The series is to be played on the official F1 2019 video game and will feature substitute events for every postponed race of the Formula One season, starting with the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, March 22.

The initiative is scheduled to run until May, meaning Vietnam, China and Netherlands Virtual Grand Prix races are on the cards. The organisers noted that the competition could be extended beyond the set dates, depending on the coronavirus situation.

This unusual approach will give F1 racing fans to chance to see whether the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel can translate their dominance on the track into the virtual world.

The broadcast of the Bahrain Grand Prix will start on Sunday at 20:00 GMT on F1��s Facebook, Twitch and YouTube channels. The first virtual F1 Grand Prix on the Sakhir track will be 28 laps long instead of the regular 56, with the event expected to run for about 1.5 hours. In a bid to provide a level playing field, the drivers will all use cars with the exact same setup, reduced vehicle damage and other optional controls to help those unfamiliar with the game.

��With every major sports league in the world unable to compete, it is a great time to highlight the benefits of esports,�� said Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports at F1.

While the revolutionary event is sure to draw a significant level of interest worldwide, the Virtual Grand Prix Series is strictly for entertainment purposes and the drivers’ placements in these races will in no way affect the official standings for the F1 Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship.

��The series is strictly for entertainment purposes, to bring racing action to fans in this unprecedented scenario the world has been affected by, with no official World Championship points up for grabs for the drivers,�� F1 clarified.

F1 will also host online exhibition races during non-race weekends, giving the fans a chance to go head-to-head with F1 drivers.

This is not the first time the virtual and real F1 worlds have crossed paths. Earlier this year, F1 esports driver Igor Fraga was given the chance to prove himself as a Formula Three driver with Charouz Racing System. The Brazilian star went on to win the 2020 Toyota Racing Series title with four race victories, including a double at the series-ending New Zealand Grand Prix.

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The race took place on Sunday, October 6, as part of the ongoing 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup, which is a multi-event motor racing championship for open-wheel racing cars held across Europe.

Unlike F1, Formula Renault Eurocup features 1.8-litre turbocharged race cars that use Formula Three chassis, which make them far less powerful compared to the F1 Grand Prix models.

SEE ALSO: FERNANDO ALONSO MAKES BIG INVESTMENT IN F1 ESPORTS

That being said, the cars used at Formula Renault Eurocup still prove to be challenging to drive and compete in for anyone without the proper training and experience. However, Bolukbasi proved even a gamer than never sat in a real race car can compete with the best, solely with the experience he gained by playing the F1 video game.

In his debut as a formula driver, Bolukbasi finished P14 in the first qualifying round, P15 in the second qualifying round and impressed with a P17 finish in race one. Unfortunately, a mechanical error forced him to retire from the second race, meaning P17 is all he has to show for.

Nonetheless, it’s safe to say Bolukbasi exceeded all expectations with what he has shown, especially considering the rainy conditions he had to endure during qualifiers, which were far more extreme to what he is used to experiencing when he competes in F1 from the comfort of his home.

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“I see it as a very big future investment,” he said.

“I had sessions in almost every different condition with the car, and I��m familiar with them all now, so in the future, if I do more races, this is going to be very helpful for me.

“The only downside to that was that I had done only wet sessions, so the first proper dry lap I did in the car was the first lap of Race 1!”

Despite having no experience in driving a race car, Bolukbasi stated he used the knowledge accumulated while playing the Codemasters F1 game, to overcome all the difficulties of the demanding Hockenheim track, which conveniently enough is also used in the F1 esports.

He said: “I��ve done so many laps there, I can almost drive the track with my eyes closed!”

The Turkish youngster went on to say he was impressed with how close and comparable are the simulator games to real life, which drastically helped him with his first-ever real-life formula race.

Barely a month after his impressive run at Hockenheimring, Bolukbasi will return back to the German racetrack in a more familiar environment when he takes part in the F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series 3 event, which is set to kick off on Wednesday, November 6.

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Alonso, a two-time driver’s champion in the most competitive racing scene in the world, has made an investment in Motorsport Games, a Miami-based esports venture.

The Motorsport Games Network brings together some of the biggest esports gaming titles �� a company that is well-placed to cash in on the burgeoning niche within professional video gaming.

The Spaniard still races professionally at age 37 and is contracted to race in the Indy 500 this season. He has obviously been paying attention to the rise of esports and has chosen to put his money where his mouth is.

��Esport is no longer a fantasy, it��s a reality and something I have been passionate about for some time,�� Alonso said in a statement.

��Investing in, and helping to lead Motorsport Games will allow me to make a real contribution to this exciting aspect of motorsport��s future.

• Learn how to bet and profit on eSports all around the world here

��Esport is not better or worse, but it is different and one of the important distinctions is that it provides a way to open up motor racing to the fans.

��In all aspects of my motor racing career, whether in F1, in IndyCars or last weekend in Sebring with sports cars, one of the consistent factors all over the world is Motorsport Network.

��Their scale, as well as their commitment to esport with all of their recent initiatives, convinced me that Motorsport Games is an organisation with great capability and ambition.��

Zac Brown, the Motorsport Network chairman, couldn’t have been happier to have a legend of the sport on board.

��Having Fernando add his investment, reputation and leadership to Motorsport Games is hugely exciting,�� Brown said.

��In a short space of time, Motorsport Network has taken a lead in the esports and games space with the acquisition of 704Games, holder of Nascar games licence, the joint venture with Le Mans and the recent partnership with Codemasters and we are in advanced discussion with a number of other global championships.

��I��m sure that adding Fernando��s contribution and enthusiasm will catapult Motorsport Games to a leadership position in esports.��

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Just a couple of weeks after we reported on a esports player out-performing a former formula one driver on a real racing track, a giant of the racing industry has realised the potential for a new generation of its athletes.

McLaren’s director of esports, Ben Payne, has discussed the very real possibility of esports players making the transition into real-life driving as racing simulators continue to develop closer and closer to the real thing.

The next generation of the world’s best racing drivers could grow up perfecting their craft at home.

Last month a former member of McLaren’s esports team, Enzo Bonito was able to beat ex-Formula One racing driver Lucas di Grassi around a track in Mexico.

It was not ignored by Payne and McLaren’s talent scouts.

“It’s not the first rodeo for gamer to racing driver,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.

“GT Academy has done that in the past, so it’s happened, but it’s the first time it’s happened under an F1 brand.”

“When we launched Shadow Projects in July 2018, it was an iteration of that program from our perspective. We wanted to try and find athletes for our esports team.”

Payne talked about the challenges of making the jump from gaming to real-life racing, most-notably the physical toll.

He still believes that F1 simulation racing asks much more of its players than other titles like FIFA or Call of Duty.

“If you and I played FIFA for a few hours, we could stop, have a beer and then pick it up again.

“But, our guys are more athletes than in a number of esports spaces. I know the big esports teams have nutritionists and all that, but I think simulation racing is different.”

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Esports star Enzo Bonito achieved what millions of gamers around the world have fantasised about for decades and used his skills to beat a a real, former F1 driver on a real track.

Competing in the Race of Champions last week, Bonito was able to out-drive F1 pro Lucas di Grassi.

The Race of Champions brings together the best drivers from all different motorsport disciplines since 1988 and in 2018, eSports drivers like Bonito were invited to join for the first time.

While not many would have given Bonito a chance against veterans of the track, the eSports star changed the perception of his craft immediately.

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Racing at the Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico, 23-year-old Bonito drove the same car as his opponents �� a Vuhl 05 ROC Edition 2019 �� and after a sluggish start, was able to surpass di Grassi in their time trial, pipping him by 0.6 seconds.

We’ve covered the emergence and growth of the esports motor sport genre. NASCAR, among other major national and international codes, have been quick to adopt esports leagues of their own, in the hope of fostering talent and reaching a younger, energetic demographic.

In case you’re wondering, Bonito’s win was certainly no fluke and di Grassi was not having a laugh or out of the sport for long. di Grassi, a Brazilian, had recently won the Formula E championship in the 2016/17 season and has been driving professionally for Audi since 2014 after his F1 career ended in 2010.

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Leigh, 19, was dominant in the final round of the season, winning two of the four races held at London’s Gfinity Arena.

The win capped a wonderful year for Mercedes, which also celebrated victory in the real Formula One season

Leigh’s Mercedes team mate Daniel Bereznay was crucial in helping clinch the team crown, finishing second behind Leigh, clinching the title before a double-points final race that could have proved dangerous.

Leigh was ecstatic following the victory �� Mercedes took the top prize of $50,000, while second-placed Toro Rosso took home $40,000 and third-placed Sauber won $34,000.

• Learn more about all of the best eSports games you can bet on here

“I feel on top of the world, it just feels amazing!,” Leigh said.

“To be able to win the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championship a race early, considering there’s double points for the last race as well, is just unbelievable for us.

“It was the first time teams have been brought into the series and to be able to join Mercedes was great; they’re my favourite team in real life and to work together with them and see what goes on behind the scenes was amazing and it has really elevated my motivation.

Leigh finished the season with 216 points �� 50 ahead of second-placed Bereznay on 166, while Toro Rosso’s Frederik Rasmussen had 127.

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While League of Legends, Overwatch and CS: GO are the most popular titles in the competitive scene, other games are starting their own competitive leagues.

Some of these competitions are less known but the stakes are still high, with the Formula 1 car racing esports competition set to pit the world’s best against each other for a second time.

Traditional Formula 1 is a popular sport followed by millions of people, with drivers travelling the world to compete on famous tracks everywhere from Melbourne to Shanghai.

The F1 Esports Series follows a similar format this year, with the Formula 1 teams involved in the entire process. On April 13 the qualification process will be open for the players around the world.

How to qualify for the F1 Esports Series

No matter their location, gender or age, candidates can take part in the qualification process. The minimum requirement the players should meet to be eligible are:

• Own a valid copy of the F1 2017 game.
• Own one of the three platforms (PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One).
• Must be over 18. Underage players should have a permission from their parents or guardians.

Additional equipment is not necessary. The players that meet the minimum requirement can register themselves on the website. This new account will allow them to enter the qualification matches. The drivers will find these matches on the event menu starting on April 13. Drivers can enter the qualification any date after that but before June 6.

Each platform will have their top 10, as the players move forward the car and track to choose will change. In the end, 40 players will move to the Pro Draft. The qualification process ends on June 6, the qualifications and Pro Draft are completely free for the players.

When is the F1 Pro Draft?

The top 40 drivers will be part of the Pro Draft. At this point teams will choose the drivers that will represent them in the competition. Making it to the Pro Draft is not a guarantee that the players will be offered a contract but it��s a great opportunity to showcase their talent.

The teams for the second season will be Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport, Red Bull Racing, Hype Energy eForce India, Williams F1 Esports Team, Renault Sport Team Vitality, Haas F1 Esports Team, McLaren, Toro Rosso and Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team.

This stage will include interviews, tests and many other activities the teams consider necessary. The F1 Esports Series is taking the competition to the next level. Not only there will be more support for the individual players but also the prize pool increased to $200,000.

Other Considerations

Players are free to use their own equipment through the qualification stage. Once they reach the Pro Draft, they will be using pedals and a racing wheel. PC is the platform chosen for the series starting with the Pro Draft process.

Being fast is not enough in the F1 Esports Series. Players should be able to adapt to different circumstances and must know the tracks and their cars like the back of their hands. This competition promise to be as fierce as their in-real-life counterpart.

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The team will begin competing this year in motorsport-based esport competitions such as Rocket League Championship Series Europe and potentially the Formula 1 eSports Series, with the team in negotiations with F1.

Renault officials said the chance to enter the esports market which is estimated at 385 million at the end of 2017 was too good to pass up.

��This partnership is a tremendous opportunity for the Renault brand to be exposed to new and younger audiences,�� Renault��s Vice-President Global Brand Strategy and Marketing Communications Bastien Schupp said.

��The combination of Vitality��s eSports vision and expertise with our successful history in motorsport is a great partnership. As a discipline, eSports have a promising, far-reaching future and we��re looking forward to connecting people from Renault Sport Racing to these young gamers and being a part of it.��

It is also a huge win for Team Vitality, with team members set to be provided access to Renault��s Formula 1 factory in Enstone, England, to train with drivers and technical staff.

Team members will also have an opportunity to meet experts who are accustomed to working in the demanding environment of F1 paddocks.

In exchange, Vitality will bring to the table its expertise as a multiple European and World champion in a variety of categories, to assist the new squad��s professional players on an everyday basis.

��Vitality��s DNA is to be seen as a French front-runner that is competitive in the international arena,�� Team Vitality��s founder and chairman Fabien Devide said.

��Our partnership with Renault is a natural match, not only because we share the same values and colours but also because we all want to make it to the very top of the European and international scenes.

��At Vitality, we stand to learn a great deal from Renault Sport Racing and how it prepares for Formula 1 races. At the end of the day, many of its methods are the same as those we employ in eSports, namely data and performance tracking, physiotherapy, fitness training and mental training.��?
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In entering eSports, Renault joins major brands like Adidas, Omen by HP, Volvic and Canal+ as an official partner of Team Vitality, with branding visible on players�� team clothing at League of Legend and Fifa tournaments.

“The ties that exist between motorsport and gaming are obvious. Both call for mental strength and physical fitness in a highly competitive environment�� General Manager, Renault Sport Racing, Cyril Abiteboul said.

��Last year��s exciting launch by FOM of the Formula 1 eSports Series has accelerated the convergence of these two worlds and created opportunities for collaboration.

��Our drivers, and especially those who form part of the Renault Sport Academy programme, and Vitality��s own champions will be able to trade best practices. In this area, as in F1, our objective is to build a team for the long term that is both respected and feared by its opponents.��

What kind of foothold does motorsports have in eSports?

Rocket League is a game that has taken the eSports world by storm, with multiple leagues springing up across the globe in a short space of time. The game is basically FIFA cross Destruction Derby and it��s very very fun.

The launch of the Formula 1 eSports Series has also proven a hit since launching in 2017, with it luring in a new breed of tech savvy rev heads.

For a long time games like Colin McRae Rally and Gran Turismo have been staples of console and PC gaming across the world and the opportunity to play against each other in a competitive environment has added another element to it.

Coupled with the booming growth of eSports (it��s estimated to be worth USD $900 million) it promises to be a win for motorsports as it strives to reach new audiences.

Platforms like Twitch are streaming the competitions live to motorsports fans who can very young, ingraining the culture of the sport in their DNA, before they know what has hit them.

Expect the motorsports-esports space to grow and grow in 2018 and beyond.

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The company has finalised the first tranche of its non-brokered offering of equity units, selling more than 17 million units, each entitling a company share and half of a common share purchase warrant.

Millennial used some of the profits to secure 82.5% majority interest of Eden Games, while issuing shares to the French studio’s shareholders to complete the acquisition.

Eden Games, formerly known as Eden Studios, is best known as the game developer of the Test Drive Unlimited and V-Rally franchises, and more recently the Gear.Club series on Nintendo Switch. With the exception of two titles, all of its games have been firmly in the racing video game genre.

“The acquisition of Eden Games represents a major milestone for Millennial Esports Corp. and demonstrates how the company continues to evolve in parallel with the Esports industry,” said Millennial Esports CEO, Alex Igelman.

“Eden’s acquisition secures our position as a leading mobile racing game publisher and in combination with our existing racing IP, including World’s Fastest Gamer, positions Millennial as a leader in global Esports racing.”

The buyout marks the final part of a deal first announced in August last year, and comes at a time when Millennial has been heavily investing in the simulation racing genre.

The company previously partnered up with McLaren to launch the first Formula 1 esports team in their competition, The World’s Fastest Gamer, and Formula 1 confirmed their involvement in pro gaming last year separate from their venture with Millennial.

Millennial Esports is best known for their online video game tournament platform, MillennialEsports.gg, which hosts smaller-scale esports tournaments for console gamers such as FIFA 18, Gears of War 4, Halo 5, Madden 18, Mortal Kombat X and Tekken 7.

Interested players can register at the site, participate in scheduled singles or team tournaments and ladders via its online tournament system, and win prizes.

In addition to their main platform, Millennial also organize several esports tournament events in North America under the Pro Gaming League (PGL) banner, most notably the 2017 Halo World Championship series, where they hosted the $50,000 qualifier event at ‘thE Arena’, formerly known as the Millennial Esports Arena.

The Arena is owned by Millennial and is Las Vegas’s first permanent pro gaming venue, with facilities that can house over 1,000 attendees. It has been used for numerous esports events and video-game functions hosted by EA Games, Microsoft and other business powerhouses.

Eden Games joins other notable businesses under the Millennial umbrella, including leading French esports platform OGamingTV, racing video game analytics firm IDEAS+CARS, and esports data solutions company Stream Hatchet.

Whether the buyout of Eden Games leads to the next big esports title in the racing genre or not, we’re interested to see where Millennial heads next regardless, given their active involvement in steadily furthering the esports scene in North America.

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The new virtual racing championships with debut this September as the first year of an annual competition and will coincide with the release of the upcoming F1 2017 video game developed by Codemasters on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. It will also run alongside the real-world on-track F1 world championship, to get both virtual and on-track fans on-board.

The F1 Esports Series is a joint partnership between Formula 1, leading racing video game developer and publisher Codemasters, and global esports event organiser Gfinity.

“This launch presents an amazing opportunity for our business: strategically and in the way we engage fans,” said F1 Managing Director Sean Bratches on the official F1 press release. “First, it’s a growing category with tremendous fan engagement that we��re entering in a big way; and we are proud to have Codemasters and Gfinity joining us on this ride. Of course as we do in Formula 1, we’ll continue to evolve and innovate in the way we run this virtual counterpart to the F1 Championship to ensure we provide the most exciting and enjoyable experience we can for our fans.”

Eager competitors need to register at F1Sports.com and be prepared to race through three different stages: Qualifications are held throughout September and will aim to find the top 40 fastest drivers who can complete two unique scenarios which “challenge your driving skills to the maximum” and will require enough points from driving strategy to move onto the next stage.

Successful players will then play live at the semifinal events in Gfinity Arena in London on October 10th and 11th, before the remaining top 20 will race for the Finals in Yas Marina as part of the 2017 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 24th and 25th.

The best virtual F1 driver in the world will be crowned Formula 1 Esports Series Champion on the same weekend as the final 2017 Formula 1 Grand Prix.

In addition, the series champion will be named Formula 1 Esports Champion Expert for 2018, offered tickers for the 2018 Grand Prix, make an appearance in next year’s F1 2018 video game and automatically qualify for the semifinals of the 2018 Formula 1 Esports Series. Not a bad prize at all for a skilled enough F1 gamer.

“Formula 1 entering esports is a ringing endorsement for what spectacular entertainment esports provides and how vital it is to cutting-edge organisations that want to push the boundaries of entertainment and fan experience,” said CEO of Gfinity Neville Upton. “Like Formula 1, Gfinity has the experience, skill and infrastructure to put on world-class events and we look forward to delivering fans the Formula 1 esports Series with excellence.”

Author’s comments: Formula 1 is the latest to join the growing esports circuit alongside other premier sporting leagues like the AFL and NBA in 2017, and it’s about time they start taking notice of the massive fan-bases surrounding their equally popular virtual counterparts!

It seems motorsports as a whole are about ready to dive into competitive e-gaming, with V8 Supercars Australia previously announcing their intent to develop an esports event at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 in October to test the waters for their own virtual racing esports championship in 2018. After F1’s announcement, we don’t think it will be a hard choice for them at all.

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