Lucca Allen and Keith Dempsey will represent
Motorsport Ireland this weekend in Vallelunga, Italy, at the inaugural FIA
Motorsport Games. The FIA Motorsport Games is a multidisciplinary event
featuring competitions for GT, Formula 4, Touring Car, Drifting, Karting Slalom
and Digital Motorsport.
The event will see drivers compete not primarily for
themselves or their teams, but rather for their country. Allen, from Co. Cork
will compete in the F4 Cup while Dempsey, who is from Dublin, will compete in
the Digital Cup.
The F4 Cup will be of particular interest as it will
see the debut of a groundbreaking new Formula 4 car designed and built by KC
Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) specifically for the FIA Motorsport Games, making it the
first hybrid-powered single-seater outside of Formula 1. It will also be the
first F4 car to feature a Halo safety device, which is currently in use in
Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 and which was not due until the next
generation of F4 cars in 2021.
The Digital Cup competition will be played on Gran
Turismo Sport, the bestselling racing game on PlayStation 4 using the same
systems as developed by Polyphony Digital Inc. for the FIA-certified Gran
Turismo Championships.
A large stage will be set up with 12 racing rigs in
front of a large LED screen where a series of qualifying and knockout stages
will take place. The top 12 drivers will then advance to the Grand Final. The
competition will be held under the supervision of a real-life FIA Race Director
and Stewards.
Following last night's opening ceremony, both Allen
and Dempsey have a number of practice windows today. Saturday will see Allen
undertake qualifying and then a qualifying race before the F4 Final early on
Sunday afternoon. The Digital Cup will conclude on Saturday evening.
