Esports World Cup champion aiming for actual world of motorsport

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

Luke Bennett is coming residence 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 be returning £100,000 richer after bagging the highest prize in sim racing (quick for simulated racing).

“It’s pretty 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 Staff Redline – an offshoot of Purple Bull’s F1 group which boasts Belgian-Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen amongst its alumni.

“It’s just like racing a car in real life,” Luke says of sim racing. “But on a computer.”

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

He says persons are shocked when he tells them concerning the prize cash concerned.

“It shows it’s getting bigger and bigger and it can be a career for some people.”

Staff Redline dominated on the Esports World Cup, by no means ending exterior of the highest 4 as soon as within the grand finals of the event.

“It’s been a rough few months,” says Luke. “Every day – practice, practice, practice.

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

Luke isn’t just fast on the virtual track. He says his career is moving at top speed as well.

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

Not long after, fellow competitors noticed his potential and his parents helped him buy a better simulator.

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

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

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

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

In that sense, he’s a pioneer, admitting “the longer term is a bit unsure” for esports champions.

But as uncertain as it might be, the industry received another boost last month when it was announced from next year there would also be an Olympic Esports Games.

Like the Esports World Cup, the Games will be held in Saudi Arabia as part of a 12-year partnership between the Kingdom and the International Olympics Committee.

Before the World Cup, players, streamers and fans were divided by the decision for it to be hosted in the Arab country – which also funded the prize pot – due to its record on human rights.

Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia and it has faced criticism over its stance on LGBT relationships as well as lack of rights for women.

Critics condemned it as “sportswashing” but the decision 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 event and now has his eye on winning more tournaments and making it to the Olympics – something he says would be “unbelievable”.

“I believe 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.

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

“The dream is still the same – we may be world champions but there’s always more.

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

And if he can be a pioneer in an online esports career, Luke sees no reason he can’t be a pioneer offline too.

“I hope sooner or later to get into the true world of motorsport,” he says.

“I see increasingly individuals get a manner in via sim racing now, and hopefully that does occur.

“If not, I’ve got plenty of time to decide what I want to do as I’m still only 19.”

Hearken to Newsbeat dwell at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or pay attention again right here.