Online time trial qualifying for the 2024 Honda Racing eMS series begins today in Gran Turismo 7, with rewards for taking part and a chance to attend a live final later this year.
It’s the second season for the official Honda esports series, and it’s open to more players than ever before despite a similar format. Anyone could take part in the 2023 season, but only the top-qualified, Japan-resident players from the online portion could attend the live final.
That’s changed for 2024, with half of the ten spots in the adult “Challenge Class” now going to players from around the world. There they’ll join the top five Japanese players, with one spot reserved for the defending champion.
Over 200,000 players took part in the 2023 event, which featured the Honda Civic Type R and time trial events at two circuits where it’s the front-wheel drive lap record holder. This year the competition focuses on the Honda RA272 — Honda’s first ever race winner in the Formula One World Championship — and both of the age brackets face the same challenge.
Whether you’re racing in the 18+ “Challenge Class” or the “U17 Class” for players aged 6-17, you’ll be trying to get the car around Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as quickly as possible on Racing Hard tires. You’ll have the ability to adjust your brake balance, but otherwise the car is as standard.
This challenge runs for 30 days, ending on September 1 (at a time not yet specified) and is open to both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 users. All players who take part will receive a special PSN avatar that marks Honda’s 60th anniversary of Formula One, and a Honda Civic Type R in 2024 Super Taikyu livery.
Both events are also running as standard time trials too, which means that there’s in-game credit rewards for being with 3%, 5%, and 10% of the best time in the world at the close of play. As the records in both events are currently in the low-2:27 range, you’re going to need a low-2:31 in the event appropriate your age group to secure a gold time and 2m credits — for now.
Once the event ends, the top nine players in the Challenge Class — the top four resident in Japan and the top five from elsewhere in the world — and the top ten U17 players who are resident in Japan will be invited to a live final in Tokyo on Wednesday December 1. The tenth participant in the main event will be defending 2023 champion Igor Fraga.
Gran Turismo 7 Honda Racing eMS 2024 Challenge Class
- Track: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
- Car: Honda RA272 ’65 – Garage/Rental Car
- Power/Weight/PP Limit: BOP (H)
- Tires: Racing Hard
- Settings: Partially Allowed – Brake Balance
Gran Turismo 7 Honda Racing eMS 2024 U17 Class
- Track: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
- Car: Honda RA272 ’65 – Garage/Rental Car
- Power/Weight/PP Limit: BOP (H)
- Tires: Racing Hard
- Settings: Partially Allowed – Brake Balance
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