Woman-led Esport company Init Esports is behind the first all-female IRL sim racing event 'Screen to Speed', which will feature 20 of the fastest female simracers, competing for a test in a Kelly Moss race car. The event - supported by Fanatec, among the others - will be held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 4th.
Technology is quickly closing the gap between simulation and the real world and, with the skyrocketing costs of motorsport – already at a junior level – sim racing is increasingly becoming a viable alternative to enter the world of IRL motor racing.
With a few drivers having already successfully made the leap from esports to the race track, Init Esports – a woman-led esports company that focuses on sim racing special events – is committed to promote online competitions aimed at further reducing the gender gap in both motorsport and esports, where women are still widely underrepresented.
With this mission, Init Esports will bring a ground-breaking event to life: held during the Pennzoil 400 NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 'Screen to Speed' will feature 20 of the fastest female sim racers in the world and 5 influencers, who will compete in the first all-female IRL sim racing event. Participants were selected via a Time Attack ranking on iRacing.
Thanks to the partnership with Kelly Moss – a racing team that is also investing and supporting women in the sport – the winner of the Screen to Speed competition will have the chance to test with the team, under the watchful eye of racing driver Sabré Cook – in a once in a lifetime opportunity that goes in the direction of helping more women approaching the sport and following their dreams in the industry.
"We believe that sim racing can be a pathway for women to break into the world of motorsports and achieve their dreams," said Stefy Bau, CEO of Init Esports. "We are thrilled to have Fanatec as our partner, and we look forward to working together to empower women in motorsports."
The event – which will take place on March 4th and is set to be broadcasted on Init Esports' Twitch and Youtube channels - is in fact supported by Fanatec, one of the leading manufacturers of sim racing hardware.
"We are thrilled to partner with Screen to Speed to encourage more women to pursue their passion for motorsports," said Belma Nadarevic, Head of Marketing at Fanatec. "Sim racing is a great way for anyone to enter the world of motorsports, and we are excited to support this initiative."
Fanatec will provide 10 wheels and pedals for the participants.
Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to win prizes by registering on the Screen to Speed website and supporting the movement, which aspires to bring more women in motorsport – be it on a racetrack or in the highly competitive world of esports.