Esports World Cup champion aiming for real world of motorsport

Eight weeks, a whole lot of rivals throughout a number of occasions and a multi-million pound prize pot – however this wasn’t any sports activities match.

Luke Bennett is coming residence from the primary Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia as a world champion.

Not solely that, the 19-year-old from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire can also be returning £100,000 richer after bagging the highest prize in sim racing (brief for simulated racing).

“It’s fairly surreal,” Luke tells BBC Newsbeat. However now he is hoping he has an opportunity to make it correctly actual with a profession in motorsport.

Luke’s a part of Staff Redline – an offshoot of Pink Bull’s F1 group which boasts Belgian-Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen amongst its alumni.

“It is identical to racing a automobile in actual life,” Luke says of sim racing. “However on a pc.”

The group was based greater than 20 years in the past however Luke says individuals are nonetheless stunned when he talks about what he does.

He says individuals are shocked when he tells them concerning the prize cash concerned.

“It reveals it’s getting larger and larger and it may be a profession for some folks.”

Staff Redline dominated on the Esports World Cup, by no means ending outdoors of the highest 4 as soon as within the grand finals of the match.

“It’s been a tough few months,” says Luke. “Daily – observe, observe, observe.

“All that weight has been lifted off our shoulders now.”

Luke is not simply quick on the digital monitor. He says his profession is transferring at prime velocity as properly.

“I began driving with only a £100 steering wheel on the desk and having a little bit of enjoyable,” he says.

Not lengthy after, fellow rivals observed his potential and his dad and mom helped him purchase a greater simulator.

“That’s when issues actually took off,” he says.

“I joined Staff Redline and after that it’s simply been up and up and up till this level proper now.”

Esports tournaments are nonetheless “fairly area of interest and fairly new,” he says.

“It’s not been lengthy since all this prize cash began coming by means of and all these huge competitions began so there’s not many tales of individuals going all the way in which.”

In that sense, he is a pioneer, admitting “the longer term is a bit unsure” for esports champions.

However as unsure because it could be, the trade acquired one other enhance final month when it was introduced from subsequent 12 months there would also be an Olympic Esports Games.

Just like the Esports World Cup, the Video games shall be held in Saudi Arabia as a part of a 12-year partnership between the Kingdom and the Worldwide Olympics Committee.

Earlier than the World Cup, gamers, streamers and followers have been divided by the choice for it to be hosted within the Arab nation – which additionally funded the prize pot – as a result of its file on human rights.

Homosexuality is prohibited in Saudi Arabia and it has confronted criticism over its stance on LGBT relationships in addition to lack of rights for ladies.

Critics condemned it as “sportswashing” however the choice was defended by organisers who told Newsbeat no-one would face discrimination at the event.

Luke says the nation was “a extremely cool setting” for the occasion and now has his eye on profitable extra tournaments and making it to the Olympics – one thing he says could be “unbelievable”.

“I believe I’d discover it a bit bizarre calling myself an Olympian as a result of I actually don’t really feel like one,” he says.

“Nevertheless it’s one thing that might be very cool.

“The dream remains to be the identical – we could also be world champions however there’s all the time extra.

“We need to be world champions in all the pieces, so we’ll preserve going.”

And if he is usually a pioneer in an internet esports profession, Luke sees no purpose he cannot be a pioneer offline too.

“I hope in the future to get into the actual world of motorsport,” he says.

“I see increasingly more folks get a means in by means of sim racing now, and hopefully that does occur.

“If not, I’ve obtained loads of time to resolve what I need to do as I’m nonetheless solely 19.”

Hearken to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or pay attention again here.