Alpine's Otis Lawrence clinches Sim Racing World Championship as youngest ever champion
Otis Lawrence, an 18-year-old from Wales, has made history by becoming the youngest Sim Racing World Champion. The season finale in Abu Dhabi saw him secure the title by a narrow margin after an intense battle.
The 2026 Sim Racing World Championship reached its thrilling conclusion at the F1 Media and Technology Centre in Biggin Hill, with the final rounds at Interlagos and Yas Marina. It was here that Otis Lawrence, the 18-year-old Welsh prodigy, etched his name into the record books as the youngest champion in the series' history.
Round 11 – Brazil At Interlagos, known for its unpredictability, the qualifying was a nail-biter. Alpine’s Daniel Bereznay and Ruben Pedreno were among the casualties of a fiercely competitive session, both failing to make it to the top 10 shootout. The battle for pole saw Mercedes’ Thomas Ronhaar initially set the pace, only to be narrowly bested by Lawrence. Ronhaar reclaimed provisional pole, but Lawrence snatched it back, eking out a few hundredths of a second. The top six were separated by less than a tenth, with Ronhaar, Fahssi, Butcher, and Red Bull’s Rasmussen and Opmeer rounding out the leaders.
The race began with a clean start from Lawrence, who maintained his lead, while Rasmussen made an early move past Butcher. Broumand of Ferrari took the initiative on Lap 11, overtaking Lawrence, only for the lead to change hands again as Lawrence reclaimed it. The pit stops shuffled the order, with Ronhaar and Fahssi temporarily leading. The real twist came when Broumand, acting as the perfect team player, held Lawrence back, allowing Fahssi and Ronhaar to charge forward. Fahssi executed a double overtake, leaving Lawrence trapped behind Broumand’s defensive wall. Ferrari’s teamwork paid off, with Fahssi winning and Broumand securing second, while Lawrence finished third, keeping his championship hopes alive.
Round 12 – Abu Dhabi The stage was set at Yas Marina for a dramatic finale. Qualifying woes continued for Red Bull’s Jarno Opmeer, who only managed P13. His teammate Rasmussen, however, was in fine form, clinching pole ahead of Fahssi. Lawrence qualified third, with Broumand and Ronhaar close behind.
From the outset, it was clear the race would be a tense affair. Fahssi and Lawrence were locked in battle from the first lap, with Fahssi gaining an early edge. Broumand proved invaluable once again, covering Lawrence while Fahssi led on a hard tyre strategy. The pit stops shuffled the deck, with Fahssi emerging from his stop to mount an impressive charge through the field, overtaking Lawrence late in the race.
With just five laps remaining, the title race reached fever pitch. Lawrence found himself in a precarious position, allowing Benham and Opmeer to slip past. As the dust settled, Fahssi claimed his third consecutive victory, but Lawrence’s fifth-place finish was enough to clinch the championship by a mere two points after a tense wait for confirmation.