Ford launches eSports racing team
Blue Oval brand is seeking European drivers to join its factory virtual racing team in 2020
No longer do you require several years’ worth of physical racing experience (and the six-figure backing to get you through it) to become a Ford factory driver; the marque today announcing an alternative, virtual path to glory. It comes in the form of a new eSports team for Europe – set to be made up of the fastest virtual drivers from national Ford teams in France, Germany, Britain, Spain and Italy – which will race under the Fordzilla banner in online championships, including those of the globally-popular Forza Motorsport.
Few PHers ought to need convincing of the significance of eSports these days – PH’s gaming section has over half a million posts - but Ford justifies its investment with some pretty convincing stats. It says the global eSports market is on course to generate revenues of $1.1 billion in 2019, a 26.7 per cent increase on last year, while the audience is set to surpass 450 million people. And no, it’s not just a load of kids, the average gamer is now in their mid-thirties.
That, of course, means Ford’s growing presence online will be seen by a lot of people who can actually buy its cars, which must be a big motivating factor. But there’s clearly more to it, as evidenced by the growing number of major automotive players involved in eSports, including the Renault, Williams and McLaren F1 teams; even Fernando Alonso has launched his own squad. Virtual racing has certainly come a long way since Nissan first launched its Gran Turismo Academy, so much so that Ford even chose to launch its new Ranger Raptor pick-up at Gamescon, rather than a traditional car show.
Ford’s European director of design, Amko Leenarts, added further justification to the investment: “Top gamers challenge professional race drivers in real life and many of our day-to-day activities are ‘gamified’, from using fitness apps to collecting loyalty points for a free coffee. Harnessing the passion and expertise of the gaming community will help evolve our thinking around what future journeys will look like – something that we are all committed to and really excited about.”
If you fancy your chances at joining the likes of Sebastien Bourdais and Richard Westbrook as a Ford factory driver, then you’ve not long to prove your worth. Ford will be choosing its drivers before the end of 2019.
ks SakeAll sports that need very little athletic ability, yet they are sports. They take great skill and hours/days/weeks/years of practise to become the best in the world. No different to e-sports.
There is a lot of money being invested in e sports because the manufacturers realise that the game playing 10 year old grows up to be the 20 year old car buying customer
There is a lot of money being invested in e sports because the manufacturers realise that the game playing 10 year old grows up to be the 20 year old car buying customer
There is a lot of money being invested in e sports because the manufacturers realise that the game playing 10 year old grows up to be the 20 year old car buying customer
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff