Formula 1 Expands Esports Presence with 2026 Sim Racing World Championship

Formula 1 has announced the return of its official Sim Racing World Championship in 2026, marking a significant expansion of the sport's esports initiatives with a major partnership with global gaming festival DreamHack and investment in a new purpose-built facility.

DreamHack Birmingham Launch

The 2026 season will launch at DreamHack Birmingham from March 27-29, 2026, marking the first time the prestigious gaming festival has taken place in the United Kingdom. The event, hosted at the NEC in Birmingham, is expected to attract approximately 50,000 gaming fans across the three-day weekend.

"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," said Emily Prazer, Chief Commercial Officer of Formula 1. "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."

The championship will feature prominently within DreamHack's gaming ecosystem, including a dedicated F1 Sim Racing Fanzone with activations from several Formula 1 teams. This will allow fans to engage directly with simulators, drivers, and the sim racing paddock.

New State-of-the-Art Facility

Following the DreamHack launch, the championship will move to Formula 1's new multi-purpose studio facility at its Media and Technology Centre in Biggin Hill for the remaining three events of the season. This represents significant investment from the sport in creating an optimal performance environment for teams and drivers while placing F1 Sim Racing at the heart of Formula 1's operations.

"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," Prazer added.

Championship Format and Teams

Nine Formula 1 teams will compete in the 2026 championship: Alpine, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Haas, McLaren, Mercedes, Racing Bulls, Red Bull, and Williams. Each team will field a three-driver esports roster, with two drivers selected to compete at every round.

The championship will consist of 12 events where drivers will compete for championship points in qualifying sessions and 50%-distance races. All points will contribute toward both Drivers' and Teams' standings as they compete for a share of the $750,000 prize pool.

Broadcast and Community Engagement

All 12 rounds of the F1 Sim Racing World Championship will be broadcast live on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook channels, ensuring global accessibility for fans.

Niccolo Maisto, Chief Executive Officer of ESL FACEIT Group, which operates DreamHack, commented: "By bringing the Formula 1 2026 Sim Racing Championship to DreamHack Birmingham 2026, 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."

This strategic move represents Formula 1's continued efforts to deeply embed the sport in popular culture and reach new fans outside of traditional race weekends, particularly targeting younger demographics through esports engagement pathways.