ESL FACEIT and Formula 1 have joined forces to unveil an exciting event taking place at DreamHack Birmingham next week. The site will play host to the season opener of the F1 Sim Racing World Championship 2026, which will go hand-in-hand with an exciting ‘fanzone’ bursting with activities and opportunities.
The F1 Sim Racing World Championship event joins the likes of the Call of Duty League, ESL One, and a Halo Infinite tournament, all of which will unravel during the three-day weekend spectacle.
‘The Absolute Pinnacle of Motorsport’
In a statement about the imminent arrival of the F1 Sim Racing World Championship in Birmingham, Niccolo Maisto, CEO of ESL FACEIT, said:
By bringing the Formula 1® Sim Racing Championship 2026 to DreamHack Birmingham, we are merging the absolute pinnacle of motorsport with the raw, authentic energy of the UK gaming community. It’s a massive collision of worlds – unmatched prestige meeting an unforgettable live crowd.
We are thrilled to give our community the chance to witness the world’s fastest drivers push the limits of the grid live on our stages this year.
DreamHack Birmingham promises to be a phenomenal event and one of the biggest gaming expos in the United Kingdom for quite some time. DreamHack hasn’t graced the nation with its presence in almost a decade, and every other event across the region has either fizzled or completely fallen in recent years.
This sentiment was shared by Emily Prazer, CCO of Formula 1:
The return of the F1 Sim Racing World Championship in 2026 marks an exciting chapter for the sport with a season-opening event at DreamHack – one of the biggest gaming festivals in the world. It allows us to showcase what we have to offer in places not traditionally associated with motorsport and where people may not be expecting to see us.
Esports provides a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and connect with a younger generation of fans, giving them additional pathways to engage with the sport and their favourite teams. Our investment in a purpose-built sim racing facility at the Media and Technology Centre reinforces our long-term commitment to F1 Sim Racing and provides a permanent home for the Championship’s future growth.
Throughout the season, the world’s most talented drivers will compete for a massive $750,000 prize pool, fought for by the likes of:
- Alpine
- Aston Martin
- Williams
- Ferrari
- Haas
- McLaren
- Mercedes
- Racing Bulls
- Red Bull
Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server if you’re headed to DreamHack Birmingham to watch some F1 esports action.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Gen.G is going undefeated at First Stand
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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