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YAS HEAT ESPORTS kicks off Endurance Cup by Thrustmaster title defence with hard-fought podium

Published

5 years ago

May 6, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Abu Dhabi squad claims runner-up spot at opening race of the season whilst community car shows promising pace

The Sim Grid Endurance Cup returned on Saturday, 1 May for the inaugural race of the 2021 campaign. Round 1 saw a total of 540 drivers compete across four splits at the iconic Hungaroring for a three-hour race on Assetto Corsa Competizione.

Reigning champions YAS HEAT powered by Richard Mille dominated proceedings in season two and returned to the fold with one thing on their mind – retaining the title. The team comprised top-tier talent from across YAS HEAT’s Assetto Corsa talent pool, including Eamonn Murphy, Mikhail Statsenko and Andrea Capoccia.

The second car – YAS Community – was led by Jaroslav Honzik or ‘Jardier’ and fielded a squad of YAS HEAT fans as the team repaid the dedication shown by their loyal followers, enabling them to race in a professional esports competition.

It was a dream start to the season for the Abu-Dhabi based team as they put it on pole position for the first race of the season. A tense opening stint saw the top three cars separated by mere tenths from the outset, with YAS HEAT leading the charge.

As the initial pit stops loomed, the Odox Motorsport #122 car made its move, relegating YAS HEAT to second place. Before Statsenko was able to respond, contact with the third place Griphax Engineering car and the subsequent time lost saw the Abu-Dhabi squad drop out of contention for the lead, despite second place being conceded by Griphax Engineering shortly after.

From that point on, the damage was done and the lead remained out of reach as the gap ebbed and flowed between five and ten seconds for the remaining stints. The team crossed the line to claim the runner-up spot but left the Hungaroring knowing they were denied a chance to fight for victory.

Eamonn Murphy, Assetto Corsa Driver, YAS HEAT ESPORTS said:

“On the day at Hungaroring, we extracted the most out of the 488 EVO, especially with 50kg ballast. The Audi unfortunately, over a full stint, just seemed to have the edge on pace, but, unfortunately for our rivals, this only makes us push harder to find even more time.

“As a team I feel we have progressed even more than last season with better communication before, during and after races, thus increasing levels of preparation for the next time we hit the track. Every mistake or downfall is analysed and worked upon. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail!

“Our ambitions are the same as when we first started out together, championship titles are the main goal… YAS isn’t here to take part, we’re here to take over.”

YAS HEAT Community meanwhile were running well in fifth place – on merit – before a collision ahead spelt disaster for a number of cars and sent the squad tumbling down the order, eventually finishing P14.

Next up on the Endurance Cup calendar is a six-hour race at the iconic Italian circuit of Monza (29 May, 11:00am BST) and can be watched live on The Sim Grid’s YouTube channel.

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

8 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

15 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

15 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.