TEN eSports racers will participate in the Jamaica Simulation Racing Association (JSRA) Sim racing World Cup 2022 National Qualifier scheduled for Saturday, July 9. The event will be streamed live online and on Sports Max beginning at 6:00 pm.

“I’m extremely happy with the talent that has decided to come forward and hopefully represent their country. We have Tommi Gore, an avid sim racer and successful real racer, amongst several of the JSRA students and brilliant local talent, so I expect some serious competition,” Stephen Stewart, JSRA president, told the Jamaica Observer‘s weekly Auto magazine.

The event, using the Assetto Corsa sim racing game, will be handled from the headquarters of the Jamaica eSports Initiative (JEI) at the Technology Innovation Centre on the grounds of the University of Technology, Jamaica, St Andrew.

“This event is why the JSRA was brought into fruition, to stage world-class events that put Jamaica’s eSports sim racing talent on the world stage. The fact they were able to engage corporate Jamaica in the form of Amsoil speaks well of their efforts,” said Gregory Moore, JEI chairman and CEO.

Racers will have 15 minutes of practice, 10 minutes of qualifying, and a 25-lap race with a mandatory pit stop for tyres, on a virtual recreation of the Vallenlunga circuit in Italy. All drivers will be using the same vehicle.

“The qualifier is just one part of an evaluation process the JSRA is taking to eventually choose the two drivers we must put forward by July 15 for the Continental Qualifiers for the Sim racing World Cup,” explained Stewart.

The two finalist will represent Jamaica later in July at a Continental Qualifier being held online by the organisers of the Simracing World Cup. From there only twelve spaces are available for the final event live in Monaco in October.

“Should Jamaica make it that far, one of our drivers will be flown to Monaco, for the Simracing World Cup and compete in person with the other eleven world finalists,” said Stewart.

— Rory Daley