---
title: "New Details of McLaren’s ‘World’s Fastest Gamer’ Competition Emerge"
description: "McLaren's F1 team is using video games to find its next simulator driver. Now, we know what they're planning."
date: "2017-05-24"
modified: "2017-05-24"
authors:
  - name: "Kevin Tagoe"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kevin-tagoe"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/10607/new-details-of-mclarens-worlds-fastest-gamer-competition-emerge"
categories:
  - "F1"
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
tags:
  - "gaming"
  - "mclaren"
  - "McLaren-Honda"
  - "racing"
  - "simulators"
  - "videogames"
---

# New Details of McLaren’s ‘World’s Fastest Gamer’ Competition Emerge

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/05/mclaren-honda_hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

[At the beginning of May](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/9994/mclarens-f1-team-using-video-games-to-choose-a-new-simulator-driver>), McLaren and Logitech announced a new contest, called “World’s Fastest Gamer.” Fans of racing simulators, video games like *Forza Motorsport* and *Gran Turismo* will be given opportunities to prove their skills and be selected as one of 10 individuals to be considered for a one-year contract as a simulator driver for the McLaren-Honda Formula One team.

The contest echoes the general concept of the annual GT Academy that started with *Gran Turismo 5*, except that the winners will not be expected to compete in actual motorsports with actual cars. Nevertheless, the simulator driver will be a key part of the F1 team, as simulation testing has become a vital part of the sport.

Six of the 10 gamers will be pre-selected by a panel of experts, leaving the remaining four potential drivers to be selected from online championships. As the contest is a cross-platform affair, the races will be held in different games and venues. [The first championship](<https://www.mclaren.com/formula1/2017/worlds-fastest-gamer/first-official-qualifying-event-announcement/>) will be a four-week event held at Silverstone after the British Grand Prix, which will be held on July 16th. The host game will be *RFactor 2*.

Each weekend, the top 20 participants will compete for points towards a position in the final event, which is yet to be scheduled. McLaren-Honda will provide details for entry in the near future.

McLaren-Honda is trying to make the events as accessible as possible to people of all reasonable age groups and backgrounds. They have specifically made it so that anyone with a gaming console, PC, or mobile device can enter the contest. The team also believes that the “World’s Fastest Gamer” will come from a region associated with motorsports. Given their decision to also hold qualifying events at traditional racing venues, this isn't surprising.

McLaren-Honda has also published a [Q&A](<https://www.mclaren.com/formula1/2017/worlds-fastest-gamer/worlds-fastest-gamer-your-questions-answered/>) to their site that answers some critical questions about the contest, so check it out if you're interested in throwing your hat into the ring.

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