DUWO by SimRC (#976, René Osterkamp / Patrick R Kessler / Steffen Herrmann) currently leads the way in the ‘991’ class standings. The Luxembourg team, having collected both the ‘TCR’ and ‘GT4’ class wins at the experimental 12H MONZA E-SPORTS back in May, enjoyed an even more fruitful at the 12H SPA E-SPORTS with THREE class wins. As a former 24H SERIES Europe class winner on top of that – the team’s last win came at the 2019 Hankook 24H PORTIMAO – don’t be too surprised to see DUWO by SimRC at the forefront of ‘991’ this weekend.
Ditto MRS GT-Racing (#989, Jacqueline Kreutzpointner / Nicholas Silva / Nick Westphal). The German team began 2020 with ‘991’ class victory at the Hankook 24H DUBAI, and followed that up with a commanding 1-2 finish in-class at the 12H MONZA E-SPORTS. Admittedly, the squad’s ‘MRS SIM RACING’ virtual alter-ego could only salvage 4th last time out at Spa-Francorchamps after hitting trouble during the night.
Mühlner Motorsport returns to ‘Virtual’ 24H SERIES action this weekend, entering a Porsche 911-II Cup in ‘991’ (#988, Simracing Blue, Kevin Hilgenhövel / Alexander Dejaco) and a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS MR in ‘GT4’ (#427, Simracing Pro, Dirk Oksas / Michael Finckbohner). The German squad, which took an impressive overall podium at this year’s Hankook 24H PORTIMAO, made its 24H SERIES Virtual debut at Spa-Francorchamps, securing 3rd in-class in the process.
‘991’ mainstay Porsche Lorient Racing has entered a Porsche 911-II Cup for its now customary driver line-up of Jeremy Mazurais, Julien Fischer, John Boureau and Mathieu Pontais (#911). The reigning ‘991’ Teams’ champion in both the 24H SERIES ‘Europe’ and ‘Continents’ started its Virtual campaign with a 4th in-class at Monza before collecting its first podium at Spa. Can the French team go one, or even two, better at Barcelona?
Despite a disappointing run at Monza, Raceunion 12H (#987, Alex Autumn / Florian Bodin / Felipe Fernández Laser / Marvin Otterbach) now lies 2nd in the ‘911’ 24H SERIES Virtual standings after securing a fighting runners-up spot at Spa-Francorchamps. Can the German team secure its first category win – of any kind – in the 24H SERIES this weekend?
MSI eSports Cup (#901, Salva Talens / Alex Ardisana / Alvaro Ramiro) completes the ‘991’ field, and makes its 24H SERIES Virtual debut on home turf and with two entries. The other – an Audi RS3 LMS in ‘TCR’ – has been entered for David Pérez, Victor Lobato, and Oriol Bohé (#111).
Leipert Motorsport – the reigning Overall GT Teams’ champion in the 24H SERIES Continents – returns to ‘Virtual’ action after its debut in Monza, at which the German team secured 4th in ‘GT3’ and a podium finish in ‘GT4’. Alongside its ‘GT3’ entry (check out our GT3 preview HERE), Leipert eSports Black has entered a BMW M4 GT4 for Lukas Käuper, Marc Röttgen, and Sandro Petrozziello (#410).
After a trial run in ‘GT3’ at Monza, Tibbett Racing (#451, Simon Tibbett / Thomas Pendergrass / Chris Paiz) – the eponymous entry of GT4-class 24H SERIES Continents Drivers’ champion Simon Tibbett – secured a solid 4th with its BMW M4 GT4 last time out at Spa. A maiden ‘Virtual’ podium will surely be on the American team’s radar at Barcelona.
Following two entries in ‘TCR’ at Monza and Spa-Francorchamps – the latter of which earned the Emirati team 4th in-class – Energy Driven Motorsports (#455, James Bourke / Dominic Simon / Wissam Hatim) makes the step across to ‘GT4’ for Barcelona with a BMW M4 GT4.
The third and final entry for SIMMSA Esports – check out our ‘GT3’ preview HERE – is a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS MR for Riley Thompson, Teemu Toikka, and Tim Greven (#466), while DUWO by SimRC (#476) will be looking to continue its winning form in ‘GT4’ with a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS MR for Dylan Pereira, Tom Vallenthini, Marcel Fassbender (not that one!), and Mathias Schoger.
Long-time CREVENTIC partner Radio Show Ltd. competed at both the inaugural 12H MONZA E-SPORTS and the 12H SPA E-SPORTS, doing so with a Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the former and a Ferrari 488 GT3 at the latter. Now, Team RSL Powered by MOFO (#462), which once again teams on-screen colleagues Joe Bradley and Nick Daman together with Darren Wood and Simon Herring, moves across to the ‘GT4’ class for Barcelona with a Porsche Cayman GT4 CS MR.
An Audi RS3 LMS for Felix Luding and Jürgen Frank completes the four-strong entry for DUWO by SimRC (#176). The German teammates secured one of the Luxembourg squad’s three class wins at Spa-Francorchamps and now lead the way in the ‘TCR’ 24H SERIES Virtual standings ahead of Ferry Monster Esports Grey (#120, Tony Vijfschaft / Marvin Juliam Amants / Huub Donkers). The latter collected 6th at Monza and finished 2nd at the season-opener at Spa-Francorchamps, but this weekend, the Dutch team enters just the one car.
CoRe SimRacing impressed on its maiden 24H SERIES Virtual outing by qualifying 2nd in ‘TCR’ in Spa-Francorchamps, less than one-hundredth of a second behind polesitter, DUWO by SimRC. Though difficulties during the night dropped the German team to 7th at the flag, CoRe has proven its speed with the Audi RS3 LMS (#104, Marius Golombeck / Carl Jansson / Kimmo Suominen), and will no doubt look to replicate that pace in Barcelona with both its TCR entry and the sister Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS MR (#404, Thomas Arends / Sven Neumann / Samuel Libeert / Matti Sipilä).
Compatriot T3 eSports Alpha meanwhile (#171, Oliver Ackermann / Mike Erang / Jens Ledwig / Sebastian Gesche) also made an impressive 24H SERIES Virtual debut with 3rd in ‘TCR’ at Spa-Francorchamps. The question now is whether the championship contender can better that result at Barcelona…
SPAA05 TCR racing team (#177, Hans Le Sage / Vincent Le Sage / Davey van Huijgevoort / Wouter van de Sanden / Koen van Griensven), which finished 6th at Spa, and series debutant AC SimMotorsport (#188, Siva frederic / Loncar Ian / Ledger Steen) complete the TCR field for the 12H BARCELONA E-SPORTS.
