The motorsport season is well and truly underway with many championships starting up. This weekend, it's the turn of the Fanatec GT World Challenge. Here's how to watch the action and all you need to know.
Image credit: Garage 59 on Newspress
Assetto Corsa Competizione is coming to the end of a stonking week having just updated to version 1.9, a game-changing update for the title. But GT3 attention switches to the real-world, specifically Monza this weekend as the championship ACC replicates, GT World Challenge gets underway.
Round 1 of Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe takes place at the Temple of Speed, Monza as GT3 machinery push flat-out for a 3-hour enduro. The weekend not only kicks off the overall season, but also the Endurace Cup. This is where the best of the best in GT spheres battle it out in preparation for iconic races like the Spa 24 and Paul Ricard 1000km later on this year.
This year, five classes allow different combinations to take part ranging from the Pro class featuring entirely factory driver crews down to the Bronze Cup designed to welcome fully amateur teams. Gold Cup, Silver Cup and Pro-Am also allow various combinations to join the series. This year's class structure saw a vast overhaul over the winter meaning Assetto Corsa Competizione isn't quite up to speed with the series' current specification.
With so many drivers eligible to join the racing, this year's GT World Challenge Europe grid is enormous. In total, 55 cars will compete at Monza during the 3-hour competition, so empty tarmac is not on the schedule.
Over the course of the race, each car is expected to make two pitstops. Drivers must run no more than an hour at a time meaning the pit lane should become very busy on each hour mark. As a result, strategy shouldn't play a huge part in the race, unless it is interrupted by a safety car. In this case, teams may risk making a stop under the slower track conditions to gain position. Unfortunately, this is something we don't see in ACC given the lack of Safety Car and Full Course Yellow stoppages. Surely that's something Kunos should include in the game soon.
For those often found sporting anoraks, a live timing service is also available to follow for free on the GT World Challenge website. Featuring information on stint lengths, driver times, track conditions and Race Control messages, it is the best place to keep up to speed with longer races such as this.
With all the racing cars you know and love from Assetto Corsa Competizione, the Fanatec GT World Challenge is arguably one of the greatest and most accessible motorsport championships in the world. You can catch all the weekend's sessions, both from support races and the main event on the GT World YouTube channel. I'll see you in the live chat.
Will you be watching the GT World Challenge Endurance Cup opening round? Or do you prefer the idea of racing yourself in ACC?
Image credit: Garage 59 on Newspress
Assetto Corsa Competizione is coming to the end of a stonking week having just updated to version 1.9, a game-changing update for the title. But GT3 attention switches to the real-world, specifically Monza this weekend as the championship ACC replicates, GT World Challenge gets underway.
Round 1 of Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe takes place at the Temple of Speed, Monza as GT3 machinery push flat-out for a 3-hour enduro. The weekend not only kicks off the overall season, but also the Endurace Cup. This is where the best of the best in GT spheres battle it out in preparation for iconic races like the Spa 24 and Paul Ricard 1000km later on this year.
What is GT World Challenge?
GT World Challenge is split into multiple classes, each catering to driver combinations of different levels. Three drivers will share each car, making for various combinations of FIA driver ratings.This year, five classes allow different combinations to take part ranging from the Pro class featuring entirely factory driver crews down to the Bronze Cup designed to welcome fully amateur teams. Gold Cup, Silver Cup and Pro-Am also allow various combinations to join the series. This year's class structure saw a vast overhaul over the winter meaning Assetto Corsa Competizione isn't quite up to speed with the series' current specification.
With so many drivers eligible to join the racing, this year's GT World Challenge Europe grid is enormous. In total, 55 cars will compete at Monza during the 3-hour competition, so empty tarmac is not on the schedule.
Over the course of the race, each car is expected to make two pitstops. Drivers must run no more than an hour at a time meaning the pit lane should become very busy on each hour mark. As a result, strategy shouldn't play a huge part in the race, unless it is interrupted by a safety car. In this case, teams may risk making a stop under the slower track conditions to gain position. Unfortunately, this is something we don't see in ACC given the lack of Safety Car and Full Course Yellow stoppages. Surely that's something Kunos should include in the game soon.
How to watch the GT World Challenge at Monza
If you appetite for wheel-to-wheel GT racing is well and truly whetted, you're in luck. The SRO Motorsports Group, organisers of GT World Challenge, stream all of its events for free on YouTube. The GT World YouTube channel features live streams galore on most weekends as there is always some form of GT racing going on somewhere in the world.For those often found sporting anoraks, a live timing service is also available to follow for free on the GT World Challenge website. Featuring information on stint lengths, driver times, track conditions and Race Control messages, it is the best place to keep up to speed with longer races such as this.
With all the racing cars you know and love from Assetto Corsa Competizione, the Fanatec GT World Challenge is arguably one of the greatest and most accessible motorsport championships in the world. You can catch all the weekend's sessions, both from support races and the main event on the GT World YouTube channel. I'll see you in the live chat.
Will you be watching the GT World Challenge Endurance Cup opening round? Or do you prefer the idea of racing yourself in ACC?
