Hankook a founding partner in DTM move to Esports

Long-standing tyre partner to DTM, Hankook is entering virtual motorsport with the German touring car series. The tyre manufacturer has become a founding partner of the DTM Esports Classic Challenge. The newly created race series brings together 15 current and former drivers of the DTM and the DTM Trophy. It is also adding a further five participants from the RaceRoom community of Esports racers. These challengers will be selected from the top 100 fastest racers, who proved themselves in a qualification round for the first race which started on 27 April. Professionally commentaters will provide race summaries in English.

“For us as a long-standing partner of the DTM, it was only logical for us to drive our joint and successful cooperation forward in these challenging times in the DTM Esports Classic Challenge. As the DTM’s tyre partner, we also bring the required expertise from the real world to this virtual format as motorsport and the joy of fair competition are not bound to a specific platform. We are therefore delighted to be represented in the Esports Classic Challenge with Hankook as the motorsport brand,” comments Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook motorsport director Europe.

DTM Esports Classic Challenge dates (CET Time zone)

• 03/05 14:00 Round 1 – 1992 season
• 10/05 14:00 Round 2 – 2013 season
• 17/05 14:00 Round 3 – 2014 season
• 24/05 14:00 Round 4 – 2016 season
• 31/05 Bonus races

The Sunday races take place using cars from different DTM eras, from the 1992 season’s classic cars to the more contemporary models of the 2016 season. The one-hour races are divided into two qualifying sessions and races each, which, just like in real professional sport, are enriched by expert interviews and post-race analysis. In the simulation on RaceRoom, every bend, every inch of asphalt and the different lighting conditions have been recreated with great attention to detail by the best track designers in the industry. And of course, legendary tracks such as the Nürburgring, Monza, Zolder, Spa Francorchamps or Brands Hatch also feature.

“Since real worldwide racetracks are closed due to the coronavirus, we have seen a tremendous growth in online racing. Now that the world’s top drivers all want to compete and as high-end PCs and affordable simulators narrow the gap between the real and virtual worlds, Esports is already an important part of the motorsport scene,” says Marcel Mohaupt, managing director of ITR.