HYRAZE League

The Racing Series for the MOTORSPORT OF THE FUTURE

HYRAZE League – this is the name of a totally new motorsport competition with hydrogen race cars, which will be launched in 2023. Renowned partners have come together to present their joint concept for the series. The HYRAZE League features an innovative concept, introducing relevant future-oriented technology to the world of motorsport. As well as zero-emission race cars and a revolutionary braking system, steer-by-wire also makes the high-performance race cars development drivers for future production vehicles.

When the HYRAZE League is launched in 2023, it will be the world’s first automobile racing series to use environmentally-produced hydrogen as its energy source. It marks the birth of a virtually zero-emission, safe and sustainable form of motorsport, offering state-of-the-art entertainment. The use of cutting-edge technology means there is no need for there to be any conflict between action-packed motorsport, the conservation of resources and safety in the HYRAZE League. The races will be held with 800-hp hydrogen cars. The energy for the zero-emission drivetrain is provided by green hydrogen, which is converted into electricity in the car’s two fuel cells, before being transported to the four electric motors.

Together with the motorsport safety experts at DEKRA and DMSB, a safety concept for the race cars has been developed, which sets new benchmarks for its type. The focus was primarily on protecting hydrogen components, drivers and spectators. Flexible elements dissipate energy in case of a T-bone crash, while an extremely rigid carbon structure effectively protects the carbon-fibre hydrogen tank against any conceivable loads in case of a crash. Appropriate, independent tests are being performed on prototype parts by DEKRA in its test lab. The goal is to develop a set of FIA-approved regulations.

“Our involvement in the HYRAZE League is an extension of the commitment to motorsport, which has been entrenched at DEKRA for decades. Motorsport remains an ideal platform for technological progress. For this reason, we must arrest the loss of significance, with which we are threatened: through innovation, attractiveness and the consistent alignment towards future-oriented technology. The overall concept of the HYRAZE League has really impressed us in this regard. The project offers us the unique opportunity to promote the development of expertise in the field of safety technology – an area that is becoming increasingly complex. The focus on sustainability and the transfer of technology towards series production makes the HYRAZE League an ideal addition to our existing commitments”, says DEKRA board member Clemens Klinke.

The new technology also has a major advantage for the racing drivers: the energy concept, which is optimised for sprint races, allows them to use the car’s maximum performance for the full race distance without any limitations. The ability to rapidly fill both tanks during a race – a fundamental advantage of hydrogen technology over electric-battery driven cars – means the races can be extended to endurance distances at any time.

The HYRAZE League is also breaking new ground with an innovative linking of Esports and actual motorsport. This allows it to address and inspire not only the fans at the circuit, but also a young, digitally-conscious target group. The teams have two drivers for each car – one for the actual races and one who takes part in the Esports events, which also count towards the championship. The results of both races count towards the championship standings in equal measures, so that one team will eventually be crowned the overall winner of both disciplines – an absolute novelty in motorsport. As series partner, the World eSports Association (WESA) is significantly involved in developing the general conditions in a virtual environment, in order to ensure the HYRAZE League sim competitions are of the highest standard. Regulations, arbitration and the fair incorporation of teams and gamers are WESA’s core areas of expertise in the world of electronic games.