Competition Rules

OVERVIEW

Le Mans Ultimate is a motorsport racing simulation platform that features a variety of different competitions and events. The Online Competition Guidelines should inform, explain and clarify to the end user the general principles of all the different competitions and how they are managed.

These Online Competition Guidelines can be occasionally updated, but the latest version will always be uploaded and available through the RaceControl.GG website.

Motorsport Games & Le Mans Ultimate act as the sole organising and sporting governing body for all official or sanctioned events run using the Le Mans Ultimate platform.

COMPETITIONS

Within Le Mans Ultimate Online Competitions there are three core pillars and type of events which users have varying degrees of eligibility, frequency of events, entry procedures and experience. All of them are regulated by the Competition Guidelines included in this document.

• Daily Races

  Daily races are featured in Le Mans Ultimate to provide a competitive multiplayer experience to the end users through regularly scheduled events. These take place on daily basis, and everyone can join them by owning Le Mans Ultimate and the specific content required to participate in the competition.

• Weekly and Special Events

  More sporadic than Daily races, these events will run occasionally and be a different challenge to Daily Races. These events are regulated by the Code of Conduct included in this document but may have supplementary regulations for specific competitions.

• Online Championships

  Available to players with a RaceControl subscription, these events consist of a number of races to make up a Championship and run for 6 weeks before updating. Players earn points for each race towards their Championship standings. These events will be used as qualifying events for future competitions e.g. Le Mans Virtual.

1. GENERAL RULES
   1. Participants must use their first name and last name in the game to participate in any online race events. Names should not include: any symbols, nicknames, short-hand, abbreviations, clantags, team names, or third-party names.
   2. Participants must have a stable internet connection. This means they must maintain a ping no higher than 150ms (as viewed on the race server).
   3. WIFI and GSM/3G/4G connections are known to cause extremely high ping and lag – do not use these types of connections.
   4. It is solely the participant responsibility to check the performance of his/her equipment. Therefore, subsequent equipment performance issues happening briefly before the competition will be considered unfortunate.
   5. Participants are expected to have familiarity with the regulations of the competition, as well as the specific and relevant features and rules of the platform used.
2. TRACK LIMITS
   1. Track limits are determined by the in-game cut detection system. Warnings will be given when track limits are abused, and subsequently penalties will be applied.
   2. For each race, drivers will have track limits points allocated before they receive an in-game penalty – this will be displayed on the registration page for the event.
   3. Once the participant serves the penalty the penalty points count will be reset to 0.
3. PIT LANE
   1. Collisions are active in the pit lane. Participants must drive safely avoiding causing collisions.
   2. Participants must enter and exit the pit lane & pit box at a safe speed relative to other cars in or near the pits.
   3. Pit entry/exit lanes are considered part of the racing surface for the cars on track. Participants joining/exiting the pit lane must stay within pit entry/exit lane lines with all four wheels and are not allowed to cross over.
   4. Participants entering and exiting the pits must not touch or drive on the blend lines.
   5. Participants in pit lane must always adhere to pit lane speed limit in all sessions.
   6. Participants must remain in the pit road ‘fast lane’ until they are close to approaching their pit stall. Participants are expected to safely leave the ‘fast lane’ road to enter their stall.
   7. Participants must carefully re-join the pit lane road when leaving their stall, and only when it is safe to do so.
   8. Participants are not allowed to pass between pitting cars and the garages.
4. FLAG RULES
   1. The green flag is usually displayed by the starter to indicate the start of a race. During a race, it is displayed at the end of a caution period.
   2. The chequered flag indicates the end of a race.
   3. Yellow flags are enforced, and Participants must respect the “No passing when under yellow” rule. Participants must be cautious and prepare for slowing down to avoid any incident ahead. Yellow flags are indicated by the game to the player on the game HUD.
   4. While the yellow flag is displayed, participants are permitted to overtake other vehicles only if they are moving very slowly, they are heavily damaged or stationary.
   5. Blue flags are advisory, slow/lapped Participants can stay on their line but must facilitate the lapping car by lifting to make sure they reduce the time lost to the faster car. Blue flag rules may be enforced more strictly in shorter races, where time loss may be more crucial to the faster cars.
   6. A blue-flagged Participant is not allowed to defend their track position against the lapping car and he/she should stay on his/her line.
   7. Participants about to be lapped must behave in a predictable way without sudden changes of direction.
   8. The lapping car may use the flashing lights to indicate intention to pass or indicate the passing move.
   9. Lapped participants are allowed to unlap themselves as long as they can pull away after passing the participant that has a lap advantage.
   10. The black flag indicates that a participant has been disqualified from the competition and it will result in a DQ at the end of the session.
5. ON-TRACK BEHAVIOUR
   1. The Participant in front has the right to choose any line at any section of the track. The Participant in front loses this right when an overtaking Participant brings their front wheel to line up with the other Participant’s rear wheel. At this point Participants are in a “side-by-side” or “overlap” position, and they both must give each other enough racing room.
   2. Altering the racing line (weaving) more than twice to prevent a following car from drafting is considered blocking and is prohibited.
   3. Defending is allowed and accepted as a reaction by the Participant in front. It is not allowed to defend if there is any overlap between cars.
   4. While participants are in a side-by-side position, changing lines in braking zones is not permitted.
   5. Both the passing Participant and the Participant in front are responsible for fair racing during the pass. It is the passing Participant’s responsibility to choose a safe timing for the pass.
   6. Dive-bombing without establishing sufficient overlap before the turn-in point should be avoided and may be subject to a penalty. If the attempting Participant gets out of control and causes contact, or time loss to another Participant, the penalties applied may be harsher than normal.
   7. Brake checking, punting, bump-passing, moving under braking, whether there is contact or not, are not permitted and will be subject to penalty.
   8. Competitors are not allowed to deliberately bump draft any competitor.
   9. Deliberately conceding slipstream to give an advantage to other competitors is strictly prohibited during all sessions.
   10. Before entering a braking zone, Participants should be committed to their line for the corner and should not deviate from that line while defending against another car.
   11. Out-of-control or spinning Participants should hold their brakes to make it easier for other Participants to predict their movements. After a spin, the Participant must keep the brakes pressed to make sure the car does not roll forward or backward in order to not create an unpredictable situation for cars passing by. Rolling back to or unsafely re-entering the track and causing additional incidents may be subject to severe penalties, whether or not the offending car was the source of the initial incident.
   12. Participants who go off track limits, if they can keep their cars under control, should slow down or wait for traffic to clear and re-join in a safe manner.
   13. Flashing of lights is permitted to alert the Participant ahead you are about to pass, or Participant ahead will give way to help the pass. It cannot be more than three (3) repeat flashes.
6. PENALTIES
   1. Penalties can be received either in-race from the game’s automated “cut track” system or after the race in the reports review process.
   2. In game penalties are displayed in the player HUD (middle right screen & MFD).
   3. Penalties received via reports review may affect Participant Safety Rating.
   4. Track limits infringements are applied automatically by the game. If the game deems the cut to be too excessive, it will overrule the standard penalty and will automatically apply a Stop-and-Go or a Drive-Through.
   5. Disqualification is applied automatically by the game to Participants who failed to serve their penalties in time.
   6. If participants repeatedly act unsportsmanlike, the organiser reserves the right to decrease their Safety Rating, ban or suspend them for a limited amount of time or even permanently.
7. REPORTS & PROTESTS / DAILY RACES & SPECIAL EVENTS
   1. Reports against other players can be made after the race. This is done by selecting the dots next to the players name in the results.
   2. A driver can be reported for “unsportsmanlike behaviour” or “griefing”.
   3. This feature is not intended for reporting regular on-track incidents, but mainly for the following:
      1. Crashing other drivers on purpose, even after the race has ended.
      2. Unsafe rejoin that causes multiple collisions.
      3. Griefing or directing insults in chat.
   4. Abusing the Report system may find the user being suspended or banned from online services.
   5. The parties involved will receive an automated email once the report has been reviewed and any action taken.
8. CHAT
   1. Participants are allowed to use in-car text chat during Practice, Warm-up, post-Qualifying, and post-Race.
   2. Chatting on the servers is also regulated by the Code of Conduct available below.
9. HOSTED SERVERS
   1. Players are able to host their own servers and create individual events for themselves, friends and community through RaceControl.gg.
   2. These servers can be used to create one off races, leagues or competitions.
   3. Hosted Server events are not ‘official’ and competing in them will not affect your Safety or Driver Rating.
   4. These Competition Guidelines do not apply to Hosted Servers – it is the responsibility of the server host to moderate, implement any protest system and apply any penalties.
   5. Please visit RaceControl.gg for specific Hosted Server terms of use
10. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
    1. These terms and conditions relate to those who participate (Participants) in the Le Mans Ultimate online gameplay, as it is provided by Studio 397 BV, Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries.
    2. Eligibility: The Le Mans Ultimate online is open to Participants who fulfil the entry criteria described below.
       1. To enter this Le Mans Ultimate online, Participants must use their full name and maybe have further requirements for specific competitions that they will be prompted to accept.
       2. By entering the Le Mans Ultimate online each Participant confirms that they meet the entry requirements mentioned below.
       3. Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries reserve the right to verify the eligibility of Participants at any time (e.g. by requesting copies of Participants' passports, driving licenses, visas where applicable). Failure to comply with any verification procedures will result in disqualification from the Le Mans Ultimate online.
       4. In the event of any dispute concerning the eligibility of any Participant to participate in the Le Mans Ultimate online, Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries decision shall be final.
    3. Every Participant must accept and abide by the Code of Conduct, which is available below
    4. No applications from agents, third parties, organised groups or applications automatically generated by a computer will be accepted. No incomplete, illegible or corrupted entries will be accepted. Entries not in accordance with these Terms and Conditions, or any entry instructions will not be accepted.
    5. Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries are not responsible, nor liable for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft, destruction, alteration of or unauthorised access to entries, or entries lost, damaged or delayed as a result of server functions, technical issues, virus, bugs or other causes outside of Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries reasonable control.
    6. Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries reserve the right to disqualify any Participant if:
       1. it has reasonable grounds to believe the Participant has not fulfilled all the relevant entry criteria;
       2. has supplied untruthful, inaccurate or misleading personal details and/or information;
       3. is in breach of these Terms and Conditions, the EULA or the code of conduct;
       4. has failed to abide by any reasonable instructions given by Motorsport Games Inc, its subsidiaries or their representatives within the Le Mans Ultimate online;
       5. has failed to compete in the spirit of fair play;
       6. The Participants' details (name and country) will be made available on Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries website(s).
    7. By participating in the competition, the Participants consent to the disclosure of such personal data on such website(s).
    8. Participants shall co-operate with any reasonable publicity arising from this Le Mans Ultimate online, i.e. posts on social media and websites.
    9. Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries (or any third party nominated by Motorsport Games Inc.) may exercise its sole discretion to use Participants' name and image(s), replays and their comments relating to the Le Mans Ultimate online for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes in connection with the Le Mans Ultimate online in any media worldwide without notice and free of charge.
    10. These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by Dutch law and the courts of The Netherlands shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising from running the Le Mans Ultimate online.
    11. Data Protection: Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries may use collected personal data for several purposes. These are: matchmaking, cheat checking, promotional activities and any incidental other purposes.
    12. Any information (including data and images) related to an Participant (Personal Data), that is collected or processed by Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries at the beginning and during the course of the Le Mans Ultimate online will be held and used by Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries, and their suppliers and contractors to administer the Le Mans Ultimate online in accordance with Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries Privacy Policy (https://motorsportgames.com/privacy-policy/).
    13. Aggregated and anonymized personal data may also be used by Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries for the purpose of undertaking market research or in facilitating reviews, developments and improvements to relevant services.
    14. By entering the Le Mans Ultimate online, all Participants will have consented to the transfer of their Personal Data to Motorsport Games Inc, its subsidiaries and their agents for the purposes of the administration of this Le Mans Ultimate online. Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries shall be the data controller of all Personal Data collected by Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries during the Le Mans Ultimate online, for the purposes of data protection regulations, including the GDPR.
    15. Motorsport Games Inc. and its subsidiaries confirms that all Personal Data requested from a Participant is necessary for the purposes of that Participant participating in the Le Mans Ultimate Online. Participants shall be entitled to access, rectify, complete, update, block or delete their Personal Data or to object to its processing by completing a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) form on the Motorsport Games website. https://app.termly.io/notify/f80da7c5-3b23-41a1-af0c-abb631d54209
    16. Personal data maybe sent to servers in other countries outside the European Union.
11. CONDUCT
    1. All participants are responsible for their actions both on and off track and shall comply with the rules pointed out in this document.
    2. All participants must comply with any additional rule shared by the organiser before any competition.
    3. All participants are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the organisers (and any of its affiliates), press, attendees, and other participants and always comply with all applicable law and regulation.
    4. Participants shall not engage in conduct which the organisers deem to be harmful to the business, reputation or relationships of an individual or of their partners.
    5. No forms of cheating, gameplay, gamesmanship or gaining an unfair advantage in any way will be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to:
       1. Hardware modification - Any modification made to a piece of hardware allowing it to function in a way the manufacturer did not intend. This includes adding or inserting anything not originally on the hardware configured by the organisers.
       2. Hacking - Any modification made to the game or other software by any person other than by way of standard software patches or updates.
       3. Exploiting game glitches - Intentionally using any in-game bug to seek an advantage. Exploiting is defined as utilising any game function that, in the sole determination of the organisers, is not functioning as intended.
       4. Impersonation (including playing under another participant’s account) - to be understood as playing under another participant’s account or soliciting, inducing, encouraging or directing someone else to play under another participant’s account.
       5. Collusion - Any agreement among two (2) or more participants and/or other persons to affect any competition or race and/or opposing participants.
       6. Any other behaviour as determined to be cheating, gameplay, gamesmanship or gaining an unfair advantage in any way.
    6. Participants are responsible for notifying the organisers at the earliest opportunity of any form of cheating, gameplay, gamesmanship or gaining an unfair advantage by any other Participant that they know of.
    7. Participants must notify the organisers of any unfair exploits that they become aware of. Any Participant who is deemed, in the sole determination of the organisers, to have cheated or behaved in any way as described above may be penalised and/or disqualified.
    8. No betting or gambling by any participant or anyone connected to any participant, is allowed under any circumstances. Moreover, no participant or related person may benefit directly or indirectly from any betting or gambling.
    9. Participants shall not offer or accept any gift or reward to or from anyone for services promised, rendered, or to be rendered in connection with the competition.
    10. Participants must be always respectful of the staff involved in the tournament organisers, sponsors, and/or partners. Participants must not use obscene gestures, language, or offensive comments, including:
        1. Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour - Participants may not use language that is deemed by the organisers to be obscene, foul, vulgar, insulting, threatening, abusive, libellous, slanderous, defamatory or otherwise offensive or objectionable; or promote or incite hatred or discriminatory conduct, in or near any racing area, at any time, off or on broadcast.
        2. Participants may not use any facilities, services or equipment provided or made available by the organisers or its contractors to post, transmit, disseminate or otherwise make available any such prohibited communications.
        3. Participants may not use this type of language on social media, blog, forum, digital distribution platform or during any public facing events such as streaming.
        4. Any violation may result in disqualification from the competition without any form of appeal.
    11. Violent or physical aggression or behaviour - abuse of the organisers, its affiliates, or other participants will not be tolerated and may result in disqualification from the competition without any form of appeal.
    12. Harassment of any kind - is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification from the competition without any form of appeal. Harassment is defined as systematic, hostile and repeated acts taking place over a considerable period of time, which are intended to isolate or ostracize a person and/or affect the dignity of the person.
    13. Discriminatory words, phrases, or gestures - Offending the dignity or integrity of a private person, or group of people, a team, a brand, a sponsor, a country, through contemptuous or discriminatory words or actions on account of race, skin colour, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, financial status, birth or any other status, sexual orientation or any other reason will not be tolerated and may result in disqualification from the competition without any form of appeal.
    14. Trolling - Any participant who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, digital distribution platform, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion. Any conduct that is deemed to be in violation of this Code of Conduct is punishable at the sole discretion of the organisers and may result in disqualification from the competition without any form of appeal.
    15. Competitors posting negative, disruptive and brand damaging content on social media about the organisers, the game, Motorsport Network, Motorsport Games, Studio 397, and their partners in general and/or any other participant, including but not limited to images and videos of game faults, may result in the participant (accordingly) being disqualified from the competition without any form of appeal. Positive and engaging content is highly encouraged, as long as the content is from areas permitted by the organisers.

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GLOSSARY:

1. Participant: any person who is involved in the competition
2. Organiser: Studio 397 / Motorsport Games staff and any person involved in the organization of the competition.
3. Competition: any competitive event organized and/or managed by Studio 397 / Motorsport Games