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Felix Rosenqvist had a successful debut year in the Indycar series last season, where he became sixth in the championship and was named rookie of the year.
In March he was in St. Petersburg, Florida, he will run his first race of the season, but then the crown crisis came.
– Obviously it is strange for us and very bad weather since our stay has been so far. We haven’t driven since September, so he’s been charging for six months to get started and then it will pay off. It is a little unreal, but it is the same for everyone. Not only has our industry suffered, he says.
Felix Rosenqvist’s computer animated car during last weekend’s competition in the IndyCar iRacing Challenge eSports series.
Photo: Chris Graythen / AFP
A season postponed means much more free time. Felix Rosenqvist has chosen to spend it in a virtual racing world.
– I was a little lucky, and with the long break I had acquired a simulator to be able to kill time at home and keep up the pace during the winter. So it was a good time because it has become very popular now, he says.
Compete in the official Indycar eSports tournament every Saturday where the true drivers of the series meet in simulated races, but also participate in other competitions where the racing stars mingle with eSports.
– From the races I have run now, it seems that you have seen all the drivers who have driven to a high international level. Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and even Juan Pablo Montoya have driven both F1 and Indycar before, he says.
“I think it is a way of moving forward,” says Felix Rosenqvist.
Photo: Felix Racing
Although it hits To beat a pilot like Max Verstappen, he thinks it’s more prestigious to beat esports.
– In the first two races I ran, I was the best of all non-athletes. It was a victory, but you want to give up on electronic sports. Before the second race I trained extremely hard and then I reached four, so I also beat some of the electronic sports. The best ones feel almost impossible to beat right now, he says.
For Felix Rosenqvist, simulation racing is primarily a hobby, but he also thinks it can come in handy when the season begins again.
Here Felix Rosenqvist competes in virtual races.
Photo: Felix Racing
– I think it’s a way to move on. All the driving will be positive, so if you accelerate, I don’t think so. But you train in scenarios where you are stressed and someone lies and chases you. It’s terribly realistic how cars behave. The mental part is definitely exercised.
Is there a prize money in the race?
– Some races are. That’s not so much where I drive now. I think it was SEK 40,000 for the winner. But I was in a race in Las Vegas where they had a total of $ 1 million in prizes for those who entered, so it starts to start. There’s a lot of prize money in esports now, so it’s something to watch out for, he says.
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