Karlsruher SC is entering the VBL with its own eSports team for the coming season. However, with a different name, taking the “traditional sport on grass” from Quartararo narrowly misses Friday’s best time with new Yamaha chassis
Fabio Quartararo is happy with the M1’s new chassis and holds out the prospect of slipstreaming as an exception for Aragon qualifying
While the fastest time of the day on the MotoGP practice day for the 2022 Aragon Grand Prix at MotorLand Aragon (Spain) went to Pramac-Ducati rider Jorge Martin, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) missed it by just 0.074 seconds
On his personal fastest lap, Quartararo had “a mistake in it”, as he says. Without it, he would probably have led the combined practice result from FT1 and FT2. But even so, the Yamaha factory rider is satisfied. The new chassis of the M1, which was used for the first time a fortnight ago at the Misano test, has now also proven itself in the MotorLand Aragon.
Quartararo speaks of a good feeling, but does not want to overestimate the new development. He reports on the afternoon practice session with the words: “To be honest, the new chassis is very similar [to the previous one]. The fact that I was faster with it was also because I started my run with the new chassis directly with a fresh tyre. Then I just tried to do as many laps as possible. All in all, it didn’t go too badly. “
Quartararo wants to continue with new chassis
Will the MotoGP championship leader continue with the new chassis on Saturday and Sunday, or go back to the old one after all? “We still have to discuss that, but I guess we will continue with the new one. Nothing really stands out positively here, but there are no negative aspects either. So I assume we will continue with it,” Quartararo said.
In the morning practice on Friday, when the asphalt temperature was 15 degrees Celsius lower than in the afternoon practice, Quartararo (P8) had still struggled: “I don’t know what was going on, but I had big problems in the morning to get the tyres up to temperature. There was something wrong with our bike.”
“In the afternoon it went much better. I was much more consistent and I’m happy with my pace, although we can still improve a little bit here and there,” said the Yamaha star, for whom the Aragon circuit has not exactly been his paradise track in previous years.
Exceptional slipstream in qualifying?
For Saturday’s qualifying, Quartararo announced: “Normally I am someone who prefers to ride alone. I don’t usually follow another rider. Tomorrow, though, maybe I will follow someone.”
One rider in particular Quartararo has in mind when thinking about slipstreaming is his teammate Franco Morbidelli. “Hopefully Franco will manage to qualify directly for Q2 tomorrow. Then hopefully we can come up with a strategy together,” says the world championship leader. Morbidelli finished P14 in the combined results of the two Friday practice sessions.
virtual separates.
The DFL had anchored the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) in its statutes in May. In order to further professionalise it, licensing requirements were decided for the 2023/24 season, which include participation in the “eFootball competition of the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga” for all Bundesliga clubs.
However, the field of participants has already grown to 29 of 36 Bundesliga clubs for the upcoming VBL season. In addition to VfB Stuttgart, who are returning this season, Karlsruher SC have now officially announced their own eSports team.
The topic of eSports had to be put on the back burner for a long time
“As a modern club, the topic of eSports has been on our minds for years,” said KSC managing director Michael Becker: “For a long time, however, we unfortunately had to put it on the back burner due to the numerous other projects in our change process.”
However, the topic “never let go of the club, as it offers a lot of exciting and new opportunities strategically.” The target group, with an average age of 24, is very interesting for “many companies in the technology region of Karlsruhe.”
The eSports team is to be deliberately separated from the “traditional sport on the pitch” without “losing the connection”: “The KSC eSports team will thus appear in future with an independent brand under the large KSC umbrella,” the official announcement says. The Baden-based team will compete in the VBL under the name PHIRONIX eSports.
Found native of Karlsruhe as project manager
KSC has also found a project manager in the form of former 1. FC Nürnberg team captain Kevin Reiser – who is also a “native of Karlsruhe”.
“I am immensely pleased to be able to accompany this topic at my heart’s club as project manager. Through my previous experience in the VBL, I am aware of what is important in the league. Our anticipation is extremely high and, if I had my way, the league could start tomorrow,” said Reiser.
Meanwhile, KSC has not yet announced the PHIRONIX eSports squad. This is to be presented “in the next few weeks”. “Interesting news for all those interested in eSports”, as the statement continues, should be available in the next few days.
