Audi US Hosts 24-hour Online Endurance Race Through Twitch

This past weekend (June 18-19), Audi of America hosted the first 24-hour online endurance race on Forza MotorSport 6 using the social platform Twitch – the largest streaming site for online gaming, which garners over 100 million visitors per month.

While the Audi Sport teams battled for a 14th overall victory at the 24-hour endurance race being held in France, 12 teams of professional gamers and the finalists from the Audi 24 Hours of Le Forza Contest competed in a 24-hour virtual race at an Audi-hosted event in downtown San Francisco. Used as a simulator by professional drivers around the world, Forza MotorSport 6 allowed gamers to drive LMP1 vehicles that are near-replicas of the real racecars, on virtual tracks that also resemble their real-world counterparts.

To further pay tribute to the endurance race as it unfolded on the iconic French road course, gamers wore full racing suits and helmets, drove the same demanding shifts and experienced similar in-game weather as the conditions abroad.

Named “Audi 24 Hours of Le Forza,” the game was live-streamed through Twitch’s homepage and was refereed by distinguished gaming and motorsports authorities, including Audi Sportscar Brand Ambassador, Dion von Moltke. Not only did racing and gaming fans alike view the event via the live stream online, but they also interacted directly with the hosts and racing teams via the Twitch chat feature.

"I am thrilled to be a part of the first 24-hour online endurance race on Forza MotorSport 6,” said Dion von Moltke, Audi Sportscar Brand Ambassador. “Le Mans is the pinnacle event on Audi’s endurance racing calendar this year, and if I can’t be on the racetrack this weekend, this is the next best thing.”

The winning team of finalists from the Audi 24 Hours of Le Forza were awarded a grand prize trip to Sonoma, California, for the opportunity to participate in a real-world Audi sports car experience. The second place team was awarded a trip to Austin, Texas, in September for the 2016 Lone Star Le Mans race, and the third place team was awarded an Xbox One and a copy of the Forza MotorSport 6 game.

“Audi continues to lead in social media firsts, and as the first brand to bring the world of endurance racing to the massive gaming audience in the US, this is, once again, no exception,” said Loren Angelo, Director of Marketing, Audi of America. “By hosting the Audi24 Hours of Le Forza, we can engage more fans to follow Audi on the racetrack, both abroad and here at home, in a way they never have before, through the use of this exciting and innovative social platform, Twitch.”

The Audi 24 Hours of Le Forza was held at The Archery in San Francisco’s Mission District.