“Race to Singapore” is a live qualifying event that will culminate in Grand Prix Singapore Season 2019.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) today announced a partnership with McLaren Shadow Project, our search for the brightest and best racing talent in esports. As part of the partnership, Singapore will host the “Race to Singapore”, the competition’s first Asia-Pacific live qualifying event that is scheduled to take place on 19 September 2019.

Throughout August 2019, casual gamers and esports enthusiasts can race in online qualifiers to be in with a chance of securing a spot at the “Race to Singapore” live qualifying event. The top eight contestants will be flown to Singapore to race on F1 2019, the official video-game of the 2019 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, in the same McLaren MCL34 that Carlos and Lando will take to the Singapore Grand Prix track in that very weekend.

The winner of the all-new “Race to Singapore” will be invited to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK in December to compete with the best in the world in the McLaren Shadow Project grand finals. In addition to game play, the finalists will be put through their paces in a programme that truly shadows the real world of McLaren to be in with a chance of winning a seat on the McLaren Shadow esports team, access to the McLaren DNA driver development programme as well as winning a suite of custom sim-racing prizes.

With Southeast Asia poised to have the fastest growing esports audience globally, the partnership between McLaren Shadow Project and STB will provide an excellent opportunity for esports talent in the region to shine on a world stage. “Race to Singapore” will position Singapore as the natural base for regional gaming content and further the country’s drive to be an esports hub in the region. The live qualifying event will also add to a calendar of compelling entertainment events, including gamescom Asia – which will make its Asian debut in October 2020, and Singapore ComicCon.

Ben Payne, Head of esports at McLaren, commented:

“This is a hugely exciting partnership for the McLaren Shadow Project season 2. The Singapore Tourism Board gives us a unique opportunity to engage with online gamers across the Asia Pacific market before welcoming the top eight to a race-off at the live Singapore event during Grand Prix week, including against our McLaren Racing F1 driver and passionate gamer Lando Norris.

“In 2018, the competition attracted more than half a million entrants from around the world, with a strong proportion of talent coming from this region including Xiang Gao from China and Kazuki Cho from Japan who beat tough global competition to join us in the last stages of the contest. We look forward to uncovering the talent that will join our finals through this key qualifier series.”

Ms Jean Ng, Executive Director, Sports, Singapore Tourism Board, added:

“STB is always looking out for innovative new elements that can enhance the value proposition of the Singapore F1 race, and improve visitor experience throughout the race season. Adding an esports dimension to the Grand Prix Singapore Season (GPSS) line-up will broaden the race’s appeal to visitors and locals who enjoy both gaming and motorsports. Given that esports attracts mostly younger audiences, we also hope that the virtual race will attract the attention of younger, millennial visitors and draw them to our unique race.

“We also see this as an opportunity to showcase Singapore as a place where passion is made possible, where visitors – including action-seekers – can discover and deepen their interests through a wide range of experiences.”