The BWT Racing Point F1 Esports Team’s line-up of Lucas Blakeley, Daniele Haddad and Shanaka Clay are all set to take on the squad’s third successive season of Formula 1’s F1 Esports Pro Series, beginning this week.
The team arrives in good form, having enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2019 that yielded a podium with Lucas in Japan.
That success was then followed by a race-winning campaign in the F1 Pro Exhibition series at the beginning of 2020 during the boom in Esports competitions in lockdown.
After an encouraging pre-season, the BWT Racing Point F1 Esports Team’s goal is to fight at the front of the field this season to compete for victories and podium finishes as part of the team’s growing commitment to the virtual world.
A Challenging Triple-Header
The campaign opens on Wednesday and Thursday with the first Live Shows of the season – taking in two days of racing across the Bahrain International Circuit, the new-for-2020 Hanoi circuit and the finale at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Team regulars Lucas and Daniele will compete in the opening round, while Shanaka will play a vital role in supporting the duo after joining the BWT Racing Point F1 Esports Team in this year’s F1 Esports Pro Draft.
With the global situation meaning that the F1 Esports Pro Series will take place remotely, the BWT Racing Point F1 Esports team will be supported by a dedicated team behind the scenes, ensuring peak performance.
How to Follow
The F1 Esports Pro Series has had some tweaks ahead of the 2020 campaign including a new qualifying format that will closely replicate the real-world Formula 1 qualifying format.
Races have also been increased to 35% race distance for the coming campaign, while the latest F1 2020 video game has also been improved on its predecessor and will further challenge the drivers.
Fans can follow live coverage on the team’s social channels, while Formula 1 has increased its broadcast offering for 2020.
Qualifying will now be broadcast over Twitch and Huya, while the daily evening shows will be broadcast live through Formula 1’s select TV partners.
Fans in the UK, Italy and Germany can see the action unfold on Sky Sports, with ESPN providing the broadcast for the USA. SuperSport will broadcast across Africa while Fox Sports will broadcast in Latin America and Australia. Ziggo will provide the Dutch broadcast, while Nordic Entertainment Group covers Scandinavia.
A Few Words
Lucas Blakeley: “It’s always exciting in the build-up to a new season of the F1 Esports Pro Series. The season opener is going to be all about getting into the zone and preparing as best as we can.
“I’m feeling confident and I’m looking forward to experiencing the new format changes, it’s going to make for a really intense spectacle.
“Vietnam has the potential to be a deciding race. It’s a very tricky street circuit and I think that’s where most of the mistakes are going to be made because it’s a massive challenge for a driver. Personally, I really enjoy Bahrain, so I hope to be strong there too.”
Daniele Haddad: “It’s going to be a tough campaign this year as the competition is so high, but I truly believe we’re ready to compete for great results. It’s about keeping our focus and being clinical when opportunities arrive.
“I’m confident going into the event as we’ve had a strong pre-season. We’re excited and ready to prove ourselves in a really varied triple-header to start the season.
“It’s going to be strange not to be racing in a studio event as the atmosphere is so incredible, but it’s a credit to Formula 1 and everyone involved that we can put on a show remotely and I think it’s going to be a great season for the fans.”
Shanaka Clay: “I’m really looking forward to the season getting started. Obviously, I won’t be driving and instead I’ll be in a reserve role for the first event. I’m very keen to work hard and help Lucas and Daniele in any way that I can.
“They’ve both been with the team for over a year and they have that existing relationship, which is hugely important, and I can learn from that. When I get my chance on track, I’ll be ready to prove myself.
“But whether it’s on the track or off the track, I’ll work just as hard to make sure we’re getting strong results for the team. We’ve had good preparation and we can be confident for this season.”
