Henrik Christian Drue’s ascent to the finals of last year’s World’s Fastest Gamer contest proved to all that there’s room in elite esports racing for an everyman driver.

Drue, a Danish anaethetist, knew little about online racing before downloading the Gear.Club app to his phone. The McLaren moderators were so impressed by Henrik’s prowess that they made available an extra place at last year’s finals for him.

This year Henrik has made a comeback via Real Racing, qualifying for the semi-finals of McLaren Shadow with a fastest lap of 1:30.418 at the Nürburgring.

Ahead of this year’s finals, we caught up with the mobile gamer to find out just what makes him tick…

What’s your favourite type of car to race online?

I prefer GTs, or cars with similar specifications, as I find these more engaging and exciting to race on the mobile platform. The cars and their behaviour suit me very well.

What’s your favourite racing game?

My favourite racing title is IndyCar Racing, released way back in 1993 by Papyrus Design Group. After spectating at my first IndyCar race at the Phoenix International Raceway, I was immediately fascinated with motorsport. Playing that game took me back to that initial experience and made me recall all the thrill of racing.

Favourite non-racing game?

I enjoy Areofly FS2 and Infinite Flight, probably the most realistic flight sims available on iPad. I find joy in preparing flights, setting waypoints, calculating fuel etc. Besides virtual gaming, I really enjoy a good game of backgammon.

Favourite (real-life)racing driver?

Tom Kristensen, naturally!

Favourite (real-life) race track?

Spa-Francorchamps. It’s one of the most challenging tracks in the world due to its combination of fast corners and elevation changes.

What was your best WFG moment?

The highlight for me was when I received a telephone call inviting me back to McLaren to test on the simulator, which I took literally as I was leaving the hotel and getting ready to travel back to Denmark. It was a tremendous experience being strapped into the cockpit: the opportunity to try the simulator was unique, and so lifelike.

What does McLaren mean to you?

Mostly it’s the proud and successful heritage. But it’s also a company that spans many great fields. Its research within the fields of healthcare and human performance are really unique – and, due to my professional career, I follow their progress with great interest. 

Any tips for McLaren Shadow hopefuls?

It’s very easy to get overwhelmed when you arrive at McLaren HQ. It’s important to be yourself, but also to keep in mind that Mclaren is a highly professional company – so it’s important to identify your strengths in advance, and feel confident in your responses and actions when the pressure is really on.

There’s still a spot left for another Real Racing Winner to come to the semis. Is there anybody we should watch out for?

I haven’t played RR3 at a competitive level for a very long time, so when browsing through the leaderboards many of the names are new to me. But maybe its worth mentioning Riley G, who actually finished second in last year’s Gear.Club qualifiers.

What gave you the edge to make it through?

I try to systematically learn how a specific car handles and reacts to steering input at various speeds in order to exploit the full potential of the car. Furthermore, I dare to push the in-game boundaries and sometimes challenging the traditional racing line.

Finally, having worked within the field of surgery, and currently with interventional radiology, I’m used to maintaining absolute concentration and working under extreme pressure. That’s a capability I believe I’m able to transfer to the mobile virtual cockpit.

Any tips for having fun and staying healthy and positive when gaming?

I’m not a gamer in the traditional sense – and my mobile gaming is usually limited to a few times whenever work and family obligations allow it. But I like to immerse myself in the mobile racing cockpit, especially during competitions, and preform when needed.

Actually I believe my many obligations and priorities outside the virtual cockpit mean I can enjoy it even more when I immerse myself during racing, maintaining complete concentration until the chequered flag!

When you’re not working/gaming, what are you doing?

Enjoying being around my girlfriend and two lovely children – they sure know how to keep us entertained and engaged with various non-stop activities. Also I enjoy meeting up with friends and family whenever possible. Finally, when time allows, I like a good game of tennis.