Esports champ wants to get into real world of motorsport

Luke Bennett, a 19-year-old from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, has just returned home as a world champion from the Esports World Cup held in Saudi Arabia. This young man, who sports short brown hair and a goatee beard, has made headlines not only for his impressive skills in sim racing but also for winning a staggering £100,000 as the top prize. Luke describes his victory as 'surreal,' and he is now looking to transition his success in esports into a real-world motorsport career. He is a member of Team Redline, which is associated with the renowned Red Bull F1 team, and he explains that sim racing is very similar to driving a real car, just on a computer. Luke notes that many people are still surprised when he shares details about his achievements and the significant prize money involved in esports. 'It shows it’s getting bigger and bigger and it can be a career for some people,' he states. Team Redline had an outstanding performance at the Esports World Cup, consistently finishing in the top four during the grand finals. Luke reflects on the hard work that led to this moment, saying, 'It’s been a rough few months. Every day – practice, practice, practice. All that weight has been lifted off our shoulders now. ' Looking ahead, Luke is hopeful that he can turn his esports success into a real-life racing career. He recalls starting with a basic £100 steering wheel and having fun racing, but soon his talent was recognized by other competitors. With the support of his parents, he upgraded to a better simulator, which he credits as the turning point in his journey. 'That’s when things really took off,' he explains. After joining Team Redline, his career has been on an upward trajectory. Luke acknowledges that esports tournaments are still relatively new and niche, and there are not many stories of players making it all the way to the top. He considers himself a pioneer in this field, but he admits that the future remains uncertain for esports champions. Recently, the esports industry received a significant boost when it was announced that the Games will be hosted in Saudi Arabia next year, as part of a 12-year partnership with the International Olympics Committee. This decision sparked mixed reactions, especially considering Saudi Arabia's human rights record. Luke, however, found the country to be a 'really cool setting' for the event and is now focused on winning more tournaments and potentially making it to the Olympics. He describes the idea of being an Olympian as 'unbelievable' and admits that he finds it a bit strange to think of himself in that role. 'The dream is still the same – we may be world champions but there’s always more. We want to be world champions in everything, so we’ll keep going. ' Luke is determined to break into the real world of motorsport, inspired by the growing number of people who have found their way into the industry through sim racing. 'I hope one day to get into the real world of motorsport,' he says. 'If not, I’ve got plenty of time to decide what I want to do as I’m still only 19.