The ESL R1 2023 Mid Season Event has drawn to a thrilling finale, as 48 drivers and 12 teams across the four-day tournament burnt rubber to earn a stake of the $1,000,000 prize pool. The exhilarating tournament ended with Maximilian Benecke, driving for German esports organization MOUZ, and Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team emerging as Champions. Across the weekend, both participants and viewers around the globe were glued to the screen, as the drivers competed against one another using RENNSPORT’s state-of-the-art virtual racing software live at Gamers8 sponsored by Aramco in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Maximilian Benecke took the top spot for the Driver Championship, with Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team’s Joshua Rogers following closely behind. The Team Championship saw Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team win the well deserved position of first place, trailed by Team Redline. Day one started off to an electrifying start, as the Driver Championship kicked into gear. The Group Stage saw 48 drivers compete in 8 races, with only the top 12 making it to day 2. Joshua Rogers and Team Redline’s Kevin Siggy both delivered exceptional performances, marking themselves as the first drivers to secure a spot in the final. After a tense first round, the top 12 drivers returned for day 2, which saw them compete in Finalist Mode. The first driver to rack up a grand total of 80 points and secure a first place victory would be crowned the Champion, a title which Maximilian Benecke expertly achieved with 105 points, taking home $100,000 of the prize pool. Both Joshua Rogers and Team Redline’s Jeffrey Rietveld also put in phenomenal performances, ranking themselves second and third respectively, with ESL R1 2023 Spring Season Champion, R8G eSports’ Marcell Csincsik claiming fourth place.
The high-octane action didn’t end there, as day 3 marked the beginning of the Team Championship with the Group Stage. 12 of the world’s best virtual racing teams delivered an exceptional show to spectators, with the top six teams proceeding to the final stage of the competition. As the final day approached, Team Redline and G2 Esports showcased their talents during Finalist Mode, but it was Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team who claimed 150 points and a first place victory. With a total of 187 points, the car manufacturer team Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team took home a staggering $250,000 of the prize pool, becoming the top team at the ESL R1 2023 Mid Season Event.
ESL R1 2023 Mid Season Event final ranking and prize pool winnings: Driver Championship results and prize pool winnings:
| Driver Championship | ||
| Place | Driver | Prize money |
| 1st | Maximilian Benecke | $100,000 |
| 2nd | Joshua Rogers | $75,000 |
| 3rd | Jeffrey Rietveld | $52,000 |
| 4th | Marcell Csincsik | $37,000 |
| 5th | Jiri Toman | $30,000 |
| 6th | Kevin Siggy | $23,500 |
| 7th | Dayne Warren | $20,000 |
| 8th | James Baldwin | $17,500 |
| 9th | Kevin Ellis Jr | $15,000 |
| 10th | Jakub Brzezinski | $12,500 |
| 11th | Tommy Østgaard | $10,000 |
| 12th | Yuri Kasdorp | $7,5000 |
| Total | $400,000 | |
Team Championship results and prize pool winnings:
| Team Championship | ||
| Place | Team | Prize money |
| 1st | Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team | $250,000 |
| 2nd | Team Redline | $150,000 |
| 3rd | G2 Esports | $100,000 |
| 4th | MOUZ | $50,000 |
| 5th | R8G Esports | $30,000 |
| 6th | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | $20,000 |
| Total | $600,000 | |
ESL R1 will return later this year with a thrilling 2023 Fall Season, in which the best virtual racing drivers and teams will continue their rivalries for a spot in the ESL R1 2023 Fall Major taking place live at DreamHack Winter in Jönköping, Sweden, on November 25-26. For more information about ESL R1, head to the official website, and follow ESL R1 on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook
