eSports
Red Bull announces brand-new Trackmania tournament ‘Red Bull Faster’, set to descend on Red Bull Racing’s Milton Keynes HQ
Start your engines as Red Bull teams up with top Trackmania creator Øyvind “Wirtual” to bring the ultimate high-speed tournament to Red Bull Racing’s Milton Keynes HQ.
An adrenaline-fueled showdown, Red Bull Faster is set to take place on 1 March at MK-7, with online qualifiers open from 24 January, 7pm CET (6pm GMT / 10am PST) until 7 February. Players globally can head to the in-game club ‘Red Bull Faster’ to access the tournament’s custom maps.
Hopeful competitors can put the pedal to the metal, racing across 3 challenging maps in Time Attack mode to clinch the best cumulative time on the global leaderboard. The Top 100 fastest players will advance to the stage 2 online qualifiers, with the Top 8 securing a coveted spot on the starting line at the offline Grand Finals in Milton Keynes.
Hosted by an iconic Trackmania creator, “Wirtual” will be livestreaming all the daring jumps, hairpin turns, and dizzying loops of the high-octane competition across his YouTube and Twitch channels. With the clock ticking, it’s time for seasoned pros and rising racers to grind the ladder, burn rubber on the virtual speedway, and drift, dive, and drive to pole position before qualifiers close on 7 February.
As Red Bull Faster gears up to be the ultimate test of speed and skill, racing fans can also join the action with limited in-person spectator tickets now available. Tickets include food for attendees and photo opportunities with Red Bull’s F1™ race cars.
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eSports
CHESS GRANDMASTER MAXIME VACHIER-LAGRAVE SIGNS FOR TEAM VITALITY

Today, Team Vitality is delighted to announce Chess Grandmaster, Maxime ‘MVL’ Vachier-Lagrave as the club’s new professional chess player. The signing will see the French native represent Team Vitality on international competitive stages, strengthening the club’s competitive portfolio as well as participating in wider community activations, bridging together the global esports and chess community.
The signing follows Team Vitality identifying the competitive chess landscape as an incredible opportunity, experiencing an unprecedented global boom with millions of players and fans engaging with the game like never before. In 2023 alone, the Chess.com app was downloaded 80 million times, contributing to an astonishing one billion games played each month. The game’s influence extends beyond the board, with chess content amassing six billion views on YouTube, proving its growing impact in both competitive play and digital culture.
MVL, TEAM VITALITY’S NEW CHESS STAR
Considered one of the best chess players in the world, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joins Team Vitality as a five-time winner of the Biel Grandmaster Tournament, a two-times winner of the prestigious Sinquefield Cup, and champion at the World Blitz Championship in 2021. He also notably achieved the title of Grandmaster at the age of 14 – making him one of the youngest Grandmasters in history at the time, before winning the Junior world championship title in 2009.
For most of his career, MVL has been ranked among the top 10 players in the world by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and is widely recognised for his expertise in the Najdorf Sicilian and the Grünfeld Defense – two of the most complex and dynamic chess openings. Utilising his exceptional skills, analytical thinking and passion for chess, the signing will look to strengthen Team Vitality’s competitive portfolio while inspiring the next generation of chess players and fans alike.
Currently ranked World #7 in Rapid chess, MVL will be representing Team Vitality in the first leg of the 2025 Champions Chess Tour, the Chessable Masters and following the news that chess has officially joined the roster of games for the second iteration of the EWC, is hoping to compete on behalf of the club on stage in Saudi Arabia later this year.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to join Team Vitality for this new adventure in the world of esports! Competing for Team Vitality this year is an exciting challenge, and the two qualifying tournaments will be key milestones in my 2025 season for qualifying in the EWC. Seeing chess take its place alongside some of the biggest games in esports is incredible—it’s a fantastic opportunity to grow the game and inspire the next generation of players.” – Maxime ‘MVL’ Vachier-Lagrave” commented Maxime ‘MVL’ Vachier-Lagrave
CHESS TO BE REPRESENTED ON THE BIGGEST STAGE
Chess is one of the world’s most popular strategy games, with an estimated 600 million people playing the game regularly, and is now set to be a part of the biggest esports tournament- the Esports World Cup. Online chess has evolved significantly and gained a huge following, with online chess platforms boasting hundreds of millions of members. Fueled by the rising popularity of chess streamers on Twitch and YouTube, the tabletop game has been transformed from a classic game to an undeniable global phenomenon loved by people of all ages and backgrounds.
Bringing chess to the 2025 EWC allows the game to be showcased on the biggest stage and drives innovation and growth within its already vibrant ecosystem. The chess format at the tournament will be played in a rapid 10+0 format, which perfectly suits MVL’s gameplay strategy. Rapid time control is one of the most balanced formats of chess, offering players enough time to showcase their strategic brilliance while maintaining a fast pace that keeps the games exciting to watch.
With MVL looking to represent Team Vitality during the chess tournament at the EWC, the club is also set to compete in several other titles throughout the event, including CS2, Rocket League, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
“We are thrilled to announce that Maxime Vachier-Lagrave has signed with Team Vitality and will be representing us at the Esports World Cup and beyond. As online chess continues to soar in popularity, we are proud to be part of this beloved game and honoured to team up with a French Grandmaster. Maxime is one of the best players in the world, and with his talent and determination, we do not doubt that together, we will bring home trophies. commented Danny Engels, Corporate Director of Global Operations at Team Vitality.
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eSports
F1 Esports: another four races in Stockholm for Scuderia Ferrari HP

The F1 Sim Racing championship is back in the Stockholm arena (Sweden) for Event 2 of 2025. After the opening four races in January, the Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports Team drivers are confident and ready to score points to be front runners during the second part of the season.
A complicated start – After memorably winning the constructors’ world championship in the 2023/2024 season, Bari Broumand and Nicolas Longuet struggled to repeat that form in the opening event of the year, even if the former secured a stunning win at the Bahrain circuit. Apart from that, there were complications in either qualifying or the race in Australia, China and Saudi Arabia which means the team is currently fifth in the constructors’ standings, 50 points off the leader. It’s a big gap but not an insurmountable one, with eight races remaining.
The calendar – Event 2 takes place from 11 to 13 February and features races on the classic European tracks of Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps and Zandvoort, as well as the United States GP in Austin. It’s an important step on the way to the final, which runs from 25 to 27 March, with the Grands Prix in Mexico, Brazil, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
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eSports
Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Partnership with Riot Games as VALORANT Joins League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics at EWC 2025
The Esports World Cup Foundation (“EWCF”) and Riot Games today announced a three-year partnership that will see VALORANT, the award-winning 5v5 tactical shooter and one of the world’s most popular esports, make its highly anticipated debut at the Esports World Cup 2025, alongside the return of League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics (TFT).
As the leading titles in their respective genres, all three games will showcase the best clubs, players and talent the esports world has to offer when they come on stage in Riyadh this summer. League of Legends fans can look forward to an international event featuring the best teams battling it out for prestige on a global stage and a life-changing prize pool; VALORANT will bring together some of its most compelling players for the largest major tournament outside the VCT structure; and TFT will provide opportunities for top, international talent to compete in an exciting team format.
The collaboration strengthens the EWC’s position as a global platform for the industry’s most influential games, uniting top esports titles under one competitive banner to expand their reach, engage new audiences, and shape the future of esports as mainstream entertainment. The addition of VALORANT further solidifies this mission, bringing one of the most impactful games to the esports ecosystem in recent years to the event. To date, 23 tournaments in 22 games – including first-person shooters, MOBAs, battle royales, real-time strategy and fighting games – have been announced for 2025, with more to come.
In addition, the agreement includes a global commercial partnership between EWCF and LOL Esports, the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), and the TFT 2025 competitive circuit. Kicking off at VCT Masters Bangkok on February 20, 2025, the collaboration will feature EWC in-broadcast activations at LoL Esports, VCT, and TFT global LAN events.
“Riot Games has shaped the cultural impact of competitive gaming, transforming esports into a global entertainment force,” said Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. “With League of Legends’ iconic World Championship – which continues to set new standards for immersive experiences, VALORANT’s cultural collaborations, and Teamfight Tactics’ community-driven events, Riot has pioneered an ecosystem far beyond competition. By bringing these titles to the Esports World Cup, we are not just celebrating elite gameplay – we are, together, expanding esports as a global entertainment movement, creating deeper connections with fans across gaming, music, and digital culture.”
League of Legends, one of the world’s most popular games with 100 million active monthly players, delivered a standout moment at the EWC 2024 Grand Final as esports legend Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok led T1 to victory in front of 12.5 million viewers online and thousands of fans in Riyadh. Meanwhile, in the Teamfight Tactics Grand Finals, T1 fell just short, as Wolves Esports, representing English Premier League club Wolves, claimed the title with a 3-1 win, led by MVP Li “LiShao” Chengyu.
Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports’ best teams, players and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports.
The post Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Partnership with Riot Games as VALORANT Joins League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics at EWC 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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