F1 Esports Champion Jarno Opmeer Joins Mercedes

Reigning F1 Esports Pro Series drivers’ champion Jarno Opmeer has joined Mercedes from Alfa Romeo.

Opmeer will be joined at the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team by last year’s F1 Esports Pro Series Rookie of the Year Dani Moreno, who switches from McLaren, along with Dutchman Bono Huis, who’s raced for Mercedes since 2020.

The move comes after Mercedes stalwart Brendon Leigh made a shock switch to rivals Ferrari to partner David Tonizza in an all-champion line-up for 2021. However, Opmeer showed last season that he was a force to be reckoned with himself, taking eight podiums and four wins en route to being crowned the 2020 F1 Esports Pro Series champ.

“We have a very strong new driver line-up with Jarno, Dani and Bono. It underlines our ambitions in the world of esports – we are here to compete at the front, in multiple disciplines and categories. We’re very happy with this new driver line-up and it will help us take the next step in the development of our esports programme,” James Vowles, Mercedes F1 team’s Motorsport Strategy Director, said.