An apparent new handling model given to the F1 Esports Series Pro Championship drivers may see them step away from F1 2021 league racing.
Photo credit: Codemasters / EA
League racing has been the backbone of competitive F1 game racing since before the advent of F1 Esports. Racing leagues have offered a place for many of the top level esports drivers to compete while the F1 Esports Pro Championship isn’t taking place. Leagues such as Online Racing League, World Online Racing, Premier Sim Gaming Leagues or Apex Online Racing have all seen the very fastest drivers racing in their highest divisions.
Esports Driver Exodus?
Thursday saw the third round of PSGL with many of the current crop of F1 Esports drivers competing at Spa-Francorchamps. In the end, it was reigning F1 Esports Pro Championship champion Jarno Opmeer who claimed victory. However, rumours began to spread not long after the race that command everybody’s attention instead of the race itself.
Many of the Pro Championship drivers were supposedly given access to an ‘esports build’ of the game, a whole new patch with an entirely new handling model that won’t be available to the wider playerbase until the Pro Championship starts in October.
This has inadvertendly resulted in the esports drivers seemingly not being able to participate in league racing due to the leagues not sharing the same build of the game. There have been varying reactions from many people, with esports drivers, regular drivers, league organisers and more all having their say.
Some drivers have taken to Twitter to air their frustration at the issue. For example, in a now deleted tweet, a top-tier F1 Esports pro commented: “Need to either cancel this performance patch completely, or release it for everyone right now”. Others have called for calm until all perspectives can be out in the open.
This whole situation has been dealt in a very childish way imo
— Fab (@FDonoso99) August 27, 2021
I support league racing but we should have reacted professionally, not like this.
At the end it will hurt the grow of the scene more than anything so it’s a loose loose situation right now and it’s sad.
Codemasters are yet to comment on this issue. The organisers of the PSGL stated that “our preferred solution is to continue as normal on Thursday, but we await news as to whether we will continue as normal or find an alternative solution”.
What’s your view on this new F1 2021 development? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
