This week in Sim Racing & Esports News I look at the upcoming final for the TCR Virtual Cup, F1 Esports Series breaks viewing and engagement records in 2021 and Grease Monkey Games being acquired.
The TCR Virtual Cup Global Final
The TCR Virtual Cup Global Final takes place on March 12 at the Racing Fuel Academy in Zurich where the first ever champion will be crowned, winning a test in a real TCR car.
The maiden edition of the TCR Virtual Cup created by the WSC Group in collaboration with RaceDepartment on the Simracing.gp platform attracted nearly 9,000 competitors from 138 countries who took part in 1,014 races held over three months. The competition introduced an innovative and engaging knockout format divided into three continental ‘brackets’ and awarding €10,000 prize money.
From the 25th February all finalists will have the opportunity to test on five racetracks. On March 11th three of these circuits will be selected for the Global Final. The competition format will see a qualifying session and a race for each circuit with points awarded in both sessions. Drivers will compete using the seven TCR models seen so far, but there will also be a surprise to be revealed soon.
F1 Esports Series breaks viewing and engagement records in 2021
Following the announcement of the 2021 F1 season’s audience and attendance figures, it was confirmed that the 2021 F1 Esports Series presented by Aramco has broken viewership and engagement records. The full series, which ran throughout 2021, achieved over 23 million views across digital platforms, a +103% YOY increase.
Grease Monkey Games has been Sold
Since the start of the year, video game companies have made a flurry of acquisitions. Specifically related to motorsport, software and venture firm Animoca Brands acquired motorsport game developer Grease Monkey Games for an undisclosed amount. Grease Monkey Games has partnerships with Nissan, Toyota, Ford, and BMW.