Le Mans Virtual Series, 500 Miles of Sebring– Post Race Report

Published

4 years ago

December 20, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The 500 Miles of Sebring, the fourth of five rounds of the Le Mans Virtual Series, kicked off Saturday 18th December with 114 drivers across the LMP2 and GTE classes taking to the start line. Star drivers including the likes of ex-F1 and IndyCar star Felix Rosenqvist who battled against the bumps of the infamously challenging circuit as the last opportunity to display their skill, experience and knowledge ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual final in January.
Conditions were clear in Florida, and all eyes on team strategy with the race being run to 500 miles instead of a set time on the Sebring International Raceway, with some cars including #966 Team Fordzilla pitting early after firing up the grid in the opening laps. James Baldwin in the #49 YAS Heat also pitted early to fit new soft compound tyres that largely paid off as the car continued to set purple sectors throughout and eventually recorded the race’s fastest lap time with Isaac Gillissen at the helm.

In the LMP Classification, the race began with Erhan Jajovski in the #8 R8G Esports leading the grid in pole position, and initial skirmishes saw the pack leaders still largely intact, with the #22 GPX Rebellion Williams driven by Marcell Csincsik on the hunt in second. Drama occurred on lap 38, after the then-championship-leading #123 Team Redline received a drive-through penalty for causing a collision with the #888 TESLA R8G Esports GTE amid packed traffic, dropping the car down the rankings and away from the podium. With the Le Mans Virtual Series championship at stake, the team produced an impressive comeback performance to finish in sixth place and only drop to second in the championship rankings.
The top three entered a tense battle going into the final third of the race, with tremendous driving from third-place Nikodem Wisniewski in the #1 Rebellion GPX Esports, who produced a quick double-overtake to assume the lead for the first time. Having dropped down to third, catastrophe struck #22 GPX Rebellion Williams driver David Pittard when he hit the barriers on lap 106 and lost the car’s rear wing to force an unexpected visit to the pits and plummet down the rankings. The #1 Rebellion GPX Esports car continued to extend its lead at the front of the pack, eventually taking its first win of the championship. The #8 R8G Esports crossed the line in second, with the #70 Realteam Hydrogen Redline rounding out the podium in third. The #10 MAHLE RACING TEAM quietly had a blistering race and soared up the rankings, securing fifth behind #4 Floyd ByKolles-Burst.

Over in the LMGTE Classification, the #71 BMW Team Redline and driver Kevin Siggy took pole position on the grid, but was quickly overtaken by Joshua Rogers in the #92 Porsche Esports Team, with the other #91 Porsche Esports Team close behind as the three battled for first for most of the race. After the halfway mark on lap 83 the #51 FDA Esports Team’s Ferrari – which was surging up the standings – was at the centre of drama. Struck by #55 BMW Team GB, the Ferrari then spun out and made contact with the #65 Panis Racing LMP, triggering drive through penalties for both GTEs.
In the end, the #71 BMW Team Redline’s unique fuel saving strategy worked to dramatic effect as the BMW M8 eventually secured a dominant win over its Porsche rivals, who were forced to refuel more. The #91 Porsche Esports Team finished some way off in second, while the #88 Proton Competition secured the final podium place place after a time penalty for Nestor Garcia – who had stayed in the car for too long – meant the #111 Red Bull Racing Esports car dropped from third to seventh.

Isaac Gillissen for #49 YAS Heat recorded the fastest lap time in the LMP2 Classification, with a blistering 1:45.341 on the 132nd lap during a tense battle against Bono Huis in the #123 Team Redline. In the LMGTE Classification, Dayne Warren for Proton Competition secured the fastest lap, recording an impressive 1:57.835 in the 30th lap.
Augustin Canapino from GPX Rebellion Williams said: “It was a great job from everyone on the team and I enjoyed every lap of the race. It was a great drive from Niko [Wisniewski] to finish so strongly and now the car is in a really good position to fight for the championship in the final round.
Rudy van Buren from BMW Team Redline, said: “We felt our strategy was very sensible and thought others would adopt that to make it closer. It was a great race and our preparation paid off…This week we’ll get going at [the Le Mans 24], and set ourselves up to be as good as we can be for it.”

Sebring presented the final challenge to teams and drivers before the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual race, which will be held entirely online on January 15/16, 2022.

UniPin Accelerates Esports Growth Through Nationwide Campus Esports Championship in India, Expansion to 50+ Universities in 2026

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2025

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

UniPin, the leading digital entertainment and esports enabler across Asia, had launched the UniPin Campus Championship India, a large-scale interuniversity esports tournament designed to unite and empower student gamers through competition, collaboration and community building.

Running from October to December 2025, the championship will bring offline esports tournaments to eight major cities: Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. Winners from each campus qualifier will advance to the Grand Finale in January 2026, where they will compete for national recognition and esports glory.

The championship officially kicked off in Pune (MIT Pune, Oct 30) and Mumbai (NMIMS Mumbai, Oct 31). Both campuses recorded overwhelming enthusiasm from students eager to represent their universities, demonstrating the growing momentum of esports within India’s student communities. Packed audiences, spirited support and competitive gameplay marked a strong opening for the multi-city series.

“The UniPin Campus Championship India underscores UniPin’s ongoing commitment to cultivating the next generation of esports talent while strengthening a culture of collaboration, discipline, and sportsmanship among young players. As India’s gaming ecosystem continues to grow, we are proud to provide a platform that empowers students to showcase their skills, connect with the community, and pursue their passion at a competitive level,” said Paras Gupta, Manager of Esports, Community & KOL at UniPin India.

Expansion Vision: 2026 and Beyond

Building on the momentum of this inaugural championship, UniPin India is preparing an even larger nationwide initiative for 2026, with plans to reach more than 50 universities across India. The expansion aims to elevate intercampus esports into a mainstream student activity by integrating workshops on esports careers, community networking and developer engagement — not only fostering competition, but also building pathways into the gaming and digital entertainment industry.

This upcoming expansion signals UniPin’s long-term investment in India’s esports ecosystem and strengthens its commitment to making esports accessible, structured and sustainable at the grassroots level.

“This expansion is not just about growing the tournament footprint. By 2026, we aim to reach every major campus so they can have a thriving esports community supported by the right infrastructure, education, and exposure,” Paras added.

Through the UniPin Campus Championship, UniPin reinforces its mission to accelerate the growth of esports and digital entertainment in Asia by creating inclusive opportunities for young players to connect, compete and thrive.

The post UniPin Accelerates Esports Growth Through Nationwide Campus Esports Championship in India, Expansion to 50+ Universities in 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

eSports

Globant and Riot Games Announce Partnership

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

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Globant and Riot Games announced a multi-year strategic partnership to support some of Riot’s most critical innovation initiatives and fan communities across League of Legends and VALORANT Esports. This collaboration brings together Riot’s world-class esports experiences with Globant’s global expertise in digital reinvention.

As its new digital transformation partner, Globant will support some of Riot Games’ most critical tech initiatives, including future explorations in artificial intelligence that augment esports viewing experiences and mobile integration capabilities. During the multi-year partnership, the two companies will push the boundaries of technology to unlock teams to deliver richer, more tailored experiences for millions of players and fans globally.

“Globant shares our commitment to deliver the most resonate and engaging experiences for players and fans around the world. Their deep expertise in technology will help us accelerate areas of the business so Rioters can focus on pushing creative boundaries of what’s possible in esports and live events,” said David Mulhall, Global Head of Esports Partnerships and Business Development at Riot Games.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Riot Games to expand the future of gaming and esports. This partnership reflects our shared belief that technology and creativity can reshape how communities connect, play, and experience entertainment,” said Martin Migoya, Co-founder and CEO of Globant.

Globant brings extensive experience across media, entertainment, and gaming that reinforces its role as a transformative technology partner. Through its Media & Entertainment and Games Studios, the company supports global organizations in areas such as content creation and management, streaming platforms, game development, art services, quality assurance, product management, and ongoing live operations. Globant is also a trusted partner to leading sports and entertainment brands, including FIFA and Formula 1. By combining deep industry expertise with advanced technologies like AI, Globant has established itself as a key enabler of innovation and fan engagement for some of the world’s most influential organizations in sports, media, and gaming.

The post Globant and Riot Games Announce Partnership appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Association of National Olympic Committees

Spectatr.ai Partners with ANOC, ISSA to Power Real-Time Highlights for Islamic Solidarity Games

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2025

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Spectatr.ai, a Sequoia-backed innovator in AI-powered sports technology, is partnering with the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA) to deliver real-time highlight clips during the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This collaboration aligns with the wider digital content partnership between ANOC and ISSA and will transform how the Games are experienced globally — bringing high-quality, real-time match, moment and daily highlights from more than 20 sports over 15 days to fans worldwide. This announcement follows news of the strategic partnership between Spectatr.ai and Triple B Media to empower sports organisations around the globe to improve the sports fan experience through the power of artificial intelligence.

Earlier this year, ANOC and ISSA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the global visibility of the Islamic Solidarity Games, which will bring together more than 3500 athletes from 57 National Olympic Committees. Under the MoU, ANOC will broadcast the Games live via ANOC.tv, produce digital content through the ANOC.tv studio, and distribute highlights worldwide through the ANOC Digital Content Hub. Spectatr.ai’s technology will serve as the AI backbone of this initiative, ensuring every defining moment from decisive goals to emotional victories is captured and shared within seconds.

“Our collaboration with ANOC brings AI-powered storytelling to one of the world’s most unifying sporting events. We are honored to support Riyadh 2025 by showcasing every story, emotion and achievement as it happens — reaching fans everywhere in real time,” said Richa Singh, Co-Founder of Spectatr.ai.

Spectatr.ai will deploy its proprietary PULSE engine, an on-cloud, low-latency highlights system that identifies key moments such as goals, finishes, podiums and record-breaking performances. These clips will be enriched with metadata and instantly distributed to ANOC, ISSA and global partners. The system will generate both broadcast-ready and social-media-optimized formats, including vertical 9:16 videos for platforms such as Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

“This collaboration reflects ANOC’s ongoing commitment to innovation and the digital amplification of sport. By integrating real-time AI technology into the Islamic Solidarity Games, we are ensuring that every inspiring performance and emotional moment reaches fans around the world instantly,” said Gunilla Lindberg, secretary general of ANOC.

Through this partnership, each of the 57 participating NOCs will receive customised daily highlight packages, enabling equitable visibility for athletes and federations of all sizes. The system’s automated tagging and search functionality will make all footage easily discoverable, reusable and ready for archival and storytelling use.

The Games will feature traditional and emerging disciplines, including camel racing, duathlon and esports. The collaboration between Spectatr.ai, ANOC and ISSA aims to serve as a model for future multi-sport events — demonstrating how AI can drive real-time global engagement, operational efficiency and commercial value.

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