Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management has partnered with London-based Veloce Esports to establish the YAS HEAT sim racing team.

The project aims to cultivate sim racing talent from the United Arab Emirates, and the team is slated to make its debut in the inaugural season of the V10 R-League – a joint Abu Dhabi Motorsport-Gfinity tournament.

Discussing the news Team Principal at YAS HEAT, Saif Al-Noaimi, said:

“The YAS HEAT ESPORTS team is the start of a multi-year programme and commitment to developing a globally successful virtual racing ecosystem for Abu Dhabi. We are excited about the team competing in its first season in the Global Racing Series, the V10 R-League, Forza and Gran Turismo competition.”

While Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Veloce Esports, Jack Clarke, added:

“We are thrilled to be embarking on this journey with YAS HEAT, we are very confident that we will be fielding a range of the most elite teams in top games across the world of esports.

“Announcing entry into the Global Racing Series and V10 R-League line-up is an exciting first step and, beyond the initial stages of the league, we will be rolling out our other teams and activations in this incredibly exciting and fast-growing space.”

In addition to competing, YAS HEAT will also be running the YAS HEAT Open Trials for local sim racing talent. The three-stage trials are set to run for 12-months, after which five drivers will be selected to form a development academy. 

Just last week Veloce Esports announced it had secured £4m GBP in its latest funding round, and revealed plans to merge with Veloce Racing. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Several countries in the Middle East region are emerging as esports hubs, with the UAE clearly one of the front runners. However, as Saudi Arabia and Riot Games recently discovered, some countries in the region may find their stances on equality and diversity may severely hinder international investment and partnerships. 

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