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Jarno Opmeer and Mercedes lead F1 Esports Series Pro Championship presented by Aramco after dramatic Event 1
The 2021 F1 Esports Series Pro Championship presented by Aramco got underway with an thrilling Event 1 this week, where Jarno Opmeer and Mercedes took an early lead in the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships respectively, but with eight different podium finishers in the first three races, the huge $750,000 prize pot is all to play for.
The return of the Pro Championship was more anticipated than ever before following record-breaking viewership last year, the highest ever participation numbers of fans attempting to qualify, as well as several huge moves around the grid with a number of F1 Esports’ biggest names switching allegiances in the off-season.
Much like the 2020 season, drivers are continuing to race remotely from their homes or team facilities, but the hugely popular competition continues to broadcast from the Gfinity Esports Arena in London, with live shows fronted by familiar faces: Natalie Pinkham, Tom Deacon and Nic Hamilton. Following the same Event format as recent campaigns, teams battle it out on the official F1 2021 video game, developed by Codemasters, in two races on a Wednesday, and one on a Thursday, across four broadcasts, which also features qualifiying.
In the first of Wednesday’s two races, the virtual world mirrored reality as the season opener took place at the Sakhir International Circuit, Bahrain, and it was Britain’s Lucas Blakeley who took his maiden win in a historic moment, becoming the first winner for the Aston Martin Cognizant Esports team. Blakeley started in P2 behind Nicolas Longuet but passed him going into the first corner and didn’t relinquish top spot until the final few laps when the lead changed hands several times between the pair, thanks to brave racing and the use of DRS, before the Aston Martin man timed his last attack to perfection. Alvaro Carretón was with the front two the whole way, ready to pounce on any mistakes, but in the end had to settle for a well-deserved P3 for Williams.
Wednesday’s action continued with a trip to China, and whilst the real-world drivers haven’t raced at the Shanghai International Circuit since the pandemic struck, the popularity of F1, and Esports, continues to flourish, as seen by the success of the F1 Esports Series China Championship. Reigning champion Jarno Opmeer showed his title-winning pedigree with an unbelievable victory, taking a huge risk as the only driver to start the race on intermediates tyres, despite there being torrential rain, after a poor qualifying performance that left him in P14. He fell as far as P18, before the rest of the grid began to pit and switch to the same tyres, allowing him to make his way up the grid. He was soon leading, and despite a brief change of leadership between himself and Fabrizio Donoso, as the Alpine driver became the first switch to softs, Opmeer was able to secure his first win for Mercedes in stunning fashion. Red Bull’s Marcel Kiefer put in an accomplished performance in tricky conditions to get his first podium of the season.
The first Event of the new season was rounded off with a second win for Opmeer at the Red Bull Ring with an emphatic victory as he sent out a message to the rest of the field that he is intent on defending his crown. Frederik Rasmussen, one of last year’s front runners picked up his first podium of the year, ahead of McLaren’s new boy Bardia Boroumand who secured third, and is already living up to the hype around him in the pre-season.
Event 2 will see the drivers battle it out on a trio of iconic ‘old-school’ circuits as the Pro Championship heads to Silverstone, Monza and Spa, in what is set to be an action-packed two days across 27-28 October.
Following Event 1, the official standings are as follows:
Driver standings
Team standings
The live shows are streamed online via official channels of Formula 1 on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and Huya, as well as broadcast on television via select international broadcast partners.
In the last 18 months, F1 Esports events have achieved over 40 million views across TV and digital, and this popularity led to a record number of people attempting to be a part of this year’s Pro Exhibition, with almost half a million taking part in qualification. This year’s qualification is now open through a challenge in the official F1 2021 video game, with the first event live until 31st October. If you would like to find out more information on how to take part in the F1 Esports Series and for more information on the Pro Championship presented by Aramco, visit www.f1esports.com.
Full race results:
Race 1 – Bahrain
Race 2 – China
Race 3 – Austria
Ben Pincus, Director of Commercial Partnerships at Formula 1®, said:
“It’s great to see the F1 Esports Series Pro Championship presented by Aramco back underway. We’ve been spoilt with excitement in the real-life racing this year and if these first races are anything to go by, we’re in for a treat this season in the virtual world too.”
John Clarke, CEO at Gfinity, said:
“Last year’s record-breaking participation is a testament to Formula 1’s continuous innovation and expansion, bringing more fans than ever into the world of F1 Esports. Off the back of last year’s success, the F1 Esports Series has returned bigger and better than ever, giving Gfinity the opportunity to utilise its tech IP and world-class production to help F1 fans feel ever closer to the series.
Paul Jeal, F1 Senior Franchise Director at Codemasters, said:
“We’re into the fifth year of F1 Esports, and the standard continues to get higher and higher, with some blistering lap times and exciting wheel to wheel racing to open the series. A great display from Jarno Opmeer as he tops the drivers’ championship, and it looks like we could have an incredible battle between a handful of teams for the team championship. Roll on the second show.”

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Former Sky Bet strategist Andrew Mook joins Midnite as Head of Brand Marketing
Fast-growing UK sportsbook and casino Midnite has continued to strengthen its leadership team with the appointment of Andrew Mook as Head of Brand Marketing.
Mook joins Midnite having most recently been Head of Marketing Strategy & Planning at Flutter. Prior to that, he was Head of Creative Strategy at Sky Bet.
It is the latest high-profile hire for Midnite, after the appointment in April of Mook’s former Sky Bet colleague Zach Amin as Vice-President of Sportsbook.
Mook has been tasked with raising awareness of Midnite’s next-gen product among UK bettors and establishing a brand strategy and identity as the company aims to build on recent marketing activities including sponsorship of the 2025 World Snooker Championship and launching its first TV advertising campaign.
He said: “Midnite is the most exciting name in UK betting right now. There’s a genuine ambition here to shake things up and do things differently. The opportunity to help shape the brand at this stage of its growth is incredibly rare, and I’m thrilled to be on board.”
Midnite’s sportsbook was launched in 2018 by Nick Wright and Daniel Qu, who previously created daily fantasy sports platform Dribble in partnership with Sky Bet.
The brand is focused on disrupting the UK betting market, prioritising the player experience with a slick website and app and a brand platform designed to speak to a new generation of players.
Wright said: “Andrew brings a wealth of experience from some of the biggest names in the industry, but what really stood out was his passion for building bold, creative brands. As we continue to grow, having someone like Andrew to lead our brand marketing efforts is a huge asset.”
The post Former Sky Bet strategist Andrew Mook joins Midnite as Head of Brand Marketing appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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BETER Names Adam Conway as General Manager of Esports Business Division
Seasoned esports professional joins fast-betting content provider, bringing over 20 years of trading and product experience to elevate its offering
BETER, an award-winning provider of fast-betting content, data, and live streaming for esports and sports, has appointed former SIS senior executive Adam Conway as its new General Manager of Esports Business Division, significantly strengthening the company’s position in the market.
Conway is a highly accomplished manager in the betting industry, with more than 20 years of experience in overseeing and launching successful product portfolios.
Adam joins BETER following a ten-year tenure at SIS, where he held various positions—from Head of Trading to Global Head of Esports and Competitive Gaming. Before SIS, he held roles at several companies, including Head of Trading at betting powerhouse Ladbrokes.
As Esports General Manager at BETER, Adam will be responsible for strengthening the provider’s leadership in the fast-betting domain, as well as developing and expanding the number of in-house events for the company’s flagship ESportsBattle tournaments, which currently feature disciplines such as eFootball, eBasketball, and eHockey.
Conway will spearhead the development of new disciplines—eCricket and eTennis are set to launch soon—and focus on enhancing relationships with existing clients while establishing new partnerships.
Adam will lead a team of over 200 specialists and 500 professional athletes, delivering more than 500,000 esports events annually across four countries. He will also work closely with key industry bodies, including the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA).
Gal Ehrlich, CEO at BETER, said: “Adam’s background in esports is unmatched, and we are thrilled to have him on board as we continue to enhance our esports offering, especially our flagship ESportsBattle tournaments.
“We’re already the go-to provider for fast-betting content, data, and live streaming in esports and sports. With Adam as our Esports General Manager, we’re confident we’ll strengthen that leadership and further distance ourselves from the competition.
“We’re excited to welcome Adam and look forward to the significant value his expertise will bring to our partners worldwide.”
Adam Conway, Esports General Manager at BETER, added: “It’s an honour to join BETER and contribute my extensive experience in trading and product development to such a pioneering company.
“BETER is the undisputed market leader, and I’m excited to help ensure it remains at the forefront—delivering exceptional products to operator partners and bettors alike.”
The post BETER Names Adam Conway as General Manager of Esports Business Division appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Hit the red line and massive payouts in Vegas Velocity from Rival
Speed down The Strip towards the game’s 10,000x max payout, boosted by Expanding Turbo Wilds and an Overdrive Respin feature
Experience the neon lights and pulsing rhythm of the City of Sin in Vegas Velocity from Rival. This is a slot where players shift into gear and hit the gas as they race towards big wins.
Vegas Velocity sees players strap in for a thrill ride like no other, lighting up the reels with Expanding Turbo Wild symbols and an Overdrive Re-spin feature.
This is one of the studio’s most visually striking games to date, capturing the electrifying glow of the Las Vegas strip, which flashes past as players speed towards the game’s 10,000x max win potential.
The action hits the red line when Expanding Turbo Wild Symbols drop onto the reels. They can land on reels two, three or four and light up the reel (literally), substituting for all symbols to boost wins.
There’s also the Overdrive Re-spin Feature for added adrenaline-fuelled action. When a Wild Car symbol is part of a win, it expands to fill the whole reel.
It then Locks into place for a free Overdrive Respin. Any additional Wild Cars that form a win during the respin award another Overdrive Respin.
This occurs until there are no more Respins in play, and the feature then U-turns back to the base game.
Vegas Velocity is set across five reels and three rows with ten paylines active in the base game. This is a highly volatile slot with a score of 5/5.
Operators can choose from a range of RTPs including 92.62%, 94.64% and 96.00%, which is the game’s default Return to Player setting.
Ryan Maclean, Head of Games at Rival, said: “Vegas Velocity offers players a fast-paced thrill ride where the adrenaline builds with each spin as they speed towards massive wins.
“The game captures the electrifying excitement of The Strip and where neon lights pulse to the beat of the city.
“By keeping the pedal to the metal, players can trigger high-octane bonuses such as Expanding Turbo Wilds and Overdrive Respin, which help them shift up a gear and hit the game’s biggest payouts.
“This is a strong addition to our growing game portfolio, and we look forward to seeing players buckle up, hit the gas, and light up the reels in what is one of our most explosive slots yet.”
The post Hit the red line and massive payouts in Vegas Velocity from Rival appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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