In a surprising announcement, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Esports has announced the recruitment of two of sim racing’s biggest names: James Baldwin and Graham Carroll.
James Baldwin needs little introduction to sim racing fans, as the Brit has been a major player in the genre for several years. From being named ‘World’s Fastest Gamer’ in 2019, to becoming the dominant force in Assetto Corsa Competizione, Baldwin is now enjoying a purple patch in his sim career.
Although his early motorsport ambitions stalled due to funding issues, Baldwin made a successful transition to the British GT Championship in 2020, finishing fourth overall alongside teammate Michael O’Brien, taking a win and a further two podiums.
This year, he took part in the Spa 24 Hours GT race in a Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3, where his race was curtailed by a radiator issue. He also won the accompanying Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series race at the same venue, but real-world motorsport opportunities have been few and far between otherwise.
Arguably, Graham Carroll’s arrival comes arguably as a bigger shock, given that he has left Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports – one of Mercedes’ biggest rivals.
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