Gran Turismo 7 to host the Olympic motorsport esports games

Surprisingly, the FIA decided which game will be used to compete in this year’s Olympic Games, officially called Olympic Esports Series 2023. Gran Turismo 7 is the game chosen for the competition. This is somewhat unexpected, considering that the FIA had chosen Assetto Corsa Competizione for its official competition this year.

On the other hand, there will be nine sports, including motor racing, in Olympic Esports Series 2023.

Esports Olympics open to the public

They have not yet received the “Olympic Games” title, although the International Olympic Committee is planning them. Nevertheless, it is the recognized video game competition at the Olympic Games.

Already in the year 2021, the Olympic Virtual Series took place. And two years later, the Olympic Esports Series 2023 will be held.

Sports included in Olympic Esports Series 2023

Among the nine sports, we have:

• Cycling
• Sailing
• Motorsports
• Archery
• Baseball
• Taekwondo
• Tennis
• Chess
• Dancing

Each of them was created with a specific video game in mind.

In the case of motor racing, Gran Turismo was used two years ago, and Gran Turismo 7 will be used this year.

Event open to the public

The best drivers in the game will meet through an online time trial that will be available on April 13. We have no further information about the format, although the Toyota GR010 seen in the publicity image would undoubtedly be one of the participating vehicles. So it would not be unusual for the competition to be based on vehicles from the Gr.1 hybrid series.

The event will be free and open to the public, and we will invite the best drivers to the Olympic Esports Week in Singapore. We anticipate that only the top from each country will receive an invitation for the 2021 edition.

Assetto Corsa Competizione was not the title of choice

The FIA selected the label that serves as the basis for the Olympic Esports Series 2023. Notably, the International Automobile Federation ceased to be part of the Gran Turismo Worlds Series. So the official competition ended up being Gran Turismo and went on to launch its official match under the Assetto Corsa Competizione platform.

The latter, a 2018 game now five years old, has established itself as a SIM Racing benchmark thanks to its status as one of the purists’ favorite games. This is thanks to its abundance of community mods and its position as a hub for automotive simulation enthusiasts.

Had it been chosen as the name for the 2023 Olympic Esports Series, it would have been nothing out of the ordinary. However, Gran Turismo 7 has been selected to host the eSports “Olympic Games”; even though the FIA considered Assetto Corsa Competizione the ideal venue for its competition this year. Economic and market interests are essential in selecting one game over another, depending on the circumstances.

Header: Olympic Esports Series 2023