Image: IMSA
IMSA is partnering with iRacing and VCO for the third year in a row to host the 2024 IMSA Esports Global Championship starting in November. However, for the first time, the prestigious sim racing competition will feature a public qualifying process.
Although entry into the championship is reserved for previous series champions and winners of iRacing’s VCO Grand Slam events, every iRacing member will have the opportunity to fight for their place in the four-race championship. In addition, there will be a limited number of wildcard entrants. Wildcard entrants for 2023 included Nitro Circus Sim Racing Team and Texaco Racing by TK, Tony Kanaan’s esports team.
“It will be great to see the best sim racers from around the world compete again under the IMSA banner at the 2024 Esports Global Championship,” said IMSA President John Doonan.
“They have shown how good they are in their first two seasons, and having all iRacing members have the opportunity to qualify for the championship makes it even more exciting. We can’t wait to see how it all unfolds in what is sure to be the most competitive IMSA Esports Global Championship ever.”
The four-round schedule begins with Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (November 24), followed by Indianapolis Motor Speedway (December 8) and Sebring International Raceway (January 5, 2025) before concluding with Daytona International Speedway (January 12, 2025).
The competition will feature accurately digitized versions of the Acura ARX-06, BMW M Hybrid V8, Cadillac V-Series.R and Porsche 963 GTP cars, along with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, BMW M4 GT3, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Ferrari 296 GT3, Ford Mustang GT3, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 and Porsche 911 GT3 R GTD class cars currently available on the iRacing platform.
“Multi-class sports car racing forms the core of the international sim racing community and the IMSA Esports Global Championship is the leading series in this segment,” says Florian Haasper, CEO of the Virtual Competition Organisation (VCO).
“Working with IMSA and iRacing on this project has been incredibly fun over the past few years. Together we are constantly striving to improve the competition. The introduction of an open qualification process for the series is a very important next step. We can’t wait to start the new season!”
So far, Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen’s Redline, VRS Coanda and Williams Esports teams have automatically qualified for the GTP class of the 2024 IMSA Esports Global Championship, while Team Redline and Drago Racing have qualified for the GTD competition.
Teams wishing to participate in the public pre-qualifications must register with IMSA.
Teams that qualify through the Time Attack will then participate in a “Car Shootout” with other qualified teams to determine which car they will use during the 2024 IMSA Esports Global Championship season.
“iRacing and IMSA have enjoyed a remarkably successful partnership for over a decade,” said Tony Gardner, President of iRacing. “It is no coincidence that both our organizations have experienced dramatic growth during that time.”
“The 2024 IMSA Esports Global Championship will be another exciting step in this partnership and I am confident that opening the qualifying format to our more than 270,000 iRacers will help make this the most exciting edition of the series yet.”
Following the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship sprint race format, each IMSA Esports Global Championship event will last 2 hours and 40 minutes and will be streamed live on IMSA and iRacing’s Facebook, Twitch and YouTube channels. For more details on public qualifying and the series, please see the official series rulebook.
