Breaking news
Esports
BTCC champion Sutton to race in Aussie eSport Cup
Former BTCC champion Ash Sutton will compete in the ARG eSport Cup this year, starting with this week’s season opener at Bathurst.
Rachit Thukral
Edited: Apr 1, 2020, 5:24 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The 26-year-old was due to embark on his fifth successive campaign in the BTCC this year, having left Team BMR for Lasers Tool Racing, but the global coronavirus pandemic has delayed the start of the season until at least June 30.
Sutton will use the time away from racing to take part in ARG’s new esports series, which has been established for drivers from its TCR Australia, S5000 other classes.
Although Sutton is primarily accustomed to BTCC-spec touring cars, he also has experience of the TCR series through a number of cameo outings in TCR Europe, with his most recent appearance coming at last year’s Spa event.
“I think all drivers and teams are in the same situation at the moment with motorsport put on hold,” he said.
“It is tough to see teams suffering, just like so many other industries but for me personally not having the need to travel means that I can be close to my family right now.
“With no racing or in some cases no testing allowed the motorsport world has become focussed on sim racing to keep seat time up. I’m excited to have this opportunity to race for Panta Fuel and The MOL group in the ARG eSport Cup.
“Over the last couple of years I’ve driven in the TCR Europe Championship and the British Touring Car Championship so I know most of the names I’ll be on the grid with. Some of these guys are at international level in TCR cars and open wheelers so I imagine them to be just as good in the sim."
Aussie Matt Simmons, who won the GT Academy in 2015 and spent two years as a factory Nissan GT driver, will also take part in the ARG eSport Cup.
He'll be the only pro gamer in the field, Simmons given special dispensation given he's competed in the real-world TCR Australia series, and that his gaming prowess has been through the Gran Turismo platform rather than iRacing.
The 10-round season will run on a number of tracks around the world, with Mount Panorama the venue of choice for the season opener.
The series will feature races for Audi TCR cars and Formula 3 cars, with all events to be livestreamed around the world.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Waters pokes fun at Supercars controversies
Next article Motorsport Australia reduces staff hours, pay
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Rachit Thukral
Why aerodynamics will become "even more important" under 2027 MotoGP regulations
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
9 h
Why aerodynamics will become "even more important" under 2027 MotoGP regulations
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
WEC
WEC
Monza
10 h
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
More from
Ashley Sutton
BTCC Knockhill: Sutton takes first Ford win after close Hill fight
BTCC
BTCC
Knockhill
Jul 31, 2022
BTCC Knockhill: Sutton takes first Ford win after close Hill fight
Sutton's Ford quickest in final BTCC pre-season test
BTCC
BTCC Apr 13, 2022
Sutton's Ford quickest in final BTCC pre-season test
Brands Hatch BTCC: Sutton crowned champion as Cook wins again
BTCC
BTCC
Brands Hatch II
Oct 24, 2021
Brands Hatch BTCC: Sutton crowned champion as Cook wins again
Latest news
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
2 h
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
2 h
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 7 h
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe