The Formula One Esports China Championship has returned! The F1 Esports Series’ first and only region-specific chapter has returned for a thrilling third season, kicking off with a lavish event at the Shanghai Automobile Exhibition Center in Shanghai’s Jiading District.
The event brought together all ten teams competing in the 2021 Pro League, allowing them to get a head start on the upcoming season. The two-day celebration, which included signings, live shows, presentations, and more, highlighted the best digital racing talent and led directly into the first two rounds of competition on May 2: Shanghai and Bahrain.
On Sunday, familiar faces were in fine form, with 2019 champion Tang Tianyu coming out on top once again, winning not only the first round of the season, but also the highly coveted MVP title. Yuan Yifan, the reigning champion, came in second, demonstrating that the two current champions haven’t lost much of their speed and are still setting the pace in the championship.
Tang’s team, Boosters’ Triumph, also won the top team award in the first round and led the championship after two races. The other nine teams, on the other hand, have plenty of chances to catch up.
A six-week swap window will be open to teams halfway through the season, in addition to the 24-race calendar (reflecting the 2021 F1 calendar plus China and including the original Canadian Grand Prix race).
The window, which runs from July 12 to August 21, will allow teams to update their rosters as they prepare for the second half of the season and the live final in November.
Format: Pro-Am
The 2021 season will be divided into two categories: amateur and professional. Each geolocation will have qualifying and regional finals for the amateur events, which will take place in the north, east, south, and west of China. Following that, the best of the best will compete in the Amateur Grand Final, which will take place concurrently with the Pro League Grand Final.
The path to the Pro Final is a little different, with 10 teams competing in the above 12 rounds, each of which consists of two races. The Pro League Grand Final will be the final and most lucrative venue for showcasing driving talent, with all 12 rounds being shown on television.
Pro Exhibiton
It’s not just China’s pride on the line. The Pro League Championship’s top racers will advance to the F1 Esports Series Pro Exhibition in 2022, where they will be eligible for selection by the ten official F1 Esports teams.
Tang Tianyu and Yuan Yifan, the top two drivers in both the previous year’s competitions, met this fate in both 2020 and 2021. Both will be on display at this year’s F1 Esports Series Pro Exhibition, where they will be open for selection by the 10 official teams once again. On May 27, watch to see how they fare.