalami the Audi ace will need to win and hope that his rivals hit problems at the South African track.

This quartet lead a highly competitive grid that features nine different brands. McLaren will be the best-represented, with seven drivers – including wildcard Angus Fender – choosing the 720S GT3. Ferrari and Bentley will each count on six competitors, while Aston Martin, Lamborghini and BMW will also be out in force. The Mercedes-AMG line-up is bolstered by Alex Fontana, who will carry the colours of his GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS squad Zun Motorsport Crew.

The Silver Series title battle is even closer. McLaren racer Patrick Selva leads the way following his victory at the Silverstone opener and a runner-up finish last time out at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He is closely followed by fellow 720S pilot Arthur Kammerer, who won at the Spanish track and trails Selva by just two points.

But the McLaren contingent will face a significant weight penalty at Kyalami, with Nils Naujoks having completed a podium sweep for the brand at the Barcelona event. As such, David Tonizza (Ferrari) and Audi racer Andrea Capoccia are both firmly in the hunt on 31 and 32 points respectively. Jesus Sicilia (Aston Martin), Naujoks and Kamil Franczak (Lamborghini) also remain mathematically in contention, though the latter pair will require a win to stand any chance of clinching the crown.

The Silver grid will feature special guest for its concluding contest, with YouTuber and sim racing aficionado Jimmy Broadbent tackling Kyalami at the wheel of a BMW M6 GT3. A total of 10 brands will be represented, with a quartet of Lexus drivers adding the Japanese marque to the field.

Coverage of the Pro and Silver Series races begins at 13:45 CET on Sunday and will air on TV and across a variety of online platforms, including the GT World Challenge Powered by AWS website, the GT World YouTube account, and the SRO Motorsports Twitch and Facebook pages.

The Am Series will also conclude this weekend by tackling Bathurst’s Mount Panorama track on Saturday evening, when no fewer than eight drivers will have a chance to snatch the title. Samir Ibraimi (Porsche) leads the way, but both Michele Nerbi (Porsche) and Florian Hasse (Audi) are within seven points of the leader heading into the decider, which will go live on the RaceDepartment Twitch channel at 21:00 CET.

In addition to the silverware on offer this weekend, drivers will also be competing for a place in the SRO E-Sport GT Series grand finale. This will feature the top-20 Pro and Silver Series competitors, as well as the 10 best Am racers, with a date and location to be announced ahead of the event.

For now, however, all focus is on upcoming action. With multiple title contenders in each class, the competition is closer than ever as drivers launch their final push for glory. A thrilling weekend of sim racing is in store as the SRO E-Sport GT Series heads into its deciding battle.