Schedule revealed for 2019 FIA Motorsport Games as international showdown draws closer
The initial schedule for this year’s FIA Motorsport Games has been revealed, with a breadth of activities set to ensure a spectacular inaugural running for the new international event.
Rome will act as host city for the 1-3 November contest, while the nearby Vallelunga Circuit will stage the on-track action as competitors from across the globe chase a spot on the podium. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the top-three finishers in six competing categories, with national pride at stake in the GT Cup, Touring Car Cup, Drifting Cup, F4 Cup, Karting Slalom Cup and Digital Cup.
These results will produce an overall medal table, with the top National Sporting Authority (ASN) awarded the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games trophy during the closing ceremony. The event will be promoted and organised by SRO Motorsports Group in partnership with the FIA, world motorsport’s governing body.
On Thursday 31 October, administrative checks and technical scrutineering will take place at Vallelunga Circuit. Later that day the Rome City Parade will see a large number of competing cars take to the streets of the Italian capital, while all competitors will receive their essential pre-event briefing. The day will culminate with an Opening Ceremony in Rome, which will provide a suitably grand launch for the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games.
Attention will shift to matters on-track from Friday 1 November, with opening practice taking place for the GT and F4 categories. The GT contest represents a development of last year’s FIA GT Nations Cup, which ran successfully at the Bahrain International Circuit. There will also be great interest in the F4 machine, which has been designed and built specifically for the FIA by KC Motor Group (KCMG). It will be the first hybrid-powered single-seater outside Formula 1 and the first F4-spec machine to feature the Halo safety device.
The Digital Cup will also kick off proceedings on Friday morning and continue into the afternoon. The virtual competition will use the best-selling PlayStation 4 game Gran Turismo Sport, as well as systems developed by Polyphony Digital Inc. for the FIA-certified Gran Turismo Championships.
After lunch there will be a pair of practice sessions for the Touring Car Cup, which promises to feature a variety of brands adhering to the globally successful TCR technical regulations. The afternoon will also see second practice run-outs for the GT and F4 hopefuls. In the evening, the Drifting Cup will stage its practice and qualifying sessions under the floodlights, utilising part of Vallelunga’s main straight as well as the complex between turns 10 and 14.
The excitement will build further on Saturday 2 November, with the first medals awarded during the evening. The morning, however, will be dominated by qualifying, with sessions for the Touring Car, F4 and GT contenders. Meanwhile, the Karting Slalom Cup will stage its opening practice session before lunch. This will feature mixed female/male driver pairings, with competitors aged between 14 and 16 years and no licence or experience required.
The afternoon will bring even more action. The F4 Cup runners will contest a 20-minute qualifying race, while the Touring Car contingent will tackle a similar run lasting 25 minutes +1 lap. Saturday afternoon’s main event will be a 60-minute qualifying race for the GT Cup category, while there will also be qualifying for the young racers contesting the Karting Slalom Cup and a further practice run for the Digital Cup aspirants.
On Saturday evening, the Drifting Cup will reach its crucial phase with knockout rounds and the deciding final. The Digital medallists will also be decided with qualifying and a final. Indeed, by the time the day is done the first two sets of medals will have been awarded.
The remainder will be handed out during Sunday 3 November. The morning will feature a second 60-minute qualifying race for GT Cup, after which the final grid for the deciding run will be known. What’s more, the main race for the F4 category will take place and the Karting Slalom Cup will also conclude with its knockout rounds and final, which will continue into the afternoon.
Finally, on Sunday afternoon, a pair of deciding contests will close the competition. For the Touring Car Cup this will consist of a 30-minute +1 lap dash for gold. In the GT Cup, the concluding main race will be a 60-minute battle for glory. That evening, the FIA Motorsport Games will officially conclude when the Closing Ceremony and Prize Giving take place in Rome, where the most successful nation will be recognised for its achievements.
Further details on the 2019 FIA Motorsport Games will be revealed during the coming weeks, including participants and technical suppliers for the season-ending event.
Source | Images: SRO Motorsports Group