Reigning F1 Esports champion Opmeer signed by Mercedes alongside Huis and Moreno

Mercedes have unveiled the crack team of drivers who will compete for their esports outfit in 2021, with reigning F1 Esports Pro Series drivers’ champion Jarno Opmeer moving over to the Silver Arrows from Alfa Romeo.

Former Dutch karting champion Opmeer will be joined at the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team by last year’s F1 Esports Pro Series Rookie of the Year Dani Moreno, who switches from McLaren, along with Dutchman Bono Huis, who’s raced for Mercedes since 2020.

READ MORE: Former champion Brendon Leigh swaps Mercedes for Ferrari in shock Esports switch

The move comes after Mercedes stalwart Brendon Leigh made a shock switch to rivals Ferrari to partner David Tonizza in an all-champion line-up for 2021. However, Opmeer showed last season that he was a force to be reckoned with himself, taking eight podiums and four wins en route to being crowned the 2020 F1 Esports Pro Series champ.

“We have a very strong new driver line-up with Jarno, Dani and Bono,” said James Vowles, the Mercedes F1 team’s Motorsport Strategy Director. “It underlines our ambitions in the world of esports – we are here to compete at the front, in multiple disciplines and categories.

“We're very happy with this new driver line-up and it will help us take the next step in the development of our esports programme.”

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Mercedes’ line-up will compete in a number of different virtual championships in 2021, among them the F1 Esports Pro Series, where Opmeer will look to defend his crown, not least against last year’s vice-champion Frederik Rasmussen, and the new Ferrari pairing of Tonizza and Leigh.