The Global Series exploded into life during the Round 1 of the 2023 MotoGP™ eSport Championship with three pulsating outings throwing up a host of drama and exciting racing.
The highly-anticipated season opener was one of three virtual events in this year’s Global Series, before the fourth and final round will be held live at Ubeat Live Barcelona, a world-renowned gaming conference, on 11th November. There, the 2023 MotoGP™ eSport Champion will be crowned!
On the face of it, it was a battle between two of the MotoGP™ eSport Championship’s most successful names as triple Champion Trast73 (Monster Energy Yamaha) won the first ever Tissot Sprint and Race 2, while reigning Champion adriaan_26 (Repsol Honda Team) collected three podiums from three.
The Global Series exploded into life during the Round 1 of the 2023 MotoGP™ eSport But in reality, there was much more on show, as 0.601s covered the podium in an action-packed three-lap Tissot Sprint while less than three quarters of a second split the top three in an ultra-exciting Race 2. What’s more, PLaT1ForLyfe, a rookie to the Global series, came away with two podium finishes!
Round 1 really put the skillset of the grid to the test: the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello was the venue for the first Sprint in Global Series history, before the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli hosted Race 1 and 2 respectively. In an hour-long show MotoGP™´s Kiko Giles and Jack Gorst were on presenting and commentary duties.
In the opening encounter of the year, Trast73 led the 3-lap Tissot Sprint from the exit of the first corner with adriaan_26. At one point, the Yamaha rider threatened to break clear, but adriaan_26 gave his all on the final lap, but just lost out by 0.067s at the flag! There was a mesmerising Global Series debut for Mooney VR46 Racing Team’s PLaT1ForLyfe, who claimed a heroic third, 0.601s back.
Trast73 got a similar great getaway in Race 1, held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but he was soon reeled in by Jack Hammer4658 (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), adriaan_26 and LCR Honda CASTROL eSports Team’s Cristianmm17. Ultimately, Jack Hammer4658 made it look easy, cruising home to win by 2.070s for KTM.
Race 2 at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli was another barnstormer, as Trast73 hit the front early on, while rookie PLaT1ForLyfe showed his earlier podium was no fluke, as he scrapped with experienced hands adriaan_26, Cristianmm17 and Jack Hammer4658 for second place in an all-action battle. Despite the close attentions from behind, Trast73 held on to win by 0.602s ahead of PLaT1ForLyfe, who showed himself to be an early surprise contender. adriaan_26 was third.
As a result of this early action Trast73 (50 points) takes an early five-point lead into Round 2, with adriaan_26 (45 points) close behind. It’s not just between them, however; Jack Hammer4658 (34 points), Cristianmm17 (33 points) and PLaT1ForLyfe (33 points) are all in the mix.
Check out the full standings HERE! And there isn’t long to wait until the next bow! We’ll be back for Round 2 of the Global Series on 15th September.
