Williams Esports finished second in the overall classification at the end of the Le Mans Esports Series qualifiers, and will be represented by three top-flight drivers. Brits Williams Mitch and Williams RR form a team with Frenchman Williams Seven and have a firm advantage in coming from the same esports outfit. Could their collective prowess see them take the win?  

Gary Mitchell (Williams Mitch)

The British racer will celebrate his 24th birthday just after the Le Mans Esports Series finale and has been involved in esports for two years now. However, his sim racing experience goes back much further than that. It all started with Gran Turismo 2. Gary then played the full Polyphony Digital offering and tried out a number of Formula One games. However, Forza Motorsport really stands out for him: “Forza Motorsport has always been my main focus, having played since the Forza Motorsport 2 release. Forza Motorsport 7 is currently the only sim racing series I compete on.”

The Williams Esports team has taken its preparation very seriously: “I am putting in a lot of practice each day. The 24-hour event will be a totally new experience for myself and my teammates, and it will be a challenge, for sure! But I have the best teammates around me for the job (Williams Esports). We will participate in team practice sessions leading up to the event.”

Fabien Piffet (Williams Seven)

24-year-old Fabien Piffet, alias Williams Seven, first ventured into the realm of esports about five years ago. He has built up his track record on the Forza series. Like many gamers, his first virtual encounter with Le Mans was with Gran Turismo 4. For the Le Mans Esports Series finale, he is leaving nothing to chance. “We train as much as possible, alone or together. I usually drive alone because it’s not always easy to get the whole team together at once,” he tell us.

Michael Coyne (Williams RR)

Michael Coyne is the team’s youngest member. Aged 22, this is already his third esports season and his experience encompasses an array of different games (including Gran Turismo and Project CARS). In esports, his priority remains Forza Motorsport. He recalls his virtual Le Mans début ten years ago.“The first time I drove Le Mans in a game was in 2009, back on Forza Motorsport 2. At the time I was around 12 years old and obsessed with speed, so I'd find any car and see how fast it'd go on the Le Mans Mulsanne Straight."

Williams RR has already been mulling over strategy. “I'll be focusing on my individual pace, and with that, I'll then transfer that pace to the team aspects. We’ll focus on which driver is the strongest for a given track and car combo.”

PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES DU MANS, 2019 LE MANS ESPORT SERIES: the Williams Esports team will be competing in the Le Mans Esports Series finale.