F1 Esports Season to Return for Fourth Season in 2020

Despite not being one of the most popular events in the industry, it has been announced that the F1 Esports Pro Series will return for a fourth season later this year, with the prize fund having increased to a significant $750,000.

The F1 Esports Pro Series is due to get underway again on August 27 at the Pro Draft Reveal Show, with events such as the Virtual Grand Prix Series having wet the appetite of fans during the coronavirus lockdown. Williams driver George Russell came out on top in the Virtual Grand Prix Series, however with some 237,000 racers having tried to qualify for the 2020 season, competition for places is likely to be greater than ever.

The top 10 F1 Esports Pro Series teams will now each have to select one of the 45 qualifiers to include in their three-driver line up, with reigning constructor’s champions Red Bull being one of the leading organisations, along with Ferrari, who won the Driver’s championship with David Tonizza in 2019.

When Will the F1 Esports Draft Take Place?

In order to decide which drivers represent which teams, a draft has been scheduled for August 27, with the season then getting underway properly between October and December. The 12-round campaign will feature four events of three races each, with a qualifying format having also been established.

The F1 2020 game from developers Codemasters will be the title in question, with all races taking place remotely. Drivers will battle it out from the comfort of their own homes or at dedicated team factories in order to ensure for the safety of all involved. Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports, Julian Tan, has had his say ahead of the season commencing, stating “F1 Esports has had a huge year with the massive success of the Virtual Grand Prix series that we ran through lockdown. This has set us up well for the launch of the 2020 F1 Esports Series, which will be our biggest and most innovative season yet.”

Why F1 is Set to Grow in the Esports Industry

The 237,000 participants this season is up from 109,000 last year, demonstrating the phenomenal growth achieved over this period. As those involved continue to push the boundaries in the hope of making further developments, a cash prize pool of $750,000 will certainly help. While the fact that that the 2020 Pro Series will take place remotely will almost certainly have an impact, excitement is already building ahead of the opening race.