George Russell may be taking a much-needed rest and relaxation from real-world racing, but he continues to win off the track with an exciting victory at the inaugural iRacing Esports Sim Challenge.
This time; however, he wasn’t in the driver’s seat.
Instead, the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 star took on a similar role to his boss, Toto Wolff, by coaching a squad of sim racers to a championship earlier this month at the event in London.
Team Russell took on fellow Mercedes Esports teammate, two-time F1 Esports Series Pro champion, Jarno Opmeer – who also guided a group of drivers.
The challenge featured both teams racing against each other virtually around Silverstone. Ultimately, Team Russell—consisting of Scott Tuffey, Dominic Roberts, Lewis Bickers and Drew McDevitt—emerged as the champions.
The winners will be invited to take part in a Mercedes-AMG F1 factory tour, which includes a simulator experience in Brackley.
Opmeer, alongside content creator Emma Walsh, presenter and content creator Harry Pinero, and artist and poet LionHeart were in attendance, while Russell supported his team remotely with tips and tricks throughout the race. The in-person event was also live-streamed via Twitch.
Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen partnered with the F1 and Esports team to create the event which also celebrated a new IWC boutique at Battersea Power Station.
The line between real-world and virtual racing continues to blend harmoniously. Big-name brands recognizing the value of esports is huge for the continued growth within the motorsport industry.
It’s a boom that seemingly gains more traction with each new event and the support of real-world drivers and star-studded sim champions, like George Russell and Jarno Opmeer. Congrats to Team Russell on the victory.
Via IWC Schaffhausen
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