eSports
Alonso and Barrichello team up for Le Mans Virtual assault with Torque Esports’ simulator company Allinsports
- The Spanish/Brazilian combination have an incredible 633 Formula 1 race starts and 43 wins between them
- Sim racing stars Olli Pahkala and Jarl Teien to join F1 stars
- Torque Esports’ sim manufacturer Allinsports throw support behind Le Mans entry
Formula 1 legends Fernando Alonso and Rubens Barrichello are teaming up for an assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – launching the FA/RB Allinsports team for the virtual version of the fabled French endurance racing event.
The duo are two of only five men with more than 300 Formula 1 race starts to their credit, with Barrichello holding the record at 322 with Alonso not far behind on 311.
Scheduled for June 13/14 – the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual will fill the date that was originally scheduled for the 88th running of the legendary French endurance race, which Alonso has previously won twice.
The Alonso/Barrichello team is backed by Torque Esports (TSX-V: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLF) and its market-leading simulator manufacturer Allinsports, which build and supply Formula 1-level simulators to both racing legends.
Headed by ex-Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull development and electronics expert Anton Stipinovich, Allinsports not only design and build full-size, full-motion simulators from its base in Maranello, Italy, but also market the eRacer simulator that is used by leading motorsport stars including Alonso, Barrichello, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, Charles Leclerc, Emerson Fittipaldi, Tony Kanaan, Helio Castroneves, Gil de Ferran, David Brabham, Conor Daly and Nicholas Latifi
The Torque Esports team has a long history at Le Mans with President and CEO Darren Cox creating the Nissan PlayStation GT Academy program which turned gamers into real-world race drivers and spearheaded the successful Le Mans debut for the likes of Jann Mardenborough and Lucas Ordonez.
Joining the Formula 1 stars for the event will be top Nordic sim racing racers Olli Pahkala (Finland) and Jarl Teien (Norway).
“I’ve been very fortunate to have two victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the past two years, but the level of competition for the virtual race could be even tougher,” Alonso said.
“I’m thrilled to team up with Rubens and delighted to add Olli and Jarl to our team. Allinsports played a big role in getting both Rubens and I involved in sim racing, and we’re very excited to be working together with Anton and his team as well as the guys from Torque Esports who are putting this together.”
Allinsports’ Stipinovich previously worked closely with both Barrichello and Alonso during their Ferrari Formula 1 stints. The South African-born electronics expert worked with Barrichello during the dominant Ferrari Schumacher/Barrichello era and worked with the Ferrari Driver Academy during Alonso’s stint.
“Anton and I had a lot of success together back in the day and he has been a huge help in getting me involved in esports racing,” Barrichello said.
“I did Le Mans back in 2017 and loved the experience, and now I’m really looking forward to going back and doing it virtually with this great team. We have a lot of work to do to prepare for the race, but it is going to be a brilliant challenge.”
Both Alonso and Barrichello have showcased their virtual talents in the Torque Esports’ The Race All-Star Series powered by ROKiT Phones in the Legends Trophy division.
Alonso starred last week at Indianapolis, taking two victories, including a win in the reverse grid event. Barrichello has also been to victory lane in the series, taking a victory at NOLA Motorsport Park earlier this year.
The FA/RB Allinsports team has also enlisted the support of former Le Mans LMP2 winning squad Greaves Motorsport to support the virtual Le Mans assault. Jacob Greaves and his team will handle the preparations and in-race strategy for the team.
The Greaves Motorsport squad is no stranger to tackling the 24 Hours of Le Mans with gamers. Torque Esports’ Cox previously worked with the UK-based squad for the GT Academy graduates.
“We have a massive task ahead, but we’re doing everything we can to make sure we give this the best shot we can,” Cox said.
“Even though the weather, safety cars, and everything may be virtual, we’re treating this like the real thing, and Jacob and his team have that race-winning experience that we’re adding to our ‘virtual’ pit wall. We had great real-world success with Jacob and his team with gamers in the past – now we’re taking two real-world motorsport legends into the virtual world. It is a perfect flip from what we’ve done previously.”
The Formula 1 stars’ sim racing teammates have equally as impressive resumes. Pahkala finished third three times in the iRacing World Championship Grand Prix Series in 2014, 2015 & 2016, and second in the Road Pro Series in 2013. He finished fourth in the Formula 1 Esports Pro Series Team Championship in 2018 and was third in the Formula E Visa Vegas eRace in 2017.
Teien is a two-time LFSCart champion and has driven for G2 Esports in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual will kick off at 15:00 (CEST) on Saturday, June 13, with racers greeting the chequered flag at the same time on Sunday.
Source: Torque Esports
eSports
The World Esports Summit 2024 Is Here!
The IESF World Esports Summit returns this December to Busan, South Korea. Hosted at the Busan Esports Arena (BRENA) from December 5-6, the Summit will bring together prominent figures from Esports, global brands, government officials, and sports executives for a deep dive into the current Esports trends, its rapid transformations, and future challenges.
This year’s theme, “Building Bridges, Not Barriers, Through the Power of Esports,” will highlight the role of Esports in uniting cultures, ideas, and industries. Under the slogan “We Empower Success,” the
Summit provides a great platform for Esports experts to engage in meaningful discussions and sessions, sharing their insights on trends and presenting forward-looking ideas for our industry.
The event, strategically timed at the close of the competitive season, presents a perfect environment for reflection on the year’s biggest events, industry shifts, and the next steps for Esports. Attendees can follow the expert’s perspectives on topics like:
- (R)Evolution in Esports
- East Meets West
- Esports Integrity: The Role of Referees
- The Rise of International Esports Competitions
- (In Korean) Korea’s Secret Sauce etc.
Also, featured at this year’s event are the IESF World Esports Training Camp and the World Esports Referee Academy.
These are very important IESF programs that are aimed at advancing the skills and professional standards of the next generation of Esports leaders.
Join us in Busan for two days designed to inspire, connect, and empower the international Esports community.
Registration for the World Esports Summit is free and open to all interested attendees.
To register, please complete our online registration form: iesf.formstack.com/forms/wes2024_participation_registration
See you in Busan!
eSports
Akhil Sarin CMO at Easygo named as key note at ICE Esports Conference
Clarion Gaming has confirmed that Akhil Sarin CMO at Easygo, the technology powerhouse behind the success of global brands Stake and Kick will headline the Esports & Games Conference (EGC) taking place on 21 January as part of the ICE Barcelona experience. As a key member of the executive team, Akhil Sarin has been instrumental in securing the high-profile partnerships that have accelerated Stake’s growth, including the Stake F1 team, UFC, Drake, and Premier League Everton FC.
Through these strategic alliances he has amplified Stake’s brand presence at the same time as creating unique, immersive player experiences, in the process setting new industry benchmarks.
Announcing the high profile speaker Will Harding, Head of Esports at Clarion Gaming said: “Securing Akhil Sarin as EGC key note at ICE Barcelona represents a remarkable opportunity for our attendees to gain invaluable insight into cutting-edge strategies in digital and influencer marketing .
“Akhil’s expertise with Stake and Kick.com embodies the forward-thinking, innovative approach that defines the digital marketing landscapes. His participation underscores the calibre of knowledge-sharing that we are committed to delivering at ICE and he is sure to both inspire our attendees and elevate their strategic perspective.”
Looking ahead to ICE Barcelona, Akhil Sarin stated: “Collaborating with Clarion Gaming at ICE Barcelona is an exciting opportunity to showcase Stake’s journey and continued focus on bold partnerships and creative marketing strategies that resonate with audiences.”
He added “The EGC is a vital platform for exchanging transformative ideas and shaping the future of gaming and entertainment. I look forward to discussing Stake’s vision and collaborating with industry leaders to inspire growth and innovation across the sector.”
eSports
WEC24 Complete: Indonesia Crowned Overall Champion!
WEC24 Complete: Indonesia Crowned Overall Champion! Busan, South Korea (November 20, 2024) – After nine days of exciting competition, the 16th World Esports Championship (WEC24) has come to a conclusion.
From epic plays to unforgettable moments, the championship closed out with the Dota 2 and MLBB Women’s finals. The ultimate victory and the biggest moment of the night belonged to Indonesia, as they won their second title as the WEC24 Overall Champions.
This prestigious trophy is awarded to the nation that excels across all of the game titles. Turkey secured one gold and one bronze medal also, however, Indonesia’s consistency and performance across the other game titles gave them the edge to secure their victory. Congratulations to Indonesia for this remarkable achievement!
WEC24 started on November 11 at the spectacular SEF Arena in Riyadh, bringing together athletes from around the world to compete across six tournaments: PUBG MOBILE, CS2 (Women’s and Open), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Open and Women’s), and Dota 2. Each competition delivered its special charm, giving us new champions and a WEC to remember.
Medalists:
PUBG MOBILE:
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- Brazil
CS2 Women’s:
- Poland
- France
- Portugal
CS2 Open:
- Romania
- Portugal
- Serbia
MLBB Open:
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Indonesia
MLBB Women’s:
- Indonesia
- Cambodia
- Egypt
Dota 2:
- Greece
- Sweden
- Turkey
This year’s WEC broke records and set new milestones: the largest CS2 Women’s tournament with a $160,000 prize pool, the debut of the MLBB Women’s category, and a marathon Dota 2 bronze match that won’t be forgotten. Over 480 athletes gave it their all, leaving behind moments that will define the Esports scene for years.
As WEC24 comes to an end, we are thankful to every athlete, national federation, fan, and Esports enthusiast who traveled with us on the Road to Riyadh.
GG once again to Indonesia, our WEC24 Overall Champion! Thank you, Riyadh, for hosting an unforgettable championship. Until next time, see you on the next World Esports Championship journey!
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