Sebastian Priaulx will make his competitive race debut at Le Mans next month after teaming up with Multimatic Motorsports for an entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – the “biggest esports endurance race ever seen.”
Multimatic Motorsports is partnering with Zansho Simsport for the virtual edition of the iconic event, with Sebastian sharing an LMP2 machine with his father Andy, a two-time class podium finisher at Le Mans, and leading sim racers Michael Epps and Olivier Fontin.
With the coronavirus pandemic leading to a delay for Priaulx’s planned Michelin Pilot Challenge campaign in the US, the Guernseyman has turned to sim racing in recent months to hone his skills and maintain his competitive edge.
After competing in high-profile series including The Race All-Star Series and British F4 iRacing Trophy, Priaulx now steps up to an elite level as he competes against the fastest professional drivers and sim racers in the world, including current Formula 1 stars Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
Sebastian Priaulx:"This is such an exciting opportunity to me and I can’t thank Multimatic Motorsports enough for getting me involved. I’ve enjoyed my sim racing in recent months and I’m looking forward to getting the chance to compete in such a prestigious event.
"The entry list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual is incredible, with a lot of immensely talented drivers, so I know it’s going to be incredibly competitive. I can’t wait for the challenge though and to race competitively at Le Mans for the first time will be special."
The 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual will take place over the weekend of 13/14 June. Taking place on gaming platform rFactor2, a grid of 50 cars will tackle variable weather conditions and dynamic day and night racing across a gruelling 24 hours of action around the Circuit de la Sarthe.
One of the top teams on rFactor2, Zansho Simsport will be supplying the sim platform for the team and a crucial data and engineering support network, featuring a dedicated team engineer and strategist across official test races, qualifying sessions and the main event.