eSports
Mercedes win Esports Drivers’ and Teams’ title double in dramatic Grand Final of 2021 F1 Esports Series Pro Championship presented by Aramco
Mercedes’ Jarno Opmeer clinched a second consecutive F1 Esports Series Pro Championship title to cap another year of incredible performances from the Dutchman. His victory completes a double this season for Mercedes, who came out on top in the Teams’ Championship, and take home the lion’s share of the huge $750,000 prize pot. Despite having a completely new lead driver pairing, the Mercedes team has worked incredibly well together this year, and have been a formidable force on the grid.
Opmeer fought off Red Bull’s Frede Rasmussen, who pushed him all the way, in this week’s Grand Final to retain his crown, whilst Lucas Blakeley, who also went into the final three races in contention for the title, was unable to capitalise on his brilliant form this season for Aston Martin and fell just short.
Former World Champion David Tonizza took the win in Wednesday’s first race as the Pro Championship visited Imola for the first time in a hugely dramatic encounter, as Opmeer and Rasmussen took home crucial points in second and third respectively, with the Red Bull driver putting in an amazing performance after qualifying in P15. McLaren rookie Josh Idowu looked set to take his maiden win after starting on pole, before a last lap spin took him out of contention, while Blakeley saw his title chances slip after dropping several places across two laps towards the end after picking up damage, only securing a solitary point.
Opmeer went on to secure his fourth win of the season later in the day in Mexico City, following a tactical masterclass going into the finals laps of the race. The Dutchman, who started in third place behind Rasmussen and Bari Boroumand respectively, jumped into the lead after a three-way battle down the long first straight, with a sweeping move down the inside into the first corner. The trio continued to jostle for positions throughout the race before Opmeer, who was leading on the penultimate lap purposely let his Red Bull rival past as they went into the final corner to cross the line for the last lap, meaning he could then take back P1 going down the long pit straight. He continued to lead from the front and put the title within touching distance, while Rasmussen, who crossed the line in P2, dropped to third after a time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. A fifth-placed finish for Dani Moreno meant Mercedes secured the Teams’ title for the first time since 2018, when they also won both titles.
This meant Opmeer headed into Thursday’s season finale 21 points clear, and whilst Rasmussen stormed to victory at Interlagos, the Mercedes’ man drove to a comfortable fourth placed finish and secure his second title in as many years. Red Bull’s Rasmussen gave it everything he had, and after starting from tenth he went longer on his medium tyres than all the frontrunners, and built up a commanding lead, but was made to work for his win after coming out of the pits in P15, but the fresh tyres were no match for those in his way. Blakeley ended the season on a high finishing in P2, and there was a well-deserved maiden podium finish for AlphaTauri’s Sebastian Job after an impressive debut season which has earnt him Rookie of the Year.
Drivers are continuing to race remotely from their homes or team facilities, as they did in the 2020 season, but the hugely popular competition continues to broadcast from the Gfinity Esports Arena in London. Following the same Event format as recent campaigns, teams battle it out on the official F1 2021 video game, developed by Codemasters, with 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.
F1 Esports events have achieved over 40 million views across TV and digital, in the last 18 months, 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. 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.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO, Formula 1®, said:
“In what has been a record-breaking year for the F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco, I wanted to thank all the teams and individuals that made this season’s championship possible. It has been an incredible fight from start to finish with some brilliant racing, and I wanted to congratulate the winners, Mercedes and Jarno Opmeer. Wishing everyone a great festive season, and we look forward to an even more exciting year for F1 Esports in 2022!”
John Clarke, CEO at Gfinity, said:
“It’s very encouraging to see the ever-increasing number of fans that tune in to the series. 2022 has been a championship of non-stop excitement and the amount of engagement is a true testament to the skills of the drivers. Gfinity is proud to host a series which provides such exciting content for racing and gaming fans alike.”
Paul Jeal, F1 Senior Franchise Director at Codemasters, said:
“The F1 Esports Championship has kept pace with the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, delivering more action, overtakes, and drama than ever before. Huge congratulations to Jarno Opmeer on retaining his F1 Driver’s crown and joining Brendon Leigh as a double world champion. Mercedes and Red Bull carried their real-world rivalry in the F1 Esports Series Pro Championship presented by Aramco, and it was Mercedes who came out on top as worthy winners.”
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eSports
GIANTX unveils its team for the Spanish Superliga of League of Legends
The global esports organization GIANTX has officially presented the roster for its League of Legends Superliga team, the most prestigious esports competition in Spain, organized by the LVP. The roster includes Feisty (midlaner) and Aetinoth (ADC), who continue for another year after establishing themselves as key players for the organization, and newcomers Badlulu (toplaner), Ferret (jungler), and Lospa (support).
The team, known as GIANTX Pride, will be led by Fearless, a veteran coach who has already won three Superliga titles with GIANTX. After previous stints with teams like Guasones and Rebels, Fearless returns to lead this young and promising roster as they pursue the organization’s long-awaited eighth Superliga trophy, with the season set to begin in January 2025.
The roster was revealed during an event at the Home of GIANTX in Málaga, attended by over 150 fans and supported by Opel, the team’s main partner in the Superliga. The event featured activities, giveaways, and a showmatch against Barça Esports, where fans got a first glimpse of the team in action.
Feisty (South Korea, 2003) and Aetinoth (Turkey, 2005) return for another year, having gained recognition as rising talents with potential for the LEC, Europe’s premier competition in which GIANTX also competes. Badlulu (France, 2002), with prior experience in the Superliga at CASE Esports, joins as the toplaner. Ferret (Turkey, 2001), a promising jungler from the Turkish scene, comes from FUT, while Lospa (South Korea, 2002), a former Iberian Cup champion, joins as support after training in Gen.G Academy.
GIANTX Pride is the most decorated organization in Superliga LVP history, with seven titles to its name. The last victory came in the summer of 2021, and the team is determined to add the elusive eighth trophy to its collection. The Superliga for 2025 will feature ten teams, including Barça Esports, Guasones, Los Heretics, LUA Gaming, Movistar KOI, Ramboot Club, UCAM Esports, VENI VIDI VICI, and ZETA, competing across three splits—winter, spring, and summer.
The LVP, part of Grupo Mediapro, has introduced changes to the Superliga’s format for 2025. The updated calendar will be released soon, setting the stage for another thrilling season.
The post GIANTX unveils its team for the Spanish Superliga of League of Legends appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
GRID Joins IBIA as an Associate Member, Strengthening Esports Integrity
GRID, an esports data platform, has officially joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) as a first esports-focused Associate Member. This collaboration signifies a pivotal moment for esports integrity, aligning GRID with IBIA and its globally recognized integrity-focused members, who monitor over $300bn in sports bets per annum and have a growing focus on esports betting.
With this partnership, GRID and IBIA are committed to collaboratively addressing any integrity issues in esports, fostering trust across stakeholders, and setting a benchmark for excellence in the ecosystem. GRID has been a certified member of IBIA’s Data Standards program since 2022, actively contributing to the development of tailored esports integrity protocols. This membership further underscores GRID’s dedication to transparency and collaboration in combating betting-related corruption within esports.
Since 2018, GRID has operated an internal integrity department pioneering official data-driven solutions for esports. This makes GRID one of the first companies to monitor tournament and data integrity in the competitive sports sector and actively flag and report suspicious behavior, enabling it to collect a large database of integrity reports and insights.
IBIA is a not-for-profit body that protects regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. It represents over 50 of the world’s leading betting companies which operate over 125 sports betting brands. IBIA’s global monitoring network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets using transactional activity linked to individual customer accounts.
Under the partnership, GRID and IBIA will share information relating to suspicious esports betting and potential match manipulation from their respective monitoring and intelligence platforms. IBIA members will also benefit from free access to wider integrity-focused resources supplied by GRID.
Moritz Maurer, CEO of GRID, commented: “Integrity is at the heart of GRID’s mission. By joining IBIA as an Associate Member, we are taking a definitive step toward establishing esports as a trusted and credible industry. This partnership enables us to further our efforts in promoting transparency, reducing risks associated with esports betting, and strengthening operational practices across the ecosystem.’’
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “We are delighted to welcome GRID as an Associate Member of IBIA. This partnership is a landmark for the esports sector and reflects our commitment to expanding our integrity initiatives into new markets. GRID’s expertise in esports data monitoring and integrity standards is an invaluable asset in our shared mission to combat betting corruption globally.”
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eSports
ComeOn Group and Astralis unite to drive esports engagement in the Nordics
ComeOn Group announced a sponsorship partnership between its flagship brand ComeOn! and Denmark based Astralis, one of the most esteemed esports organisations globally. As a global leader in esports, Astralis is providing a vibrant and engaging esports experience that is aligned with ComeOn!’s brand experience and is further enhanced by its focus in providing a leading esports betting destination.
As the official sponsor of Astralis, ComeOn! will be prominently featured across all of their platforms, including social media, team events, and competitive gaming content, boosting their brand exposure in key global markets with a focus on the Nordics. ComeOn! is already known as a vibrant brand in the Nordics and with the increased brand visibility it will be put at the heart of the fast-growing esports scene.
ComeOn Group continues to invest in its Sportsbook product experience that is powered by its proprietary sportsbook platform, where esports holds an important strategic market opportunity with its ever growing demand.
Juergen Reutter, Chief Executive Officer at ComeOn Group, said: “We are very excited to team up with Astralis as this collaboration not only allows us to showcase our innovative Sportsbook platform but also strengthens our ties to the esports community. This partnership is very much in the heart of one of the fastest growing betting markets globally. Esports has seen great demand by our audiences, and we want to provide the best betting experience for our customers. This partnership is also a testament to our localisation and personalisation focus and by working together with Astralis, we can deliver unique experiences that resonate with our players and elevate the entertainment experience around competitive gaming.”
Mads Rasmussen, Commercial Director at Astralis, said: ”We are proud to present ComeOn Group as our new global partner. This partnership holds great significance for Astralis both as an organization and as a business, and we look forward to bringing the agreement to life, benefiting the vast majority of our fanbase – who are adults. We have undergone a long and very positive process with ComeOn, and the fact that they are European-based with licenses in all our key markets, including Denmark, has been a decisive factor in our decision. Astralis fans, both in Denmark and internationally, can look forward to an innovative new digital activation, which promises to deliver an exciting and engaging experience.”
The post ComeOn Group and Astralis unite to drive esports engagement in the Nordics appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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