Latest News
Veloce Racing misses out on Jurassic X Prix Final after most competitive weekend yet
Veloce Racing showed great fighting spirit during the Jurassic X Prix, as the all-new driver line-up of Woolridge and Chadwick gave it all they had in search of that elusive second Extreme E podium.
The London-based squad arrived in Dorset with nothing to lose. Having shown strong speed in the penultimate round in Sardinia, but ultimately failing to reach the Final, it was all or nothing today for the team.
Qualifying
A revised racing format for this weekend meant that all rounds of the Jurassic X Prix were run over three laps instead of the usual two. The first in the driving seat completed two laps before handing over to their team-mate to cross the finish line.
Extreme E also decided which drivers would start each round. Free practice saw all teams starting with their female driver, with their male counterpart taking on the start of the next round.
This meant that a strong start in Qualifying 1 was left in the hands of debutant Woolridge. The South African put in an encouraging first two laps, and the returning Chadwick showed no sign of nerves as she followed up with another competitive lap. Thanks to the efforts of both drivers, Veloce Racing ended the session in a respectable fifth place, just over 10 seconds behind leaders X44.
Qualifying 2 followed a similar story, but this time with Chadwick leading the way from the starting line. Coming to the end of a good two laps Chadwick did well to control the car as the rear end bucked aggressively. Woolridge then brought the #5 car home and secured the fifth-fastest stint on the table once again. With a time of 9:26:744 the team was four seconds faster than their first qualifying attempt.
Semi-Finals
The first Semi-Final saw the Veloce team up against Championship contenders X44 and the JBXE team fighting it out with Andretti United Extreme E for third in the standings.
Woolridge lost time on the first lap of the Semi-Final, dropping back after a jump caused the car to spin.The Veloce driver then showed breath-taking pace to close the gap, and his driving masterclass ensured that all three teams were nose to tail going into the Switch Zone.
Chadwick followed Woolridge’s lead, with both drivers achieving amazing heights over the knife edge in a bid to catch and overtake the other teams. Despite running closely together throughout the final lap, Chadwick was unable to get past JBXE’s Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky for a spot in the Final.
Lance Woolridge, driver, Veloce Racing commented: “Just past waypoint 10, chasing Seb [Loeb] I kept a bit inside to try to get the inside line, but the jump was a lot bigger, and it kicked the car all the way up and actually completely around. So, I had to turn the car all the way round again and get going. I think I lost six seconds there. So, very frustrating but we had good pace in the second half so there are positives there.”
Jamie Chadwick, driver, Veloce Racing added: “We are obviously a bit disheartened, naturally, but we were up against two of the fastest teams there so to have beaten them would have been a bit of a challenge. Lance did an amazing job after a little mistake. He was so fast, and I think to show that speed in this car and to have a clean weekend was good for the team.”
Rupert Svendsen-Cook, Team Principal, Veloce Racing added: “It’s been by far our most competitive weekend from a performance perspective and all of the team can hold their heads high for that. We’ve learnt a huge amount this year, with what was a brand-new team built from the ground up. We will now take all those crucial lessons into the off season to ensure we come back the best prepared we can be for 2022.
“Thank you to all the team who have been herculean at times as well as our drivers, sponsors and investors. We’re really excited to build on the foundations we have laid, and in true Veloce style we’re going for it!”
With many positives for Veloce Racing to take away from the inaugural Extreme E season, the team is excited for what next year will bring. Extreme E returns in February with an X Prix in Saudi Arabia.
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BETANO
Betano named FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America
Betano has been named an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026
for Europe and South America under a new partnership between FIFA and Kaizen Gaming’s lead brand. The tournament will be held across Canada, Mexico and the United States from Thursday, 11 June until Sunday, 19 July.
The agreement is the third collaboration between Betano and FIFA. Betano previously joined as an Official Regional Supporter of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
for Europe and was later announced as an Official Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
.
“We are delighted to welcome Betano among the Tournament Supporters of the FIFA World Cup 2026,” said FIFA’s Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai.
“Partnering with FIFA for the third time is a proud milestone for everyone at Kaizen Gaming and a clear reflection of our global evolution,” added George Daskalakis, co-founder and CEO of Kaizen Gaming.
Kaizen Gaming said Betano will run physical and digital fan engagement activations in Europe and South America around the tournament, and will offer responsible gaming tools including financial limits, time management features and 24/7 customer support.
The post Betano named FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
chess
S8UL’s Aravindh Chithambaram qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 chess event
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.
Casino Guru
Casino Guru Awards 2026 set for May 25 in Malta ahead of NEXT Valletta
Casino Guru will hold the Casino Guru Awards 2026 on May 25 at Xara Lodge in Malta, ahead of the NEXT Valletta conference. The organiser said the event will recognise companies, initiatives and individuals tied to fairness, player protection and ethical business practices in online gambling.
According to Casino Guru, the awards are positioned differently from typical industry programmes by prioritising “measurable impact and long-term commitment” rather than brand scale or marketing reach.
“The Casino Guru Awards are about recognizing the people and companies that genuinely prioritize players and contribute to a healthier industry,” said Daniela Sliva, PR & Creative Projects Director at Casino Guru. “As we approach the event, we’re excited to celebrate the efforts that often happen behind the scenes but have a real impact on the future of iGaming.”
Casino Guru said around 150 guests are expected to attend, with winners to be announced across multiple categories during an evening programme that also includes networking, dining and an afterparty.
The post Casino Guru Awards 2026 set for May 25 in Malta ahead of NEXT Valletta appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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