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Last week, Fanatec announced a partnership with WRC (FIA World Rally Championship). In times of corona and a new rise of simracing, this is highly interesting.
This means that Fanatec is now sponsor of not one, but two world series (both of which forced into suspension by current COVID-19/Corona/SARS-COV2 events – stay healthy everyone!). As a bonus, I included the announcement of the first partnership at the bottom, if you don’t know it already.
Hopefully, Fanatec will soon release hardware accordingly 😀
Here are the official announcements.
Partnership 1: WRC
Announced last week. See also https://www.wrc.com/en/news/season-2020/wrc/wrc-agrees-new-partnership-with-esports-experts-fanatec/.
Landshut, Germany – 22.04.2020 – Fanatec unveils the new partnership with WRC eSport and with that the new steering wheel to go with it. The WRC licensed Steering Wheel is to be expacted in Q4 2020.
We are excited to bring our products even closer to all the rally fans around the world and to challenge sim racers with the WRC Weekly Challenge.
Fanatec will play a big part in the 2020 eSports WRC Championship as the official supplier of hardware and also support #RaceAtHome to the fullest. Read the press release here:
WRC agrees new partnership with eSports experts Fanatec
⦁ Fanatec announced as new official partner for WRC eSports
⦁ German company boasts strong motorsport portfolio
⦁ Development under way on rally products for WRC gamers
⦁ Fanatec backs WRC’s virtual challenge in Rally Argentina classic
Munich, 22 April 2020 – WRC Promoter has completed a multi-year agreement with sim racing hardware experts Fanatec to become the official partner of the WRC’s eSports activities.
Fanatec is the leading brand for sim racing hardware, including steering wheels, pedals and complete cockpits for PlayStation, Xbox and PC-based motorsport simulators.
Its products are an integral part of the 2020 eSports WRC Championship, based on WRC 8, the official video game of the FIA World Rally Championship. Fanatec also powered the invitational WRC eSports event in Monaco ahead of the start of January’s Rallye Monte-Carlo.
Thomas Jackermeier, CEO of German-based Endor AG, which owns Fanatec, said the company was honoured to join the WRC family and would play its part in allowing sim rally drivers to get as close as possible to the real thing.
“Rally driving is one of the most intense forms of motorsport and one which is extremely difficult to practise.
“Fanatec is developing a range of rally products in close co-operation with WRC, which will be perfectly suited to simulate this exciting sport and to compete in official WRC sim racing competitions,” he added.
An all-new Fanatec WRC-branded steering wheel will be introduced for gamers later this year.
WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesla said Fanatec’s enthusiastic support of WRC’s virtual rallying would further boost soaring interest in eSports motorsport.
“We welcome Fanatec to the championship’s growing portfolio of premium partners and it’s great to see the company’s passion and commitment in creating bespoke products for WRC sim racers,” he said.
Fanatec will also back this week’s #RaceAtHome WRC Weekly Challenge.
The challenge, which opens tomorrow (Thursday 23 April) to anyone playing WRC 8, asks gamers to take on the mighty task of mastering Rally Argentina’s El Condór special stage.
The WRC Weekly Challenge presented by Fanatec remains open for a week and will test competitors through the fabled 7.1km WRC 8 test, high in the Traslasierra mountains.
Ciesla added: “Like all global sports, WRC is currently paused due to Covid-19, but the WRC Weekly Challenge allows sim racers to compete against their rivals on classic roads from famous rallies.
“It provides our existing fans, and young gamers who are building their interest in the sport, with a means to preserve their WRC ‘fix’ and we’re delighted Fanatec has chosen to support this challenge,” he added.
ends
More details at wrc.com
Kind regards and stay safe,
Team Fanatec
Partnership 2: Formula 1
This one was announced in 2018 already, and is added as a bonus read. See also https://www.formula1.com/en/toolbar/partners.html.
| Yes, it is true… Fanatec is now an Official F1 Partner! Dear Sebastian Mach, We are thrilled to announce that Fanatec is now a Formula 1 Partner, and Official Sponsor of the F1 Esports Series! This unprecedented five year deal gives us an incredible opportunity to bring you closer to the thrills of the pinnacle of motorsport than ever before! As from the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend, Fanatec is the Official Supplier of racing steering wheels and pedals for F1 Esports. All of the simulators used in the Fanzone at Spielberg and for the remaining twelve FIA Formula 1 World Championship Grands Prix have been upgraded with Fanatec steering wheels and pedals. We’ll be working closely with Formula 1 at all F1 Esports Series events, extending to the supply of cockpits and seats for simulators used in the next F1 Esports Series in 2019. We can’t wait to show you what’s next! |
| F1 Esports Pro Draft Debut Make sure you’re watching the Facebook and live TV coverage at the Gfinity Esports Arena in London on July 9th, where Fanatec will debut as Official Sponsor of the F1 Esports Series. Here, representatives from the nine F1 teams participating in the F1 Esports Series will select the best drivers from the top 40 players from around the world to join their own professional esports teams. |
| Adam Crothers, Head of Digital New Business at Formula 1, said: “If there’s one sport where simulators really give fans a taste of the real thing, then it’s Formula 1. Therefore it is vital to offer our fans a driving experience that is as realistic as possible and so we need partners who are at the cutting edge of technology and who are world leaders in their field: Fanatec is a perfect fit with this premise.” Thomas Jackermeier, CEO of Endor AG (Fanatec) said: “We are thrilled that the most popular motorsport series in the world is heavily investing into esports and will bring sim racing to a new level. Among all esports categories, racing is the only one which actually allows gamers to become better drivers in real life and perhaps even start a motorsport career. The Fanatec racing wheels developed for F1 Esports combine outstanding realism as well as the performance you need to compete with the best sim racers in the world.” About Fanatec Based in Landshut, Germany, Endor AG and its Fanatec brand produce innovative, high-performance input devices for PC and consoles, specialising in force feedback steering systems, pedals, and complete cockpits. Partnering with the F1 Esports Series, Fanatec is in a unique position to strengthen and support this rapidly growing sector of gaming. For more information, visit fanatec.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™. With best regards, Team Fanatec |
| Formula1 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 FORMULA 1 logo, F1 logo, F1, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trade marks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved. |
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