F1 Sim Racing: Event 2 Reportedly Postponed, Season in Doubt

F1 Sim Racing 2023 RD.jpg
After the farce at the DreamHack event for the season opener of what was formerly known as F1 Esports, the disputes behind the scenes have cast further doubt on if the season will continue.

Image credit: @F1Esports on Twitter

For upwards of eleven months, there was radio silence on the F1 Esports/F1 Sim Racing front. After Lucas Blakeley took home the championship in December 2022, the organisation of the championship changed hands from Gfinity to ESL.

But the eleventh hour call for drivers to travel to Sweden for the opening round was met with quite the organisational nightmare. Ongoing disputes between F1 and ESL had not been resolved and the entire event was nearly cancelled. One of the two scheduled races were run, but doubts still lingered.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1729155173845770740

The remainder of the season had not been officially confirmed, but the second event was set to be run this weekend. That however has seemingly come crashing before the first corner, and it is leaving many people whose livelihoods are reliant on the series being run wondering if the season will even take place.

Drivers Not Happy​

Many of the drivers have taken to Twitter to express their frustrations at the organisers. After most likely getting into bother for posting his unfiltered thoughts on Twitter during the uncertainty at DreamHack, Mercedes-contracted Williams driver Marcel Kiefer had the following to say:

“Many people never understood F1 Esports and what it meant for many of us. I came from a family with a poor background and I was never able to showcase my talent due to money – F1 Esports changed that and that was always my main starting motivation. Showing what I can do to one day race in real life.

There was always a show and politics aspect like in any sport nowadays, but it didn’t dominate the fact that at heart it was a competition. I feel like ever since a time in 2021, we are drifting more and more away from what we once were. All of this really makes you question as a driver, if this is what you fell in love with.

Put yourself in the shoes of the drivers: since 2021 there has been major exploits being used within the competition (car physics changing (60fps)), over the course of 2021 and 2022 cheating became a massive topic as it was too easy on the game and until today there is still no proper anti-cheat. Not just those things, but the cars ever since 2021 were not 100% equal and until today we still believe car setups don’t work identical on each car, so there are differences (not on the FOM multiplayer car).
Click to expand...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733092857966109073

This year we were all excited after the pandemic and during it we were always racing online. We were set to go back to LAN bigger than ever, longer season, bigger events. And what was the outcome? No communication, leaving us in the dark not knowing what we are actually practicing for.

You could blame us for this, but there are drivers that quit school, uni, other commitments – focused on this and were maybe damaging their social and family life + relationships because of attempting to achieve their unrealistic crazy dreams that most people won’t understand. Just to hear at the first raceday in Sweden that it is not on? Just to hear one day before going the second event that the event isn’t going ahead either, whilst we literally have no clue why it came to this outcome?

I’m very disappointed and I wish the sport I love so much would do the right thing. To all of the boys and girls that work backstage, in a team, as a driver, engineer or whatever role you have, being affected by this – you are amazing and I’m sorry for all of us.”
Click to expand...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1734707873563717728

OverTake reached out to many people who work behind the scenes for several teams, but none were willing to disclose the very little information they had been told. We also reached to the organisers for comment, but are yet to hear anything as of the publication of this article.


EDIT 15/12/2023: In a statement to RaceFans.net, a spokesperson for F1 said the following:

“Formula 1 can confirm that event two of the F1 Sim Racing 2023 World Championship has been postponed, F1 will continue to work with the esports teams and partners and will provide a further update in due course.”
Click to expand...

Do you believe F1 Sim Racing will see out the season? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
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Reactions: nepal roade, Gabyzen64 and Kingkoenig
About author
Luca Munro
Luca Munroe
Biggest sim racing esports fan in the world.

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Comments

J
Premium
I'm into motorsports, video games and sim racing so I should really be the target market for this series - but I have no interest in eSports.

I'll occasionally watch amazing speed runs of other games, but generally I'd rather play sim racing games than watch other people play them.

And if I'm not interested then I won't spend money to support the series, and without support and money there is no series.

And while I'd quite like to compete in a racing championship (if they had VR and not tiny single monitor setups anyway) I don't think there'd be many who'd want to watch me. no matter how amazing my driving. Or crashing, in my case.

Let's face it, many people just watch motorsports for the crashes (cough Nascar cough), and the risk that brings to the drivers - none of those viewers would be interested in eSports.

So while I'd maybe like the hobby to get more interest, and thus investment, and thus hopefully development, and I do feel sorry for the affected drivers, unless sim racing eSports can find an audience it's never going to be more than a niche thing.

And tbh sim racing has done OK as a niche thing for the last 25 years or so - not everyone is into driving virtual cars, and that's fine.
 
P
fasterbater said:
Crazy, isn’t it? I heard they even started paying people to throw balls into a suspended basket, and they get paid more than the people making the ball, or the basket!
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They aren't playing in someone else's game engine with predetermined physics. What makes sports special to me is the incredible and inexplicable things that happen. In the real world things we will never understand can affect outcomes, in video games the world is defined by humans so to me it will never be true sport. My bass fishing on Sundays is more sport than pro sim racing will ever be. Also millions of people watch the basket game you speak of, yet no one cares about e sports so there's that too
 
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Gabyzen64
Predictable mess... I speak as a simdriver who has also raced in various E-Sport SRO championships etc... :):)
now it seems that E-Sports have become a person's life, racing at all costs no matter what the cost and always winning for that damn prize money, resorting to every possible trick including cheating. I distanced myself from that overly competitive world, I saw tension at crazy levels. Maybe it's time to get some order and not delude the kids that all this can replace a school and a good education in life. After all, few pilots have actually managed to move from virtual to real. Now this, demanding nabob salaries, but remember that you are only virtual pilots! Keep calm guys. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
P
JayOTT said:
Repeatedly saying something like you're a pet parrot does not make it true. Go look up viewership numbers for major esports events.
Click to expand...
It's cool you can pretend you're the next Jaques Villeneuve most people already have the run the mouth annoying part down
 
P
Gabyzen64 said:
Predictable mess... I speak as a simdriver who has also raced in various E-Sport SRO championships etc... :):)
now it seems that E-Sports have become a person's life, racing at all costs no matter what the cost and always winning for that damn prize money, resorting to every possible trick including cheating. I distanced myself from that overly competitive world, I saw tension at crazy levels. Maybe it's time to get some order and not delude the kids that all this can replace a school and a good education in life. After all, few pilots have actually managed to move from virtual to real. Now this, demanding nabob salaries, but remember that you are only virtual pilots! Keep calm guys. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Not addressing or debating what you said, just using this quote to kickstart what I want to say...

All what's happening to simracers doing big events for money, it's what happened (and keeps on happening) to top players of other games with a much higher profile and audience. It's a crappy and unglamorous life you have to go through to get to those big tournaments paying no less than 6 figures (and sometimes past 8). Some people may not know that actual drug testing is involved in them! Players of games like CS:GO or DOTA2 (to name a couple that come to mind) have a higher money incentive, but most "pro" simracers are fueled by the unfulfilled desire of being a racecar driver, which I would say is way more destructive, and feeds a monster drive inside them.

This is not about kids with an irrational dream of living from games, because we are well past that point. This is about young men (don't know a single woman being a e-sport simracer, sorry if I missed somebody) who are inside this world, know the crap they have to go through to make it to that stage, and still want to continue doing it. It's insane if you ask me, but if you know what you are signing up to and do your part to be ready for showtime, you would expect for the organizer side of things to fulfill their part of the deal, specially if they know what players are putting on the line. That's the least I would expect from grown-ups running a professional affair of any kind.

I'm against e-Sports in simracing by nature, and I firmly believe that they polluted the hobby and made it a more toxic place. But I also believe that deals should be honored. People are under contracts and put lots of hard work for this, they should not be left hanging; orgs should find a way to get this done. And if afterwards it does not run again anymore, fine by me.
 
krzysiek_aleks
I have some assumptions, that most of the people that already wrote here are quite older than the guys in question, and that might be one of the reasons why such tonne.

To the point: I find it astounding why eSports are so disliked. "What's the point of watching some kids doing what I can do right now. It's not like in real racing, which I cannot do!".

Most of you probably can play football/soccer/basketball/tennis/golf/whatever. Then what is the point of watching those disciplines?

People do it, because then can see the best of the best in action. Yes, I can do a lap of Spa in F1 23, but it will be waaaaaay slower than F1 Sim Racing chaps. Crazy idea, maybe by watching I could even learn something for my own craft!

The worst thing wasn't even that hate boner to simracing as a form of eSports, but the casual chuckle at the players. "These god damm kids, they don't want to learn, they don't want to work, but play, play, play."

Come on. Just look at any time trial competition for major series/league/event. Top competitors will spend hours just to improve single-lap time. To be at the level of F1 Sim Racing chaps, you HAVE TO work your ass off to stay at the top of the game (pun not intended). And guess what: that is why Marcel and others had to give up learning or "normal" work: because THIS IS A JOB. It might be unfortunate and this can be a topic for a wider discussion. On the other hand: in capitalist society, everything can be a job if someone is willing to pay you for doing it.

We cannot forget, that practises in our industry can be really shady with payouts and how much prize money stays with the person that got it. But, once again, this is for another day.

Yes, dear reader. You don't have to be interested in eSports simracing, I get it. But no one is forcing you. The litany of complaints here reminded me how much crying there was every single time Formula E content was added to rF2. "Why, why, why they are doing this, I DON'T WANT IT!!!!!!!". So what? Did Studio 397 forced anyone to pay for it?

Let's be honest: the bubble will be busted sooner than later. During COVID times a lot of people pumped so much hopium, because virtual racing was at all-time high - both in terms of casual simdrivers and interest in big events - Virtual Grand Prix, eNASCAR Invitational are the best examples. What people probably didn't realized back then was the fact, that those things were watched en masse because they were one of the very few live "sporting" events happening at the time + they involved drivers that people knew. With no sugar, even lemon can be sweet. Big companies started to pump money into professional simracing, that's why we have big teams, that's why top drivers are getting contracts and are PAID to do this and that is why there is so much for a lot of people on the line. It's not just the fact, that maybe one day someone will give them a chance at real racing, that most of them would never have got on their own. It's the fact, we are at a point, where the competition at the top is so strong, that you have to look behind the back all the time to make sure you won't be overtaken (both literally and not).

I do feel for Marcel, Jarno and all the other guys, because they are losing the most on this mess. Corporate sponsors probably won't care if money will be burned down. But drivers put their other careers on the line just to fight for this. They were given a chance - you are good, we will pay you, you will show yourself to the wider world, who knows - maybe it will open some doors and, even if not, you can win a lot of money. And it's their FAULT, that they decided to pursuit it? Especially after all those previous seasons that (somehow) went without (as big as current) problems?

Imagine you get an offer to do something, that you are one of the best in the world. It will require you however to put your life, family, friends, close ones on the sideline for a while. But the reward? Oh, it will be so, so sweet and so worth it. How many of you would turn it down?
 
Last edited:
pz666
JoeSchmoe said:
It's a sign of the times, no one wants to study/work anymore. They just want to make money the easy way on youtube, playing games etc.........
Click to expand...

When al lot of the studying for work options come with the "Expect to replaced by technology for profit reasons" tag you look for something that has lasting power...
 
pz666
krzysiek_aleks said:
I have some assumptions, that most of the people that already wrote here are quite older than the guys in question, and that might be one of the reasons why such tonne.

To the point: I find it astounding why eSports are so disliked. "What's the point of watching some kids doing what I can do right now. It's not like in real racing, which I cannot do!".

Most of you probably can play football/soccer/basketball/tennis/golf/whatever. Then what is the point of watching those disciplines?

People do it, because then can see the best of the best in action. Yes, I can do a lap of Spa in F1 23, but it will be waaaaaay slower than F1 Sim Racing chaps. Crazy idea, maybe by watching I could even learn something for my own craft!

The worst thing wasn't even that hate boner to simracing as a form of eSports, but the casual chuckle at the players. "These god damm kids, they don't want to learn, they don't want to work, but play, play, play."

Come on. Just look at any time trial competition for major series/league/event. Top competitors will spend hours just to improve single-lap time. To be at the level of F1 Sim Racing chaps, you HAVE TO work your ass off to stay at the top of the game (pun not intended). And guess what: that is why Marcel and others had to give up learning or "normal" work: because THIS IS A JOB. It might be unfortunate and this can be a topic for a wider discussion. On the other hand: in capitalist society, everything can be a job if someone is willing to pay you for doing it.

We cannot forget, that practises in our industry can be really shady with payouts and how much prize money stays with the person that got it. But, once again, this is for another day.

Yes, dear reader. You don't have to be interested in eSports simracing, I get it. But no one is forcing you. The litany of complaints here reminded me how much crying there was every single time Formula E content was added to rF2. "Why, why, why they are doing this, I DON'T WANT IT!!!!!!!". So what? Did Studio 397 forced anyone to pay for it?

Let's be honest: the bubble will be busted sooner than later. During COVID times a lot of people pumped so much hopium, because virtual racing was at all-time high - both in terms of casual simdrivers and interest in big events - Virtual Grand Prix, eNASCAR Invitational are the best examples. What people probably didn't realized back then was the fact, that those things were watched en masse because they were one of the very few live "sporting" events happening at the time + they involved drivers that people knew. With no sugar, even lemon can be sweet. Big companies started to pump money into professional simracing, that's why we have big teams, that's why top drivers are getting contracts and are PAID to do this and that is why there is so much for a lot of people on the line. It's not just the fact, that maybe one day someone will give them a chance at real racing, that most of them would never have got on their own. It's the fact, we are at a point, where the competition at the top is so strong, that you have to look behind the back all the time to make sure you won't be overtaken (both literally and not).

I do feel for Marcel, Jarno and all the other guys, because they are losing the most on this mess. Corporate sponsors probably won't care if money will be burned down. But drivers put their other careers on the line just to fight for this. They were given a chance - you are good, we will pay you, you will show yourself to the wider world, who knows - maybe it will open some doors and, even if not, you can win a lot of money. And it's their FAULT, that they decided to pursuit it? Especially after all those previous seasons that (somehow) went without (as big as current) problems?

Imagine you get an offer to do something, that you are one of the best in the world. It will require you however to put your life, family, friends, close ones on the sideline for a while. But the reward? Oh, it will be so, so sweet and so worth it. How many of you would turn it down?
Click to expand...

Great comment... Esports and the whole youtube celebrity deal isn't for me, just not my kind of entertainment even when the real drivers were in the cars... But each to their own...

Formula E is epic by the way... The best form of racing on the planet...
 
Last edited:
Ole Marius Myrvold
Staff
Premium
JoeSchmoe said:
It's a sign of the times, no one wants to study/work anymore. They just want to make money the easy way on youtube, playing games etc.........
Click to expand...

Though, would being so good at playing games, that you get paid enough to do it, so you can live of it... easy? If it is so easy, why don't we all do it?
And work? Exactly what is, and isn't work?
 
S
And so it begins - the inevitable implosion of the eggshell that esports simracing always was.

I feel somewhat for all those caught in the aftermath, but they were always delusional to believe in the fever dream that people will follow sport performed in front of a computer that other athletes do in real life, with real machines. I understand that they've invested tons of time and effort into that activity, but sometimes you invest badly and you need to face the consequences.

Rennsport is next, I guess.
 
BazzaLB
Ole Marius Myrvold said:
Though, would being so good at playing games, that you get paid enough to do it, so you can live of it... easy? If it is so easy, why don't we all do it?
And work? Exactly what is, and isn't work?
Click to expand...
People are free to do whatever they want. But its all a numbers game with some prospects having far more chance of success than others.

If you choose one that's on the extreme lower end of the scale, don't go crying about not achieving it or posting something about some sacrifices you made as if someone owes you something for those sacrifices which in truth were all about yourself anyway. No-one owes you anything.

Here's a tip. by all means, chase your dreams.. but have a backup plan.
 
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J
Most people who play video games as a competitive sport aren't even getting paid that much within the profession of playing video games for a living. Makes no sense to me to punch down on e-sports for not being a "real job", when their earnings are dwarfed by popular streamers and/or VTubers who can get tens of thousands thrown at them.

And of course their earnings are in turn dwarfed by the best at hitting or kicking a ball for a living.
 
Last edited:
Gabyzen64
pai said:
Not addressing or debating what you said, just using this quote to kickstart what I want to say...

All what's happening to simracers doing big events for money, it's what happened (and keeps on happening) to top players of other games with a much higher profile and audience. It's a crappy and unglamorous life you have to go through to get to those big tournaments paying no less than 6 figures (and sometimes past 8). Some people may not know that actual drug testing is involved in them! Players of games like CS:GO or DOTA2 (to name a couple that come to mind) have a higher money incentive, but most "pro" simracers are fueled by the unfulfilled desire of being a racecar driver, which I would say is way more destructive, and feeds a monster drive inside them.

This is not about kids with an irrational dream of living from games, because we are well past that point. This is about young men (don't know a single woman being a e-sport simracer, sorry if I missed somebody) who are inside this world, know the crap they have to go through to make it to that stage, and still want to continue doing it. It's insane if you ask me, but if you know what you are signing up to and do your part to be ready for showtime, you would expect for the organizer side of things to fulfill their part of the deal, specially if they know what players are putting on the line. That's the least I would expect from grown-ups running a professional affair of any kind.

I'm against e-Sports in simracing by nature, and I firmly believe that they polluted the hobby and made it a more toxic place. But I also believe that deals should be honored. People are under contracts and put lots of hard work for this, they should not be left hanging; orgs should find a way to get this done. And if afterwards it does not run again anymore, fine by me.
Click to expand...
I never said that they shouldn't expect "Seriousness" from those who organize similar tournaments or events. I just said that we have reached absurd levels with the demands on their part. I just said my opinion and I still think so. That's all. :D:D
 

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