26. 5. 2023
26 May 2023
The third edition of the Alpine Esports Series has come to a thrilling end, with Dennis Schöniger taking home the series championship title after an intense battle which saw 35 of the best esports drivers battle it out on track. Tinko Van Der Velde and James Baldwin were hot on the heels of first place but ultimately had to settle for second and third spot on the podium respectively.
The Alpine Esports Series Championship was powered by the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, Binance, who gave away a prize pool of $60,000 in Alpine Fan Tokens, the fourth most valuable fan token per market cap, and another $40,000 for viewers.
The qualifiers took place over two weeks and saw 2,288 drivers compete for a spot in the series which saw only 35 drivers go through. Round One took place at the Circuit Paul Ricard which Dennis Schöniger dominated with wins in both the Sprint and Main Race after previously securing the fastest lap in qualifiers. Aside from qualifying for the series, he was also gifted $1,500 in Binance fan tokens for his lap time of 1:50.940.
Vojtech Fiala finished the first round in second place with 21 points, and 2022’s series champion, James Baldwin, finished in a close third with 20 points.
Round Two saw the top 35 drivers battle it out on the iconic Silverstone circuit, which saw Tinko Van Der Velde put in a stunning drive to jump from fourth to second in the standings after a strong result in the Sprint Race and a win in the Main Race. Dennis Shöniger’s consistency was enough to hold on to his lead in the championship, while James Baldwin’s win in the Sprint Race wasn’t enough to stop him from falling back to a joint third in the championship alongside Dominik Blajer.
Round Three, held at the Valencia Ricardo Tormo Circuit, a first for the Alpine Esports Series and the latest track available on Assetto Corsa Competizione, witnessed a crescendo of tension as the top drivers vied for the championship title. James Baldwin took his second sprint pole of the series and never looked back in the sprint race, but it would be Schöniger who extended his lead over second-placed Van Der Velde. In the Sprint Race, Schöniger followed Baldwin closely for first place, even bagging the fastest lap of the race, but it was the Briton who took the top step on the podium in his second sprint race victory of the series. Towards the end, Fiala joined in the battle for the lead after having caught up with the leaders but ultimately ran out of time to change the result of the race.
With tyre wear playing a critical role in drivers’ strategies in the Main Race, the second half of the race was seemingly easy for Schöniger as he pulled out a comfortable three-second gap over Baldwin by the chequered flag after managing his tyres and car like a true champion.
Throughout the series, there were several highlights that added to the excitement and drama. In Round One at Circuit Paul Ricard, Dennis Schöniger showcased their dominance by executing a flawless event by taking pole position and winning both races without much of a challenge from his peers. Meanwhile, in Round Two at Silverstone, Schöniger, Blajer, Van der Velde, and Fiala engaged in a breathtaking battle for supremacy, pushing the limits of their skills and leaving the audience on the edge of their seats. In the final round, however, it would be Schöniger’s consistency and raw speed that would see him be crowned champion with a 25-point gap.
The total prize pool for the competition was as follows:
• 1st (Champion of the Alpine Esports Series): $25,000 worth of Alpine Fan Tokens, $3,000 worth of $QANX tokens, and an Alpine A110 GT4 driving and coaching experience
• 2nd Place: $15,000 Alpine Fan Tokens and a Trak Racer Alpine Racing TRX Sim Rig
• 3rd Place: $8,000 Alpine Fan Tokens and an ADEPT gaming chair
• 4th Place: $4,000 Alpine Fan Tokens and a Tobii Eye Tracker 5
• 5th Place: $2,250 Alpine Fan Tokens and an Alpine Esports Merch Bundle
• 6th Place: $1,250 Alpine Fan Tokens and an Alpine Esports Jersey
• 7th Place: $700 Alpine Fan Tokens
• 8th Place: $500 Alpine Fan Tokens
• 9th Place: $200 Alpine Fan Tokens
• 10th Place: $100 Alpine Fan Tokens
Final Classifications:
1. Dennis Schöniger - 91 points
2. Tinko Van Der Velde - 66 points
3. James Baldwin - 63 points
4. Vojtech Fiala - 51 points
5. Dominik Blajer - 39 points
6. Marko Pejic - 26 points
7. Luke Whitehead - 24 points
8. Lukas Mateja - 15 points
9. Maciej Malinowski - 14 points
10. Mateusz Tyszkiewicz - 11 points
Round 1:
1. Dennis Schöniger - 35 points
2. Vojtech Fiala - 21 points
3. James Baldwin - 20 points
4. Tinko Van Der Velde - 19 points
5. Dominik Blajer - 15 points
Round 2:
1. Tinko Van Der Velde - 31 points
2. Dennis Schöniger - 23 points
3. Dominik Blajer - 23 points
4. James Baldwin - 18 points
5. Vojtech Fiala - 14 points
Round 3:
1. Dennis Schöniger - 33 points
2. Tinko Van Der Velde - 16 points
3. James Baldwin - 25 points
4. Vojtech Fiala - 16 points
5. Dominik Blajer - 1 points
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