The top drivers in the NGK & NTK Esports Cup have all their memes packed in their bags for their virtual trip to Norway. On March 1, some of the top racers on iRacing will be racing at the virtual Rudskogen Motorsenter. It’s the first time in series history it will be racing at the Norwegian track.
As competitors get ready for the fifth round of the season, here is what competitors should expect this week:
Points Standings Entering Round 5
| POS | NAME | TEAM | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | POINTS | GAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Thiebe | URANO eSports | 100 | 46 | 85 | 45 | 276 | 0 |
| 2 | Vince Peeters | Visceral Esports | 132 | 69 | 24 | 49 | 274 | -2 |
| 3 | Gaël Valero | Apex Racing Team | 96 | 49 | 68 | DNS | 213 | -63 |
| 4 | John Ehlen | Dörr eSports | 92 | 28 | 34 | 23 | 177 | -99 |
| 5 | Sergi Maturana | Astro Racing | 80 | 30 | 34 | DNS | 144 | -132 |
| 6 | Darwin Romero | AstroRacing | 68 | 46 | 14 | DNS | 128 | -148 |
| 7 | Norbert Leitner | Impulse Racing | 80 | 18 | 22 | DNS | 120 | -156 |
| 8 | Alessio Bender | Dörr Academy | 38 | 30 | 42 | 51 | 161 | -115 |
| 9 | Daniel Muth | Nürburgring eSports | 50 | 42 | 14 | DNS | 106 | -170 |
| 10 | Michael Haflidason | AM RACING TEAM | 60 | 30 | 12 | 36 | 138 | -138 |
After trading bad rounds with Vince Peeters, Alexander Thiebe enters Norway with a two-point lead over him in the championship standings.
With Gael Valero and Sergi Maturana not starting the last round, it’s down to Peeters and Thiebe for the regular season title.
More About Rudskogen
| Location | Rakkestad, Norway |
|---|---|
| Track Length | 3.254 km (2.022 miles) |
| Turns | 14 |
A funny thing heading into this week’s circuit: most of the series regulars have decided to communicate strictly with memes for almost two weeks straight. When asked about what drivers thought about this week’s race, Peeters set the tone with this gif:
Michael Haflidason, who has had a lot of bad luck with keeping clean for several weeks, responded in kind:
Nikolas Nolde, who has contended for several wins this season, decided to add to the theme of un-optimism:
As mentioned back in Winter 2023, drivers will need to zip around what is a very tight racing surface. One of the prime opportunities to pass is the frontstretch. With 640 metres to work with, drivers tend to attempt to make their passes by the time they get to Turn 1.
Esports Brand Ambassador Patricija Stalidzane breaks down the circuit in her track guide here:
Timeline For Round 5
| Time (CET) | Event | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 18:00 CET-19:15 CET | Free Practice | 75 Mins |
| 19:15 CET-19:25 CET | Qualifying | 10 Mins |
| 19:27 CET-19:52 CET | Race 1 | 25 Mins |
| 19:54 CET-20:19 CET | Race 2 | 25 Mins – Reverse Grid |
The Points Structure
Drivers will receive points based on their finishing position in their server and the Top 5in qualifying will also receive additional points as detailed below. This is designed to stop driver sandbagging for the reverse grid race.
A multiplier will be applied as a bonus based on how many splits were available for the race. After stewarding has taken place, the results will be processed and announced on the RaceSpot TV Website at http://racespot.tv/ngk-atk.
Qualifying Points
| Position | Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 2 |
| 5 | 1 |
Race Points
| Position | Points | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 | 11 | 12 |
| 2 | 34 | 12 | 10 |
| 3 | 30 | 13 | 9 |
| 4 | 27 | 14 | 8 |
| 5 | 24 | 15 | 7 |
| 6 | 22 | 16 | 6 |
| 7 | 20 | 17 | 5 |
| 8 | 18 | 18 | 4 |
| 9 | 16 | 19 | 3 |
| 10 | 14 | 20 | 2 |
| 21 | 1 |
The Prizes On Offer
For the first six rounds, drivers have the chance to win the following:
First Place – 100 € Second Place – 50 € Third Place – 25 €
The winner of the overall NGK & NTK ESPORTS CUP 2024 will receive a One Bavarian Simtech Wheel + 500 €. The second place driver will receive a One Tailoredrig (NGK Branded) + 250 €, and third place driver will receive an Alphatec Racing LED Screen + 150 €.
Positions 4-5 will receive 50 € , and Positions 4-10 will receive a NGK & NTK Goodie Bag. nThe driver with the fastest lap in the finals will receive a VRS Subscription.
How To Watch
You can catch the race on RaceSpot TV’s YouTube page on Friday afternoon, with live reporting of events here on RaceSpot News. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more upcoming events, and make sure to come back to RaceSpot News to view the race recap after the event.
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