Alpine Sim Racing start their campaign in the 2026 F1 Sim Racing World Championship this coming weekend, as a new season launches at the global esports and gaming festival DreamHack.

The first event of the year will feature virtual F1 races in China, Japan, and Bahrain, before a further three events in April and May.

A new season begins

Competing for us in Alpine colours in 2026 will be Daniel Bereznay, Otis Lawrence, and Josh Idowu. All three have been preparing for the new series at the BWT Alpine Formula One Team base in Enstone, ahead of the opening round.

Hungarian racer Dani is a seasoned veteran of sim racing, having competed in the official F1 series since the inaugural campaign in 2018. He was runner-up that year and finished third in 2019. With nearly 170 starts, the 25-year-old has five wins to his name and he cannot wait for the new series to get underway in Birmingham this weekend, in front of a live audience at DreamHack.

“We have been spending a lot of time at the Alpine factory on the simulator rigs preparing for the new season,” says Dani. “I’m delighted the first round is going to be in front of a live audience and I can’t wait to start racing again. I’ve had some great battles in my career so far, and I’m looking forward to more on-track action this season.”

New faces, familiar ambition

Otis, 17, joins Alpine Sim Racing after a strong 2025 in which he scored two wins and finished fifth overall in the series. The Welshman joins his compatriot Josh, 23, who first entered the F1 Sim Racing competition back in 2021.

“My mindset for this year is exactly the same as last season,” says Otis. “Of course, I want to fight for the title, but I’m just going to enjoy it. There’s no reason to put too much pressure on yourself.”

Nine F1 teams will field three drivers this season, with two drivers selected to compete at each event. Across 12 races, the grid will battle for championship points in qualifying and 50% distance races, contributing to both drivers’ and teams’ standings.

DreamHack comes to the UK

Hosted at the NEC in Birmingham, this weekend’s event marks the first time DreamHack has taken place in the UK, and the three-day programme is expected to attract 50,000 gaming fans. There will be a dedicated F1 Sim Racing Fanzone on site, featuring activations from several teams to give fans a chance to get up close with the simulators, drivers, and the sim racing paddock.

After this weekend, the remaining three events will take place at F1’s state-of-the-art Media and Technology Centre in Biggin Hill on April 22-23 (Jeddah, Barcelona, Silverstone), May 13-14 (Spa, Zandvoort, Austin), and May 27-28 (Mexico, Interlagos, and Abu Dhabi).

All 12 rounds of the 2026 F1 Sim Racing World Championship will be broadcast live on F1’s YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch channels, making the series accessible to fans worldwide. With a $750,000 prize pool up for grabs, there is plenty to play for as the season gets underway.