F1 sim racing has become a sad missed opportunity

It’s the final lap of F1 Sim Racing’s fifth round of the season. There is a $750,000 prize pool on the line.Jarno Opmeer, who has won the simulation world championship on three occasions and is a former real-world Formula Renault Eurocup competitor, is going three-wide alongside Otis Lawrence and Ismael Fahssi. Heading into Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya’s opening corner, this move will determine who wins the race.This should be the apogee of the entire genre: factory-backed teams and drivers, slick commentary and live coverage on the Formula 1 YouTube channel. Yet, somehow, it isn’t.Ahead of its timeTo fully understand why I think F1 Sim Racing, née F1 Esports, isn’t living up to its lofty status, we must first cover recent behind-the-scenes changes.Beginning life as a one-off event at the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, F1 Esports’ popularity …