Former Nissan NISMO Global Motorsports Director Darren Cox has launched eSports+CARS, the world’s first professional sim racing team.
Joining the fast growing eSports scene, eSports+CARS competes in online racing championships in titles such as Project CARS. Despite only existing in the virtual world, the team will be run to professional standards common in the real racing world.
Darren Cox has vast experience with merging real and virtual motorsports, spearheading Nissan’s GT Academy programme that has helped countless talented young drivers to make the jump from the virtual world to racing on the big stages in real life.
Cox left Nissan following the company’s less than successful GT-R LMP1 effort at Le Mans last year and will now be putting his years of experience in the racing industry to help bridge the gap between real and virtual competition.
“The eSPORT+CARS Virtual Racing team is a first step in professionalizing motorsport in the virtual world, Cox commented. We want to use the team to shine a light on the huge opportunity that is virtual motorsport and we will do it by mirroring the approach of the best teams and brands in the real motorsport world.
Eventually we want to have the very best virtual drivers from around the globe, playing together across every platform, in every type of motor racing game; attending eSports events, working and competing as a team, engaging with fans as a team. Why? Because I see it as a very exciting first step in bringing new fans to the grandstands ??? whether they be at eSport events or Silverstone on a wet and windy Sunday.”
Using his connections in the racing industry, Cox has already signed up a significant player in the real racing world as Greaves Motorsports, European Le Mans Series champions, have joined eSports+CARS as partners for his new operation.
???If you look at the broader eSport market ??? including first-person shooting games, fantasy strategy games, even football ??? you can see how effectively they have both embraced and been driven by this vast new fan base,??? Cox said.
“Professional teams compete in global championships, driving millions of dollars worth of revenue, but more importantly in some instances, driving millions of new fans to real sport. Research in the US shows us that the millennial generation first become engaged in football through gaming. The growth of MLS has been driven not initially by fans by going to matches and inheriting a passion for the sport, they are instead playing online and then becoming engaged with what happens in the ???real??? professional leagues.???
