A new era of the MotoGP™ eSport Championship is already underway as the second Online Challenge of the WINDTRE Rising Stars Series started on Thursday, as a host of new gaming talent attempts to qualify for the regional finals.
The technical, highly complex Assen circuit awaits any challengers, who must use 2019 rookie sensation Fabio Quartararo’s Petronas Yamaha SRT bike to set the fastest possible time at this historic venue.
It all begins with the run over the start-finish line and the fast approach to turn one. Downshift from fifth to second gear, turning in early and carrying plenty of corner speed through the inside apex. Then accelerate hard through turn two and back to fifth gear before turning in for the long turns three and four, to be taken as one. Try to cut off turn four for the short, sharp squirt into turn five (De Strubben), the first gear left-hand hairpin that leads onto the back straight.
From there feather the throttle slightly and drop back a gear for turn six, then ease your way through the fast turn seven left. Turn eight (Stekkenwal) should be taken in third gear, with braking done before the corner. Turn in early and accelerate all the way through. Drop down to second gear for turn nine before going back to first for the slow turn ten.
Then the test really starts! Gradually build speed and climb through the gears as you ease through turn eleven. Turn twelve (Meeuwenmeer) should be taken in fifth. Feather the throttle beforehand and use the inside apex to power through and get good drive toward the critical Hoge Heide. Drop back from sixth to fifth and drift out wide for turn 15 (Ramshoek) before cutting back to the inside apex. Drop back to first gear for the Geert Timmer Bocht chicane but keep your momentum all the way to the finish line.