Australian to compete in world sim racing championship — ABC News Australia
Sixteen-year-old Xavier Kane from Mount Gambier, Australia, will compete in the Porsche eSports Super Cup World Championship 2026 — a world championship in racing simulators. His competitions will begin at 4:00 a.m. on Monday, so the school student will have to wake up at 3 a.m. and compete from home against the world's strongest sim racers.
As ABC News Australia reports, Kane is not aiming for a specific place this year. Above all, he seeks to gain experience that he can use in future championships.
Path to the championship
Kane competes on the iRacing platform, where a computer, realistic steering wheel and pedals recreate the conditions of motor racing. Participants in such races must take into account tyre wear, car damage and fuel levels on the virtual track.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Six months ago, he joined the professional Automoves Racing team and is now among the top 1% of iRacing sim racers. Team co-owner Jordan McDonnell said Kane was promoted from the academy to the main roster, although his rating was initially lower than required for such a move. According to McDonnell, the Australian is among the world's top 32 drivers in Porsche Cup cars.
Prize and studies
The Porsche Cup prize includes US$10,000 and an opportunity to compete for a real development driver position with German motorsport company Porsche. Over the next six weeks, Kane will combine early starts in the championship with Year 11 studies and a vehicle servicing and automotive technology course at TAFE.
Over the past decade, sim racing has become more accessible due to the development of technology and social media. The discipline has also been popularised by well-known drivers, including Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, who created his own sim racing team.
