Formula 1, considered by many to be the pinnacle of racing, is a highly competitive, blisteringly fast sport. But, like many things in 2020, F1 could not speed away from COVID-19 and its regular schedule of races suffered through cancellation and postponements. This gave the drivers of F1 a chance to dabble in the esports scene, with virtual races taking place between actual F1 drivers, and F1 esports competitors. One F1 driver is looking to continue their involvement in esports going forward, forming a new team of esports racers.
It's no secret at this point that esports are big money. While not all games can draw in the massive crowds or payouts as the biggest players on the scene, there is plenty of room for growth. The Formula 1 esports scene features talented racers, who proved they can race wheel-to-wheel with their real F1 counterparts. Though the money isn't as big, not all games can offer prize pools like the $34.4 million for Dota 2's The International, there is still a dedicated following for F1 esports content.
Current Formula 1 driver Lando Norris is looking to get in on the action, forming a new esports team called Quadrant. Fellow racer Romain Grosjean started up an esports team in the spring, R8G Sim Racing, focused solely on racing games in the esports world. Norris' team will have a substantial focus on racing, but the young driver has his sights set on expanding the operation to include a wide range of games. Perhaps down the line a team from Quadrant will join 100 Thieves in the Call of Duty League, who recently announced their participation in the upcoming COD season.
Esports are maybe one of the few areas of the entertainment world benefiting from more exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic. With traditional sports hampered by keeping players healthy, esports have found a way to make their leagues work. All the extra press means that even Hollywood is taking notice. Ellen Page is set to star in the film 1Up, a comedy about esports and GamerGate. This increased publicity could be part of the reason why Formula 1 drivers are jumping on board to form teams.
Norris has long been an avid gamer, streaming to Twitch when he doesn't have Formula 1 commitments. While he doesn't stream F1 2020, if for some reason he hasn't picked it up, it is now available on PS Now this month.
His new esports team hasn't announced any immediate plans, but with its formation, looks to increase the profile of racing esports and more.
Source: BBC