Button, Palou and Vandoorne among driver names competing in new Le Mans Virtual Series
The recently launched Le Mans Virtual Series has attracted prominent drivers from the likes of FIA WEC, Formula One, INDYCAR, IMSA, Formula 2 and 3, Formula E and Extreme E.
The 38 team entries feature 177 driver names on the full-season roster list (see the full list HERE) and include champions and prominent drivers from nearly all major motorsport disciplines.
Participating this season are the likes of 2009 F1 Champion, Jenson Button, F1 reserve and F2 racer, Jack Aitken, Formula E racer Sergio Sette Camara, INDYCAR points leader, Alex Palou, INDYCAR driver and 2019 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year, Felix Rosenqvist plus World RX and Extreme E driver, Timmy Hansen.
Several other names from WEC’s past and present also feature on the list including Stoffel Vandoorne, Beitske Visser, Bruno Senna, Harry Tincknell, Will Stevens, Matt Campbell and Yifei Ye.
Driver entry list has dropped!
— Le Mans Virtual (@LeMansVirtual) September 14, 2021
The best sim drivers go head-to-head with some of the greatest names in motorsport.
Take a look at the stellar #LeMansVirtual line-up including @JensonButton, @BSenna, @JaitkenRacer and @Timmy_Hansen
Full list here https://t.co/obsuk7ZQxN pic.twitter.com/pW4bWiLtnI
Joining this roster of esteemed professional racing drivers are elite competitors from the sim racing scene, including popular names such as Michi Hoyer, Bono Huis, Jan von der Heyde, Joshua Rogers and Kevin Siggy. There will be 98 sim drivers within the full 177 driver roster.
An overview of the driver roster construction and format is as follows:
- Teams must submit a full-season roster of 4 or 5 drivers.
- A minimum of 2 drivers must be FIA graded (or its equivalent).
- The remaining drivers are sim drivers.
- For each of the first 4 online rounds, teams will nominate 3 drivers from their full season roster 7 days before each race. Of these, one must be an FIA-graded driver (or its equivalent).
- For the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual finale – scheduled to be held January 15th and 16th, 2022 in Birmingham, UK at the 2022 Autosport International motorsport show - line-ups will increase to 4 drivers per entry with a minimum of 2 FIA-graded drivers (or its equivalent). An additional 20 entries are expected for the live, televised event, with some of the most well-known motorsport names in the world due to appear.
Given the ongoing calendar uncertainty in real world racing, there is provision within the regulations to allow for the replacement of FIA-graded drivers if the originally nominated drivers are not available.
The combination of top level names from these two racing worlds competing on classic tracks, culminating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual promises to deliver exciting and highly competitive endurance events that are guaranteed to thrill esports enthusiasts globally.
For those same fans, running alongside the Le Mans Virtual Series will be the Le Mans Virtual Cup [see more info HERE] – an esports series where anyone with rFactor 2 can compete and earn the opportunity to secure a spot on the grid for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual.