Italian race car manufacturer Dallara and Italian gaming PC manufacturer AK Informatica have partnered to launch a joint sim racing venture.
Known as Dallara-AK Esports, the company will be based in Indianapolis, Indiana to develop ‘advanced sim racing technologies.’
According to a release, the venture will merge the knowledge of AK Esports, the esports arm of AK Informatica, and Dallara’s real-world racing expertise to develop new sim racing technologies to enhance the virtual experience.
The decision for Dallara-AK Esports to be located in Indianapolis consolidates the city’s reputation as the capital of world motorsport. Aside from being the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar‘s Indy 500, it also hosts a dedicated sim racing centre opened by former champion Tony Kanaan.
AK Esports is no stranger to the world of sim racing. Throughout 2023, its drivers have competed across various sim racing championships including the Porsche Esports Carerra Cup on the Assetto Corsa Competizione platform.
The company’s first activation will occur during the 2024 NBA All-Star event from February 16th to 18th. Dallara-AK Esports will provide racing simulators for attendees to set the fastest time on a leaderboard.
For Dallara, the formation of Dallara-AK Esports marks the manufacturer’s first foray into operating an esports company. In recent years, the manufacturer has collaborated with iRacing to develop the iR-01, a single-seater car that’s exclusive to the platform.
Andrea Pontremoli, CEO of Dallara, spoke on the news: “For more than 50 years, the Dallara brand has been synonymous with motor racing, continually manufacturing racing cars at the sport’s highest level.
“We are thrilled to continue this journey by partnering with AK Informatica to blend the virtual world of sim racing with the thrilling reality of motorsport. Through Dallara-AK Esports, we are poised to venture into new technological territories, taking the sim racing experience to unparalleled heights.”
