With The 2021 Sim Grid x VCO World Cup fast approaching and qualifying underway, we recently announced the 15 top-flight teams that we would be inviting to the World Cup. With that said, let’s get to know some of our invitees a little bit better.
McLaren Shadow
McLaren is one of the biggest names in motorsport and certainly needs no introduction. However, it was in 2017 that they made the plunge into Sim Racing with the McLaren Shadow Project. Since then, they have entered their team into the official F1 Esports series, GRS V10R League, The Logitech G Challenge and many other top series, with strong results and a squad of incredibly talented drivers.
When it comes to Assetto Corsa Competizione, they hosted the McLaren Shadow Project qualifier, which was a competition that was launched alongside the release of the McLaren 720s GT3 in ACC and gave you the chance to become part of their official team. The Sim Grid x VCO World Cup will be their first championship with us, but we are extremely excited to have them on board.
Williams Esports
Just like McLaren, Williams is another huge name from Formula 1 to enter their Esports team into The Sim Grid x VCO World Cup. Williams Esports was founded in May of 2018 and were also the first Formula 1 team to create an Esports team, enjoying great success since their launch across a plethora of series’, with one of their standout results being LMP1 victory in the 2020 Virtual 24 hours of Le Mans.
The Sim Grid x VCO World Cup won’t be Williams first venture into top-level Assetto Corsa Competizione racing, but their first in The Sim Grid, as they competed in the SRO Esports GT Series throughout 2020 with Moreno Sirica and Jack Keithley, picking up one podium. As we head to Bathurst on April 3rd for the championship opener, they will be a team to watch.
Haupt Racing Team
Haupt Racing Team is a German racing team that currently partakes in the GT World Challenge Europe, DTM and the Nürburgring Endurance Series racing the Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo with some of the most talented drivers in the world. It was in November 2020 that they launched HRT eSports, managed by Danny Giusa after he and his pre-existing eSports team caught HRT’s eyes.
Since their launch as Haupt Racing Team, they have participated in multiple events with us at The Sim Grid – namely the NXTGEN Silverstone 12h Brain Tumour Charity Race and Sprint Cup season 3. Danny said in an interview that “As a team manager I always look left and right of our path, where new opportunities are opening and what could be our next step in the longterm”, choosing to settle here, at The Sim Grid.
Danny mentioned that despite their past successes, “We’re realistic, finishing in the Top 10 or best-placed car within the manufacturer would be a great success, but even this will be very tough.”, however, you certainly shouldn’t count them out of top-five, or even podium finishes.
G2 Esports
G2 Esports are one of the biggest names in the eSports scene, competing across multiple games with massive success since their creation in 2015. When it comes to Sim Racing, they also compete across many sims, notably with a strong partnership with Red Bull Racing in the F1 eSports Series. In ACC, they have been especially successful, participating in countless championships here at The Sim Grid and events such as the SRO Esports GT Series.
In The Sim Grid Endurance Cup S2, the G2 Esports BMW M6 GT3, driven by Nils Naujoks and Arthur Kammerer, finished sixth in the championship with two podiums under their belts. Meanwhile, the same G2 duo is participating in Sprint Cup S3 with one win to their name after the season opener at Snetterton. Going into the World Cup, Coach Dave Academy driver Gregor Schill will join Nils and Arthur.
Jean Alesi Esports Academy
Jean Alesi Esports Academy is a professional Sim Racing team founded in 2018 by Formula 1 race winner, Jean Alesi. They have entered teams into a range of simulators, but have a large presence in Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa and iRacing, picking up some fantastic talents along the way.
In The Sim Grid, they have had great success, claiming the championship of More Female Racers Season 2 with Mia and Aenore Rose, third place in the Endurance Cup Season 2 championship with Danilo Santoro, Luca Losio and Leonardo D’Alcamo and seventh place in the NXTGEN Silverstone 12h Brain Tumour Charity Race, making them possible favourites for the World Cup.
Zansho Simsport
Zansho Simsport is another highly successful Sim Racing team that is flourishing, especially at The Sim Grid and in Assetto Corsa Competizione. They have competed in many races with us, all with great success. Their lineup consists of some of the biggest names in sim, and real-life racing, with drivers such as Michael O’Brien, James Baldwin and Tobin Leigh all competing under Zansho Simsport, just to name a few.
They, just like Jean Alesi Esports Academy and G2 Esports, have competed in multiple series’ at The Sim Grid, such as season one of the World Cup, Sprint Cup and Endurance Cup season two. Most notably though, in their two-race wildcard appearance during the previous Sim Grid World Cup, they took victory twice, proving they certainly have the pace to challenge at the top.
Unicorns of Love
Unicorns of Love are also huge players in the eSports scene, making names for themselves across an array of games. They started out in 2014, and since their launch has propelled themselves into success. Their roots lie with League of Legends, experiencing great success and allowing them to expand to other areas of eSports, most recently, Sim Racing.
The Sim Grid x VCO World Cup will their first championship at The Sim Grid but not their first appearance. Rene Sievert drove in the Donington British Classics race last month, picking up a fourth-place for Unicorns of Love, proving that they can hit the ground running on Assetto Corsa Competizione. They too will be a team to watch out for.
Racing ON3
Racing ON3 is an Italian Sim Racing team founded all the way back in 2005 when Sim Racing looked very different from what it does now. However, with age comes knowledge, and that is certainly no negative. ON3 have been winning from the very beginning, with success on many simulators such as Assetto Corsa, iRacing and of course, Assetto Corsa Competizione. By virtue of this success and history, they have become one of the most popular Sim Racing organisations in Italy.
The Sim Grid x VCO World Cup will be their first event at The Sim Grid, but that certainly shouldn’t take away from your expectations of them, as they are extremely successful and have a great team of drivers.
