Porsche Coanda Esports Team Competes at Esports World Cup in Riyadh

The Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team is set to compete in the Esports World Cup (EWC) from July 8 to July 11, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This marks the third consecutive year the team has participated in this prestigious event, showcasing the elite of sim racing. The EWC is regarded as the pinnacle of competitive esports racing, akin to the FIFA World Cup in traditional sports. With a total prize pool of $500,000, the competition promises high stakes and intense rivalry among the world's best sim racers.

The Porsche team has qualified for the finals after a strong performance in the online preliminary rounds, conducted from their new headquarters in Cologne, Germany. Nina Braack, Manager of Esports at Porsche Motorsport, stated, "The EWC is the absolute highlight of the season for us. We head to Riyadh as championship leaders in the R1 series, which gives us confidence in our chances."

The EWC is not just a competition; it is a significant event in the esports calendar, featuring 25 different competitions spanning seven weeks. The event will occur in a state-of-the-art facility covering approximately 60,000 square meters, equipped with multiple esports arenas. Overall, the EWC boasts a record total prize fund exceeding $70 million across all disciplines.

The Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team will field a competitive lineup, including new driver Jordan Caruso, alongside established talents Charlie Collins, Joshua Rogers, and Dayne Warren. Performance engineer Luke Pennington emphasized the mental challenges of the event, saying, "Riyadh will be tough: the many practice sessions and races across four days require peak mental performances."

The competition format in the R1 championship involves three teams of four drivers competing in a series of races, with the first team to secure 250 points crowned the champion. In the lead-up to the finals, the Porsche team has accumulated the most points in the online qualifiers, further solidifying their status as a formidable contender.

Porsche's involvement in esports reflects a strategic initiative to engage with a younger, tech-savvy audience while leveraging digital platforms for brand promotion. Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, noted, "Esports help us connect with a young audience. Plus, simulations are playing a bigger role – whether it’s preparing for a race or developing our race and road cars."

As the event approaches, motorsport enthusiasts can watch the R1 races live on Porsche's official Twitch channel, further enhancing the accessibility and appeal of the event to a global audience. The EWC not only highlights the growing intersection of technology and traditional motorsport but also sets the stage for future innovations in the automotive and esports industries.