The 2020 MotoGP™ eSport Championship kicks off this Thursday 5th March with gamers taking on the Losail International Circuit in the first of three Online Challenges in this year’s Pro Draft.
Qatar has always been a unique setting. Not only is the 5.4km circuit located in the desert outside capital city Doha; its status as the championship’s only night race, held under the floodlights, adds to the spectacle.
And after a long winter of training and preparation, the stakes are high with competitors from around the globe finally able to put their skills to the test against the very best MotoGP eSports has to offer!
Held just outside the country’s capital city of Doha, the flowing 5.4km track is a classic blend of a long straight and fast, flowing corners. Close times are guaranteed with the 2018 and 2019 MotoGP races being decided by just 0.027s and 0.023s!
Valentino Rossi’s sweet handling Monster Energy Yamaha M1 should be tailor made for Losail’s long, flowing bends which put corner stability and agility to the absolute test.
It all begins with the long run to turn 1. Be prepared for the heavy braking that comes toward the end of the 1.068km front straight and requires gamers to change down from sixth to first gear.
From there it’s a short dash to turn 2, a tricky left hander to be attacked in second gear. And be careful not to brake late and lose the front! This is a common place on the track to crash.
Accelerate through turn 3 and onto 4, which requires a short dabble of front brake before maintaining speed through 5 and into the heavy braking area that is turn 6. The following corner requires similar braking prowess before the fun really begins!
On the exit of seven, cornering ability is tested to the maximum as the switches from right to left and right again carry gamers into turn 10, another heavy braking area. Then it’s all about throttle control as gamers accelerate through turn 11 with the bike leant over. Turns 12, 13 and 14 are over in a flash and require complete corner stability.
Square off turn 15 and then braking prowess is once again put to the test for the last of the track’s 16 bends. Don’t brake too late or you’ll sacrifice crucial acceleration onto the front straight that will carry you all the way to the line!
2020 MotoGP™ eSport Championship finalists will enjoy the favourable weather conditions as they seek to add points to the board in the first Online Challenge.
The challenge runs from 5th to 8th March. When competing in each Online Challenge, gamers will be classified in one of two categories: those from Europe and those from the Rest of the World. The gamers setting the fastest times will be awarded points. At the end of the third Online Challenge the 16 gamers with the most points in the European classification and the six from the Rest of the World classification will make up the 22 riders that qualify for the Draft Selection with 11 of those guaranteed a spot in the Global Series!
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