Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Contender Series begins September 21st
September 20th, 2024 by Justin Melillo
Following the conclusion of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Qualifying Series, the next rung on the pro Sports Car series’ ladder is the Contender Series, and the field is set for six-straight weeks of competition to determine who advances into next year’s top-level series.
Per the rulebook, the top-15 drivers in the Qualifying Series points were awarded a chance to be qualified into the Contender round. Those up-and-coming drivers will face off against the relegated bottom-15 drivers from 2024’s Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup season. Up to five more spots are awarded by Porsche to make a maximum field of 35 drivers for the Contender competition.
After six races in the Qualifying Series, Tristan Iglesias scored enough points to be crowned the Qualifying Series champion. Iglesias outmatched Elvis Rankin by a mere 13 points, both picking up a win throughout the season as well.
Final 2024 Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Qualifying Series points:
- Tristan Iglesias 1847
- Elvis Rankin -13
- Joshua K Rogers -35
- Xander Reed -63
- Mitchell deJong -108
2024 Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Contender Series roster
After consideration of possible qualified drivers, 34 drivers will make up the 2024 Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Contender Series roster.
In total, 30 drivers are entered by virtue of the results of the Supercup earlier this year, with 11 relegated drivers from the top-level Supercup Series attempting to earn their license back. That leaves 19 spots open for drivers to advance up from the results of the Qualifying Series. Four more drivers have been awarded spots in the field by Porsche as well.
This year’s Contender ranks will see the return of a couple of familiar names looking to return the top-level series. After a few years off, two-time series champion Joshua Rogers, along with multi-time winners Mitchell deJong and Dayne Warren, will aim to rejoin the fight for the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup title once again. They’re bringing with a ton of other setup teammates, including both Tristan Iglesias and Elvis Rankin, the top-two from the Qualifying points, through and into the Contender conversation.
They’ll have to go up against some of the talent in the Supercup ranks that missed out on staying above the relegation line earlier this season. Drivers such as Lasse Bak, Michael Janney, Oscar Py and last year’s runner-up in the Contender points, Quentiin Vialatte, will be among the drivers aiming to reclaim their license in the top-level series.
Advanced via Qualifying Series:
- 2 – Florian A Lebigre
- 9 – Elliott Vayron
- 12 – Beckham Jacir
- 16 – Tristan Iglesias
- 17 – Luis Beilicke
- 28 – Carlos Fenollosa
- 44 – Aaron Vazquezz
- 48 – Mitchell deJong
- 57 – Dayne Warren
- 68 – Pascal Costa
- 71 – Nicolas Mateo
- 76 – Roger Fjeldstad Kristiansen
- 77 – Xander Reed
- 78 – Raphael Silva
- 83 – Bobby Zalenski
- 89 – Leo Gariboli
- 91 – Elvis Rankin
- 92 – Joshua K Rogers
- 95 – Daniel Pásztor
Relegated from 2024 Supercup:
- 5 – Simone Maria Marcenò
- 11 – Matti Sipilä
- 13 – Dino Lombardi
- 23 – Michael Janney
- 24 – Lasse Bak
- 29 – Jakub Maciejewski
- 46 – Bryn Collins
- 54 – Oscar Py
- 69 – Moreno Sirica
- 81 – Quentiin Vialatte
- 93 – Julien Soenen
Porsche-Invited Drivers:
- 6 – Andrew Caron
- 8 – Daniel Savini
- 26 – Chunye Zhan
- 88 – William Chadwick
The six race Contender program begins on Saturday, September 21st, and runs weekly through the final Saturday in October. Races will begin at 18:45 GMT, and will feature the Sprint and Main race format seen in the top-level competition. Points will be awarded in qualifying, in the Sprint race, and at the end of the Main, with an invert of the top-eight positions of the results of the Sprint race before the Main. These races will be broadcasted live on all of iRacing’s social media channels. The top-15 drivers at the end of the series will earn a chance to be invited to the 2025 Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Series roster.
The 2024 Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Contender Series schedule is as follows:
- Sept 21, 2024 | Algarve International Circuit – Grand Prix | 8 laps (Sprint) /16 laps (Main)
- Sept 28, 2024 | Okayama International Circuit – Full Course | 10 laps (Sprint) /20 laps (Main)
- Oct 5, 2024 | WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca | 10 laps (Sprint) /20 laps (Main)
- Oct 12, 2024 | Circuit Zolder – Grand Prix | 9 laps (Sprint) /18 laps (Main)
- Oct 19, 2024 | Sachsenring | 10 laps (Sprint) /20 laps (Main)
- Oct 26, 2024 | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | 5 laps (Sprint) /10 laps (Main)
For more information on the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup, visit www.iracing.com/pesc. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.