The ABB FIA Formula E Championship has become the latest series to enter the Esports arena, launching its Race at Home Challenge that will commence this weekend.
The fully-electric series’ present Season 6 campaign is currently under suspension as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with the competition set to resume on June 21 in Berlin.
Formula E’s Esports challenge will run for nine weeks and will consist of nine rounds, with two races taking place every weekend for different classes
One race is reserved for current drivers in Formula E – 14 of which will feature in a test race this weekend – while the other will feature professional sim racers, who will compete for a real-life, on-track test at a Formula E event.
Daniel Abt, Lucas di Grassi, Alexander Sims, Maximilian Guenther, Robin Frijns, Nico Muller, Jerome d’Ambrosio, Mitch Evans, James Calado, Andre Lotterer, Neel Jani and Felipe Massa have been confirmed so far.
Unlike most motorsport Esports series, Formula E’s Race at Home Challenge will feature a ‘Battle Royale’ format, with the last-placed driver at the end of every lap getting eliminated, leaving a one-lap, top-10 shootout to conclude each race.
This marks the first initiative launched by Formula E in its recently announced partnership with UNICEF as it supports the world’s appeal against COVID-19, directing funds to healthcare and education to help children and families considered to be high-risk.
“We are excited to reveal the first major fundraising initiative of our partnership with UNICEF to support the global coronavirus appeal,” said Formula E CEO Jamie Reigle.
“Formula E is a platform with a purpose to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and combat climate change, therefore we are proud to race for a meaningful cause in gaming realm with the current health crisis in mind.
“The ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge is a powerful sporting manifestation of the UNICEF partnership, supporting our fundraising efforts across the entire Formula E community, offering our fans engaging new content and viewing experiences and getting our teams, drivers and partners back to racing.”
Formula E’s Race at Home Challenge will be broadcast on the series’ website and Facebook, Twitter and Twitch channels, starting from April 18.
