eSports
Jarno Opmeer and Mercedes lead F1 Esports Series Pro Championship presented by Aramco after dramatic Event 1
The 2021 F1 Esports Series Pro Championship presented by Aramco got underway with an thrilling Event 1 this week, where Jarno Opmeer and Mercedes took an early lead in the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships respectively, but with eight different podium finishers in the first three races, the huge $750,000 prize pot is all to play for.
The return of the Pro Championship was more anticipated than ever before following record-breaking viewership last year, the highest ever participation numbers of fans attempting to qualify, as well as several huge moves around the grid with a number of F1 Esports’ biggest names switching allegiances in the off-season.
Much like the 2020 season, drivers are continuing to race remotely from their homes or team facilities, but the hugely popular competition continues to broadcast from the Gfinity Esports Arena in London, with live shows fronted by familiar faces: Natalie Pinkham, Tom Deacon and Nic Hamilton. Following the same Event format as recent campaigns, teams battle it out on the official F1 2021 video game, developed by Codemasters, in two races on a Wednesday, and one on a Thursday, across four broadcasts, which also features qualifiying.
In the first of Wednesday’s two races, the virtual world mirrored reality as the season opener took place at the Sakhir International Circuit, Bahrain, and it was Britain’s Lucas Blakeley who took his maiden win in a historic moment, becoming the first winner for the Aston Martin Cognizant Esports team. Blakeley started in P2 behind Nicolas Longuet but passed him going into the first corner and didn’t relinquish top spot until the final few laps when the lead changed hands several times between the pair, thanks to brave racing and the use of DRS, before the Aston Martin man timed his last attack to perfection. Alvaro Carretón was with the front two the whole way, ready to pounce on any mistakes, but in the end had to settle for a well-deserved P3 for Williams.
Wednesday’s action continued with a trip to China, and whilst the real-world drivers haven’t raced at the Shanghai International Circuit since the pandemic struck, the popularity of F1, and Esports, continues to flourish, as seen by the success of the F1 Esports Series China Championship. Reigning champion Jarno Opmeer showed his title-winning pedigree with an unbelievable victory, taking a huge risk as the only driver to start the race on intermediates tyres, despite there being torrential rain, after a poor qualifying performance that left him in P14. He fell as far as P18, before the rest of the grid began to pit and switch to the same tyres, allowing him to make his way up the grid. He was soon leading, and despite a brief change of leadership between himself and Fabrizio Donoso, as the Alpine driver became the first switch to softs, Opmeer was able to secure his first win for Mercedes in stunning fashion. Red Bull’s Marcel Kiefer put in an accomplished performance in tricky conditions to get his first podium of the season.
The first Event of the new season was rounded off with a second win for Opmeer at the Red Bull Ring with an emphatic victory as he sent out a message to the rest of the field that he is intent on defending his crown. Frederik Rasmussen, one of last year’s front runners picked up his first podium of the year, ahead of McLaren’s new boy Bardia Boroumand who secured third, and is already living up to the hype around him in the pre-season.
Event 2 will see the drivers battle it out on a trio of iconic ‘old-school’ circuits as the Pro Championship heads to Silverstone, Monza and Spa, in what is set to be an action-packed two days across 27-28 October.
Following Event 1, the official standings are as follows:
Driver standings
Team standings
The live shows are streamed online via official channels of Formula 1 on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and Huya, as well as broadcast on television via select international broadcast partners.
In the last 18 months, F1 Esports events have achieved over 40 million views across TV and digital, and this popularity led to a record number of people attempting to be a part of this year’s Pro Exhibition, with almost half a million taking part in qualification. This year’s qualification is now open through a challenge in the official F1 2021 video game, with the first event live until 31st October. If you would like to find out more information on how to take part in the F1 Esports Series and for more information on the Pro Championship presented by Aramco, visit www.f1esports.com.
Full race results:
Race 1 – Bahrain
Race 2 – China
Race 3 – Austria
Ben Pincus, Director of Commercial Partnerships at Formula 1®, said:
“It’s great to see the F1 Esports Series Pro Championship presented by Aramco back underway. We’ve been spoilt with excitement in the real-life racing this year and if these first races are anything to go by, we’re in for a treat this season in the virtual world too.”
John Clarke, CEO at Gfinity, said:
“Last year’s record-breaking participation is a testament to Formula 1’s continuous innovation and expansion, bringing more fans than ever into the world of F1 Esports. Off the back of last year’s success, the F1 Esports Series has returned bigger and better than ever, giving Gfinity the opportunity to utilise its tech IP and world-class production to help F1 fans feel ever closer to the series.
Paul Jeal, F1 Senior Franchise Director at Codemasters, said:
“We’re into the fifth year of F1 Esports, and the standard continues to get higher and higher, with some blistering lap times and exciting wheel to wheel racing to open the series. A great display from Jarno Opmeer as he tops the drivers’ championship, and it looks like we could have an incredible battle between a handful of teams for the team championship. Roll on the second show.”
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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.
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.
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S8UL’s Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram has qualified for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 Chess main event after winning the Road to EWC qualifier at DreamHack Atlanta, according to the organization. S8UL said the result makes him the first Indian player to secure qualification for the Chess main event.
The qualifier used a group stage and playoffs format, with two games per series and Armageddon as the tiebreaker, played at 10 minutes with no increment. Aravindh advanced from Group B into the Upper Bracket semifinals after wins over Kyler Raines, Justin Liang, Oleksander Bortnyk, and Christopher Woo.
In the Upper Bracket semifinals, Aravindh beat Woo 2-1 after two draws and an Armageddon decider. He then defeated Alexey Sarana 2-1 in the Upper Bracket Final to reach the grand final, where he faced Sarana again. S8UL said the grand final used a double-match format, and after Sarana won the opening two games from the Lower Bracket side, Aravindh came back to win the Armageddon decider to take the qualifier.
The win earned the 26-year-old USD 15,000 (~INR 14 lakh) and one of the eight qualification slots confirmed so far for the EWC 2026 Chess main event, scheduled for August 11 to 15 with a USD 1.5 million (~INR 14 crore) prize pool. S8UL said it is now qualified for three EWC 2026 titles, following Fortnite and Honor of Kings.
“Qualifying for the Esports World Cup this year is a very proud and exciting moment for me, especially with so many top players and organizations from around the world competing at the event. This particular format leaves very little room for error, as every decision matters when you are playing 10-minute games without increment against some of the strongest players in the world. I am also very grateful to the team at S8UL for their consistent support and belief in me since last year. Their approach towards chess and nurturing Indian talent has been incredibly encouraging, and I am looking forward to representing the organization and giving my best at the main event” Chithambaram said.
S8UL added that fellow Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Pranesh M remain in contention to qualify for EWC 2026 Chess via the Champions Chess Tour Leaderboard, Last Chance Qualifiers, and an India Rising slot scheduled to conclude on July 5. “One of the things we’ve consistently focused on at S8UL is creating opportunities for Indian talent to compete and succeed on the biggest global stages. Aravindh Chithambaram qualifying for the Esports World Cup is a huge moment, not just for us as an organization, but for Indian chess overall. The level of competition and pressure in this format is extremely high, which makes this achievement even more special. We’ve always believed India has the talent to stand alongside the very best in the world, and seeing Aravindh become the first Indian to qualify really reinforces that belief,” said Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO, S8UL Esports.
The post S8UL’s Aravindh Chithambaram qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 chess event appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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