SEASON UPDATE: THE RIVALRIES AND NEW LOCATION YOU CAN’T MISS

With three races in the books, the DCL22 World Championship and the Women’s Cup have already delivered the most unpredictable season yet. And it’s only going to get more insane in the final two events. 

Where we’re at
In championship news, after Virtual Drone Grand Prix stops in Vaduz, Laax and Reutte, only 50 points separate Raiden Racing from Xblades Racing. While the Japanese team is determined to defend their 2021 title, the crew from Britain is equally keen to take back the crown that they held in previous seasons. 

Although it’s unlikely that any other team can get between these rivals, the fight to round out the podium is fierce, with Quad Force One currently holding onto third place by their fingernails against China Dragons in fourth, and a surging SDT Perpetuumcoin and Super Sonic X still in the mix.  

Among the pilots, 2022 has seen many strong debut contenders, like Yayou, who is making a big contribution to Xblades and claimed two fastest laps out of the six tracks so far, outpaced only by his more experienced teammate DarKex with three fastest lap nods.  

When it comes to the DCL Women’s Cup, once again Silent has had an outstanding season, topping the standings for Raiden from the very first race. But she’s facing a serious challenge from a surprising source, because while all expectations were for LeoOnFire to bring the heat for the 2021 runner-up Xblades, it’s young newcomer DuoNa – just 10 years old – who has pulled the China Dragons to within 50 points of the lead. This rookie is not to be underestimated, and with LeoOnFire still in the hunt and Quad Force One’s Roo showing serious spoiler potential, you’d better believe they’re all working the sims throughout the holiday hiatus to get ready for the faceoffs ahead. 

Draft Round 2!
Calling all would-be pros: it’s time for Round 2 of the DCL22 Draft Selection. Because it takes place entirely in DCL – The Game, this is the chance for anyone looking to be the next drone racing hero to get noticed. It all starts when you fly four Draft Qualification Tracks in the game sim. Based on the best times, the top contenders then get the chance to impress on a brand-new track, and those who serve up the best times and capabilities may just get selected by a DCL team to begin their pro career. The draft selection is open for the DCL World Championship as well as the Women’s Cup, and it all kicks off on 25 July, so read up on the details and get flying!

What’s to come
We were stoked to be at the real-life Swiss Drone League races over the summer (check out their exclusive track in DCL – The Game), which makes us extra excited that 2022’s remaining DCL showdowns will take off with the DCL22 Virtual Drone Grand Prix Lake Zurich on 10 September. If you’ve followed DCL in the past, you know what kind of challenges this location presents, from elevation changes between the lake and surrounding hills to tricky manoeuvres around the castle. The visuals are spectacular, but the flying is not for the faint of heart!

And finally, the make-or-break season finale will speed through the virtual skies of the Stavanger Region, Norway on 15 October. Because it’s brand-new to the series, this location will level the playing field for the climactic clash. And while the teams will be looking to display Viking-style levels of dominance, the fjords, beaches, charming old cottages and cutting-edge architecture of this Scandinavian gem have also inspired the track designers. Expect whole new environments (yes, there will be multiple!) using incredible technology for a virtual location that’s better than ever.

Remember, you can watch all DCL races live on Twitch, so tune in, because there’s still everything to play for!