Maltese driver clinches world championship
Maltese driver Joe Consiglio clinched the GPVWC 2009 sim-racing world championship in style at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. Consiglio, who races for Italian/Norwegian team Nordsjoen Racing, won a tally of six races this season. He is the first Maltese driver to win the World Champion title.
24-year-old Consiglio, who holds both Maltese and British citizenships, chose to represent Malta throughout his eight-year-long career in the top flight of sim-racing - a choice he made well clear by sporting a Maltese flag-inspired helmet.
"My dad is from St. Julian's, while my mum grew up in Balzan," the newly-crowned World Champion says.
"I may have grown up in England, but Malta is where my whole family is and it is home for me. I still try to go there as much as possible to be with my relatives, and my wife fell in love with Malta too."
Asked what it meant to be from a small country and win against the very best of the world, Consiglio declared himself "immensely proud" to put Malta on the sim-racing map.
"Coming from an island only 18 miles in length, it is great to bring the country to international sporting success. I hope my championship victory spurs on other young sim-racers across the country to give it a go."
Indeed, a new generation of Maltese drivers is growing. New kid on the block Jason Muscat, from Siġġiewi, made his debut in the GPVWC World Championship at the beginning of October, and scored his first points at his second race.
Consiglio sees this as proof Malta can offer a lot to the sport: "Jason's recent arrival proves sim-racing is becoming more popular in Malta, so the future looks bright. He looks like he has a lot of potential and I hope he delivers. He's young, so there is plenty of time for him to develop."
Sim-racing first started as a high-technology tool for motor racing teams to test developments and train drivers with a high-fidelity simulation of real life racing. It has now become a mass discipline, practiced by millions of participants in all continents and counting drivers from Formula 1, NASCAR and other motorsport series among its ranks.
The GPVWC (Grand Prix Virtual World Championship) is one of the longest-running sim-racing Championships in the world. Established in 2000, it rose to prominence in 2002 and is the only championship in the world to feature full team management. The season follows a format similar to the FIA Formula 1 championship.
Results, information and standings are available on http://www.gpvwc.com/
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Chris Coleiro
Nov 1st 2009, 01:49
@Matthew Scerri.. When i said it is a video game i was by no means saying it in a negative way.. I was merely pointing out what was meant by a previous person... I understand the difference quite well because I myself am a fan of this sport and really wish I had the time to practice it..
Joe Anastasi
Oct 31st 2009, 21:23
Congrats to Joe Consiglio.
It seems that despite motorsport being the most despised sport as far as the authorities are concerned, local motorsport enthusiasts are tops in every discipline they compete.
Joe Consiglio in Sim racing. Aaron Ciantar in powerboats. Paul Deguara and others in motorcycle racing. Alan Curmi, Zach Zammit, Josh Anastasi and a never ending list in car racing. The list is endless.
Just imagine what we would do if we had a bit of encouragement.
Matthew Scerri
Oct 31st 2009, 13:56
saying that a Sim is a Video game is as correct as saying that a Bugatti Veyron is Fiat Uno. There is a huge difference between a simulator and a game. they may look somewhat similar, but that's where the similarities end.
Having been a mod developer for the sim GPVWC use (rFactor) I can assure you that there are full time professional racing drivers and teams that use the same simulator platform to do cost effective training & development. Granted, nothing will replace the real thing, but this is as close as it gets and its definitely not a game. you're not going to merely hook a gamepad and "play" as you'd do with your Playstation and Grand Turismo.
As a matter of fact, the very same simulator is used by none other than 5 formula 1 teams. (http://www.rfactor-pro.com/)
To be honest, I was surprised something like this made it on the news. Its a shame that many enthusiasts in malta have to stick to their simulators because there is nowhere to practice the real thing.
My congratulations goe to Joe Consiglio.
Richard Mifsud
Oct 31st 2009, 13:29
Well done Joe! And even though it is a computer simulation, it often is the closest thing to racing a real car most people can experience.
Do not forget the FIFA videogames started as a game and now have a FIFA-sanctioned World Cup with very hefty prizes and a decent media coverage.
In any case, whatever the activity/sport, it is great to see someone from Malta coming up on top!
Chris Coleiro
Oct 31st 2009, 13:07
@Ian Sammut Dacoutros
Not the real thing because it is SIM-Racing.. SIM = simulation (i.e. video game)
Well done Mr.Consiglio.. Let's hope your name (and that of other Maltese sim-racers) becomes well known for this achievement!
Saviour Cassar
Oct 31st 2009, 12:53
@Ian Sammut Dacoutros
GPVWC = Grand Prix VIRTUAL World Championship.
And since you mentioned F1, the simulators GPVWC are nothing compared to F1.
whatever....
Well Done Joe!
Alex Right
Oct 31st 2009, 12:52
i think its great that he won, but i dont think the readers understand that its a computer game :), to start talking about this as a real sport might be a little bit to much.
Ian Sammut Dacoutros
Oct 31st 2009, 11:23
@John Micallef
Even though its not the real thing?!?!?!
What is this fake then????
Oooh becaulse it is not the F1 - i see
Always a critic somewhere.
WELL DONE!!!
Malta does have the skill, talent, capability and the 'voglia di vincere' the will to win! We just need local support!! Here is another piece of proof!! Well done Joe!! Do Malta PROUD!!!!
John Micallef
Oct 31st 2009, 09:38
Well, that's fantastic.
Even though its not the real thing, still awesome - there's fierce competition in these activities.
Well done Joe consiglio.