Formula One Esports Series
Current season, competition or edition: | |
 | |
| Sport | eSports |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 |
| Owner(s) | Formula One Management, Liberty Media |
| Commissioner | Sean Bratches |
| Countries | Worldwide |
| Most recent champion(s) |
 |
The FIA Formula One eSports Series is a professional eSports event promoted by Formula One. The event was created in 2017 to involve the Formula One video game and its community of players closer to the sport of Formula One.
History
The first Formula One eSports event was announced on 21 August 2017, with the qualification and finals stages to be held on the game of the 2017 championship.[1] Formula One was not the first motorsport-related eSports division, having been started eight years prior by the Nissan GT Academy, and the McLaren team had begun a World's Fastest Gamer search earlier in the year in order to find a new simulator driver - a competition won by Dutch sim racer Rudij van Buuren. The Formula E championship also held a one-off 'eRace' in Las Vegas during the 2016–17 season, inviting series competitors and big-name sim gamers to participate.[2]
Qualification for the 2017 series begun on 4 September 2017.[3]
Format
2017
For 2017 there were three stages in the Formula One eSports Series:[4]
- Qualification: Entrants are given two challenges, with each challenge available for a fortnight, which they must successfully complete to be in contention to reach the arena-held semi-finals. There are 40 spaces available, with 20 spots up for grabs in each challenge. Drivers must meet a variety of criteria to qualify for the semi-finals, not just be the fastest.
- Semi-Finals: The 40 finalists are split into four groups of 10, and will take place in two heats across two different circuits. The top 5 on aggregate from each group after the two races will qualify for the final, held at the final round of the regular Formula One season.
- Final: The 20 finalists will take part in three races held over two days. The driver with the best aggregate results will be declared the champion and will feature in the following seasons' Formula One game as a character.
Results
| Year | Game | Venue | Drivers Champion | Constructors | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | F1 2017 (Codemasters) | Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi | |
Not awarded until 2018 | report |
References
- ↑ "F1 enters eSport arena with official championships to start in September". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
- ↑ "Visa Vegas eRace". Formula E. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
- ↑ "Information". F1 eSports. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
- ↑ "Tournament Schedule". F1 eSports. Retrieved 21 November 2017.