Tom Kristensen. Derek Bell. Jacky Ickx. All are legendary names who have graced the podium as winners of 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s most prestigious endurance driving race. Michael Coyne, (20) from Blackburn, UK can be added to that illustrious list thanks to his victory in the inaugural Official Endurance Esports Category of the largest esports racing event in Le Mans history – Forza Racing Championship (ForzaRC) Season 3: The Porsche Cup.

For the first time ever, the Elite Series finals of ForzaRC Season 3: The Porsche Cup took place onsite at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race weekend in Le Mans, France. And Michael Coyne came out on top in a thrilling competition featuring some of the finest esports players in the world.

To mark this historic occasion, 24 Hours of Le Mans organisers the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) took the unprecedented step of creating a whole new class for esports competition: The Official Endurance Esports Category. This meant that, as well as taking home the $20,000 grand prize, Michael Coyne secured his place in Le Mans folklore forever by joining 2017 race winners Timo Bernhard, Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley in stepping onto the podium to accept his trophy and bask in the adulation the crowd.

Michael “AMS RoadRunner” Coyne of team Alien Motorsports is a student of Automotive Design at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and will return to completing his degree after enjoying the celebrations.

In the 1970s, Formula 1 brought racing entertainment to a mass audience through TV. Now, nearly 50 years later, we’re creating a similar moment for racing entertainment by bringing it to a modern global audience through video-game streaming. This event is about much more than just promoting a game – we’re inventing a new form of motorsport that speaks to a younger generation while showcasing esports racing to fans everywhere. Congratulations to Michael who was a worthy winner!

ForzaRC Season 3: The Porsche Cup bridges the gap between real-world motorsport and racing esports, run in partnership with Porsche, the most successful brand in motorsport, and ACO. It is the most inclusive racing competition in gaming, with players of all skill levels competing against each other. For more information about Season 3 and future competitions, visit https://www.forzaracingchampionship.com/.