Everyone loads up F1 2019 with an eye to being as fast as possible behind the wheel of their favourite car. Now we get to see just how quick this years game can really be.
The return of the Formula 1 New Balance Esports Pro Series is just around the corner and the teams have announced their driver lineups for the 2019 season.
F1 2019 New Balance Esports Pro Series driver lineups
The drivers will be participating in a full grid when the Pro Series returns to the Gfinity Esports Arena on 11 September.
There are few surprises, with Mercedes' two-time champion Brendon Leigh the man to beat.
Taking aim at the crown will be sim racing star Enzo Bonito, who outperformed professional racing drivers earlier in real cars earlier this year at the 2019 Race of Champions.
Joining the F1 Esports Pro Series for the first time this year are Ferrari, whose all-Italian driver lineup will be looking to replicate the Scuderia's dominance at the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend.
With a full grid this year is set to be the biggest yet, with a massive prize fund of $500,000 to be won over the course of four live events at London's Gfinity Esports Arena.
How to watch
The 2019 Formula 1 New Balance Esports Pro Series will be available across many platforms. Streaming will start at 7pm BST on Facebook, YouTube, and Twictch as well as broadcast on global television by broadcast partners such as Sky UK, Ziggo (Netherlands), MTV (Finland) and Fox Australia, among others.
Julian Tan, Head of Growth & Esports at Formula 1 said:“We are looking forward to kicking off the 2019 F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series now that the drivers for the ten official F1 teams have been set. Brendon Leigh will be focused on making it a hat trick of titles but he will need to fend off the challenge of some incredible racing talents like Frederik Rasmussen, Daniel Bereznay, Enzo Bonito and Floris Wijers to name just a few who will be hungry for the crown and look to bring the team championship trophy home for their respective F1 teams. With a $500,000 prize fund at stake, it is all to play for. We can’t wait to see how the virtual championship plays out over the next four live shows and which of the ten official F1 teams will emerge victorious.”
Garry Cook, Executive Chairman at Gfinity plc, said:“The talking is nearly over. Now it is time for the fast paced, thrills and spills action that has become the trademark for the F1 New Balance Esports Series to begin. Highly skilled athletes, committed teams, an amazing game and a passion for competition means this year is undoubtedly going to be the best ever. A sign of the success of the Series is that sports rights holders across the globe are looking at what the broader F1 team has created and the excitement it is generating with fans and are asking the question ‘how do we do the same for our sport?”.
Complete driver lineups
Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Esports
Daniel Bereznay, Hungary
Kimmy Larsson, Sweden
Salih Saltunç, United Kingdom
Ferrari Driver Academy
David Tonizza, Italy
Amos Laurito, Italy
Gianfranco Giglioli, Italy
Haas F1 Team Esports
Floris Wijers, Netherlands
Jan Fehler, Germany
Martin Štefanko, Czech Republic
McLaren Shadow
Enzo Bonito, Italy
Bono Huis, Netherlands
Allert van der Wal, Netherlands
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports
Brendon Leigh, United Kingdom
Patryk Krutyj, Poland
Daniel Shields, Australia
SportPesa Racing Point F1 Esports Team
Daniele Haddad, Italy
Marcel Kiefer, Germany
Lucas Blakely, United Kingdom
Red Bull Racing Esports
Frederik Rasmussen, Denmark
Joni Törmälä, Finland
Nicolas Longuet, France
Renault Sport Team Vitality
Jarno Opmeer, Netherlands
Cedric Thomé, Germany
Simon Weigang, Germany
Scuderia Toro Rosso Esports
Patrik Holzmann, Germany
Cem Bölükbaşı, Turkey
Manuel Biancolilla, Italy
Williams Esports
Álvaro Carretón, Spain
Tino Naukkarinen, Finland
Isaac Price, United Kingdom
*All racers pending confirmation of speed eligibility test