MotoGP eSport Championship returns for ninth season

The MotoGP eSport Championship has returned for its ninth season, featuring a revised format including a mixture of in-person and online competition.

The new season will run from July until November, where the finale at Milan Games Week will crown the eventual champion.

Beginning in July, players will compete across a range of four online challenges to determine 30 players — 30 from Europe and 30 from the rest of the world — who will earn a place in the Pro Draft.

The first online challenge will be determined by a vote where fans can determine which combination of circuit and rider is used. Moreover, players which post a time during any of the four online challenges will be entered into a draw to win tickets for select MotoGP races taking place throughout the remainder of 2025.

The Pro Draft will see each MotoGP team choose a player to represent them as part of the three-race Global Series which runs from September to November.

Two of the three Global Series rounds will be held online, with the third taking place at the Milan Games Week, which will crown the eventual MotoGP eSport Championship winner.

Last year’s championship was won by Jack ‘Jack Hammer4658’ Hammersly, who also won the title in 2023. Heading into the 2025 season as the double world champion, Hammersly has the chance to become one of the most successful MotoGP esports players in history.

MotoGP was one of the first motorsports series to embrace esports as a method of improving fan engagement. Over the past nine seasons, the series has used a variety of different formats, offering new opportunities for players to compete.

With interest in sim racing continuing to hold strong, it will be interesting to see if virtual motorbikes can attract similar levels of interest as their four-wheeled counterparts.