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Two more F1 drivers join the grid for penultimate Virtual Grand Prix


Following this week’s announcement that Formula 1 will start the 2020 season on July 3-5 in Austria, the sport’s return to action will see the F1 Esports – Virtual Grand Prix series draw to a close with two final events.
This Sunday’s Virtual Azerbaijan Grand Prix (7 June) will see eight current F1 drivers take to the grid, before the series finale in the Virtual Canada Grand Prix the following weekend (14 June). The Virtual Grands Prix Series has seen over 22million fans tune in so far to watch their favourite F1 drivers battle it out, alongside a host of big names from the sporting and celebrity world, in a time where actual racing was not possible.
This weekend will see Sergio Perez and Pierre Gasly make their Esports debuts in the Virtual Azerbaijan Grand Prix as they join six other F1 drivers including Williams’ George Russell, who is attempting to make it a third consecutive win after his victory in Monaco. Fellow F1 drivers Alex Albon, Antonio Giovinazzi, Nicholas Latifi, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris also return to the grid after previous Virtual Grand Prix appearances.
Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte will be taking to the track for the first time as the Premier League winner teams up with Formula 3 driver Oscar Piastri for Renault, whilst AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma joins Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri. Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois makes his fourth Virtual Grand Prix appearance, continuing his partnership with Antonio Giovinazzi for Alfa Romeo, with Former Dakar Rally World Champion, Matthias Walkner making his debut for Red Bull.
Sunday’s race will fall on the weekend originally scheduled for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with the participants competing on the Baku City Circuit on F1 2019, the official videogame developed by Codemasters. Drivers will join the race remotely, with a host broadcast live from the Gfinity Esports Arena from 6:00pm (BST) on Sunday 7 June.
The live broadcast, which is available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels as well as Weibo and Huya channels in China, is expected to run for 1 hour 30 minutes. A qualifying period where grid positions will be determined based on the drivers’ fastest lap time will be followed by a 26-lap race. The Virtual Grand Prix will also be shown live with international broadcast partners in over 100 countries including in the UK on Sky Sports, in the US on ESPN, and FOX Sports Asia.
The F1 Esports Pro Exhibition race featuring the official F1 teams’ professional esports gamers will precede the Virtual Grand Prix and is set to begin at 5:00pm (BST). The broadcast will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels as well as selected TV broadcasters and is expected to run for 1 hour. The Formula 2 Virtual Racing event, featuring F2 and F3 drivers, will also be live on the official Formula 1 YouTube and Twitch channels and TV broadcasters from 4:00pm (BST).
Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports said:
“We are immensely proud of the Virtual Grand Prix series, which allowed us to bring Formula 1 to fans around the world, in a time when actual racing was not possible. We are very grateful to the teams and drivers that have taken part in the series to date and look forward to ending the series with a bang in the coming weeks as we all gear up to kick off the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship season in Austria. Great momentum has been gathered as part of our Virtual Grands Prix Series and we are excited to build on this momentum in our esports strategy going forward.”
Full line-up:
Team |
Driver 1 |
Driver 2 |
Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN | Antonio Giovinazzi | Thibaut Courtois |
Scuderia AlphaTauri | Pierre Gasly | Gianluigi Donnarumma |
FDA Hublot Esports Team | Charles Leclerc | Enzo Fittipaldi |
Haas F1 Team | Pietro Fittipaldi | Louis Deletraz |
McLaren Racing | Lando Norris | Ben Daly (Tiametmarduk) |
Mercedes-AMG Petronas | Esteban Gutierrez | Anthony Davidson |
BWT Racing Point | Sergio Perez | Jimmy Broadbent |
Red Bull Racing | Alex Albon | Matthias Walkner |
Renault | Oscar Piastri | Aymeric Laporte |
Williams Racing | George Russell | Nicholas Latifi
|
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Two more F1 drivers join the grid for penultimate Virtual Grand Prix

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Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – July 7-13
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
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Apollo announced the completion of the previously announced acquisitions of International Game Technology PLC’s (doing business as Brightstar Lottery) Gaming & Digital Business and Everi Holdings Inc. (Everi) by a holding company owned by funds managed by Apollo affiliates (the Apollo Funds). The all-cash transaction, valued at approximately $6.3 billion, brings together complementary businesses to form a privately held global leader in gaming, digital and financial technology solutions. The two companies will be integrated into a combined enterprise in the coming months. Headquartered in Las Vegas, the combined enterprise will operate under the IGT name, while retaining the Everi brand in select markets and product lines.
Luckbet has announced Vitor Paulin as its Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), bringing his expertise in branding, digital marketing, data-driven strategies, performance, CRM and user experience optimisation to lead the brand’s positioning at a strategic moment for the betting sector in Brazil. With a consolidated track record in branding, strategy and communication, Paulin takes on the mission of boosting the company’s marketing initiatives, strengthening its presence in the market. Having worked for renowned companies such as Accenture, Ogilvy, Cadastra, Havas, Dentsu, Digitas, Serasa Experian, Escola Conquer and Grupo Aposta Ganha, Vitor has accumulated experience in leadership positions, including CMO and Chief Growth Officer.
Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel has officially opened its newly expanded non-smoking gaming floor, marking a significant milestone in the property’s continued commitment to exceptional guest experiences. Located adjacent to the hotel lobby, the new, larger non-smoking slot floor will feature nearly 400 of today’s most popular slot machines in a fresh, modern environment designed exclusively for non-smoking guests. This addition enhances the casino’s dedication to providing smoke-free gaming options in a luxury setting. For convenience and ease of access, non-smoking guests can also take advantage of the smoke-free entrance via the hotel’s valet parking. This new space complements Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel’s existing fully enclosed, non-smoking slot area near Falls Buffet and Snoqualmie Café & Deli, offering guests even more choice and accessibility when it comes to their preferred gaming environment.
Partnerships
Hasbro has announced a new slate of multi-year licensing partnerships aimed at transforming and expanding its most popular brands across the casino category. After a comprehensive review and market evaluation, Hasbro has selected Aristocrat Technologies, Evolution, Galaxy Gaming, and Bally’s as its newest partners in casino licensing. The new partners join existing licensee Sciplay. The announcement underscores Hasbro’s “Playing to Win” strategy, revealed in February 2025, which focuses on innovation, partnerships, and bringing beloved brands to life across more formats than ever.
The Indiana Fever announced that one of the world’s leading online betting companies, bet365, is joining the team as its Official Sportsbook Partner for the 2025 season. Bet365 will step into the game with a lineup of fan-focused features that will be integrated across the Fever’s media and game day experience. As part of the partnership, bet365 will have a strong presence throughout the Fever season, including having a brand presence across Fever Radio Network broadcasts, team social content and the Fever mobile app.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – July 7-13 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH TORRERO TO EXPAND REACH THROUGH CONTENT AGGREGATION PLATFORM
Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading provider of B2B gaming content, systems, and solutions, has announced a partnership with Torrero, a casino and sportsbook platform aggregator.
Through this strategic collaboration, Inspired’s acclaimed portfolio of games is now live on the Torrero platform, expanding its reach across regulated markets including the United Kingdom, Estonia and Mexico.
The rollout includes Inspired’s most successful slot titles such as the enduring fan-favourite Gold Cash Free Spins™, the iconic Cops ‘n’ Robbers Bigger Big Money™, and the recent smash hit Golden Winner Grand Chance™. Inspired’s growing portfolio of titles offers curated blend of time-tested classics, seasonal favourites and fresh, high-impact releases designed to engage and retain players across diverse markets.
This collaboration marks another significant milestone in Inspired’s continued global expansion and reaffirms its focus on building strong, scalable partnerships that drive growth in key territories. By joining forces with Torrero, Inspired aims to captivate new audiences while further solidifying its leading presence in the competitive iGaming landscape.
Claire Osborne, Vice President at Inspired Entertainment, said: “We’re excited to partner with Torrero to bring our diverse games portfolio to new audiences. From player-favourite classics to fun seasonal titles, our games are crafted for engagement and performance. This collaboration will deliver exceptional entertainment experiences to Torrero’s operator network and their players worldwide.”
Aleksei Tolstov, Head of Business Development at Torrero, added: “Partnering with top-tier content providers like Inspired is central to our growth strategy. Inspired’s compelling, high-quality games add tremendous value to our platform, and we look forward to building on this relationship as we continue to deliver best-in-class iGaming entertainment to our customers.”
The post INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH TORRERO TO EXPAND REACH THROUGH CONTENT AGGREGATION PLATFORM appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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SBC Summit 2025: Scaling Connections and Industry Dialogue in Lisbon
From 16–18 September 2025, the global sports betting and iGaming community will converge at the Feira Internacional De Lisboa for SBC Summit 2025 – an industry-defining exhibition and conference designed to bring scale, structure, strategic dialogue and actionable business opportunities to the evolving gaming landscape.
This year’s edition is set to welcome 30,000 delegates and will unfold across an expanded 135,000 square metre venue space. With 700+ exhibitors, 550+ speakers, and a structured layout spanning 5 vertical-specific zones, the event reflects both the complexity and global reach of today’s gaming ecosystem.
An Evolving Format to Match Industry Needs
The layout of SBC Summit 2025 has been carefully designed to reflect the multifaceted nature of the gaming industry. Each of the five dedicated zones will focus on a key vertical, with its own exhibition floor, conference stage, and networking areas. This format aims to enhance relevance for attendees by enabling more focused exploration, conversation, and business development.
In addition to these zones, the event will host two specialist summits:
- Affiliate Leaders Summit
- Payment Expert Summit
These dedicated summits allow for deeper interaction among professionals operating in specific areas of the gaming value chain.
A Multi-Stage Conference Agenda
The conference programme will span seven stages, hosting over 550 speakers. Among many highlights will be headline speaker appearances from global superstars – such as marketing & tech pioneer Gary Vaynerchuck, with others to be announced shortly. Sessions are set to address core topics such as:
- Application and implementation of Web3.0, AI, Blockchain and other booming technologies
- Player protection and responsible gaming
- Evolving regulation and compliance in Global & Emerging markets
- Payment solutions and financial innovation
- Advances in iGaming and casino tech
- Affiliate strategies and performance marketing
Session formats will vary – including keynotes, workshops, and roundtable discussions– designed to encourage both knowledge sharing and interactive dialogue.
Beyond the Sessions: Networking and Media Infrastructure
To support both formal and informal engagement, the venue will also feature a dedicated media headquarters and a food festival area – offering relaxed settings for interviews, content creation, and spontaneous networking.
SBC Summit 2025 continues to position itself as a significant touchpoint for industry professionals seeking not only visibility, but also long-term growth opportunities and strategic partnerships.
Evenings of Connection: Networking Events & Infinity Lisbon Closing Party
SBC Summit 2025 isn’t just about the sessions and exhibition floor – it’s about the connections that spark after hours. This year’s lineup of networking events invites delegates to experience Lisbon’s vibrant nightlife through a curated series of parties, dinners, and celebrations hosted at the city’s most iconic venues.
The week kicks off with the SBC Summit Opening Party on Tuesday, 16 September, at Urban Beach – one of Lisbon’s hottest night spots – featuring headline sets by international DJs Joel Corry and Imanbek. It’s the perfect setting to unwind, network, and set the tone for the days ahead.
On Wednesday, 17 September, a trio of exclusive events will unfold across Lisbon:
- The C-Level & Operator VIP Dinner & Networking Party at SUD Lisboa, offering luxury dining and breathtaking views of the 25 de Abril Bridge from its rooftop terrace
- The Payment Expert Summit VIP Dinner & Party at Kais Restaurante Bar, designed for professionals in the Emerging Tech and Payments sphere
- And the Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025 at MEO Arena, celebrating affiliate excellence with a glamorous awards ceremony and gala dinner
The Summit culminates in a spectacular finale: the Infinity Lisbon Closing Party 2025, held on Thursday, 18 September at the iconic MEO Arena. With superstar DJs Alok and Timmy Trumpet headlining, this event promises to be a high-energy, unforgettable close to an impactful week of business and celebration.
From casual mingling to VIP experiences, SBC Summit 2025 ensures that meaningful connections happen at every level – both on and off the show floor.
For full details, visit the official event site: sbcevents.com/sbc-summit
The post SBC Summit 2025: Scaling Connections and Industry Dialogue in Lisbon appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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