Now in its fourth year of competition, the MotoGP™ eSport Championship only continues to expand in myriad ways as the events, players and impact rise year on year. One of the most exciting additions for 2020 is the all-new WINDTRE Rising Stars Series, a new eSport talent promotion initiative set to begin on the 18th of June – played, as ever, on the official MotoGP™20 from videogame developer, publisher and longstanding partner Milestone.
Aimed at finding and fostering fresh eSport talent around the world, the WINDTRE Rising Stars Series mirrors Road to MotoGP™ initiatives out on track such as the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup, the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup and more, directed at promoting young talent towards the pinnacle of the sport. The programme is the first of its kind in MotoGP™ eSport and will consist of four Online Challenges separated into three World Regions (the Americas, Europe and Africa, Asia and Oceania), as well as three Online Regional Finals; one per region. WINDTRE, at the top of the mobile market and among the main alternative fixed-line operators in Italy, is the main and title sponsor of this all-new eSport Series, supporting young talents in their high-speed challenge to become the racers of the future with its ‘Top Quality Network’.
The series kicks off in June and there are three guaranteed places in the 2021 MotoGP™ eSport Championship Pro Draft up for grabs. 2020 MotoGP™ eSport Official Riders will not be able to compete in the WINDTRE Rising Stars Championship Series.
The WINDTRE Rising Stars Series comprises two phases: the Online Regional Challenges and Online Regional Finals. Gamers will be divided into three categories, depending on their location: Americas (North and South), Europe and Africa, and finally, Asia and Oceania.
The Online Regional Challenges (Qualifiers) are disputed in time attack mode and run from June to August, with the gamers who achieve the fastest lap times awarded points. Only the fastest laps count and each Challenge is played on four different tracks with four different machines and riders.
The eleven players from each region who have the most points after the final Challenge will be classified for the Online Regional Finals. They comprise just one race for each region, with all eleven gamers in each race. They are online only, disputed on the PC and each will be held on different virtual circuits, with the winners of each Online Regional Final awarded a place in the 2021 MotoGPؑ™ eSport Pro Draft.
Online Challenges:
18-21 June: Online Challenge 1
02-05 July: Online Challenge 2
16-19 July: Online Challenge 3
30 July – 02 August: Online Challenge 4
*The details of each challenge – the rider, bike and circuit – will be published on the MotoGP™ eSport website, as well as across social media channels, the day before the challenge
Online Regional Finals:
Americas: Circuit of the Americas, date TBC
Europe & Africa: MotorLand Aragon, date TBC
Asia & Oceania: Twin Ring Motegi, date TBC
Stay tuned across social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for more, and head for esport.motogp.com to get involved – the action begins soon!
