Mercedes Partners With FIA in Innovative Motorsport Gaming Initiative

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport gets involved with the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games, confirming itself as the official car partner for both Esports GT and Circuit events.

Danny Lowry, of Beech Island, S.C. enters turn 6 in his Mercedes AMG GT3 car during qualifying, Friday, July 7, 2023, at Elkhart Lake s Road America near Plymouth, Wis. / Gary C. Klein/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

The governing body for Formula 1, the FIA, has shared its enthusiasm over Mercedes-AMG Motorsport's engagement with the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games. This excitement follows the German manufacturer's announcement that it will serve as the official car partner for both the Esports GT and circuit events.

Through this partnership, the legendary Mercedes-AMG GT3 will be utilized exclusively in the highly anticipated Esports GT competition, ensuring a fair and competitive environment for the 57 participants vying for the gold medal.

The collaboration between Mercedes-AMG and the FIA signifies a pivotal moment in motorsport and Esports. For the first time, competitors in the Esports GT series will race with the virtual rendition of the Mercedes-AMG GT3, renowned as one of the most accomplished vehicles in GT3 racing history.

The FIA revealed that this month's FIA Motorsport Games will feature the Assetto Corsa Competizione virtual version of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 as the sole vehicle for competition. Each participating nation in the Esports GT event will utilize the same model.

The Esports competition, which features a second category for Esports F4, will take place at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. This iconic location will also host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games.

The FIA announced the developments on its official website. Welcoming Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, Stéphane Ratel, founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group, said:

"We are thrilled to welcome Mercedes-AMG Motorsport as an official partner for the FIA Motorsport Games. Having each of our Esports GT competitors driving the same virtual version of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 provides a perfectly level playing field.

"The Mercedes-AMG GT3 has an amazing record in real-world GT3 competition across the globe, and the 2024 edition of the Games won't be the first time that this car has been used to win gold – countries using the Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished 1-2-3 on track at Circuit Paul Ricard in the GT gold medal race at the 2022 Games."

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport revealed plans to provide the safety and medical cars for all circuit events, featuring the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series and the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+, both of which are well-known within the Formula 1 community.

Acknowledging the partnership, the head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, Christoph Sagemüller, said:

"It is a great occasion for us to support this year's FIA Motorsport Games on a wider base. This one of its kind and global event of the FIA, bringing together the real and virtual racing world with participants from all over the world, is a remarkable initiative. Seeing the best Esports drivers to compete against each other, all with our successful Mercedes-AMG GT3, will be very special. This partnership underlines once more our ambition to attract everyone's attention and create passion for the sport we all love most: Racing."