McLaren Sponsor Velo Launches Esports Series With F1 Team
McLaren Racing has launched a new celebrity esports series in partnership with its partner VELO, a nicotine pouch brand owned by British American Tobacco.
Presented by ex-Top Gear host and TV presenter, Rory Reid, the four-part VELO ESERIES will see top celebrities go head-to-head against internet stars, with DJ, singer-songwriter and producer Craig David taking on content creator Alex Hirschi, better known as Supercar Blondie, in the first instalment.
Hirschi has more than 5.3 million subscribers on YouTube and over 8 million followers on Instagram.
Fans will also have the chance to participate in qualifiers to join the virtual grid, before the final ‘Beat Your Heroes’ episode of the live-streamed race event which sees fans race against the celebrities.
Mark Waller, Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Racing said: “McLaren and VELO share a similar passion for putting fans at the heart of engaging experiences. It’s great to kick-off the New Year while we wait for the new Formula 1 season to get underway with this exciting new e-racing initiative. Fan engagement continues to be more important than ever during these times so it’s great to work with our partners to develop fantastic experiences like this.”
Paul Lageweg, New Categories Director, British American Tobacco, said: “VELO is all about creating exciting experiences for our adult nicotine consumers, encouraging them to find their edge, and we are bringing this to life with our new VELO ESERIES programme.
“The popularity of adult gaming has continued to grow, so we’re excited about tapping into this trend, adding an exciting and entertaining twist with some famous faces. It’s important that we always look for new and creative, digital-first ways to use our global partnerships to connect with our consumers and delight audiences around the world.”
