Formula E is launching a new ghost racing game that will let users compete against drivers as they race around the track in real time.
The mobile game, produced in conjunction with the league’s virtual reality provider Virtually Live, uses telemetry data coming off the cars and CGI renditions of the racers to mirror what’s happening on the track.
“We have the track layout done months in advance, and that’s completely reproduced in the game, whether it’s New York, Zurich, Hong Kong,” said Ali Russell, Formula E’s media and business development director, according to the DailyMail. “As a fan, you’ll be a ghosted car and you’ll effectively be the 21st car on the track.”
The ghosted cars won’t face consequences if they accidentally ram into the wall or another car, though Formula E says it plans to add features over time that will make the racing experience more realistic.
Users will also be able to download the track the day of the race to do test runs at the same time as the actual Formula E drivers. The game is expected to be released in 2019.
SportTechie Takeaway
Formula E has rocketed in popularity over the past few years, particularly among younger fans. One component of its success has been engaging users through gamification and social media.
The all-electric racing series, for example, has encouraged fans to vote on which drivers will get a five-second “speed burst,” which is an actual physical advantage that temporarily increases the vehicle’s horsepower. The league also offers virtual reality races, such as an experience at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Switzerland that lets people try to beat Renault eDams driver Sébastien Buemi’s fastest lap time from last season’s FIA Formula E Paris ePrix.
Alejandro Agag, the league’s founder, said gamification has always been a part of the league’s plan.
“I remember before we launched the first-ever season of Formula E, we said fans no longer just want to watch or follow a sport—they want to participate in it too,” he said, according to the Daily Mail.