- 2021 F1 Esports Series qualifiers pulled in 494,000 willing participants who tried their hand at the virtual races
- Formula 1 continues to ramp up its investment in the Esports Series and has created a special championship for China
- Sponsors of the upcoming Pro Exhibition this Thursday are very happy that F1 has chosen to continue investing time and effort into esports
The 2021 F1 Esports pulled a high level of participation from fans, with 494,000 people trying to make the cut through the qualifiers.
Formula 1 Continues to Invest in Esports, Driving Strong Participation
The 2021 F1 Esports season is about to kick off with the Pro Exhibition slated for this Thursday, and as the event draws closer to a start, participation is mounting. A total of over 494,000 people have tried their hand at qualifying for the SIM race season, setting another record for the series.
Formula 1 is eliciting a strong interest from its communities so far as esports is concerned, with many SIM drivers pursuing a career as fully-fledged drivers and using the video game as a trampoline. This year’s participation is up 108% from 2020’s numbers making for promising sustainability of the competition in the long run.
The series will be presented by Aramco, Global Energy Partner for Formula 1, and the event is expected to attract a fair bit of interest, generating 11 million digital live views last season. DHL and Fanatec will also continue to be official partners of the series.
Mounting interest in esports racing is encouraging for everyone and not least Formula 1. F1 head of digital business initiatives and esports Julian Tan commented on the numbers: “We’re delighted to see so many people enjoying and engaging with the F1 game, as The F1 Esports Series continues to shatter records, with nearly half a million qualifiers for this year’s campaign.”
Tan said that the organization was excited to see what happens next during the Pro Exhibition and then during the Pro Championship later this year. Support for esports in the midst of Formula 1 has been strong. Codemasters CEO Frank Sagnier expressed his satisfaction with how successful the F1 Esports Series has become and the perpetual source of inspiration they have turned out to be for semi and even professional drivers.
There are more opportunities to qualify in the F1 Esports Series as well, as the organization is putting in efforts in creating a global network of championships, as exemplified by the recent China Championship, Sagnier continued. Not just that, but the Women’s Wildcard now offers more opportunities for female drivers to engage with F1.
Gfinity CEO John Clarke also commended F1 on the successes it has achieved with the Pro Exhibition and F1 Esports Series qualification events. The company, Clarke said, was proud to continue its collaboration with F1 and continue to bring fresh opportunities to fans around the globe.
