From karting to cars: Raffaele Marciello and Mercedes-AMG GT3 continues to shine virtually

Many professional racing drivers who are normally racing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 all over the world are currently discovering the world of simulation racing (sim racing). In order to find every tenth of a second at the virtual race tracks, they are investing in training, equipment and set-up. Being the genuine racers that they are, they are also aiming at top results in this new form of competition, and quite successfully so, as Raffaele Marciello proves. In the debut of the SRO E-Sport GT Series at the end of April, the Italian, who debuted in karting in 2005 and raced in various European championships, working his way up from the junior ranks to progress through to the KF2 category by 2010, scored his maiden podium finish as he was classified third with his Mercedes-AMG GT3. In the process, the 2019 Macau champion is using high-tech equipment with top quality competition seat, steering wheel and pedals as well as a gaming PC with three monitors for a perfect view. Professional Dirk Müller is another one to have given his sim set-up a considerable upgrade, even though he still had to miss out on a top result in his first race with new hardware and components, the fourth round of the Digital Nürburgring Endurance Series powered by VCO (DNLS). Still, there were four Mercedes-AMG GT3s in the top ten at the end of the 3-hour race at the virtual Nürburgring-Nordschleife. 

Eventually, details are often decisive when it comes to who ends up on the top step of the podium, finishes in the top ten or claims pole position. It isn’t a rare thing for races to be decided on the final lap or even in the final corner – both in real-world motorsport and at sim racing tracks. Raffaele Marciello proved as much in the first round of the SRO E-Sports GT Series. At the virtual Silverstone Circuit, an overtaking manoeuvre just before the end of the race still enabled the Italian to secure third place in the Pro Series, in which real-world racing professionals are taking on the virtual challenge. For the winner of last year’s FIA GT World Cup, being able to step on the podium also was a reward for the many hours of training that he had put in on his gaming rig at home.

Just like Marciello, many professional racing drivers who are normally racing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 are currently increasingly shifting their focus to sim racing where they are up against, among others, the professionals from the esports world. Like, for instance, in the Digital Nürburgring Endurance Series powered by VCO, in which both race drivers and esports professionals are part of the field. Like in its real-world counterpart, drivers are competing in the respective classes of their cars. Accordingly, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is participating in the SP9 class in which it again put in a strong performance in the fourth round of the virtual Nordschleife series: four teams with the GT3 from Affalterbach finished in the top ten. Also having led the race for a long time, HTP WINWARD Motorsport secured fifth place with racing professionals Philip Ellis and Marvin Dienst partnered by sim racer Aleksi Elomaa and is currently third in the points’ standings of the digital series. At the moment, Team Heusinkveld is second in the standings after finishing sixth in the fourth round with its Mercedes-AMG GT3, right behind its fellow Mercedes-AMG GT3 team. The further esports teams Schnitzelalm Racing (7^th place) and RacingFuel Academy & Friends (10^th place) rounded out the good result with the Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Raffaele Marciello: “Of course, I have been busy with sim racing a lot more in the past days and weeks and practiced significantly more than before. Accordingly, I was well prepared for the first round of the SRO E-Sport GT Series. I really enjoyed competing with the other professional racing drivers. I am very happy with my podium finish in the first race, but I worked hard to achieve it and, at the start of the E-Sport Series season, it gets me into a good position for the upcoming championship rounds. Personally, I am coping slightly better with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in Assetto Corsa Competizione, the game used in the SRO E-Sport Series, than in the DNLS. But at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, we also were in with a really good chance of a top result with the GetSpeed team last weekend until we ended up upside down after innocently having become involved in a collision prior to the main straight and were sliding towards the pit lane entry on the roof. Thankfully, such an accident isn’t as bad in a simulation race and in hindsight, one can even laugh about it, even though it is annoying during the race as we are always fully motivated and want to be in contention for victory. Generally, I am enjoying sim racing a lot these days and there is another advantage to it, too: rather than with the engineers at the race track, I can talk about the race here with my girlfriend at home.”