Esports meets engineering as Hexagon and Red Bull Sim Racing team up on Future Skills Challenge
Future Skills Challenge connects sim racing with technical pathways in manufacturing and digital technology
Hexagon has launched a global competition in partnership with Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing aimed at demonstrating how skills developed in esports align with careers in engineering, manufacturing, and advanced technology.
Hexagon provides digital solutions used across the design, production, and metrology stages of manufacturing. Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing is the sim racing division of the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team and the current F1 Sim Racing World Champion.
Challenge connects simulation with real-world problem solving
The Future Skills Challenge invites gamers, students, and professionals to complete online challenges based on data analytics, digital twin concepts, and technical decision-making. Six finalists will be selected for an in-person event at Red Bull’s Sim Racing Arena in Milton Keynes in September 2025. Activities will include simulator training, facility tours, and interaction with Red Bull’s sim racing team.
The overall winner will receive a Fanatec sim racing bundle valued at €4,000. The competition is divided into two age categories, 18 and under, and 19 and over, and features a live leaderboard to track performance. Entries are open from June 1–30.
Skills crossover between esports and engineering
Hexagon says the initiative is designed to show how simulation and real-time decision-making in esports mirror skills required in high-performance industries. Participants will complete custom-built scenarios intended to reflect the demands of engineering environments.
Josh Weiss, President of Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, said:
“We’re proud to partner with Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing to encourage the next generation of digital engineers. There is increasing synergy between esports and engineering, and sim racing offers an authentic proving ground for several transferable skills, with drivers using data analytics and rapid decision-making, just as engineers do in F1 racing and high-performance automotive manufacturing. With the Future Skills Challenge, we’re showcasing how digital capabilities can translate directly into exciting, future-focused careers in manufacturing.”
Red Bull sees crossover potential
The competition is also intended to reflect how sim racing roles are evolving, particularly as data and engineering functions take on more prominence.
Joe Soltysik, Head of Esports at Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technology, commented:
“We are delighted to be launching this groundbreaking competition with long-standing Oracle Red Bull Racing partner Hexagon. As the engineer role in sim racing becomes increasingly complex, the line between real and virtual has never been so close. By working with Hexagon, we can create new pathways for budding engineers to build a career within esports, manufacturing and beyond. We cannot wait to see talented minds entering the Future Skills Challenge and look forward to hosting the winners at the factory.”
