Formula One aims to catch millennials, Gen Z with Esports
abu dhabi — Formula One is breaking new grounds and evolving with times to remain attractive to millennials and Generation Z. From Bernie Ecclestone’s TV Age, Formula One has finally adapted the Digital Age in a big way.
Formula One has vast baby boomers as followers and in an attempt to broaden its reach and popularity, the sport is wooing a generation of video gamers, unassuming characters and those who have moved away from motor racing action.
The first big step has borne fruit too as you have a kitchen manager of UK-based restaurant clinching the maiden F1 Esports Series championship. Also, a sales manager has won McLaren competition to become the F1 team’s official simulator drivers for the next season.
In F1 Esports Series championship, the Race 1 was on the virtual tracks of Canadian Grand Prix, Race 2 in Belgian GP and the grand finale based on Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
And on Saturday night, a last-lap overtaking skills had the UK’s Brendon Leigh pocket F1’s Esports Series championship at Yas Marina Circuit. It was an aggressive driving in the final stretch by Leigh to grab the top spot from Fabrizio Donoso from Chile who was leading till then.
Leigh likes speed and aggression. So, it isn’t a surprise that Lewis Hamilton is his favourite driver and Mercedes his loved car of the season.
“I try to bring that attitude of his (Hamilton) to my own driving style,” Leigh said.
The 18-year-old kitchen manager from Reading likes thrust with risks.
“I like Monaco circuit. I just love the fact that if you make the slightest mistake your race is probably over,” said the Brit who first tried his hands at video games in 2008.
The success of Esports is also evident by the fact that Leigh had never been to a Grand Prix or event left the UK. The concept of Esports has already managed to bring fans closer to the sport and circuit like never before.
In further boost, former champion Fernando Alonso became the first F1 driver to launch his own eSport virtual racing team. The 36-year-old McLaren driver finally became a team principal. The FA Racing G2 Logitech G team is a joint venture with G2 eSports and McLaren sponsor Logitech.
Turkish gamer Cem Bolukbasi, who took part in F1 Esports Series championship, has been signed by Alonso’s team.
“Every Formula One driver is a gamer at heart,” Alonso said in a statement. “Competing on the virtual stage opens a vast amount of possibilities for young drivers that wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to get into racing.”
Keeping things moving, McLaren have also added a gamer as simulator driver.
Karting champion Rudy van Buren clinched the World’s Fastest Gamer tournament to become official simulator driver for the new season. And the 25-year-old is a sales manager from the Netherlands, who beat 30,000 contestants to win McLaren competition.
Buren is also a karting champion and began racing karts from age of eight. He won the Dutch Karting Championship in 2003 but lack of sponsors saw him quit the sport.
Now, McLaren’s competition has offered him a second chance of a motorsports career.
“Every boy that starts karting dreams about F1, and at a certain point that dream just vanishes. Now by winning World’s Fastest Gamer, I can relive that dream. This has been the most incredible experience and words can’t describe how I feel right now. It really has been the toughest job interview I’ve ever faced, but with such an incredible reward at the end of it. Now I can’t wait to get started.” Formula One is sure to build on the success of Esports and give fans and talented minds a crack at the sport.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com