Esports World Cup champion aiming for real world of motorsport

Eight weeks, a whole bunch of opponents throughout a number of occasions and a multi-million pound prize pot – however this wasn’t any sports activities match.

Luke Bennett is coming house from the primary Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia as a world champion.

Not solely that, the 19-year-old from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire can also be returning £100,000 richer after bagging the highest prize in sim racing (quick for simulated racing).

“It’s fairly surreal,” Luke tells BBC Newsbeat. However now he is hoping he has an opportunity to make it correctly actual with a profession in motorsport.

Luke’s a part of Group Redline – an offshoot of Purple Bull’s F1 staff which boasts Belgian-Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen amongst its alumni.

“It is identical to racing a automotive in actual life,” Luke says of sim racing. “However on a pc.”

The staff was based greater than 20 years in the past however Luke says individuals are nonetheless shocked when he talks about what he does.

He says individuals are shocked when he tells them in regards to the prize cash concerned.

“It reveals it’s getting greater and larger and it may be a profession for some folks.”

Group Redline dominated on the Esports World Cup, by no means ending outdoors of the highest 4 as soon as within the grand finals of the match.

“It’s been a tough few months,” says Luke. “Every single day – observe, observe, observe.

“All that weight has been lifted off our shoulders now.”

Luke is not simply quick on the digital observe. He says his profession is transferring at prime pace as nicely.

“I began driving with only a £100 steering wheel on the desk and having a little bit of enjoyable,” he says.

Not lengthy after, fellow opponents seen his potential and his dad and mom helped him purchase a greater simulator.

“That’s when issues actually took off,” he says.

“I joined Group Redline and after that it’s simply been up and up and up till this level proper now.”

Esports tournaments are nonetheless “fairly area of interest and fairly new,” he says.

“It’s not been lengthy since all this prize cash began coming by and all these huge competitions began so there’s not many tales of individuals going all the best way.”

In that sense, he is a pioneer, admitting “the long run is a bit unsure” for esports champions.

However as unsure because it is perhaps, the business obtained one other enhance final month when it was introduced from subsequent 12 months there would also be an Olympic Esports Games.

Just like the Esports World Cup, the Video games will probably be held in Saudi Arabia as a part of a 12-year partnership between the Kingdom and the Worldwide Olympics Committee.

Earlier than the World Cup, gamers, streamers and followers had been divided by the choice for it to be hosted within the Arab nation – which additionally funded the prize pot – resulting from its document on human rights.

Homosexuality is against the law in Saudi Arabia and it has confronted criticism over its stance on LGBT relationships in addition to lack of rights for ladies.

Critics condemned it as “sportswashing” however the determination was defended by organisers who told Newsbeat no-one would face discrimination at the event.

Luke says the nation was “a extremely cool setting” for the occasion and now has his eye on successful extra tournaments and making it to the Olympics – one thing he says could be “unbelievable”.

“I feel I’d discover it a bit bizarre calling myself an Olympian as a result of I actually don’t really feel like one,” he says.

“However it’s one thing that may be very cool.

“The dream continues to be the identical – we could also be world champions however there’s all the time extra.

“We wish to be world champions in every little thing, so we’ll preserve going.”

And if he could be a pioneer in an internet esports profession, Luke sees no purpose he cannot be a pioneer offline too.

“I hope in the future to get into the actual world of motorsport,” he says.

“I see increasingly more folks get a means in by sim racing now, and hopefully that does occur.

“If not, I’ve acquired loads of time to resolve what I wish to do as I’m nonetheless solely 19.”

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