Whilst 2023 has been a year where McLaren has been busy improving the MCL60 in F1, the Papaya Army has not forgotten about their Esports division. With the 2023/2024 series soon to start, the defending champions have finally unveiled the McLaren Shadow gaming team for the 2023 Esports series.

Get ready guys, McLaren is back to defend their championship while donning a “shadow” look for the upcoming F1 Esports series. With Esports becoming more and more mainstream, the Papaya Army seems to be more focused on representing their brand amongst the youth. And why not? After all, they are the defending champions!

McLaren Shadow 2023 is ready to cement its legacy in the world of Esports

Just a few hours ago, McLaren Shadow’s official X account launched the 2023 Esports team to compete in the upcoming 2023 Esports series. Led by defending world champion Lucas Blakeley, Wilson Hughes, and Dani Moreno, these brilliant Esports athletes are set to once again battle it out amongst the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, and many more.

While the world of F1 is busy preparing for the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren has made sure to capitalize on the increased amount of attention that the Vegas GP has given to F1 teams. Announcing the ‘Shadow’ Esports team for 2023 during this period makes sense, given the not-so-good viewing numbers in last year’s championship.

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As more and more teams (from F1 and other sports) are now getting into Esports, the debate remains whether there is more to gain or to lose for them. However, with McLaren looking forward to cementing their legacy in the world of F1 Esports, their commitment is quite clear. They are here to stay and become the best!

Do F1 fans even want to watch F1 Esports?

While Esports is slowly becoming more and more mainstream, one aspect that has always created a dividing opinion for teams and owners is the profitability of running one. There are certain advantages of having an Esports team, for example, connection with a younger audience. Given that F1 is a fairly complex sport in its own right, many new viewers, especially young ones, might not be enthusiastic at first glance. However, when it comes to Esports, the case is a bit different. This was also evident during the COVID-19 lockdown when F1 Esports enjoyed quite healthy viewership numbers.

However, with F1 not being well established in the world of Esports, the vast difference in the viewership is quite noticeable. Recently though, Guillaume Vergnas, Head of Esports, and Gaming at Alpine, shared quite an interesting perspective, which might help us understand why F1 teams are making their presence in the Esports scene.

He stated, “I think people should watch F1 Esports for its quick burst of excitement, with shorter races there is constant action everywhere. There are also other forms of racing we don’t see in F1, like head-to-head challenges and a more interactive experience for the audience.” Vergnas’ take on why traditional F1 viewers should watch the virtual racing series is clear. It offers excitement and intrigue in a form that is more catered towards modern-day viewers.

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Perhaps this is why F1 teams are willing to take risks and invest further in the Esports series by creating their distinctive teams. Only time shall tell whether F1 Esports takes off or not. Hopefully, it does, and the viewership increases.