Munich. BMW SIM Racing broadcast the third edition of BMW SIM
Live on Saturday and Sunday live from BMW Welt in Munich (GER). This
was the end of the season grand sim racing finale at the event which
celebrated its debut back in 2019. For the first time, the final
races in the BMW SIM Cups were held on the three major simulation
platforms, iRacing, rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa Competizione. The
titles went to Joshua Rogers (AUS, BMW SIM GT Cup, iRacing), Erhan
Jajovski (MKD, BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup, rFactor 2) and Nils Naujoks
(GER, BMW SIM Time Attack, Assetto Corsa Competizione). A total
prize purse of approaching 90,000 euros was up for grabs at the
weekend, however the focus of the two shows was also on the 2022 BMW
SIM Racing season and some fascinating technological innovations –
including an all-new motion platform in collaboration with D-BOX and
RaceX, as well as an entry-level steering wheel devised with Fanatec.
“Twice is a repeat, three times is tradition,” said Pia Schörner, BMW
Group Head of Gaming and Sponsoring. “That is exactly what we wanted
to achieve when we started to get involved in the sim racing and
Esports community. We want to be a long-term and reliable partner –
and that is what we are. Events like BMW SIM Live are a key element in
this. Congratulations to all the winners of the BMW SIM Cup finals!”
BMW SIM CUP FINALS.
On Saturday, the opening evening of BMW SIM Live was all about the
finals of the BMW SIM Time Attack on Assetto Corsa Competizione and
the BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup on rFactor 2. Both races were showdowns
between the twelve drivers who had qualified for the final over the
course of the season. On Sunday evening, the sim racing elite crowned
its champion in the BMW SIM GT Cup on the iRacing platform. 23 drivers
battled it out for victory in two races – first in the virtual BMW M8
GTE and then the BMW M4 GT3. The trophies for all three BMW SIM Cup
champions were designed by BMW Group Designworks and made from
sustainable materials, in line with the ‘circular design’ approach. At
the BMW Group, this is based on the four principles: RE:THINK,
RE:DUCE, RE:USE and RE:CYCLE.
BMW SIM Time Attack.
Nils Naujoks was the winner after 20 minutes of racing in the BMW M4
GT4 on the digital Silverstone circuit, being awarded prize money of
8,000 euros. Second place and 4,000 euros went to Daniel Savini (ITA),
with third place and 2,000 Euros to Tobias Pfeffer (GER).
Nils Naujoks said: “This was the reward for all the hard work in the
week preparing for this race. I really feel at home at Assetto Corsa
Competizione. It was a bit hectic for me in qualifying and also before
the start but the race itself went very well.”
BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup.
Thirteen rivals competed against each other in the BMW M2 CS Racing
on the virtual Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Erhan Jajovski was the
winner after a dramatic battle that lasted to the final corner. With
this victory, he successfully defended last year’s title and secured
prize money of 6,000 euros. Marcell Csincszik (HUN) had to admit
defeat by only a narrow margin, but by finishing second was rewarded
with prize money of 3,000 euros. Third place and 1,500 Euros went to
Jiri Toman (CZE).
Erhan Jajovski said: “It has always been very close between Marcell
and me this season and that was also the case in this final race. I
was surprised that he did not attack me earlier in the race as we
always were very close behind each other. In the end I was lucky, I
think. I very well defended the inside line in the final corner and am
very happy about my victory.”
BMW SIM GT Cup.
Coming from P5 on the grid after the first race of the evening with
the BMW M8 GTE on the Sebring International Raceway, which determined
the starting positions for the Main Race at the virtual Red Bull Ring,
defending champion Joshua Rogers stormed through the high-class field
with his BMW M4 GT3 and took the win as well as 25,000 US Dollars of
prize money. P2 went to his Coanda Simsport teammate Charlie Collins
(GBR), who will receive a 15,000-US dollar cheque for his success.
Team Redline driver Diogo Pinto (POR) finished third to gain 7,500 US Dollars.
Joshua Rogers said: “I was very nervous before the race, especially
because our starting position wasn’t ideal. For me coming in for my
pitstop early made sense in order to stay out of trouble and get some
clean air afterwards. This undercut worked in the end. I pushed really
hard until I could see that my strategy would play out, as soon as the
others came in for their pitstops. Then a gained a lot more confidence.”
—
BMW SIM TECHNOLOGY: BMW HAPTIC PLATFORM AND FANATEC CSL
STEERING WHEEL BMW.
The big technological innovation for the coming season is the BMW
haptic platform, which BMW SIM Racing has developed in collaboration
with D-BOX and RaceX. Exclusive know-how from BMW Motorsport’s
professional racing simulator is incorporated in the moving platform
for sim rigs. BMW SIM technology motion cueing, in particular, takes
the quality of the BMW haptic platform to a new level. ‘Motion cueing’
is a translation of the driving dynamic values arising from the
simulation environment into ‘cues’ – transformed stimuli that provide
the driver, as precisely and realistically as possible, with
information on what the virtual car is doing at that moment,” said
Rudolf Dittrich, Head of BMW SIM Technology. “In short, the better the
motion cueing, the more realistically the sim racer feels the
movements of the haptic platform. This not only hugely improves the
driving experience – the so-called immersion – but also helps to drive
the vehicle at the limit and to develop the vehicle set-up more accurately.”
Sébastien Mailhot, CEO of D-BOX Technologies Inc., said: “D-BOX
prides itself in creating the world’s only high-fidelity haptic
feedback experience worthy of the FIA’s official stamp of approval.
Combined with BMW’s unparalleled attention to details and knowledge,
we have been able to tinker with the feedback even more precisely,
which allowed us to craft the most accurate sim racing experience,
rivaling what only multi-million dollar simulators are capable of
doing today.”
Richard Schouteren, CEO of SIM-LAB B.V., added: “We are proud that
BMW has chosen our RaceX branded frame as basis for this new motion
platform. Our long-lasting partnership with D-BOX injected with the
professional BMW sports simulation software make this an unprecedented
ride for the e-racing community.”
As well as the BMW haptic platform, BMW SIM Racing has also been
involved in another hardware project. In conjunction with Fanatec,
they have come up with an entry-level sim racing steering wheel that
offers newcomers to the sport the highest possible quality at an
attractive price of 139.95 euros. The steering wheel is called the
Fanatec CSL Steering Wheel BMW and is available in the Fanatec online
shop now. This product once more pays testament to the BMW SIM Racing
principle to not only support and promote top-level sim racing, but
also to give any digitally interested racing enthusiast the
opportunity to experience this Esports discipline.
—
BMW SIM RACING NEWS.
As at the first two events, BMW Esports again used BMW SIM Live to
introduce its programme for the coming season, present news about
BMW’s sim racing project, and inspire with technological innovations.
Cups, teams and cars.
In 2022, victories and titles are again at stake in the BMW SIM GT
Cup and BMW SIM Time Attack. The BMW M4 GT3 is the only car in the BMW
SIM GT Cup on iRacing. The BMW SIM Time Attack on Assetto Corsa
Competizione features the full range of virtual BMW M Motorsport cars
– from the BMW M2 CS Racing and the BMW M4 GT4 to the BMW M4 GT3. New
to the programme is the BMW SIM Trophy, in which drivers from all over
the world can win trophies in different cars and on different
platforms, which are then presented at BMW SIM Live 2022.
BMW Team Redline, BMW Team BS+COMPETITION and BMW Team G2 Esports
will line up as BMW SIM Racing teams at the major events on various
platforms in 2022.
The virtual BMW M4 GT3, which was a big success on iRacing in 2021,
will also be available on Assetto Corsa Competizione from 24th
November and in the mobile game Real Racing 3 in 2022. There will be a
completely new car on rFactor 2 in 2022, the BMW Formula Pro. BMW is
the first manufacturer to present an initial concept for a special car
design for this virtual championship. The free areas of the BMW
Formula Pro car were designed by BMW Group Designworks. “In the
virtual world, designers have the freedom to present things that were
physically impossible up to now,” said Michael Scully, Global
Automotive Director at BMW Group Designworks, describing the appeal of
this task.
About BMW Esports.
BMW has been collaborating with five of the world’s best teams as a
partner in the classic League of Legends game since 2020. Cloud 9,
FNATIC, FunPlus Phoenix, G2 Esports and T1 fly the BMW colours in the
biggest events in the industry. The highlight of the first
collaborative season in 2020 was the Worlds, in which G2 esports and
FNATIC made it to the knock-out stage of the finals in the battle of
the world’s best teams. G2 Esports even made it to the semi-final. The
Dota 2 specialists OG Esports are a new addition to the ‘United in
Rivalry’ squad as of 2021. The involvement in Esports gives BMW
completely new touch points with a dynamic, rapidly growing community;
making Esports an important future field for BMW marketing activities.
BMW has prominent representatives in sim racing as well, and has
integrated BMW SIM Racing into its racing programme as a standalone
pillar. The BMW SIM Cups attract the world’s best sim racers, who do
battle for wins, titles and attractive cash prizes in virtual BMW
racing cars. BMW SIM Racing teams are taking part for the first time
in 2021. BS+COMPETITION, G2 Esports, Team GB and Team Redline
represent BMW on various simulation platforms.
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly
facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in
more than 140 countries. In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million
passenger vehicles and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The
profit before tax in the financial year 2020 was € 5.222 billion on
revenues amounting to € 98.990 billion. As of 31 December 2020, the
BMW Group had a workforce of 120,726 employees. The success of the BMW
Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible
action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage
and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource
management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain
through production to the end of the use phase of all products.
About D-BOX.
D-BOX creates and redefines realistic, immersive entertainment
experiences by moving the body and sparking the imagination through
effects: motion, vibration and texture. D-BOX has collaborated with
some of the best companies in the world to deliver new ways to enhance
great stories. Whether it’s movies, video games, music, relaxation,
virtual reality applications, themed entertainment or professional
simulation, D-BOX creates a feeling of presence that makes life
resonate like never before. D-BOX Technologies Inc. (TSX: DBO) is
headquartered in Montreal with offices in Los Angeles, USA and
Beijing, China. Visit D-BOX.com.
About SIM-LAB.
SIM-LAB B.V. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality sim racing
related hardware. SIM-LAB’s drive is to enhance virtual racing
experiences with uncompromising solutions that push the boundaries of
e-sports. With in-house engineering and production facilities we
combine Dutch Design with high-end craftsmanship. The RaceX frame is
composed of 50 mm diameter tubes of aluminum welded together, forming
an extremely rigid single-piece frame. Assembly of the Cockpit is done
within moments by attaching the wheel-deck and pedal-deck. Because of
the choice of material, the aluminum tube sub-frame weighs eight
kilograms, which makes it the perfect platform for the BMW motion solution.