Few individuals can claim to have competed against Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel and prevailed.
However, Lucas Blakely is capable of claiming it.
He's a racing legend as well, but you've probably never heard of him.
That might be as a result of his victory over Vettel occurring on the virtual track, where the Scottish esports competitor frequently competes.
The pair's race in January was the most recent illustration of how the lines separating the real world and virtual gaming environments are blending in Formula 1.
And the managers of racing teams claim that it is assisting them in identifying the stars of the future.
Now Lucas competes in a worldwide virtual Grand Prix for McLaren's esports team.
He started go-karting when he was seven years old and realized right away that he wanted to drive in Formula One. He is now in his twenties.
Lewis Hamilton's victory in the 2007 championships, according to Lucas, served as additional inspiration for him, but it was simply too expensive for him to enter the field.
For many racing families out there, that is the harsh reality, he claims.
When F1 held its own esports competition in 2017, it gave Lucas a second chance by offering a different entry point into the sport.
He won the World Championship last year while competing for McLaren. He won his final race from the front row and held that position the entire time.
Drivers compete in complex simulator rigs that have screens that cover their front and side views and controls similar to those found in most racing cars.
Fans around the world watch the races on streaming services like Twitch because they are important competitions.
Over 45 million people watched at least one race in 2022, according to the esports company Gfinity.
And Lucas tells BBC Click that "the pressure is immense" when so many people are watching you.
The results in F1 esports can change in a literal flash of an eye, so mentally that's the hardest part, according to him.
You also discover more about yourself. What happens when you are under pressure—what happens to your body, what happens to your mind?
The biggest F1 teams, including Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari, are all participating in esports, and McLaren is just one of them.
The objective is to make signing contracts more approachable.
The best players are invited to scouting sessions where representatives from the big-name teams watch them play Codemasters' F1 simulation during qualification rounds.
In order to attract new talent and broaden the appeal of the sport, some racing teams now see virtual racing as a crucial component of their future.
Lindsey Eckhouse, Director of Licensing and Digital Products at McLaren Racing, claims that the F1 video game is the closest thing to real-life racing that you can do without getting in a car or a kart.
As the virtual and real worlds merge, she claims that gaming can assist in developing the future F1 stars.
"As those lines become more and more blurred, that's an exciting area, really developing the next generation of talent that enters the sport. ".
The 2023 championship series is currently in play, and the following winner will be announced before the year is out.
The biggest racing brands will be hoping more aspiring esports champions get behind the virtual wheel this month with the release of a new version of the F1 game.
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