eSports

Alfa Romeo and Jarno Opmeer lead F1 Esports Pro Series after races in Bahrain, Vietnam & China

Published

5 years ago

October 16, 2020

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The first round of the F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco got underway with three thrilling races in Bahrain, Vietnam and China, as drivers set their sights on the huge $750,000 prize pot, in what is poised to be the biggest and best season yet.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic drivers are racing remotely for the first time this year, but the popular live shows continue to be broadcast from the Gfinity Esports Arena in London, as we ensure fans don’t miss a moment of the action.

On Wednesday evening drivers took to the Bahrain International Circuit for the season opener, competing at the increased 35% race-length for the first time this year. Alfa Romeo dominated in the only ‘night race’ on the calendar, with Jarno Opmeer and Daniel Bereznay finishing P1 and P2 ahead of Red Bull’s Marcel Kiefer, who joined them on the podium for the first time this season.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Wednesday’s double-header continued with an F1 first as the drivers became the first to race competitively on the brand-new Hanoi Street Circuit in Vietnam, albeit on the F1 2020 official video game developed by Codemasters, rather than the real thing. The multiple long straights and sharp turns made for dramatic racing, which saw last year’s champion David Tonizza come out on top for Ferrari in a tense battle with Renault’s Nicolas Longuet for the win; Jarno Opmeer rounded off the top three.

This year’s first event ended in style with a third and final race in China on Thursday evening, as Jarno Opmeer raced home at the Shanghai International Circuit for his second win of the season. Marcel Kiefer and Daniel Bereznay finished P2 and P3 respectively to crown a successful first round.

This week’s results mean Jarno Opmeer leads the way in the driver standings, whilst Alfa Romeo top the team’s championship.

Attention now turns to the second event, on 4-5 November, as we get set to race for the first time at the Zandvoort Circuit and visit a fan favourite in Canada, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, before finishing at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, where this year’s revised F1 2020 schedule began with an entertaining double-header.

Following the first round of action, the overall standings are as follows:

DRIVER STANDINGS
Position	Driver	Team	Points
1	Jarno Opmeer	Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN F1 Esports	65
2	Marcel Kiefer	Red Bull Racing Esports	41
3	Daniel Bereznay	Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN F1 Esports	33
4	Nicolas Longuet	Renault Vitality	28
5	Frederik Rasmussen	Red Bull Racing Esports	28
6	David Tonizza	FDA Hublot Esports	25
7	Joni Törmälä	Scuderia AlphaTauri Esports	20
8	Brendon Leigh	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports	18
9	Álvaro Carretón	Williams Esports	14
10	Lucas Blakeley	BWT Racing Point F1 Esports	9
11	Enzo Bonito	FDA Hublot Esports	6
12	Daniel Moreno	McLaren Shadow	6
13	Fabrizio Donoso	Renault Vitality	5
14	Cedric Thomé	Haas F1 Team Esports	4
15	Daniele Haddad	BWT Racing Point F1 Esports	1
16	Bono Huis	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports	0
17	Bardia Boroumand	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports	0
18	Michael Romanidis	Williams Esports	0
19	James Baldwin	McLaren Shadow	0
20	Salih Saltunç	Williams Esports	0
21	Manuel Biancolilla	Scuderia AlphaTauri Esports	0
22	Simon Weigang	Haas F1 Team Esports	0

TEAM STANDINGS
Position	Team	Points
1	Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN F1 Esports	98
2	Red Bull Racing Esports	69
3	Renault Vitality	33
4	FDA Hublot Esports Team	31
5	Scuderia AlphaTauri Esports Team	20
6	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team	18
7	Team Williams Esports	14
8	BWT Racing Point F1 Esports	10
9	McLaren Shadow	6
10	Haas F1 Team Esports	4

The live show was streamed online via F1’s official channels on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and Huya, as well as broadcast by international television partners such as ESPN (US), Sky (UK) and Ziggo (Netherlands).

Following a huge year for F1 Esports, which saw over 30 million people tune in to the Virtual Grand Prix Series, more people than ever want to get involved. The first qualifying event for the 2021 F1 Esports Series is now open until the end of October on F1 2020, the newly-released official videogame developed by Codemasters. For more information visit www.f1esports.com.

Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports at Formula 1 said:

“We’re thrilled to see the Pro Series back underway and to do it safely and remotely as the world continues to navigate the global pandemic. The first event has shown exhilarating racing with three fantastic races giving us five different podium finishers. We’re definitely in for a thrilling season with it all to play for as the F1 teams battle it out for our huge $750,000 prize pot. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the championship has in store for us!”

Frank Sagnier, CEO at Codemasters said:

“The F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco is back with the bang. We have our most competitive line-up to date, and the drivers didn’t disappoint for the opening series of races. Time will tell if a new rival will emerge to break the dominance we’ve seen from the likes of David Tonizza, Frede Rasmussen & Daniel Bereznay last year, or if Brendon Leigh can roar back and reclaim his crown. We’re off to an incredible start, and we can’t wait for the next round of races.”

John Clarke, CEO at Gfinity said:

“What a start to our biggest season so far, we’ve got a great new game, amazing drivers, thrilling racing, all delivered live and remotely. F1 is once again leading the way in delivering great entertainment for fans from around the world who love gaming and motorsport. Everyone involved has risen to the challenge of having the drivers spread across the globe. Get ready for the best season of racing yet.”

For more information on the F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco visit www.f1esports.com.

eSports

Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Published

7 hours ago

July 25, 2025

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, has partnered with StarLadder, a pioneering tournament organiser. The Budapest Major 2025 marks a highly anticipated comeback for StarLadder, as it is their first Counter-Strike Major since 2019 and a significant return to the top-tier esports arena.

As the official analytics partner of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Esports Charts will provide comprehensive, real-time audience data and insights throughout the event. This will empower organisers, teams, sponsors and fans with unparalleled transparency and a deeper understanding of the tournament’s global reach.

Artyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, said: “We are thrilled and proud to provide viewership analytics for StarLadder for the Budapest Major 2025. Since both Esports Charts and StarLadder are Ukraine-born companies, we share similar values and deal with similar challenges, which brings us even closer.

“It’s genuinely exciting to follow how viewership will develop at this Major. But knowing the expertise, drive, and passion that the organizers are bringing, I have no doubt we’ll witness some incredible things happen in Budapest.

“Esports Charts has always been driven by a mission to provide the esports community with accurate, actionable data, and we look forward to showcasing the impact and audience engagement of this world-class event.”

StarLadder has been a driving force in global esports for almost 15 years now, since hosting its first tournaments in 2011. Renowned for its innovation and reliability, the company has organised some of the industry’s most iconic events. These include the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, which accumulated over 44 million hours watched and remains in the top 10 CS events by this metric, and the legendary StarSeries tournaments which started back in 2012.

Viacheslav Shcherbakov, Sales and Partnerships at StarLadder, said: “We’ve been working with Esports Charts since their founding and have always valued their professionalism and integrity. In a market where reliable data is essential, Esports Charts provides honest, transparent numbers, exactly the kind of insights sponsors and stakeholders rely on when assessing the potential reach of a World Championship event.

“We’re confident that this partnership will result in a high-quality analysis of our tournament’s performance and the audience data we’ll report to our partners. It’s a collaboration built on trust, shared values, and a deep understanding of what it takes to elevate esports to the next level.”

The Starladder Budapest Major 2025 will be held from November 24 to December 14 in Budapest, Hungary. The event will bring together the world’s top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams to compete for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in esports.

The post Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Claire Hungate

Mirage Digital Announces Partnership with Team Liquid

Published

1 day ago

July 24, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

mirage-digital-announces-partnership-with-team-liquid

Mirage Digital, the next-generation content studio shaping the future of digital entertainment, announced a groundbreaking partnership with global eSports organization Team Liquid. With over 35 million social media followers across platforms, 100+ championship titles with its over 120+ players and content creators worldwide, Team Liquid is the highest earning eSports team in the world to launch a 24/7 live-streaming programming experience surrounding the fan-favorite World of Warcraft: Race to World First event.

Mirage has created a new content monetization model for creators and enterprising entities, unlocking previously untapped non-traditional revenue streams. The company helps its clients with repurposing, redistributing, licensing, and selling content across numerous platforms and territories. Resulting in over a million dollars for its eclectic roster of over 300 creators, the company leverages its extensive creator network and expertise in original content development, to redefine digital content syndication. Mirage Digital is bridging the gap between creators and enterprise opportunities by sourcing high-quality content from creators and repurposing it for expanded deal flow and pipeline of distribution across OTT and FAST platforms.

Team Liquid, coming off a championship win in March, is set to make history with its most ambitious Race to World First campaign yet, with live coverage kicking off in July. For the first time, the tournament and its surrounding content will be broadcast beyond Twitch to OTT and FAST audiences, expanding access for new and longtime fans alike.

“This launch marks a huge moment not just for Team Liquid, but for the future of all eSports and creator content. We’re unlocking a format that merges always-on content with world-class competitive play, giving fans a reason to tune in every hour of every day. This is a monumental moment for both television networks and eSports to recognize the boundaries they are breaking in both parallels,” said Griffin Haddrill, Founder of Mirage Digital.

The multi-day broadcast includes full tournament coverage alongside exclusive behind-the-scenes content, player profiles, real-time strategy breakdowns, and each day’s highlights – providing an unprecedented level of access to Team Liquid’s journey and personalities within the event.

Team Liquid will bring its world-renowned Race to World First event to new audiences with a livestream on The Roku Channel in late August. Widely regarded as one of the most thrilling competitions in MMORPG gaming, Race to World First draws millions of global viewers eager to watch elite teams battle for supremacy in World of Warcraft. Known for pushing the boundaries of eSports entertainment, Team Liquid is once again innovating – this marks the first time the iconic event will be available via a dedicated OTT streaming platform, giving fans an even more immersive viewing experience.

“This collaboration is the result of our mission to re-imagine where and how gaming and creator content lives. All parties saw an opportunity to take one of the most anticipated eSports events of the year and expand its reach to new audiences through OTT and FAST distribution. This is about creating long-term value for teams, fans, and platforms alike—and Race to World First is just the beginning,” said Robin Bigge, Co-CEO of Mirage Digital.

“This is a historic evolution in how we bring eSports to the world. We’ve built a legacy on competitive excellence, and this partnership lets us showcase the heart, hustle, and humanity of our players in a way we’ve never done before—24/7, across every screen,” said Claire Hungate, President & COO of Team Liquid.

This moment also marks the first time Team Liquid has programmed content specifically for a FAST Channel, a move that speaks to the maturation and crossover appeal of eSports for general audiences.

The post Mirage Digital Announces Partnership with Team Liquid appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

eSports

Mastercard Extends Partnership with Esports World Cup 2025

Published

1 week ago

July 16, 2025

George Miller

mastercard-extends-partnership-with-esports-world-cup-2025

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The collaboration will introduce a range of immersive on-ground activations, Priceless Experiences and seamless payment solutions to enhance the fan journey

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced the return of Mastercard as an official event supplier for the 2025 Esports World Cup, the world’s largest esports event, set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24. The renewed partnership underscores Mastercard’s continued commitment to elevating digital experiences, championing youth engagement, and supporting the Kingdom’s rapidly growing gaming ecosystem.

Through the collaboration with the Esports World Cup, Mastercard will introduce a range of immersive on-ground activations and seamless payment solutions designed to enhance the overall fan journey. This will include creating a bespoke version of the Mastercard Gamer Academy, where Mastercard, in collaboration with G2 Esports and Esports World Cup, designed a one-of-a-kind experience that will provide 10 successful applicants with the opportunity to be mentored by professionals on how they could pursue a career in esports. Further, fans can collect Priceless Points by interacting with the games and activities available at the Mastercard booth for the chance to win ultimate gaming gear that will be rewarded to the top scoring players. Further, there will be live appearances by G2 Esports players to be hosted as fireside chats to talk about areas like pro esports. The brand’s presence will emphasize the intersection of technology, gaming, and culture, anchored by initiatives that highlight and support local Saudi talent.

“Mastercard’s return as a partner reflects the Esports World Cup’s evolution from a tournament into a global cultural platform,” said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. “Together, we’re creating impactful experiences that go beyond gameplay, uniting youth empowerment, digital inclusion, and immersive fan engagement. Mastercard’s focus on Priceless experiences and innovation makes them an ideal partner to help us inspire the next generation of gamers and connect with fans in meaningful and memorable ways.”

Saud Swar, Country Manager, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and other Levant, Mastercard added, “We are proud to deepen our partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation as we continue to unlock the potential of gaming in the Kingdom. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, Mastercard is committed to connecting people to their passions, driving innovation, and inspiring the next generation. Our priceless experiences help empower youth, promote digital inclusion, and celebrate Saudi Arabia’s vibrant esports culture.”

This partnership builds on Mastercard’s long-standing global support for the gaming and esports industry, including its strategic sponsorship of Riot Games’ League of Legends and VALORANT. It reinforces Mastercard’s leadership in digital payments and its role in shaping future-facing experiences through youth engagement and innovation.

The 2025 Esports World Cup will host 25 tournaments across 24 game titles, bringing together over 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from more than 100 countries. With a record-breaking prize pool of over $70 million, the event will offer fans a comprehensive entertainment experience, from high-stakes competition and live music to anime cafés, retro arcades, cosplay showcases, and more, cementing Riyadh’s position as a global esports and entertainment hub.

The post Mastercard Extends Partnership with Esports World Cup 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.