All set for Katowice! As one of the last competing teams of ESL R1, FaZe has revealed their lineup ahead of the inaugural Spring Season starting on February 11th at IEM Katowice – and it includes a hefty surprise alongside its three Esports drivers!
As speculated by SimRacing Unlimited, Lucas Müller is one of the FaZe drivers for ESL R1: The German had last raced for Dörr Esports and teased “a big announcement” for the IEM week earlier – which certainly did come with his inclusion in the roster. Most recently, his focus had been on iRacing.
The same holds true for Ulas Ozyildirim: The Turkish Youngster has previously raced for R8G Esports and boasts an iRating of 8.5k, proving that he knows his way around a digital racing track. Additionally, he is a development driver for the Haas F1 Esports team.
Meanwhile, Tim Jarschel is mostly known for his performances in RaceRoom, where the German took the CUPRA E-Racing Competition title in 2020. He has also competed in the ADAC GT Masters Esports Championship. In the summer of 2022, Jarschel made the switch to iRacing while driving for Dörr Esports.
The surprise addition to the lineup comes in person of Ian Porter, better known as Crimsix – the American has more than a decade of Esports experience under his belt, but that mainly came in the Call of Duty series. There, he took the 2014, 2017 and 2020 Call of Duty Championship titles and is regarded as one of – if not the – greatest CoD players in the world.
However, sim racing experience is nowhere to be found on the resumé of the 29-year-old. His switch to a totally different discipline for him is going to be one of the most compelling storylines to watch unfold over the course of the ESL R1 season. In theory, his Esports experience should have taught Porter how to handle high-pressure situations well, but does he have the speed? We will find out starting February 11th.
Need an overview of all the drivers and teams of ESL R1? Check out our Social Media Guide for the competition!