Gustavo Ariel Crowned First-Ever Racing Prodigy Winner

Racing Prodigy, a sports, entertainment, and media property, celebrated a momentous victory by Gustavo Ariel from Brazil, who secured the top spot in the Radical SR1 competition. This exhilarating event marked the culmination of Prodigy Week, the first part of Season 1, which saw 12 sim racers from 9 different countries vying for a chance to transition from the virtual world to real-world racing in the Prodigy Racing League (PRL) in 2024.

Gustavo Ariel, the 3rd seed, showcased his exceptional skills and determination as he triumphed over Nathan Saxon from the USA, the 4th seed, in a thrilling sudden death tournament held at the Atlanta Motorsports Park. This victory not only secured Gustavo Ariel’s place in racing history but also demonstrated the incredible potential that sim racers possess.

Prodigy Week wasn’t just about digital racing; it was an all-encompassing experience. The sim racers were put through a rigorous training regimen, covering a wide range of disciplines, including fitness, on-camera interviews, skid pad handling, autocross challenges, kart racing, data performance reviews, and, ultimately, competing in Radical SR1s on the main racetrack. Over the course of the event, they completed an astounding total of more than 850 laps, equivalent to more than 1,700 miles. These aspiring racers had the privilege of being coached and trained by a remarkable lineup of motorsport legends, including former F1, IndyCar, and NASCAR driver Max Papis, NASCAR and Indy 500 driver Boris Said, racing icon Randy Pobst, race car driver and engineer Andrew Carbonell, NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji, NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch, and pro driver champion Kenton Koch.

Gustavo Ariel, reflecting on his strategy for the final race, said, “My strategy going into the final race was to warm up my tires quickly and do a fantastic lap one to close that gap and consistently race throughout.” Ariel was not only a champion on the track but also the first Prodigy Pass winner on iRacing during the first part of Season 1. He added, “It’s been a great experience this week, so I would encourage sim racers to join Racing Prodigy as I wish when I was younger I had opportunities like this to compete on this level. I can’t wait for the draft.”

The exciting journey of these sim racers is far from over. Racing Prodigy has big plans for the future. They intend to host a second Prodigy Week in early 2024 to conclude Season 1 with a new class of Prodigy Pass winners, creating a pool of the world’s most talented drivers from which PRL teams will draft. These drafted racers will receive paid contracts to compete in PRL’s first real-world racing series in the United States, scheduled to launch in 2024.

Racing Prodigy CEO David Cook expressed his excitement, saying, “We brought together the best sim racers across four racing gaming titles, and they proved they have the talent and skills to race real cars.” The rapid progress of these sim racers was evident, with many of them matching the lap times of professional racers within their first few on-track sessions. Cook added, “It was incredible to witness the talent and experience the emotions of the drivers as they took a huge step forward to pursue their dreams of racing cars in the world’s first e2Real sports property.”

To earn their Prodigy Pass to AMP, these drivers had to compete in esports tournaments across iRacing, Street Kart Racing, RaceRoom, and rFactor 2. They faced stiff competition, with over 60,000 competitors from more than 100 countries. Those who secured their Prodigy Pass did so either by winning their respective tournaments or by submitting videos to the Prodigy Search Committee, which included NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte, Max Papis, IndyCar Driver Linus Lundqvist, and content creators Cameron Das, Random CallSign, and Aarav “Aarava” Amin.

Racing Prodigy’s vision extends beyond the racetrack. Co-Founder and Executive Chairman Matt Fassnacht emphasized the importance of making motorsports more accessible through esports. He said, “Racing fandom sits among the other most popular global sports, such as soccer and cricket, but we still see an opportunity to further develop fans in our sport.” By embracing esports, Racing Prodigy aims to make motorsports relatable and create opportunities to change the business model, making the sport more accessible and sustainable.

The first class of Prodigy Pass winners, whose ages ranged from 17 to 31, was an international group that included racers from Brazil, Belgium, the USA, Argentina, Austria, Italy, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, and Germany. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences exemplify the global appeal of motorsports and the potential for talent to emerge from all corners of the world.

In a move to engage fans and offer a front-row seat to the journey of these sim racers, Racing Prodigy live-streamed all three days of Prodigy Week on its YouTube channel. Led by a team of on-air talent, including Brian Till, Arjuna Kankipati, and Jenn Moxley, fans were treated to in-depth analysis, on-track interviews, and behind-the-scenes access, providing an immersive experience during over 25 hours of broadcasts.

Racing Prodigy is not just a sports initiative; it’s a transformative force that’s redefining how motorsports can be accessible to a wider audience and talent pool. With a growing community of sim racers and real-world racing dreams coming to fruition, the future of motorsports is more exciting than ever. The victory of Gustavo Ariel is just the beginning of an inspiring journey that could change the motorsports world forever.