When I started dabbling in sim racing, I had no idea how deep the rabbit hole would go. It began innocently enough: a curiosity for virtual racing, a growing appreciation for the rising world of esports, and—like many of you reading this—the temptation to build my own sim rig. Fanatec gear quickly entered the picture, and before long, I found myself fully immersed in this digital motorsport universe. But to truly understand what makes this world tick—and how it connects to BMW M Motorsport—I decided to do something different. I packed a bag, picked up the new BMW M5 (G90), and pointed its nose toward the Austrian Alps.
This was no ordinary road trip. BMW M Motorsport had invited a select group of world-renowned sim racers and special guests on a three-day bootcamp in the mountains of Ebbs, Austria. The goal? To prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally for the upcoming 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh. But beyond that, it was a way to unplug from screens, reconnect with nature—and each other—and bring real-world team spirit to the digital paddock.
The Drive to Disconnect
The journey began in Munich, naturally. I was handed the keys to a brand-new G90 BMW M5—a 717-horsepower hybrid brute cloaked in Frozen Deep Grey, perfect for carving through Alpine passes. The drive was a soul-stirring warm-up act, climbing toward the Tyrolean border where screens fade and the air feels different. Once in Ebbs, the digital world stopped. From there, everything continued on foot: a one-hour hike into the mountains led us to our headquarters—Berg’k‘hof Kaisertal—a remote alpine lodge and our base for the next three days.
It didn’t take long for things to get serious. After settling in, the group was welcomed with a keynote on mental strength, followed by mobility and stretching sessions to prepare for the adventure ahead. The message was clear: this wasn’t going to be a wellness retreat. It was going to challenge you—and make you better for it.
Teamwork at 1,600 Meters
The following day started with a 6-kilometer hike to the Ritzau Alm, but that was just the prelude. Waiting for us was the Naunspitze Ridge—a jagged climb reaching 1,600 meters. Climbing gear was handed out. Safety instructions were given. And then, the real work began. For most of us, including the professional drivers, this was unfamiliar terrain—physically and mentally. But that was the point. As the climb progressed, something clicked. Drivers began helping each other assess routes, offering a hand, or just words of encouragement. They weren’t competitors anymore. They were teammates.
The climb was guided by Jürgen Eberhart, a WINWARD RACING team manager and mountain expert, along with Matthias Haunholder, a professional Austrian freeskier and extreme sports filmmaker. And while I’ve experienced some interesting experiences in my life, including a North Pole trip, this was genuinely one of the most demanding challenges I’ve ever faced. The summit, though, was unforgettable. Planting a BMW M Motorsport flag at the peak felt symbolic—for the sport, for the team, and maybe for this whole new journey I was on.
Shelter Building and Sim Legends
But the mountain wasn’t the only test. Later that day, the group hiked back down to participate in a shelter-building workshop deep in the woods—another lesson in trust, teamwork, and improvisation. Despite the sore legs and tired minds, the team spirit was present and collaborations started to form. It was also the perfect setting to bond with the drivers—many of whom are among the best sim racers in the world. This year, BMW is supporting three standout teams in the R1 sim racing series:
- Team Redline, owned by Max Verstappen, who won the 2024 R1 Team Championship with consistency, pace, and sheer dominance.
- BS+COMPETITION, the bold, creative esports arm based in Munich, known for its innovative spirit and close ties to BMW Motorsport. The team also races in the eNascar iRacing Series.
- MOUZ, one of Germany’s most iconic esports brands, now bringing fresh momentum to the R1 grid.
And while BMW isn’t fielding a factory team in the Esports World Cup, their support through activations like this bootcamp shows a deepening investment in the scene.
From Brazil to Bavaria
One of the most fascinating aspects of the week was learning how these drivers got here. Each story was different, but equally compelling. In fact, during the COVID era, many of these sim pros routinely outran Formula 1 drivers in virtual races.
Max Benecke, of Team MOUZ, started sim racing in 2015 and became the first to break 11,000 iRating on iRacing. He once dreamt of DTM but now channels his talent into esports—and BMW recognizes his skills. He even works with BMW’s engineering team to test simulators and provide setup feedback.
Ferris Stanley, now with BS+, came from humble beginnings in Indonesia. With a Logitech wheel and dreams bigger than his equipment, he climbed his way into the top tier of sim racing—eventually landing a spot on the team in Munich.
Caique Oliveira, another BS+ driver from Brazil, has no aspirations for real-world racing. For him, esports is the destination, not the stepping stone. And judging by his skill and discipline, that destination looks bright.
Then there’s Moritz Löhner, who started sim racing at seven. His sim career led to real-world drives in the DTM Trophy and LMP3. From Spa-Francorchamps podiums to a recent return to sim racing with MOUZ, Löhner proves that the Gran Turismo movie isn’t a fluke. He has hopes to continue racing in both the virtual and real world.
Looking Ahead: From the Alps to Riyadh
While my journey with the group ended after a few days—off to cover the 24 Hours of Le Mans—the teams were just getting started. The Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh is set to be the biggest event of its kind. Running from July 7 to August 24, it will feature:
- 2,000 elite players
- 200 Clubs
- Over 100 countries
- 25 tournaments across 24 games
- A staggering $70 million prize pool
Automotive esports titles like Rennsport are at the heart of this growth, and the R1 series is racing with the BMW M4 GT3 on iconic tracks like the Nürburgring and Daytona. The total prize pool for the sim racing portion alone? $500,000.
According to Timo Brückner of BMW M Motorsport, the brand sees this space as an extension of real-world racing. “We want to support the teams who race our cars and offer them some of the BMW Motorsport expertise,” he said. “It’s a bridge between sim racing and motorsport—and maybe one day, one of these drivers will race for BMW in the real world.”
What I learned in the Alps is that sim racing is no longer confined to the screen. It’s a global, physical, emotional, and deeply connected experience. It’s where engineering meets digital, where talent meets tenacity, and where the boundaries between real and virtual motorsport are blurring.
For BMW, it’s not just a branding exercise, it’s also a way to share their motorsport expertise. And for me, it was a humbling, inspiring, and occasionally exhausting glimpse into a world I’m only just beginning to understand.
