eSports
Jarno Opmeer and Red Bull crowned world champions of F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco
Alfa Romeo’s Jarno Opmeer and Red Bull were crowned world champions in the Grand Final of the 2020 F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco after a nail-biting finale this week, which saw some of the most intense battles of the season, as the championships went down to the wire. Jarno Opmeer got his hands on his first ever F1 Esports Series title, whilst Red Bull took home their second successive team’s championship to secure the lion’s share of the series’ $750,000 prize pot.
The driver’s championship standings were incredibly tight going in to the Grand Final, with Alfa Romeo’s Jarno Opmeer, Red Bull’s pairing of Marcel Kiefer and Frede Rasmussen, and Nicolas Longuet of Renault, all in with a shot of winning the main prize. Whilst the teams’ championship was on the line for Red Bull and Alfa Romeo.
Wednesday’s action started with a trip to Suzuka, as drivers battled it out on the high-speed track, negiotiating the iconic ‘S’ curves, where Frede Rasmussen secured a huge win in the race for the title. Nicolas Longuet took crucial points in P2, whilst Racing Point’s Daniele Haddad scored a surprise first podium of the season.
Jarno Opmeer rounded off Wednesday with a well-fought, much-needed win at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, ahead of two-time Esports champion Brendon Leigh and title rival Frede Rasmussen, who finished second and third respectively.
The season culminated where many famous F1 campaigns have ended, in Interlagos, as Nicolas Longuet finished the year with a brilliant drive to take victory in a breathtaking race. Marcel Kiefer’s P2 finish secured the teams’ championship and Brendon Leigh finished on the podium to round off the series and end his season on a high. Jarno Opmeer settled for P7, but it was enough to secure the title, after a time penalty put Frede Rasmussen down in P11, as he won his first drivers’ championship by 22 points.
The Pro Series Grand Final closed a thrilling season of action and excitement, which has been historic in its own right as driver’s raced remotely for the first time, from their homes or team factories, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two trophies, alongside the DHL Fastest Lap Award to AlphaTauri’s Joni Törmälä, were awarded virtually from the Gfinity Esports Arena in London, where this season’s live shows have been broadcast from, as fans around the world were treated to more content than ever before. Throughout the season, live shows have been 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).
F1 Esport’s ventures have flourished in the face of adversity in 2020, with over 30 million viewers tuning in for the Virtual Grand Prix series earlier this year, and the most popular Pro Series yet. The huge popularity of F1’s Esports output is mirrored by sales of Codemasters’ official F1 2020 video game, and record numbers of participants attempting to qualify for next year’s series.
The support of the series’ partners, Aramco, DHL and Fanatec is paramount to the F1 Esports Series’ ongoing success. For more information visit www.f1esports.com.
Chase Carey, CEO at Formula 1 said:
“A massive thanks and congratulations to all the teams and people that made this Esports season possible. I know it’s not been easy and the virus has created challenges for all of us but they’ve not only taken on those challenges but achieved success beyond our wildest expectations. It’s been an incredible year from end to end, with participation up over 100%. There’s been great energy in the Esports competition, and we look forward to an even more exciting year next year and continued growth!”
Christian Horner, Team Principal at Red Bull Racing Team said:
“Congratulations to the Red Bull Racing Esports team on successfully defending the constructors title, a fantastic job by all three of you [the drivers], so enjoy it! It is a great result and something for us to live up to next year on the main circuit.”
Frank Sagnier, CEO at Codemasters said:
“On behalf of the F1 2020 team, I’d like to congratulate Jarno Opmeer on his maiden championship. Despite the remote participation due to COVID-19, we have witnessed some incredible racing moments, and thanks go to the drivers and teams for their commitment during a very challenging season. It’s been a fantastic year for F1® 2020 and the F1 Esports Series, which has seen record participation and viewership numbers. We look forward to even bigger and better things in 2021, starting with the F1 Esports Series Challengers.”
John Clarke, CEO at Gfinity said:
“F1 Esports Series has once again demonstrated the power and excitement of virtual racing at the highest level. The drivers and teams keep raising the bar with their performances. Record numbers of fans now have an even deeper appreciation of the skill levels required to compete and win. Congratulations to everyone involved in another outstanding season. And bring on 2021!”.
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Eight creators compete across five timed stages with eliminations, broadcast on Red Bull’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
Red Bull will stage a one-day Balatro speedrun competition, Red Bull Boss Rush, on April 17, 2026. The event brings together eight creators for timed runs in the roguelike deckbuilder, with viewers able to follow via individual creator POV streams and a central hub broadcast.
The competitor lineup includes Red Bull Player Ludwig, plus The Spiffing Brit, FrostPrime, Feinberg, Adef, Yahiamice, mbtyugioh and dreads. Red Bull said live commentary will be provided by esports host Yinsu ‘Yinsu’ Collins, card-game specialist Blake ‘Rarran’ Eram, and DrSpectered.
Boss Rush is structured as five 30-minute stages, with players ranked by completion time. Red Bull said the opening three stages use a shared random seed with unlimited resets, and points are awarded by placement each stage; the bottom four are eliminated after stage 3. Stage 4 determines the finalists, followed by a final winner-takes-all matchup.
The event also includes a downloadable Red Bull Boss Rush mod featuring a custom-branded deck and new Red Bull-themed Jokers, Bosses and Skip Tags. Red Bull highlighted additions including ‘Witch’, ‘Princess and Frog’, ‘Zebra’, Old Dog, ‘Pirate’, ‘Genie’, ‘Prince Charming’, and ‘Jester’, each designed to alter scoring or run economics.
Red Bull Boss Rush will stream on twitch.tv/redbull and Red Bull’s YouTube Gaming channel. Scan is supplying gaming PCs for the competition, according to the company.
Relevant data as follows:
- Red Bull Gaming on Twitch; https://www.twitch.tv/redbull Primary broadcast destination for the event.
- Red Bull Gaming on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/redbullgaming Secondary broadcast destination cited in the release.
- Red Bull Gaming: https://www.redbull.com/ Official Red Bull site for event context and confirmation.
- Balatro on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2379780/Balatro/ Authoritative reference for the game featured in the competition.
- Scan Computers: https://www.scan.co.uk/ PC supplier mentioned as providing systems for the event.
The post Red Bull runs one-day Balatro speedrun event, Boss Rush, on April 17 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The CIS-based EMEA lineup brings past EWC experience and titles including PUBG Global Series 8 as S8UL targets Riyadh qualification.
S8UL has signed the Team Question Mark (QM) roster to represent the organisation in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on PC ahead of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026. The deal was announced April 16 from Mumbai as S8UL prepares for the tournament in Riyadh, scheduled for July 21 to 26.
The CIS-based EMEA lineup includes:
- captain Roman Zinovev (ADOUZ1E),
- Andrey Ionov (Bestoloch),
- Mansur Tsimpaev (f1lfirst),
- Nikita Odobesku (Molodoct),
- and coach Yermek Torebekov (Ermaak).
S8UL said the roster will compete through the qualification pathway for a place in the 24-team event, which has a $2 million prize pool.
S8UL is adding a roster with a proven record in top-tier PUBG competition, including wins at PUBG Continental Series 7 Europe 2022 and PUBG Global Series 8 in 2025. The team has also posted a Top 3 finish at PUBG Global Series 2 in 2023 and a Top 7 finish at PUBG Global Championship 2022. The organisation said the roster has competed at both previous editions of the EWC in 2024 and 2025 and has amassed approximately $713,000 in total prize winnings.
Commenting on the move, Naman Mathur, Co-founder, S8UL said, “Signing the QM roster is a significant step for us as we continue to strengthen our presence in global esports. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is one of the most competitive titles in the world, and this team has consistently proven itself against the very best. At a broader level, this move reflects the direction S8UL is heading in. Over the past year, we have focused on building depth across our rosters and competing consistently at the highest level. As we prepare for the Esports World Cup 2026, we are committed to providing the team with the right support and resources as they aim to make a strong impact in the qualifiers as well as on the global stage.”
Roman Zinovev aka ADOUZ1E added, “Becoming part of S8UL is a big opportunity for us as a team. As a team, we’ve always believed in our ability to compete with the best in the world, and having the backing of a global organisation allows us to push even further. With the Esports World Cup coming up, we’re focused on working through the qualifiers and making sure we deliver performances that match our potential.,”
S8UL said the announcement follows its selection as a Club Partner by the Esports Foundation (EF), placing it among 40 global organisations. The organisation has also listed 13 titles it plans to enter for EWC 2026, including PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, Apex Legends, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Call of Duty: Warzone, Chess, EA Sports FC, FATAL Fury, Fortnite, Honor of Kings, MOBA Legends 5V5, Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and Trackmania.
Relevant data as follows:
- S8UL Esports: https://s8ul.gg/ Official organisation site for roster and announcement verification.
- PUBG Esports (PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competitive updates): https://pubgesports.com/ Authoritative source for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS esports circuits, event results, and qualifiers.
- Esports World Cup (official site): https://esportsworldcup.com/ Event organiser site for EWC 2026 schedule, formats, and prize pool confirmation.
The post S8UL signs Team Question Mark roster for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS ahead of EWC 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The ex-Wasserman and former Excel Esports partnerships lead joins the London-based group behind the Esports Awards and MOBIES.
The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA) has appointed Patrick Collins as Vice President of Growth, the company said on April 15, 2026. Collins will lead growth strategy, including commercial partnerships and new business development, from London.
Collins joins from boutique agency Leapfox, which he founded in early 2022. Prior to that, he led commercial partnerships at UK esports organisation Excel Esports, securing deals with brands including BT, Sony, JD Sports, Neosurf and Chupa Chups, alongside partners such as HyperX, Anda Seat, Belong Gaming Arenas and Chillblast PCs.
Earlier in his career, Collins worked at sports marketing agency Wasserman, where MEGA said he helped secure EE’s six-year partnership with Wembley Stadium and advised brands including American Express, Vodafone and PepsiCo. The company also cited experience working with Premier League football clubs and brands including Barclays, Santander, Under Armour and Puma.
“I’m pleased to officially join MEGA at such an important time for esports and gaming,” said Patrick Collins, VP of Growth at MEGA. “Having worked across traditional sport, esports, and commercial partnerships, and founding Leapfox to bridge these worlds and guide my clients, I’m looking forward to applying my experience to support MEGA and our properties as we continue to grow.”
“We’re delighted to welcome Patrick to MEGA as our new Vice President of Growth,” said Michael Ashford, Co-Founder of MEGA. “His extensive experience, including founding Leapfox, uniquely positions him to shape the future of our company. With Patrick on board, MEGA is determined to accelerate our growth, embark on transformative partnerships, and deliver world-class experiences that will define the next era of esports entertainment.”
Relevant data as follows:
- MEGA (Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance): https://themega.global/ Official company site to support the appointment and provide background on MEGA.
- Esports Awards: https://esportsawards.com/ Official site for one of the properties referenced in connection with MEGA.
- MOBIES: https://mobies.com/ Official site for the Mobile Gaming Awards referenced alongside MEGA.
The post MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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