Motorsport has always been a massive passion in Brazil, its growth and popularity has also welcomed many to the simulators in the sim racing genre.
There are few nations that are as passionate about their motorsports as Brazil. The country has highlighted its love for all things motorsport throughout history, with the Brazilian Grand Prix being one of the biggest weekends on the calendar to celebrate everything that is good about the sport. The Grand Prix weekend is often used as an opportunity to celebrate some of their most decorated drivers, while their passion for F1 continues to show after Lewis Hamilton was made an honorary citizen prior to the race in 2022. That passion for motorsports is further highlighted by the success of the Stock Car Pro Series and the growing number of Brazilians that are getting involved in Sim racing.
F1 Remains The Heartbeat
Despite the growing emergence of sim racing and the prolonged success of the Stock Car Series, F1 remains the heartbeat that has allowed both sectors to grow throughout history. The love that Brazilians have for F1 is highlighted by the passion that is on display annually when the Brazilian Grand Prix is held at Interlagos.
Few drivers have caught the imagination throughout history in Brazil more so than Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian remains an inspiration for many of the drivers on the grid to this day, and he will be immortalized in an upcoming series on Netflix. Senna landed three world championships throughout his career in F1, and he remains just one of three Brazilians to have won the top prize.
Overall throughout his career, he has won 41 Grand Prix and landed the pole position on 65 occasions. The latter was an F1 record until it was broken in 2006. However, his career was brought to a tragic end in 1994 after a disastrous accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
Champions Move Into Stock Car Pro Series
One of the most viewed motor racing campaigns in Brazil in this modern era comes in the form of the Stock Car Pro Series. It has been a huge event for many fans of motor racing, with betting markets for the competition also available at www.drjuego.com. The series was brought to life in 1979, and some of the most recognizable drivers have competed in the series throughout history. That includes former F1 drivers such as Felipe Massa, Nelson Piquet, and Jacques Villeneuve.
The success of the series continues to highlight that the desire for motorsports remains at an all-time high in Brazil, and the series will be celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2023. This year’s series looks set to be one of the most interesting in recent memory, with Rubens Barrichello looking to successfully defend the title that he won in 2022.
The campaign will get underway at the Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna on April 2nd before the campaign reaches its gripping conclusion later in the year at Interlagos. Massa will be among the leading contenders that will be looking to claim success in the series this year, while Daniel Serra will be looking to go one step closer after finishing second last season.
The Rising Popularity of Virtual Motorsports in Brazil and Beyond
Simulation racing has become the newest form of motorsport that Brazilians have grown to love, as it sees players compete in auto races using racing game software. These have been used in Formula 1 throughout history, as it takes into account real-world variables such as tire wearing and damage to cars.
The success of sim racing reached new heights during the 2020 F1 season, as the cancellation of races led to drivers competing in Virtual Grand Prix from the official game. Some of the stars that were involved throughout this period included George Russell, Lando Norris, and Alex Albon. Meanwhile, the success has continued into this current day, as there is an international community online for players to compete against one another.
The success of the eSports industry has also had a huge impact on the growing influence of sim racing, as the best players can now compete for cash prizes and illustrious honors. Meanwhile, the future could yet be even brighter, as there have been reports that sim racing may be included in the Olympic program in the near future.
Final Thoughts
The success of motor racing in Brazil ensures that the sim racing sector continues to look bright over the coming years. It will be fascinating to see whether the sport makes its way into the Olympic program, and what impact this could have on the number of players that are competing globally.
