eSports
CHAMPIONS TO BE CROWNED IN F1 ESPORTS PRO SERIES GRAND FINAL LIVE THIS WEEK
TIMING DETAILS, WHERE TO WATCH INFO, AND DRIVER QUOTES FOR F1 ESPORTS PRO SERIES PRESENTED BY ARAMCO
The F1 season may have ended on Sunday, but we have even more racing action for you as F1 Esports Pro Series presented by Aramco culminates with this week’s Grand Final! We will see a new champion crowned as four drivers are in contention of winning a first title, whilst Red Bull and Alfa Romeo will fight it out for the teams’ championship. To get you up to speed with the action, you can view the ‘Top 5 moments’ from a thrilling Event 3 on YouTube here and are free to embed this in editorial if you wish.
Alfa Romeo’s Jarno Opmeer, and Red Bull’s pairing of Frede Rasmussen and Marcel Kiefer, are the main contenders vying to get their hands on the trophy, but Renault’s Nicolas Longuet is still in the hunt and has the ability to cause an upset. The Grand Final will see drivers race at Suzuka, Mexico City before the season ends at Interlagos, as so many famous F1 campaigns have in the past.
The winners of the drivers’ championship and teams’ championship will be presented virtually with their awards after the final race on Thursday, as well as the winner of this year’s DHL Fastest Lap Award.
The live shows will be streamed online via F1’s official channels on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and Huya, as well as broadcast on television by international partners such as ESPN (US), Sky (UK) and Ziggo (Netherlands), whilst Qualifying show content will be streamed exclusively on Twitch, YouTube and Huya (China). For full information about the Pro Series visit: https://www.f1esports.com/
Please see the table below for the full breakdown of the platform splits so you don’t miss a moment of the action this week:
| Day | Session | Time (GMT) | Coverage |
| Wednesday 16 December | Qualifying Show 1 (featuring Quali. 1 highlights and Quali. 2 live) |
15:30 – 16:45 | Twitch / YouTube / Huya (China) |
| Evening Show 1 (featuring Quali. 1 and Quali. 2 highlights, Race 1 re-run and Race 2 live) |
19:30 – 21:00 | TV & Online | |
| Thursday 17 December | Qualifying Show 2 (featuring Qualifying 3 live) |
15:30 – 16:45 | Twitch / YouTube / Huya (China) |
| Evening Show 2 (Featuring Race 3 live and season highlights) |
19:30 – 21:00 | TV & Online |
Ahead of this year’s Grand Final, we caught up with F1 Esports pundit Nic Hamilton, and three of the title contenders, to get their thoughts on the season so far and the final round of races. Please feel free to use these comments in editorial around the build-up to the Grand Final.
Nic Hamilton
It’s going to be a really interesting last event. Jarno Opmeer is showing how strong he is, especially his one lap pace and taking the championship by storm initially. As a team Alfa Romeo seemed really strong, a couple of bad rounds from Dani Bereznay has put a halt to the number of points they have been able to collate. Red Bull have been working together all the way through the season and they don’t seem to make many mistakes. They’re very close on pace and they protect each other which I’ve been very impressed with.
For me I think Jarno Opmeer will win the Drivers’ Championship and Red Bull will take the Constructors’ Championship.
Jarno Opmeer
I’ve been leading since the first race so it would be very disappointing to let it slip now. I know that Frede [Rasmussen] and Marcel [Kiefer] are both having an insane season so they have been pushing me very hard. I’m very confident because we have been making good progress every race but I’m just focussing on what I can do to get the maximum out of this last event.
Marcel Kiefer
[On the Constructors’ Championship] We shouldn’t underestimate Alfa, they have showed that they are excellent especially in Event 1 where they were ahead. We’re a bit more confident going into the Grand Final as we have a bit of a gap but it can still turn around quickly if things don’t go to plan. We can’t rest we just need to keep our heads cool and bring home the points.
Nicolas Longuet
I’ve been happy with my performance this year as it’s essentially my rookie year. There has been so much work that has gone behind this season so I don’t think fourth in the Drivers’ Championship is too bad. Hopefully I can break into the top three in the final event.
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data providers
DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026
DATA.BET says turnover from its virtual content grew 168% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with the supplier reporting the product accounted for 39% of total virtual sports turnover and 45% of profits over the period.
The company said the content is developed fully in-house and delivered through automated bot-vs-bot matches that run 24/7 without dependence on real-world fixture schedules. DATA.BET positioned the format as a way to provide continuous events and reduce operational overhead for operators.
Across the same period, DATA.BET reported +299% active users, +129% across clients GGR, +246% events per quarter, and +218% bets placed.
DATA.BET also said the audience profile overlaps with live football bettors, which it believes supports retention during seasonal breaks. The supplier added that the algorithm-driven format “carries no fraud exposure,” supports In-Stream Betting overlays, and provides near-zero latency between broadcast and market updates.
“Over the past year, our bot-vs-bot virtual content has delivered consistent, measurable results across every operator deployment. Building e-Football in-house gives us the flexibility to configure it to what each operator actually needs — whether that is a specific league structure, a particular mix of bot and player content, or a branded competition format,” mentioned Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET.
The post DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
energy drinks
Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier
Multi-year deal adds Laboratoires Gilbert’s new brand to jerseys across CS2, VALORANT, Rocket League and LoL teams ahead of a September 2026 launch.
Team Vitality has signed a multi-year partnership with FYZIO, naming the brand its new official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier. FYZIO is a sports nutrition and hydration brand developed by Laboratoires Gilbert, a French healthcare company established in 1904.
The partnership will put FYZIO branding on the left sleeve of Team Vitality’s official jerseys for several flagship rosters, including CS2, VALORANT (VCT), Rocket League, and League of Legends teams across the LEC, LFL, and Rising Bees. FYZIO will also support Team Vitality teams competing in Teamfight Tactics, Tekken, and Trackmania.
FYZIO is scheduled to launch in September 2026. Team Vitality said the brand will supply products intended to support areas including hydration, fatigue and stress reduction, concentration and memory, and sleep quality.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership with FYZIO and proud to support the launch of this ambitious new brand from the French group, Laboratoires Gilbert. By integrating its specialised nutrition products into our teams’ routines, we are further strengthening our commitment to high-performance excellence,” comments Vas Roberts, Co-CEO of Team Vitality.
“For more than 120 years, Laboratoires Gilbert has been developing solutions dedicated to health and well-being. With FYZIO, we are bringing this expertise to a new ambition: helping everyone achieve their goals, whatever they may be, through a modern, accessible, and responsible approach to sports nutrition. Our partnership with Team Vitality reflects this shared vision of progress, high standards, and sustainable performance. Your performance, our nature“, explains Cédric Batteur, Chairman & CEO, Laboratoires Gilbert.
The post Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
McDonald’s Germany signs on as presenting partner for G2 NORD and G2 Hel
McDonald’s Germany has partnered with G2 as presenting partner of G2 NORD, the organisation’s League of Legends academy team competing in Germany’s Prime League. The deal also includes support for the return of G2 Hel, G2’s women’s League of Legends team.
Under the agreement, McDonald’s Germany branding, including the “ich liebe es” (I’m lovin’ it) tagline, will appear on G2 NORD and G2 Hel jerseys. The partners also plan a year-long content programme focused on player storytelling and behind-the-scenes access, including a series featuring team president Niklot “Tolkin” Stüber.
G2 positioned the partnership around its regional development pathway. G2 NORD was formed earlier this year through a collaboration between G2 and NORD Esports, and the organisation said the roster has already won the Prime League Winter Snowdown and reached the playoffs in its first EMEA Masters run.
The company said McDonald’s Germany’s backing enables G2 Hel’s return, with the team set to compete in the upcoming Game Changers circuit. “This partnership goes beyond traditional sponsorship, it’s a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of talent development and creating meaningful opportunities within the space,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2. Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, CMO of McDonald’s Germany, added: “We’re proud to support G2 Nord and to celebrate the return of G2 Hel – a strong signal for equity, visibility and inclusion in esports.”
To launch the collaboration, McDonald’s and G2 released an announcement video featuring Jankos, Sola, Tolkin, Team Nord and Caltys, produced in-house by G2. McDonald’s Germany said its lead agency Scholz & Friends supported the development and execution of the partnership.
The post McDonald’s Germany signs on as presenting partner for G2 NORD and G2 Hel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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