Luke Whitehead has been named the Ferrari HP Esports Series 2024 Champion during the Abu Dhabi LAN finale.

After an exhilarating season featuring the finest esports athletes globally, the Ferrari HP Esports Series concluded at Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, with its inaugural LAN competition (5 December), crowning a long-anticipated champion.

This finale capped off an eight-month tournament calendar for 2024, with events taking place across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas (NA & SA), as the series continues to provide more players the chance to engage in the excitement of virtual motorsport.

Luke Whitehead, an aspiring 21-year-old talent from the United Kingdom, exhibited remarkable consistency throughout all three races, earning his place at the top of the podium.

This is an outstanding accomplishment for Whitehead, who, despite being a last-minute participant in the Final, achieved a remarkable feat by winning in both the Assetto Corsa and Assetto Corsa Competizione categories, thereby becoming the 2024 Ferrari HP Esports Series Champion.

Aidan Walsingham and Russel Reyes finished as close runners-up, completing the top three, while sixth-placed William Chadwick secured victory in the third category during the Final hosted on the iRacing platform.

Held at the brand-new Esports Arena at Ferrari World, 15 of the world’s foremost sim racers advanced through various stages, with the Thrustmaster Community Cup winner joining as a wildcard entry.

Showcasing the series’ international allure, the participants represented 11 nationalities, with ages ranging from 17 to 28 years.

The young competitors were evaluated on several crucial criteria, with each driver assigned a score from one to five—one denoting developing performance and five symbolizing excellence. 

• Driver Pace: on-track velocity
• Driver Skill: race strategy and competitive instinct
• Adaptability and Flexibility: performance across various platforms
• Consistency and Resilience: capability to perform under pressure
• Media and Engagement: on-camera presence
• Ferrari Brand Synergy: alignment with Ferrari’s principles and team ethos

It was recently revealed that the three tracks featured in the LAN finale would be Italian classics across three different platforms: Mugello on iRacing; Monza on Assetto Corsa; and Misano on Assetto Corsa Competizione.

The evaluation was conducted under the vigilant guidance of Tiziana Mecozzi, Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports Team Manager, Fabio Gama, Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports Ambassador, and Isaac Gillissen, Ferrari Esports Series Champion 2023. 

Luke Whitehead, 2024 Ferrari HP Esports Series champion said: “It was an excellent day, surprisingly rewarding. I didn’t encounter any problems and seemed to execute perfectly. It involved a lot of continuous driving, so I needed to be at the top of my game, but the outcome was fantastic. I’m thrilled to emerge victorious from such fierce competition; there were numerous strong competitors who delivered impressive performances, so being fast across all three simulators was a significant challenge, and I’m pleased to have triumphed.”

The newly inaugurated Esports Arena in Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, opened to the public in October 2024, offering a state-of-the-art venue for the eagerly awaited finale. This weekend, just next door at the Yas Marina Circuit, the closing round of the 2024 Formula 1 Championship will take place. 

To witness the head-to-head competition, the event is now accessible via the Ferrari Esports Twitch channel and the Ferrari YouTube channel.