“Our new HQ underlines the prominence sim racing enjoys at Porsche,” states Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. The esports factory outfit is the third factory-run motorsport squad from Porsche alongside the Porsche Penske Motorsport sports car team and the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.
Nina Braack, Manager Esports at Porsche Motorsport: “Our goal was to create spaces where our team could perform at an even higher level. Given that the physical side of digital racing is different from ‘tarmac motorsport’, the mental aspect is even more important. Reflections or background noise, for example, can hamper the drivers’ performance.” The Trilux venue offers favourable conditions for the new esports headquarters, not least due to the tailored lighting solutions for the best possible training and working environment. For this reason, the relocation within North Rhine-Westphalia from Gronau to Cologne-Ossendorf seemed logical.
The new 324-square-metre Porsche Esports Performance Center accommodates six professional racing simulators and an attached workstation for the team’s performance engineer. The facility also includes additional open workspaces, a meeting room, a fitness and chill-out zone, and a show car area. The PEPC is where the esports factory drivers train and contest races online rather than as part of live events.
Braack explains: “The new headquarters is the next step in our programme. In Gronau, our young professionals lived in a shared apartment near our online racing facility. By moving to Cologne, we’re also supporting their personal growth: Some have moved into their own flats, while others have decided to continue to share an apartment, even though they’re now older. This shows the great spirit within our project. What’s more, Cologne is one of the central locations for this industry: The cathedral city is home to many esports and gaming companies, and every year, sim gamers travel to Cologne from all over the world to compete at Gamescom.”
The Porsche Coanda Racing Team is currently fighting for the team championship in the top sim racing class R1 and currently leads the series. Saudi Arabia hosts the finale this summer at the Esports World Cup.
Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team: driver lineup
Jordan Caruso, 24 (AUS)
Charlie Collins, 20 (GB)
Michell deJong, 28 (USA)
Elvis Rankin, 17 (USA)
Joshua Rogers, 25 (AUS)
Dayne Warren, 25 (AUS)
Esports, sim racing and Porsche
Esports involve competitive gaming with video games. This also includes simulated racing, or sim racing. In professional sim racing, drivers use hardware adopted from real race cars. For example, steering wheels and pedals require the same operating force. The software typically simulates real racetracks and vehicles. Competitors race against each other either online or on a local network. Many major esports championships hold online qualifiers but host their finals on-site with a live audience. Esports are particularly popular in Asia and the USA. Vice President of Porsche Motorsport Thomas Laudenbach: “Whether digital or real, motorsport is in our blood. But we’re not doing it just for the fun of it. Esports help us connect with a young, tech-savvy audience. Plus, simulations are playing a bigger and bigger role – whether it’s preparing for a race or developing our race and road cars.”
