Mobil 1™ MEGA Racing is delighted to announce its expansion into the 2019 Supercars Gfinity Eseries, with Joshua Rogers and Jarrad Filsell today named as the Team’s inaugural drivers, and Mobil 1 and MEGA Limited the naming rights partners.
Mobil 1 MEGA Racing will field two of the 12 entries this season, an opportunity the team jumped at once the series opened to Virgin Australia Supercars Championship teams.
Jarrad Filsell, 24, from Adelaide, South Australia, is a three time and reigning V8 Supercar Online Premier Series (V8SCOPS) champion, with 48 wins from his 101 starts. He is also currently competing in the Porsche Esports Supercup, sitting fifth after eight rounds, and has competed in the VRS GT World Championship and Blancpain GT World Championship in the past.
He grew up a fan of the Holden Racing Team, with his father working at the Holden plant for over 10 years, and his pride and joy being his HSV Clubsport R8.
Joshua Rogers, 19, from Gladstone, Queensland, is the current leader of the VRS GT iRacing World Championship Series, as well as the Porsche Esports Supercup.
He began sim racing at the age of eight. After discovering iRacing in 2014, he made his V8SCOPS debut in 2015, before finishing third in both 2016 and 2017. In 2018 he expanded into the iRacing World Championship Series, the VRS GT iRacing World Championship Series, and the Porsche Sim Racing summit, where he finished third.
Rogers’ motorsport connection also sees him compete on-track, with multiple-state championships in go-karts amongst many other wins and podiums in his 10-year career.
The Eseries will be run on iRacing platform, the world’s leading racing simulation service, which will no-doubt attract some of the leading sim racers around the world.
The 2019 Gfinity Supercars Eseries will start in September and run through to the end of the Supercars season.
It will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo and streamed across Supercars.com and Gfinity AU social media channels, including live streaming platform Twitch.
Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Esports program wouldn’t be possible without the support of Mobil 1 and MEGA Limited, as well as the Team’s existing partners for the 2019 Supercars Championship.
Joshua Rogers - Driver, Mobil 1 MEGA Racing
“It’s difficult to contain my excitement for the upcoming Gfinity Supercars Eseries representing Walkinshaw Andretti United and Mobil 1 MEGA Racing. It’s an absolute privilege to have been selected and I am looking forward to working with such a prestigious team this season.
“Hopefully Jarrad and I can bring some solid results this season with the aim of lifting the bar higher each round pushing each other to the limit. I’m sure both of us will be doing everything we can to fly the team’s flag as high as possible!”
Jarrad Filsell - Driver, Mobil 1 MEGA Racing
“I’m extremely excited and privileged to be involved in the upcoming Gfinity Eseries with Walkinshaw Andretti United, their history speaks for itself really. I’m hoping we can contribute to the Team’s trophy cabinet, albeit virtually come the end of the year.
“Teaming up with Josh is something I’ve done in different categories previously but I can’t wait to see how far we can push one another in the Gfinity Eseries this season, it should be a cracking battle!”
“Esports is really starting to take off globally and it's a credit to Supercars for jumping on the bandwagon to really promote sim racing locally here in Australia & New Zealand, this is a great opportunity to showcase how good Supercars racing really is in the virtual form.”
Bruce Stewart - Co-Team Principal, Walkinshaw Andretti United
“With the rapid rise of Esports around the world, and the juggernaut it is becoming, it was critically important for Walkinshaw Andretti United to be involved.
“It’s a really exciting space to be in and gives us further opportunity to connect with the young fans around Australia, and no doubt the world. Esports is a big part of the future, so it’s great to be involved.
“Make no mistake, we are in this to do the best job possible, and we have two highly skilled, quality drivers to help us achieve that. We are extremely excited for Josh and Jarrad to lead us into a new era of Walkinshaw Andretti United history.
“It’s also really exciting to have Mobil 1 and MEGA Limited involved in both of our Supercars programs, creating great consistency and cohesion, as well as the support of all our Supercars partners.”
Mathew Nilsson - Co-Team Principal, Walkinshaw Andretti United
“Esports is something we have been keeping a close eye on for a while now, so it’s fantastic to be able to get the opportunity to enter the Gfinity Supercars Eseries.
“We have no doubt that both Joshua and Jarrad will represent Walkinshaw Andretti United extremely well, their talent cannot be questioned.
“A thanks must also go out to Mobil 1, MEGA Limited, and our entire partner group for making this a reality.
“We all can’t wait to not only seeing the racing this year, but how it evolves in the future.”