Is F1 esports on equal cars?
As a passionate sim racer myself, one question I had when first learning about F1‘s official esports series was whether all of the virtual cars would perform the same. Coming from traditional motorsports, there can be huge discrepancies in speed and handling between vehicles depending on research budgets and technological innovations from the teams.
However, I‘m happy to report that F1 Esports provides a level playing field by equalizing the vehicles for all drivers. No one has an inherent performance advantage simply because of their machinery.
This standardization places the emphasis solely on individual and team driving skill to determine victory – exactly how competition should be in my opinion! It also allows the series to welcome competitors across a wide spectrum of experience levels rather than having seasoned pros with backs from elite teams dominating simply due to better equipment.
F1 Esports Viewership Reaches Over 23 Million in 2021
Worldwide viewership and participation for the F1 Esports Series continues its rapid growth since being officially launched in 2017. Total views across digital platforms more than doubled from 2020 to 2021, reaching over 23 million according to Formula 1.
The main event Pro Championship itself saw nearly 14 million views, a 47% increase over the prior year‘s audience. As both a sim racer and motorsport fan, these are hugely impressive stats that signify esports solidifying into a mainstream form of entertainment on the same stage as traditional racing series.
This meteoric rise comes alongside greater investments from F1 teams, sponsors, and tournament prize pools exceeding $500K. The sky seems the limit for how far competitive virtual racing can go! I know I‘ll certainly be tuning in for all the pixel-powered action in 2023.
Inside Look: F1 Esports Format and Structure
So how do everyday gaming fanatics actually get involved or potentially qualify into the big-time F1 Esports Series? The structure provides opportunities for various levels of sim racers to throw their hats into the ring:
Open Qualifiers
Anyone aged 16 or older who owns an official F1 video game can post hotlap leaderboard times across 3 platforms – PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. The top 6 drivers on each console advance as a potential free agent.
Draft and Pro Championship
Those who qualify via time trials or by winning feeder tournaments can enter an annual Pro Draft, where real-world F1 teams hand pick drivers to represent their esports program. 10 squads of 3 sim racers compete across multiple events to crown each year‘s world champion.
The Pro Championship itself features 12 rounds split into 4 events on 3 days each. This emphasizes both one-lap pace and racecraft elements that emulate the skills necessary for real-world success.
Overall I really enjoy both playing the F1 games casually myself and following along with the captivating stories of the esports stars. The competitive structure feels meritocratic in allowing new talent to rise up through raw speed rather than politics or money.
Esports Driver Salaries and Prize Money
While exact figures are not disclosed, front running F1 Esports drivers definitely have the potential to earn significant incomes between team salaries and prize purses.
The 2021 Series Title winner Jarno Opmeer likely took home around $250K USD out of a $750K total prize fund. He earned his second straight championship after joining the powerhouse Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports squad.
His triple digit salary proves that the very pinnacle of professional sim racing can be extremely financially viable. While perhaps not yet approaching the 8 figure payouts of F1 superstars like Verstappen or Hamilton, drivers can certainly make a good living if they put in the dedication and skill to succeed.
However, the minimum salaries for "pay driver" type sim racers likely starts much lower in the mid 5 digits. Overall though, seeing significant money influx into the esports scene will continue increasing competition and hopefully see even more growth!
The Best F1 Esports Teams and Drivers
In its early history from 2017-2020, the F1 Esports championship was dominated by standout drivers like Brendon Leigh and series first-ever signing Dani Bereznay.
However, since 2021 an undeniable new force has taken hold at the front in Dutch phenom Jarno Opmeer. Driving for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports, he secured back-to-back world titles in the past two seasons and has shown utter dominance with his setup. Don‘t be surprised if he takes a third in 2023!
Other top drivers to watch include former feeder series champions Lucas Blakeley and Frederik Rasmussen, as well as rapid teenager Diogo Pinto on the PlayStation side.
In the Constructors arena, Mercedes holds a commanding edge having won 4 of the 6 total Pro Championships. However, rivals Red Bull Racing Esports and Alpine F1 Esports field consistently quick lineups aiming to dethrone the Silver Arrows in 2023.
Importance of Equal Cars in F1 Esports
The use of standardized vehicles with equalized characteristics is an absolutely integral part of F1 Esports providing fair and competitive racing centered on driver skill.
Unlike the real-life Formula 1, engineers and technical directors in sim racing play almost no role. The equal cars take machine performance and aerodynamic gaps out of the equation entirely. This leaves driving on the limit, throttle control, vision, racecraft, and setup adjustments as the lone battlegrounds to gain an edge.
Considering F1‘s long history of engineering and budget disparities allowing the wealthiest teams to dominate the standings, I sincerely hope real-world regulations continue trending towards standardization as well. Seeing driver talent trump equipment and financial inequality is better for everyone involved as well as fans from an entertainment product perspective.
The pure competition of equal cars makes F1 Esports so great. Here‘s hoping we see this meritocracy lead sim racing into a bright future!
