F1 Games - Page 5 of 7 - Codemasters

New F1® Mobile Racing Update Adds 2019 Season Content

May 3rd, 2019 by Chris Groves

Experience the new era of F1® for the very first time in Codemasters’ free-to-play racer

Codemasters® and Eden Games today added a major update to F1® Mobile Racing, their official handheld video game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™. The headline of the update is the arrival of new drivers, teams and helmets from the current F1® season, making it the first chance for players to jump into this year’s thrilling championship.

Upon the release of Update 5, F1® Mobile Racing players will be able to browse, purchase and race with all 10 team liveries from this season, to add to the F1® 2019 regulation car, as well as all 20 official driver helmets. During races, players will race against the 2019 grid, including rookies Lando Norris, George Russell and Alex Albon, as well as superstars like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

As a reward for existing players, those who have already purchased an official 2018 F1® livery from the in-game Shop will receive the 2019 livery of the corresponding team/s as a free replacement.

To celebrate the release, a trailer featuring Update 5’s content has also been released:

Since launching on iOS in October of last year, followed by Android shortly after, F1® Mobile Racing has quickly become a hugely popular handheld racing title on both platforms. Featuring a deep and competitive multiplayer mode, endless customisation options and high-stakes limited-time events, it hasn’t taken long for the game to become a leader in its field. More content and improvements are regularly added to the game – continued by Update 5, which also adds expansions to the Duel and Grand PrixTM Events modes.

“We’re incredibly excited to make another huge step forward with F1® Mobile Racing through this new update”, said Vincent Meulle, Executive Producer at Codemasters. “Bringing the official team liveries, drivers and helmets from the new F1® season is something we know that players have been eager to see, and we’re delighted that F1® Mobile Racing will be the very first place that players can get their hands on this year’s content.

“These new additions join an ever-growing selection of features for the game, which has already evolved massively since launch and will continue to do so. Adding 2019 season content is a big step for F1® Mobile Racing, but we still have much more in the pipeline for our players and can’t wait to reveal more.”

Stay up to date with all F1® Mobile Racing news by following the Codies Blog, as well as the game’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.

# ENDS #

ABOUT CODEMASTERS:
Codemasters, the award winning video game developer and publisher, has a 30 year heritage. With titles distributed globally, Codemasters is a leading developer and publisher of driving and racing entertainment games including DiRT, GRID, ONRUSH and the official BAFTA award-winning FORMULA 1™ series of videogames. The company is fully controlled by Reliance Big Entertainment Ltd. (RBEL). For more information on Codemasters’ product portfolio, please visit www.codemasters.com. Join in the conversation with @codemasters on Twitter or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/codemasters.

F1 Mobile Racing – an official product of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. © 2019 The Codemasters Software Company Limited (“Codemasters”). All rights reserved. “Codemasters”® and the Codemasters logo are registered trade marks owned by Codemasters.

The F1 FORMULA 1 logo, F1 logo, FORMULA 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trade marks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. © 2019 Cover images Formula One World Championship Limited, a Formula 1 company. Licensed by Formula One World Championship Limited. All rights reserved.

All other copyrights or trade marks are the property of their respective owners and are being used under license. Developed by Eden Games and published by Codemasters.

F1® Mobile Racing – Announcing the 2019 Season Update

April 29th, 2019 by Chris Groves

New look. New content. Same goal.

With Update 5 for F1® Mobile Racing, we’re #ChangingTheGame.

F1® Mobile Racing gives you the FIRST chance to take your place in the 2019 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, as the official team liveries, driver helmets and updated circuits are added to the free-to-play handheld game, available on iOS and Android.

Once Update 5 arrives, compete against the 2019 grid in all modes, lining up on the grid against new talents like Lando Norris and George Russell, as well as superstars like Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. Want to follow in the footsteps of those drivers? Head to the in-game Shop to grab any of the helmets, or add any of the 10 team liveries to your F1® Regulation Car – the F1-TR19.

Team liveries from the previous season will be removed, but for existing Mobile Racing players who have already purchased a livery, they will receive the corresponding 2019 team livery free of charge. For example, if you already own the 2018 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport livery, the 2019 Mercedes colours will be waiting for you in your Garage after installing the new update! 2018 driver helmets will remain in the game, and you’ll retain any helmets you’ve purchased, but only the new helmets will be purchasable from Update 5.

Launch dates of updates are always subject to change, though we’re aiming for Update 5 to be live at the very beginning of May. It’s the biggest step forward for the game since last year’s launch, so get yourselves ready to change the game.

It’s been an incredible effort by the team to design and implement the new season’s content into an F1® game quicker than ever before, delivering on another request from our wonderful community – and the new-season content is far from the only thing to be excited about. Players have also been calling for some kind of ‘Career’ or ‘Season’ mode in the game, offering a long-term opportunity to race hard and prove your worth over an entire campaign.

Well, we heard you.

INTRODUCING: SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP MODE

Season Championship is the next step forward for our GRAND PRIX™ Events mode, which has been a huge hit since arriving earlier this year. After some off-season races, the limited-time events aligned with the real-world season, with a GRAND PRIX™ Event taking place during each race weekend. Each event has been self-contained, featuring one-off global leaderboards and prizes – until now.

Season Championship combines all GRAND PRIX™ Events to give all players the chance to compete against the world, throughout this year’s championship. As well as the usual rewards at the end of each event, huge prizes will be on offer to the top racers at the middle and end of the season, including huge currency rewards and exclusive customisation items.

It’s a fantastic way to prove your dominance in the fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled world of F1® Mobile Racing. We can’t wait to see what you think of Season Championship, and to see who’s competing for the top prizes come the end of the campaign! Think you’ve got what it takes?

Before and after launch, we’ll have plenty more to get you acquainted with Update 5, including glimpses of the update in action and information on other new additions and changes. More ways to boost your progress and tweak your R&D setup are also coming, and we’ll be revealing more all week across the Codies Blog, social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) and Codemasters Forums. You won’t want to miss it. ;)

Senna & Prost renew their rivalry in F1® 2019

April 26th, 2019 by Isher Dhillon

Codemasters Celebrates 10 Years with Anniversary and Legends Editions of F1® 2019

Codemasters® and Koch Media today announced that the greatest ever F1® rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost will be renewed in F1® 2019, the official videogame of the 2019 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™. Fans who purchase the ‘F1® 2019 Legends Edition’ will get to drive as Ayrton Senna in his 1990 McLaren MP4/5B and Alain Prost in the Ferrari F1-90, face-off over eight race challenges, and receive exclusive Senna and Prost themed multiplayer car liveries. The drivers’ likenesses have also been added to the Career mode which players can experience when this edition is launched with three days early access on June 25th 2019 on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam).

Additionally, to celebrate the tenth F1® game from the Codemasters Birmingham Studio, fans who pre-order or purchase the ‘F1® 2019 Anniversary Edition’ receive two race-winning cars from the classic 2010 season; the Ferrari F10, as driven by Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, and Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button’s McLaren MP4-25. Alternatively, the two cars will be available to purchase together at a later date, and are also included in the ‘Legends Edition’. Both are in addition to Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber’s 2010 Red Bull RB6 and many of the classic cars from F1® 2018 which have been retained. A Limited Edition F1® 2019 Steelbook is also available in local markets via exclusive retailers.

Building on the greatest F1® rivalries, the cover art for F1® 2019 has a fresh look focusing on the fierce competition which has been developing over recent seasons. Current World Champion, Lewis Hamilton, and main antagonist Sebastian Vettel grace the cover with many major territories releasing their own version reflecting the biggest and best adversaries in their local market.

Having teased a car in the announcement trailer, which received an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the racing community, the FIA Formula 2 Championship is officially confirmed with the full 2018 season available from launch, and the F2TM 2019 season being digitally added later in the year complete with online functionality. Players can compete alongside George Russell, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon before progressing into the current F1® season with their respective teams.

“Fans can see from the new cover art design that F1® 2019 has a strong theme of rivalry running through it, just like the main sport itself. As such, we are absolutely delighted to have resurrected F1®’s greatest ever rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost,” said Paul Jeal, F1® Franchise Director at Codemasters. “Their rivalry began right back in the 1984 season and reached one of the most dramatic ever climaxes on the first lap of the Japanese Grand Prix during the 1990 season. It’s a rivalry which has transcended way beyond the sport and is regarded as the greatest of all time by F1® fans. We know our community will love that the two legends of the sport have finally been immortalised together in our game.

We’re also extremely excited to be bringing the FIA Formula 2 Championship to the franchise. It’s consistently been one of the most requested features from our community and it comes at a perfect time with the top three drivers from 2018 in George Russell, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon progressing to F1® for this season. We can’t wait to unveil more details on how this is integrated into the career mode in the coming weeks.”

For future news and details on all the new features follow Codemasters F1® games blog and social channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Formula 1 New Balance Esports Series To Kick Off Its Third Season

April 2nd, 2019 by Isher Dhillon

Formula 1®, the pinnacle of motorsport, has announced that the third instalment of the F1 New Balance Esports Series will kick off on 8 April 2019. Building on the success of last year, the stakes for the 2019 season have been raised. Not only has the Series been extended to include even more adrenaline fuelled racing, but the official F1 teams will be battling it out for more than double the prize money – with a staggering $500,000 prize fund to be won.

Like the 2018 season, which reached a record audience of 5.5 million viewers across selected TV networks and a dedicated live stream, this season will be split into Qualifying, a Pro Draft and the Pro Series. However, each segment of the 2019 Series has been expanded, making this the biggest and most ambitious season yet.

A longer qualifying window will give even more of the world’s top drivers and aspiring gamers the chance to compete for a place in the prestigious Pro Draft. All entrants will compete in F1 2018, the official game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC.

For the first time ever, one lucky esports fan will also be given the unique opportunity to experience the adrenaline and excitement of both the 2019 F1 New Balance Esports Series and real-world F1. An all-expenses paid trip to the Pro Draft, as well as tickets to the Formula 1 Rolex British Grand Prix on 14 July is up for grabs. To enter, fans simply need to complete one attempt during the three online qualifying events hosted between April and May as well as ensure they are signed up and registered on www.f1esports.com, with the winner chosen via a random prize draw.

The Pro Draft will take place over two days in July and is where the official F1 teams will select the drivers they want to add to their roster to represent them in the Pro Series. A series of high stakes race-offs on day one will identify the best of the best from the drivers that qualified. The slowest drivers will be eliminated, while the fastest will make up the final pool from which the teams will make their picks on day two. Every official F1 team must select at least one of its drivers from the Pro Draft.

The expanded season means that at the Pro Series, the official F1 teams and their drivers will now compete in four live events, compared to just three events last year, between September and December 2019. These races will determine the 2019 F1 New Balance Esports Series Teams’ and Drivers’ World Champions, with an increased prize fund of $500,000.

Following the success of the competition last year, which saw Great Britain’s Brendon Leigh crowned champion for the second time, F1 has renewed its partnership with Codemasters and Gfinity for the 2019 F1 New Balance Esports Series. New Balance, the footwear and lifestyle brand, will remain as Title Partner and will be fully integrated into the Series, with all drivers wearing New Balance socks and shoes whilst racing in the Pro Series. Fanatec also remain on board as Official Sponsor, supplying the championship with elite and advanced equipment.

The 2019 F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series will also follow the World Championship rule change, to award the driver of the Fastest Lap a point, and DHL will once again reward the overall winner of the Fastest Lap with an award. Plus, to celebrate their 50th anniversary, DHL are working with F1 to deliver the time-trial invitational event ahead of the Pro Draft.

A new and exclusive agreement with Juss Intellisport Co. Ltd will also bring the electrifying world of F1 Esports to China for the first time ever. The F1 New Balance Esports Series – China Championship will launch in the late summer of 2019, expanding F1’s reach and presence in one of the leading esports nations in the world. A special event will take place at the Formula 1 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix 2019 to celebrate this landmark moment at F1’s 1000th Grand Prix, signalling the progression, new era and refreshed direction of F1. Top Chinese gamers will be invited to race off in a warm up exhibition event ahead of the full launch of the China Championship later in the year. The China Championship will give a select number of the fastest and most skilled Chinese gamers automatic entry into the prestigious Pro Draft in 2020.

Sean Bratches, Managing Director, Commercial Operations at Formula 1, said: “Last season was a decisive year for F1 Esports with the inclusion of the first official teams and record audience figures. As we move into this 2019 season, F1 will remain at the forefront of this explosive industry. The potential within this space is extremely exciting both as a commercial opportunity, but importantly, as a way for the sport to engage with the next generation of motorsport fans. We are committed to exponential growth in the world of esports, and as a result the 2019 season is going to be even bigger and better. Having more than doubled the prize fund, we plan to attract even more talent to the series and to continue the upward trajectory we are on.”

Frank Sagnier, CEO at Codemasters, said: “The F1 New Balance Esports Series creates exciting opportunities for Codemasters to further engage with our core community and develop experiences for fans with a passion for both virtual and real-world racing. We’re always investigating ways to better integrate esports into our F1 games, as this will encourage more players to test their race skills against the top professionals, and we look forward to welcoming the new talent who will emerge this season.”

Garry Cook, Executive Chairman at Gfinity plc, said: “F1 New Balance Esports Series has captured the imagination of the global gaming community. It delivers incredible racing and through entertaining content, such as the draft show, gives fans a reason to care about the drivers. Esports fans want it all. They want the back stories, the drivers’ journeys to greatness, the emotion of being chosen to represent an F1 team. And they want to experience daring manoeuvres on the track. F1 New Balance Esports Series delivers this. That is why a new and younger audience is embracing the F1 story. Series 3 is going to be bigger, bolder and more entertaining than ever.”

For more information on the 2019 F1 New Balance Esports Series visit www.f1esports.com.

Claire Edwards, Communications Manager E: CEdwards@F1.com M: +44 (0)7876 859 634

Formula 1 Press Office E: f1media@f1.com T: @f1media

Edelman Press Office E: Formula1@edelman.com

About Formula 1® Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. The 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runs from March to December and spans 21 races in 21 countries across five continents. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1® and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™. Formula 1® is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock. The F1 logo, F1 FORMULA 1 logo, FORMULA
1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, PADDOCK CLUB and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.

About esports Esports (electronic sports) is watching or playing competitive video gaming. Leading titles include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), Call of Duty and Rocket League. The industry is growing rapidly, with new communities developing around more and more titles. The global esports market generated US$493 million of revenue in 2016 and is expected to make $1.5 billion by 2020. The global esports audience in 2017 was 191 million people, 80% under the age of 35 and 70% male (source: Newzoo). Online streaming channels Twitch and YouTube command the biggest audiences, although esports events are also now being broadcast on conventional TV. The 2015 League of Legends Championships finals in Berlin were watched by 36 million people, with a peak concurrent viewership of 14 million viewers, while at DotA 2’s flagship annual championship ‘The International 2016’ competitors from around the world competed for a prize pot of over $20 million.

Defeat your rivals in F1® 2019

March 28th, 2019 by Christina McGrath

Codemasters® and Koch Media today announced that F1® 2019, the official videogame of the 2019 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, will ship a full two months earlier into the F1® season and launch worldwide on Friday 28th June 2019. The game will be released during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend and, unlike previous iterations, ahead of the British, German and Hungarian Grands Prix. F1® 2019 has been in development for nearly two years, making it the most ambitious release in franchise history and launches on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam).

Working in partnership with F1®, for the first time ever, players will be able to get behind the wheel of a 2019 regulation car specifically designed in collaboration with F1®’s technical team, headed up by Ross Brawn and Pat Symonds. The car, which will be available in Multiplayer, adheres to the 2019 regulations and comes with a range of livery designs offering players a new level of personalisation. The 2019 F1® Team liveries will also feature on the car in early marketing materials, but will be replaced by the final Team cars ahead of the games release.

Having established itself as one of the highest rated racing franchises of all time, F1® 2019 will build on the success of previous iterations and deliver an experience that rivals the quality and production values of its real-life race counterpart and includes several new game features which will be revealed in the coming months. To whet the appetite Codemasters has today released the F1® 2019 Teaser Trailer, which showcases some of the game’s brand new look and feel.

You can watch the trailer here:

“We are absolutely delighted to be able to release F1® 2019 earlier in the Formula 1® Season, so that the game can be played and enjoyed at the same time that the real-world championship picture is starting to form,” said Paul Jeal, F1® Franchise Director at Codemasters. “Our close relationship with Formula 1® has played a major part in achieving this key objective for the franchise. That in addition to our near two-year development cycle, has allowed us to develop some exciting new features and other firsts for the franchise that we can’t wait to share with our community in the coming months.”

“The exciting collaboration with Ross Brawn and Pat Symonds has created new levels of player personalisation in F1® 2019 through the inclusion of the new regulation car,” said Lee Mather, F1® 2019 Game Director at Codemasters. “With the continued growth of the F1® series, it’s great to give players more control and new levels of car and driver customisation and we can’t wait to talk more about this alongside the new multiplayer features in the coming months.”

For future news and details on all the new features follow Codemasters F1® games blog and social channels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Charles Leclerc And Marcus Ericsson Take F1® Mobile Racing For A Spin

December 21st, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Sauber F1® team’s 2018 drivers try out this year’s hottest mobile racing game

Codemasters® has today revealed a new video feature for F1® Mobile Racing, its latest free-to-play mobile title, in which the Sauber F1® Team 2018 driver line-up of Charles Leclerc and Marcus Ericsson put the game through its paces.

Following on from Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly taking each other on in F1® Mobile Racing earlier this year, Codemasters® visited the Sauber HQ in Switzerland to let two more of motorsport’s finest check out the game. You can check out the video out here; https://www.youtube.com/formula1game

“The graphics are very impressive, and the tracks are done very well also,” said Leclerc, as he duelled with his team-mate, whilst Ericsson was equally complimentary. “It’s very nice. The tracks are done so well. It’s really cool that you can customise things, and I think that adds a lot to the game.” Charles and Marcus jumped into Duel mode, in which players race against each other in fast-paced events to win rewards and progress through the game.

Free to download and play now, F1® Mobile Racing gives you the control to create your own F1® car complete with colour scheme, livery and performance upgrades or use the official cars of the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™. You can then race your car against official F1® teams and other racers, in real time, around the official circuits. You can also take on other players online in one-on-one races to move your way up the global Leagues, complete countless Challenges, and create single-player scenarios to race in.

F1® Mobile Racing is a live, evolving title with new content being added regularly post-launch. This will include the addition of 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship™ content next year.

F1® Mobile Racing is available now on both iOS from the App Store, and on over 200 Android devices via the Google Play Store.

Follow the Codies Blog and social channels on Twitter and Facebook for future updates.

F1 New Balance Esports Series 2018 Watched By 4.4 Million

December 6th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1® to a new generation of fans around the globe, the award winning 2018 F1 New Balance Esports Series drew a record audience of 1.2 million across selected TV networks and 3.2 million people on a dedicated live stream.

Cementing F1’s position at the forefront of the e-racing wave, over 100 million social media impressions and 20 million online video views of F1 Esports content were accumulated over the course of the series. In a clear demonstration of how the sport is reaching a new, younger more digitally minded audience, 70% of viewers tuning in to watch the final were below 34 years old.

The dramatic 2018 season culminated with Brendon Leigh securing his second Drivers’ Championship title in a row after his 2017 success in Abu Dhabi. His clear dominance of the series, combined with teammate Daniel Bereznay’s second place, also propelled Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports to victory in the first ever Teams’ Championship.

Sean Bratches, Managing Director, Commercial Operations at Formula 1 said:
“2018 was a pivotal year for our efforts with respect to Formula 1 Esports as it saw the inclusion of the first official teams and built firm foundations for the future success of the series. The exponential growth in esports is a material fan engagement and commercial opportunity for us on myriad fronts and we plan to remain in the vanguard as we move into the 2019 season. Our continued focus will be on broadening opportunities for the next generation of motorsport fans and brands that understand the value of this audience and are hence investing in this space. Formula 1’s message is clear that esports is an open door for anyone with a passion for gaming and racing.”

The F1 New Balance Esports Series brought together the most talented motorsport gamers in the world for the second year in a row. This year, the drivers had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a Formula 1 team and to race with the backing of some of the most prestigious names in motor racing, following an intensive selection process.

Some 66,000 players competed over four online qualifying rounds earlier in the year to secure a coveted place in the inaugural F1 Esports Pro Draft in July. Over the course of the qualifying period 1.1 million laps were completed on F1 2017, the official game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC. At the Pro Draft the F1 teams then selected a total of 16 drivers from nine countries – such as the UK, Germany and Finland to as far away as Chile – to move forward with them to the Pro Series Championship.

The exciting finale of the award-winning F1 New Balance Esports Series, the Pro Series comprised of three live broadcasted events held in London, UK. A total of 26 drivers representing 12 different nationalities joined their F1 Esports teams to compete on the F1 2018 official video game developed by Codemasters, for the coveted prize fund of $200,000 – allocated to the teams based on their positions in the team standings. More than 3,000 laps were completed, covering at least 1,000km of virtual track and taking over four hours of combined race time.

Frank Arthofer, Director of Digital and New Business at Formula 1 said:
“The viewing figures for this year’s series are a testament to the series’ growing interest and engagement with a new audience. The younger generation has truly embraced the F1 Esports Series. Looking to next year it is our ambition to continue to grow participation and engagement with the series and we will be building on various elements, such as giving fans the opportunity to go from living room to podium, which has clearly resonated with this audience.”

Julian Tan, Head of Growth & F1 Esports at Formula 1 said:
“The 2018 F1 Esports Series has been a resounding success, and it’s fantastic to see such a strong response in the viewing figures and levels of engagement. We have also had great partners in New Balance, DHL and Fanatec come on board to support the programme. With esports being a new direction for F1, we came into this season with a test and learn approach, and this is something we will continue into 2019. The introduction of components such as the Pro Draft mechanic helped to drive another layer of excitement that captured imaginations, and a key goal for next year will be to continue to move towards building a
sustainable series structure.”

The F1 New Balance Esports Series was operated in partnership with Codemasters, the developer and publisher of the official Formula 1 video game franchise and Gfinity, one of the world’s leading esports companies. New Balance was named the title sponsor of the competition, joining the established sponsors DHL and Fanatec.

For more information on the F1 New Balance Esports Series visit www.f1esports.com.

Norman Howell, Director of Communications, Formula 1
E: nhowell@f1.com
M: +44 (0)7920 181 929

Formula 1 Press Office
E: f1media@f1.com
T: @f1media

Edelman Press Office
E: Formula1@edelman.com

About Formula 1®
Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. The 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runs from March to November and spans 21 races in 21 countries across five continents. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1 and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Formula 1 is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock.

About esports
Esports (electronic sports) is watching or playing competitive video gaming. Leading titles include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Defence of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), Call of Duty and Rocket League. The industry is growing rapidly, with new communities developing around more and more titles. The global esports market generated US$493 million of revenue in 2016 and is expected to make $1.5 billion by 2020. The global esports audience in 2017 was 191 million people, 80% under the age of 35 and 70% male (source: Newzoo). Online streaming channels Twitch and YouTube command the biggest audiences, although esports events are also now being broadcast on conventional TV. The 2015 League of Legends Championships finals in Berlin were watched by 36 million people, with a peak concurrent viewership of 14 million viewers, while at DotA 2’s flagship annual championship ‘The International 2016’ competitors from around the world competed for a prize pot of over $20 million.

About Codemasters
Codemasters (AIM:CDM) is an award-winning British video game developer and publisher with over 30 years of heritage. The company specialises in high quality racing games including DiRT, GRID, ONRUSH and the BAFTA award-winning official F1® series of videogames.

For more information on Codemasters’ product portfolio, please visit www.codemasters.com. Join in the conversation with @codemasters on Twitter or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/codemasters.

About Gfinity
Founded in 2012, Gfinity has established itself as one of the world’s leading esports companies. The London-based business enjoys strong relationships with game publishers, players and the wider esports community and has built a solid reputation for delivering high quality competitions, both on-line at www.gfinityesports.com and off-line, in addition to producing industry leading esports broadcasts. The Gfinity Esports Arena at Fulham Broadway, London is the home of UK esports showcasing regular tournaments across the full range of competitive games. Beyond its own tournaments Gfinity provides a full turnkey solution for brands wanting to create their own esports tournaments and has staged premium esports events around the globe for leading publishers and brands including Formula 1, Microsoft, Activision, EA, Xbox, Gillette and HP.

Mercedes Dominant In F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series

November 2nd, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Mercedes continues to dominate both the Formula 1 real world and the virtual one. As Lewis Hamilton secured his fifth FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend, reigning F1 Esports champion Brendon Leigh – who now has a 43-point lead on Frederik Rasmussen– is on track to secure his second title. Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports leads the Teams’ Championship with 208 points, with Toro Rosso Esports Teams second (137) and Red Bull Racing Esports third (59).

The first race of the event was held at the Circuit Paul Ricard, where the French Grand Prix took place last June. With two laps to go, Leigh and Toro Rosso’s Frederik Rasmussen made contact in their battle for the lead, with the Dane finishing off track and then overtaken by his teammate Patrik Holzmann. Leigh was initially given a five second penalty as a result, but then the decision was later reversed by the stewards – securing him the win.

Silverstone was the stage for the second race of the event and the continuing battle between Leigh and Rasmussen. After Hype Energy eForce India’s Donoso Delgado was given a penalty for speeding in the pit lane, Leigh and Rasmussen were left to fight it out for the race win. The Mercedes driver eventually secured his fourth win, followed by Rasmussen in second. The podium was rounded out by Hype Energy eForce India’s Marcel Kiefer.

The final race of the event took place at the infamous Spa-Francorchamps. With Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports’ Daniel Bereznay out in front by some margin, an intense battle for the other podium place developed on the final lap. Red Bull Racing Esports Team’s Joni Tormala took second after Donoso Delgado was given a penalty for exceeding track limits. Rasmussen stole third in the four-way battle across the line, with Sauber F1 Esports Team’s Salih Saltunc taking fourth from Leigh on the final straight.

The second Pro Series event was streamed live via Facebook and broadcast globally on selected TV networks. Viewing figures are expected to be strong, after the first live event of the Pro Series accumulated 23m impressions and 3.2m views on social media, bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe.

The F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series has brought together the most talented motorsport gamers in the world for the second year in a row. This year, the drivers had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race with the backing of some of the most prestigious names in motor racing following an intensive selection process.

The Pro Series comprises of three live events held at London’s Gfinity Esports Arena, with drivers competing for the coveted prize fund of $200,000 – allocated to the teams based on their positions in the team standings. The most recent event was the second in the series and is followed by the Grand Final across November 16th and 17th.

The Pro Series is the exciting finale of the award-winning F1 New Balance Esports Series, which saw 66,000 players compete over four online qualifying rounds earlier in the year to secure a coveted place in the inaugural F1 Esports Pro Draft in July. At which they completed 1.1 million laps in F1 2017, the official game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC. The Pro Series is the first time that the competing drivers have raced on F1 2018, which was released on 24th August 2018.

Julian Tan, Head of Growth & F1 Esports at Formula 1 said:

“The second Pro Series event has delivered another round of dramatic racing – with millions of fans watching around the world. It’s great to see that the F1 Esports Pro Series has captured imaginations and is bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe. Like all those watching, we’re excited to see how the season ends at the final in a few weeks, and who will be crowned the driver and constructor champions.”

Paul Jeal, F1 Franchise Director at Codemasters said:

“Once again we have been blown away by the quality of the racing in the F1 Esports Pro Series. The involvement of the Formula 1 teams has helped to lift competition to the next level. It is a fantastic showcase for our F1 2018 game and we cannot wait for the final round in November.”

Mark Brittain, Chief Commercial Officer at Gfinity said:

“We saw the pinnacle of F1 Esports tonight at the Gfinity Arena and the worldwide audience was treated to an incredible masterclass by all the drivers. The action was intense, from lights out to the chequered flag and tonight provided another example of huge opportunities available through the convergence of real and digital sports. We look forward to welcoming back the drivers and to crown the 2018 F1 New Balance Esports Series Champion.”

The F1 New Balance Esports Series is operated in partnership with Codemasters, the developer and publisher of the official Formula 1 video game franchise and Gfinity, one of the world’s leading esports companies. New Balance was recently named the title sponsor of the competition, joining the established sponsors DHL and Fanatec.

To celebrate their title partnership of the F1 Esports New Balance Pro Series, New Balance will be opening up its flagship store on Saturday November 3 and Sunday November 4 to give fans a chance to win tickets to the F1 Esports Grand Final on November 17, plus £500 worth of New Balance product. F1 racing simulators will be set up and open to the public in both New Balance and JD Sports on London’s Oxford Street for the whole weekend, giving everyone the chance to get out on the virtual racetrack and find out more about the competition. For more information please visit https://www.newbalance.co.uk/f1esports

For more information on the F1 New Balance Esports Series visit www.f1esports.com or follow all the action on F1’s official Facebook page.

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results

Race Results 3

Driver’s and Team’s Championships Standings

Norman Howell, Director of Communications, Formula 1 E: nhowell@f1.com M: +44 (0)7920 181 929

Formula 1 Press Office E: f1media@f1.com T: @f1media

Edelman Press Office E: Formula1@edelman.com

About Formula 1® Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. The 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runs from March to November and spans 21 races in 21 countries across five continents. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1 and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Formula 1 is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock.

About Codemasters Codemasters (AIM:CDM) is an award winning British video game developer and publisher with over 30 years of heritage. The company specialises in high quality racing games including DiRT, GRID, ONRUSH and the BAFTA award-winning official F1® series of videogames.

About Gfinity Founded in 2012, Gfinity has established itself as one of the world’s leading esports companies. The London-based business enjoys strong relationships with game publishers, players and the wider esports community and has built a solid reputation for delivering high quality competitions, both on-line at www.gfinityesports.com and off-line, in addition to producing industry leading esports broadcasts. The Gfinity Esports Arena at Fulham Broadway, London is the home of UK esports showcasing regular tournaments across the full range of competitive games. Beyond its own tournaments Gfinity provides a
full turnkey solution for brands wanting to create their own esports tournaments and has staged premium esports events around the globe for leading publishers and brands including Formula 1, Microsoft, Activision, EA, Xbox, Gillette and HP.

About esports Esports (electronic sports) is watching or playing competitive video gaming. Leading titles include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Defence of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), Call of Duty and Rocket League. The industry is growing rapidly, with new communities developing around more and more titles. The global esports market generated US$493 million of revenue in 2016 and is expected to make $1.5 billion by 2020. The global esports audience in 2017 was 191 million people, 80% under the age of 35 and 70% male (source: Newzoo). Online streaming channels Twitch and YouTube command the biggest audiences, although esports events are also now being broadcast on conventional TV. The 2015 League of Legends Championships finals in Berlin were watched by 36 million people, with a peak concurrent viewership of 14 million viewers, while at DotA 2’s flagship annual championship ‘The International 2016’ competitors from around the world competed for a prize pot of over $20 million.

F1® Mobile Racing Out Now On iPhone And iPad

October 18th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Develop And Upgrade Your Own F1® Car To Take On The Best Drivers In The World

Codemasters® has today announced that players around the world can now experience the thrill of driving a 2018 F1® car on their iPhone and iPad with the launch of F1® Mobile Racing. The official mobile game of the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™, F1® Mobile Racing features the official teams, drivers and circuits from the current season, and for the first time players can now develop their own F1® car to race against the greatest drivers on the planet.

Vincent Meulle, Executive Producer, Codemasters commented: “Formula 1® has a truly global fan-base and bringing the game to mobile allows us to reach a greater number of these fans in addition to the players we already have on PS4, Xbox and PC. F1® Mobile Racing offers console quality visuals and caters for different play styles for gaming on the go, in both single and multiplayer. ”

F1® Mobile Racing is a live, evolving title with new content being added regularly post-launch. This will include the addition of 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship™ content next year.

F1® Mobile Racing is available now on iPhone and iPad from the App Store and will be released on Android in the coming weeks.

Follow Codemasters F1® games blog and social channels on Twitter and Facebook for future updates.

Mercedes Leads F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series

October 12th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports driver Brendon Leigh tops the leader board, winning two out of three races at the first event of the F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series, Toro Rosso Esports Team’s Frederik Rasmussen is in second place, but with Leigh’s team-mate Daniel Bereznay in third place, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports sits firmly at the top of the constructor standings.

This first Pro Series live event was held at London’s Gfinity Esports Arena and streamed live via Facebook. Across social media the event has reached 2 million people and generated 1.2 million views to date. It was also broadcast globally on selected TV networks – bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe

Dominating in both the real-world and virtual world of Formula 1®, Mercedes and its drivers have had a strong start to the Series. Mirroring the drama of the 2018 Formula One World Championship, in which Lewis Hamilton is approaching his fifth championship, reigning F1 Esports champion Leigh is now targeting a second title in the Pro Series.

The first race of the Pro Series saw the drivers take on the Australian Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne. In full control from beginning to end, Leigh started from pole position to take his first win. Then came Tino Naukkarinen of Williams Esports, followed by Red Bull Racing Esports Team’s Joni Tormala in third.

The second Grand Prix was at the Shanghai International Circuit in China. A dramatic race unfolded that saw Leigh work his way up the field from fifth, to secure his second win. Second place went to Toro Rosso Esports Team’s Frederik Rasmussen, with Daniel Bereznay of Mercedes in third.

The infamous street circuit of Baku was the stage for the final race, and it turned out to be a tense battle. Bereznay led for much of the race, only to be overtaken in a nerve-wracking few corners by both Rasmussen and teammate Leigh. The race reached a dramatic end on the final lap with Leigh overtaking Rasmussen, only for the Danish driver to steal the win from Leigh on the finish line. Bereznay crossed the line in third.

The overall standings so far are:

The Pro Series comprises of three live events held at London’s Gfinity Esports Arena, with drivers competing for the coveted prize fund of $200,000 – allocated to the teams based on their positions in the team standings. The second event will take place on October 31st followed by the Grand Final across November 16th and 17th.

The Pro Series is the exciting finale of the award-winning F1 New Balance Esports Series, which saw 66,000 players compete over four online qualifying rounds earlier in the year to secure a coveted place in the inaugural F1 Esports Pro Draft in July. Completing 1.1 million laps in F1 2017, the official game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC. The Pro Series was the first time that the competing drivers raced on F1 2018, which was released on 24th August 2018.

Julian Tan, Head of Growth & F1 Esports at Formula 1 said:
“The Pro Series is the opportunity for our seriously skilled drivers to show just how capable they are, and the performances we saw at the first live event did not disappoint. With months of hard work under their belts in the lead-up to the competition, there is everything to play for. With fans watching across the world, the Pro Series is sure to keep audiences at the edge of their seat as we look forward to the next live event at the end of the month and of course the Grand Final in November.”

Paul Jeal, F1 Franchise Director at Codemasters said:
“As we’ve seen consistently with our drivers, the standard of racing was nothing short of breath-taking. The
new manually operated ERS in F1 2018 perfectly added drama and excitement to the wheel to wheel racing, and it was great to see our drivers working as hard on their wheels as their real life counterparts. The sense of competition and camaraderie between all the drivers is now at an all-time high, and their performances have gone up another level since the official F1 Teams joined the Series, with many of the drivers having physically transformed themselves. Now the first results are in, the next couple of weeks will be crucial to get as much practice in as possible ahead of the second event on October 31st. It’s a 10 race championship with a double point’s final, so there is still plenty to play for.”

Mark Brittain, Chief Commercial Officer at Gfinity said:
“A worldwide audience tuned into the F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series and witnessed an amazing race. The skills of the F1 Esports teams generated an electric atmosphere in the Gfinity Arena that was felt across the globe. The bar has been raised for the next live event and the final. We are witnessing the convergence of the real and digital worlds. And racing fans are loving it.”

The global Esports phenomenon continues to go from strength to strength with backing from some of the most exciting brands on the planet. The lifestyle brand New Balance was recently named the title sponsor of the F1 New Balance Esports Series and kitted the drivers out with the latest footwear for the Pro Series, while DHL and Fanatec also continue to sponsor the competition.

For more information on the F1 New Balance Esports Series visit www.f1esports.com or follow all the action on F1’s official Facebook page.

Event 1 Race Results

About Formula 1®
Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. The 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runs from March to November and spans 21 races in 21 countries across five continents. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1 and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Formula 1 is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock.

About Codemasters
Codemasters (AIM:CDM) is an award winning British video game developer and publisher with over 30 years of heritage. The company specialises in high quality racing games including DiRT, GRID, ONRUSH and the BAFTA award-winning official F1® series of videogames.

About Gfinity
Founded in 2012, Gfinity has established itself as one of the world’s leading esports companies. The London-based business enjoys strong relationships with game publishers, players and the wider esports community and has built a solid reputation for delivering high quality competitions, both on-line at www.gfinityesports.com and off-line, in addition to producing industry leading esports broadcasts. The Gfinity Esports Arena at Fulham Broadway, London is the home of UK esports showcasing regular tournaments across the full range of competitive games. Beyond its own tournaments Gfinity provides a full turnkey solution for brands wanting to create their own esports tournaments and has staged premium esports events around the globe for leading publishers and brands including Formula 1, Microsoft, Activision, EA, Xbox, Gillette and HP.

About esports
Esports (electronic sports) is watching or playing competitive video gaming. Leading titles include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Defence of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), Call of Duty and Rocket League. The industry is growing rapidly, with new communities developing around more and more titles.

The global esports market generated US$493 million of revenue in 2016 and is expected to make $1.5 billion by 2020. The global esports audience in 2017 was 191 million people, 80% under the age of 35 and 70% male (source: Newzoo). Online streaming channels Twitch and YouTube command the biggest audiences, although esports events are also now being broadcast on conventional TV. The 2015 League of Legends Championships finals in Berlin were watched by 36 million people, with a peak concurrent viewership of 14 million viewers, while at DotA 2’s flagship annual championship ‘The International 2016’ competitors from around the world competed for a prize pot of over $20 million.