Jack Nicholls: 'This is the most excited I've been about an esports series in a long time'

Formula E Accelerate marks the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s latest adventure in the world of virtual racing, and will undoubtedly be its most in-depth and competitive series yet.

I’ve been racing on computer games since I was six years old, when I got my hands on Geoff Crammond’s ‘Grand Prix 2’ title, and the first race of any kind that I commentated on was online in 2008, and was won by a 14 year old Bono Huis, who will be driving for Mercedes-Benz EQ over the coming months!

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Formula E has always been pushing the boundaries of esports. From having the real drivers race against fans in the Allianz E-Village on race weekends, to hosting the biggest sim racing event in history in Las Vegas– it’s something that opens up true fan engagement, which the series has always prided itself on. 

The Vegas eRace took place in 2017, and was won by – that man again – Bono Huis. 

Last year, we watched the real Formula E drivers compete in the Race at Home Challenge in Support of UNICEF, as Formula E became the only championship to get all of its real-world racers competing against each other online during the global pandemic.

READ MORE: Grid full of esports stars confirmed with Formula E: Accelerate set to fire into life

Now, we’re back again! But with some big and exciting changes. Firstly, the car in the rFactor2 simulation has been re-worked, so now the drivers will be able to activate ATTACK MODE, and will be forced to save and regenerate energy in order to make it to the end of the race. It’ll be just as integral as it is during any real E-Prix.

The added strategy and thought required is not only going to make the racing more realistic, but will be a completely new element for every single driver in the line-up, and what a line up it is.

There won’t be any real Formula E drivers competing in Accelerate – though they will be joining us in the studio and via video link – instead, the grid will be made up of the best virtual racers in the world. That sounds like a cliched thing to say, but it's true.

With a full grid of 24, here are just a few to look out for.

Kevin Siggy: BMW i Andretti Motorsport

Siggy has to enter this series as the favourite. The Slovenian was imperious during the Race at Home Challenge in 2020, wrapping up the title after winning four of the eight races and leading the winner-takes-all finale from lights-to-flag.

Lucas Mueller: Mahindra Racing

It was heart-warming watching Lucas’ rise during the Race at Home Challenge. The close-knit family that is Mahindra Racing embraced the German with open arms, even organising for him to practice with his favourite driver Pascal Wehrlein.

What was even more impressive was finishing second in the standings with an old steering wheel, clamped to his desk using school books! With a more up to date sim rig, he will be in the mix at the front of the order.

Bono Huis: Mercedes-Benz EQ

As I’ve already mentioned, Bono has been winning races for over 12 years now. He won the Formula Sim Racing championship for five years in a row from 2010-2014.

He then sealed victory in the Visa Vegas eRace and more recently has been competing in F1 ESports for McLaren Shadow. Huis didn’t enter the Race at Home Challenge, so this will be his first Formula E outing since that historic Vegas win four years ago.

Frederik Rasmussen: Dragon Penske Autosport

Finally, fascinating Frede. This will be the Dane’s first competition on rFactor2, in fact the qualifiers for Formula E: Accelerate were the first time he had ever driven the game, and ominously he set the fastest lap time.

Rasmussen is well known in the F1 ESports series, where he won the Constructors' title with Red Bull in 2019 and 2020, while finishing second in the Drivers’ Championship in both seasons. He’s also won titles in iRacing, but this will be his first venture into the world of Formula E and rFactor2.

Who'll come out on top?

So, if I had to make a prediction, I would predict that it will be too close to call. But if I really had to make a prediction, I think I would back Erhan Jajovski.

He has a good mixture of pace and experience, and has the intelligence to execute a smart race, when energy saving and ATTACK MODE are thrown into the mix.

The races are going to be frenetic; the competition is going to be intense; and there’s a lot of money, pride, and opportunity on the line. You’d expect me to say this, but I really mean it, it’s the most excited I’ve been about an esports series in a long time.