Astro’s gaming and esports platform, eGG Network, has partnered with Alex Yoong of Axle Sports to launch the E1 Championship.
An online-only racing series used to discover the best drivers in the Asia Pacific region, the E1 Championship will have a prize pool of $15,000 USD (£11,581).
RELATED: Relog Media finds Southeast Asian broadcast partner in eGG Network
The 8-round simulation racing tournament will see Asia Pacific’s best drivers racing on challenging international tracks via ‘RaceRoom’, beginning with the Sepang International Circuit on November 18.
This year Sim-racing has been used and endorsed by some of the world’s best drivers as the esport continues to grow in popularity. The driver’s physical endurance and mental strength will be tested, as the smallest of margins will separate them from taking home the grand prize of $5,000 (£3,860).
[primis_video widget=”5183″]
RELATED: Esports Pro League enters deals with Axis Esports and eGG Network
Alex Yoong, Founder of Axle Sports commented: “As part of the passionate sim-racing community, I am truly excited to work with eGG Network to launch E1 Championship.
“With a US$15,000 prize pool and top-notch production quality, we aim to attract the most talented drivers and racing teams to compete, making every race a showcase of how thrilling motorsports can be.”
CK Lee, Head of Sports, Astro Malaysia added: “We are thrilled to be working with Malaysian race driver, Alex Yoong to launch the E1 Championship, the first home-grown sim-racing IP. There’s growing interest in e-motorsports, with close to 500k Malaysian fans tuning in to watch the eRacing GP SEA on eGG Network.
“We look forward to racing talents in Asia Pacific region joining the E1 Championship so fans can support their local drivers.”
Esports Insider Says: Sim-racing championships have come to fruition a lot more since the introduction of the F1 Esports Series a few years ago. The easy transition of viewership from real racing to sim-racing makes it an attractive proposition for many networks to create new opportunities all over the globe.