United States-based Formula One side UralKali Haas F1 Team has announced that simulation racing team R8G Esports will manage and operate its esports efforts.
R8G Esports, which is founded by former F1 driver Romain Grosjean, will be in charge of Haas’ entry into the 2021 F1 Esports Pro Series.
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Grosjean, who made 98 F1 starts with Haas, launched his esports team in April 2020. Since its launch, the team currently fields 17 professional sim racers competing across a variety of platforms including iRacing, Assetto Corsa, and Gran Turismo.
Guenther Steiner, Team Principal at Uralkali Haas F1 Team, commented on the partnership in a release: “I’m delighted that we get to utilise Romain’s enthusiasm for esports and R8G Esports’ expertise to oversee our continued participation in the F1 Esports Pro Series.”
“It’s an important step up for us in terms of our involvement from previous seasons. We know we’re partnering with a group that truly understands the demands of the esports environment and can help take our program to the next level. We’ve had some memorable points-earning finishes in past F1 Esports Pro Series and won this season’s Virtual Grand Prix Series. It would be fantastic to maintain that form under the guidance of R8G Esports in the F1 Esports Pro Series this season.”
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Grosjean also spoke on the deal: “I’m very happy to be managing Uralkali Haas F1 Team’s entry this year in the F1 Esports Pro Series through R8G Esports. I’ve been involved in esports for a year now and I believe our team is doing very well.
“For me, being able to help Haas F1 in this field, and going racing together – well, it’s a great story. Obviously, it’s a cool continuation of what we built together. So, I’m very much looking forward to the first race and to see what we can build together in esports competition.”
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Esports Insider says: Given Romain Grosjean’s rich history with the Haas F1 Team, it’s no surprise to see him back working with the team in a bid to improve its esports efforts. It will be interesting to see whether his expertise in sim racing will see Haas move up the F1 esports grid in the upcoming season.