Japan Race Promotion, the company that operates Super Formula, has announced an official “Virtual Series”, using GT Sport.
It’s the latest tie-up between Gran Turismo and Super Formula, following soon after Polyphony Digital added the 2019 cars to GT Sport in March.
The governing body of Japanese domestic motorsport, the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) will officially recognize the series as a digital motorsports event. It’ll take place over three rounds in the summer, with a final at Suzuka in conjunction with the final Super Formula race in October.
Each event takes place at an Aeon Mall, in Japan, and will be live broadcast on the Super Formula Youtube channel. The dates are as follows:
- June 9 – Kanagawa Meeting – Aeon Mall Zama, Zama, Kanagawa
- August 11 – Tokyo West Meeting – Aeon Mall Musashi Murayama, Tokyo
- October 6 – Mie Meeting – Aeon Mall Tsuminami, Tsu, Mie
- October 27 – Suzuka Grand Final – Suzuka Circuit
Competitors may register at the venue, or pre-enter on an official site nearer the time. Although there’s two age categories — “Junior” (aged 13 and under) and “General” (aged 14 and over) — only the older group is eligible to attend the final. Super Formula is yet to announce the format for each meeting, or the qualification criteria for the final.
Although the timings don’t match precisely, two of the three rounds are close to Super Formula races. These races take place at two of the three tracks yet to appear in GT Sport: Sugo and Motegi. The game already features the three other circuits, with Suzuka in the game at launch, Fuji Speedway arriving in September 2018, and Autopolis added last month. This may hint at more track content to come to the game.
The Super Formula Virtual Series becomes the fifth official GT Sport esport event announced so far this year. It follows the GT Sport Porsche Esports Racing Japan and the National Sports Festival for Japan, and the global GR Supra GT Cup and FIA-Certified Online Championship.
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