Otis Lawrence becomes youngest ever Formula 1 Sim Racing world champion with Alpine

The 18-year-old Welshman secured the title by just two points after finishing P5 in the final race of the season at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit, pulling off a decisive late overtake on Bari Broumand to clinch the championship.

Lawrence immediately reflected on the achievement after the title decider: “To win the Drivers' Championship with Alpine Sim Racing is an incredible feeling. This season has been so intense from start to finish and the level of competition has been unbelievably high.

“I'm so proud of what we have achieved. A big thank you to the whole team, and Dani and Josh, the spirit and support from everyone has been amazing.

“There are a lot of ups and downs across a 12-race campaign, but after winning that first race in Suzuka, we kept pushing and never gave up. To come away with the championship is something we can reflect on with pride.”

The championship battle went down to the final event of the season, featuring races in Mexico, São Paulo and Abu Dhabi. Lawrence entered the finale in contention and held his nerve under pressure to secure the crown after a campaign that delivered three victories, three consecutive pole positions and a series of standout performances.

Lawrence's title charge began at the opening event of the season at DreamHack in Birmingham, where he claimed victory at Suzuka. It marked both his first win for Alpine Sim Racing and the team's first Formula 1 Sim Racing triumph since 2020.

A strong second event at Formula 1's Media and Technology Centre in Biggin Hill further strengthened his credentials. Lawrence secured pole positions at Jeddah, Barcelona and Silverstone before converting his pace into a wet weather victory at Silverstone and a second place finish in Saudi Arabia.

The decisive moment of the season came during Event 3. Following points finishes at Spa and Zandvoort, Alpine Sim Racing delivered its first-ever Formula 1 Sim Racing one-two finish at the Circuit of the Americas as Lawrence led teammate Dani Bereznay home to claim his third victory of the year.

Lawrence ended the campaign on 156 points, enough to secure the Drivers' Championship by two points. Alpine Sim Racing also mounted a strong challenge for the Teams' Championship alongside Bereznay and Josh Idowu, eventually finishing second on 224 points, only three points short of the title.

Guy Martin, Global Marketing Director of the BWT Alpine Formula One Team, hailed the achievement: “Winning the 2026 F1 Sim Racing Drivers' World Championship is an exceptional achievement. A huge congratulations to Otis on what has been an epic season, the youngest ever F1 Sim Racing World Champion!

“The team's results speak for themselves but it is worth mentioning that the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes is enormous. All three drivers, their engineers and Team Manager, Harvey Partridge, fully deserve credit for an impressive season.

“These results reflect Alpine Formula One Team's upwards trajectory in all areas. Excellence is at the forefront of what we do, and Alpine Sim Racing's extraordinary result is an important part.”

While Alpine narrowly missed out on the Teams' Championship, Lawrence's breakthrough campaign ensures the Enstone-based outfit ends the 2026 Formula 1 Sim Racing season with the sport's biggest individual prize.