First eSports Race Team Announced

GT Academy founder Darren Cox launches the first professional virtual race team called “eSPORTS+ CARS.”

Lets Race F1 Simulators (Photo eSPORTS + CARS) /

We have been talking about the growth of eSports racing for a while now. With the rapid increase in popularity of eSports events around the world, it has attracted the attention of many big name racing franchises in the process. Race teams are finally beginning to recognize the fact that virtual racing may just be the future of competitive motorsports, or at the very least, is here to stay.

Analysts predict that with the growing number of eSports fans around the world, the popular tournament-style events may even lead to more viewers watching online tournaments than actual real-world sporting events! Former Nissan Motors executive Darren Cox is one such believer. Darren has just announced the launch of the first professional virtual race team “eSPORTS + CARS. Darren Cox is no stranger to the world that is virtual racing. Darren was actually one of the original founders of the Gran Turismo GT Academy, responsible for taking the top virtual racers in the world and turning them into real race car drivers. His highly successful “gamer to racer” program, led to a whole new generation of racing fans battling it out in the virtual world, hoping for the chance to be the next pro racer.

Let’s Race (Photo eSPORTS + CARS) /

“The eSPORTS + CARS Virtual Racing team is a first step in professionalizing motorsport in the virtual world,” Cox Said. It also aims at bridging the gap between the virtual and real motorsports worlds.

“We know that motorsport audiences are dwindling; we know we need something to bring the younger audience back to the sport and I firmly believe gaming can help do this”, Cox said. Why? Because I see it as a very exciting first step in bringing new fans to the grandstands-whether they are at eSports events or Silverstone on a wet and windy Sunday.”

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Darren Cox’s idea has caught the attention of some big name partners as well. Greaves Motorsport has just announced they will be the first named partner for the new eSPORTS + CARS team. The 24 hours of Le Mans reigning Series Champions, are known for developing driver talent through the use of virtual racing simulators. “We have seen the professionalism of gamers first hand in the real world and as an entrepreneur, I have watched the growth of eSports with great interest,” Greaves said.

Although it is yet to be seen how this new race team will influence the world of motorsports, it is an exciting step at bringing racers together for the better good of the sport. With the recent announcement of Gran Turismo Sport earlier this year, which not only aims at introducing people to the world of eSports racing, but will actually reward players with a chance to win real-world prizes, be sure to keep a close eye out on what the new eSPORTS + CARS team has planned for the future of motorsports.

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