IR Esports
IR Esports is a Mumbai-based organizer of India's largest sim racing championships, operating the Indian eRacing Championship and bespoke motorsport esports marketing campaigns for enterprise brand sponsors such as Volkswagen and Hyundai, while serving amateur-to-professional sim racing drivers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersMumbai, India
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What IR Esports does
IR Esports is a Mumbai-based, privately held event organizer and esports marketing agency operating in the Indian sim racing segment, founded in 2019 by Rayomand Banajee and led by CEO Saurav Bandyopadhyay. The company describes itself as India's largest eRacing organizer and curates, plans, and executes bespoke motorsport-based marketing campaigns for brand sponsors across virtual racing properties, including the Indian eRacing Championship (IERC) — a multi-tier league structure spanning Pro Formula, Junior Formula, Touring Car, Amateur (PC/PS4), and Women's categories — as well as the Volkswagen Virtual Racing Championship, the Indian Sim Racing League, Rev-it! Virtual Racing (Formula Bharat collaboration), Mumbai's Fastest Gamer, and the IR Esports Mobile Challenge via Shell Racing.
The core technology is conventional: the platform architecture relies on standard PC and PlayStation 4 sim racing titles for premium tiers and the Shell Racing mobile game for mass-market access, with participant registration handled through Google Forms and event-driven live competitions. There is no disclosed proprietary engine, matchmaking system, or AI-driven component. The company's technical differentiator is its affiliation with IndiKarting (India's largest karting series), Rayo Racing (4 international karting titles), and Ajmera Indikarting (Mumbai's motorsport destination), all described as "from the same house," which gives IR Esports an integrated physical-to-virtual motorsport stack unusual for a sub-10-person esports organizer.
The business model combines (i) professional services revenue from bespoke brand campaigns and sponsorships — including marquee clients such as Volkswagen Motorsport India, Hyundai, Mumbai Falcons Racing, and Formula Bharat — with (ii) event-side revenue from competitive racing entries, prize-pool mechanics (e.g., the ₹50,000 Mobile Challenge), and affiliated simulation/track experiences. Pricing is quote-based for campaigns and prize-structured for consumer competitions. The company serves two primary customer segments: sim racing drivers (individual participants progressing through amateur-to-pro pathways) and brand sponsors seeking esports marketing channels reaching motorsport-engaged audiences in India.
IR Esports firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IR Esports
- Legal name
- IR Esports
- Website
- https://iresports.in
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- IR Esports is a Mumbai-based organizer of India's largest sim racing championships, operating the Indian eRacing Championship and bespoke motorsport esports marketing campaigns for enterprise brand sponsors such as Volkswagen and Hyundai, while serving amateur-to-professional sim racing drivers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IR Esports industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Esports Event Management & Sim Racing Championships
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Spectator Sports (71121), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)
- SIC
- Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Esports Competition Platforms (Tournament Platforms, Matchmaking, Ladders) (MPAFADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Professional Esports Leagues & Seasonal Competitions (MPAGANAC), Virtual Sports & Esports Live Events (Broadcast + Interactive Viewing) (MPAGAOAH), Open Circuit & Qualifier Events (Online/Offline) (MPAKANAD)
Keywords
Where IR Esports is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mumbai
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
IR Esports business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Brand Sponsorships & Marketing Campaigns: Curates, plans and executes custom motorsport-based campaigns via eSports for brands. The company works with sponsors like Volkswagen Motorsport and creates branded virtual racing championships.
- Event Registration & Competitions: Revenue generated from competitive racing events including prize pools and sponsored drives. Mobile Challenge featured ₹50,000 prize pool with sponsored karting experiences.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Mobile Challenge Prize Pool |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
IR Esports product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IR Esports organizes and operates competitive virtual racing (sim racing) championships and executes bespoke motorsport-themed marketing campaigns for brands in the Indian esports market. Its flagship offering is the Indian eRacing Championship (IERC) with multiple league tiers (Pro Formula, Junior Formula, Touring Car, Amateur, Women's), supplemented by branded championships (Volkswagen Virtual Racing Championship, Rev-it! Virtual Racing), mobile-based competitions (IR Esports Mobile Challenge via Shell Racing), and city-wide events (Mumbai's Fastest Gamer). The company also runs an official racing team and provides brand activation services in the motorsport/esports space.
Product overview
IR Esports is India's largest eRacing organizer that operates a multi-tiered competitive racing platform. The core offering is the Indian eRacing Championship (IERC), which spans four racing classes: Pro Formula League, Junior Formula League, Touring Car, and Amateur League (with PC, PS4, and Women's categories). Supporting the main championship are event properties including the Volkswagen Virtual Racing Championship, Rev-it! Virtual Racing with Formula Bharat, and Mumbai's Fastest Gamer. The company also offers mobile accessibility through the IR Esports Mobile Challenge using Shell Racing, and maintains an official racing team. IR Esports curates, plans, and executes custom motorsport-based campaigns via eSports, backed by the same house as IndiKarting, Rayo Racing, and Ajmera Indikarting.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Indian eRacing Championship (IERC)
Companies that use IR Esports
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
IR Esports technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature1 record
IR Esports partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Mumbai Falcons Racing LimitedcoreMumbai Falcons are passionate about promoting motorsport in India with initiatives to innovate and positively impact the motorsports ecosystem. They partnered with IR Esports for the Indian eRacing Championship and Indian Sim Racing League. Their vision includes building a futuristic hub with a race track for auto-related companies and educational facilities.
- Volkswagen MotorsportcoreVolkswagen Motorsport launched the Volkswagen Virtual Racing Championship (VW-VRC) in partnership with IR Esports - the first Indian motorsport championship to be digitally accessible. VW-VRC offered racers and fans a unique experience to hone racing skills from home via simulators. The winner received assured participation in Volkswagen Polo Championship 2021.
- Formula BharatcoreFormula Bharat is an Indian Formula Student-style engineering design competition. They collaborated with IR Esports for Rev-it! Virtual Racing Challenge, allowing participants to engage Formula Student teams in a fun activity applying engineering knowledge in vehicle dynamics.
- GamerConnectmajorGamerConnect is one of the largest gaming platforms in India, having conducted over 40 events since 2016 and reaching over 60,000 gamers offline and 10 million+ online. They partnered with IR Esports for events and are a technology showcase platform that puts gamers first.
- IndiKartingcoreIndiKarting is India's largest karting series, organizing over 60 categories of racing competitions every year and hosting India's Premier 4-Stroke Kart Racing Series. Part of the same house as IR Esports.
- Rayo RacingcoreStarted by 8-Time National Champion Rayomand Banajee, Rayo Racing is the only Indian team to have won International Karting Titles (4 in total). The team has won 31 Titles and over 400 Trophies. Notable alumni include F2 Race Winner and Red Bull Junior Jehan Daruvala. Part of the same house as IR Esports.
- Ajmera IndikartingcoreMumbai's largest, widest and fastest go-karting track with a 350-meter race track and precision timing system. Located at Ajmera i-Land, Wadala, Mumbai. Provides adrenaline-fuelled racing experiences for professionals and amateur racers. Part of the same house as IR Esports and hosts IR Esports headquarters.
- HyundaimajorIR Esports participated in Hyundai N E-Festival Global League where drivers Aditya Patnaik and Veer Sheth represented India. The competition featured 30 drivers from 12 countries competing for $40,000 prize pool and a Hyundai Elantra N TC.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
IR Esports competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- iRacing: Global subscription-based sim racing platform hosting official series across NASCAR, IMSA, and IndyCar with structured competitive ladders. Comparable as a sim racing competition platform, though much larger and globally distributed versus IR Esports' India focus.
- NODWIN Gaming: India's largest esports tournament organizer and IP holder, operating multiple game-title leagues and publisher partnerships. Comparable to IR Esports as a domestic esports tournament/league operator, though diversified across multiple game genres versus IR Esports' sim racing focus.
- Motorsport Games: US-listed motorsport-focused esports company that develops and operates official F1, IndyCar, and NASCAR esports platforms and competitions. Closest global peer to IR Esports given shared focus on licensed motorsport esports leagues and sim racing communities.
Broad incumbents
- ESL FACEIT Group: Global esports tournament organizer and platform operator (ESL, FACEIT). Comparable as a tournament platform and league operator, but at massive global scale across many game titles versus IR Esports' India-focused sim racing niche.
- Gran Turismo (Polyphony Digital / Sony): Manufacturer of the leading console-based sim racing franchise with FIA-certified online championships. Adjacent to IR Esports' PS4-based Amateur League and overall sim racing competition thesis.
- DreamHack: Global esports festival and tournament organizer hosting LAN events, online leagues, and broadcast content. Comparable as an esports event operator and league platform, though multi-title and global versus IR Esports' India-only sim racing focus.
- Hyundai N e-Festival: Global Hyundai N-branded sim racing/esports competition IR Esports has already engaged with as India's representative. Comparable as a sim racing tournament property with OEM sponsorship; structurally similar to IR Esports' VW Virtual Racing Championship model.
- F1 Esports Series: Official Formula 1 esports championship run in partnership with publisher/developers. Comparable as a marquee motorsport esports league, but operated at a global scale by Formula 1 and partners — far larger and better capitalized than IR Esports' Indian championships.
Regional players
- Nazara Technologies: India-listed gaming and esports company publishing mobile games and operating esports IP (including the Indian subsidiary of publishers). Comparable as an Indian gaming/esports operator with multiple sports partnerships, though more diversified across publishing and casual mobile gaming versus IR Esports' competition-only model.
Emerging players
- Red Bull Racing Esports: Sim racing team and competition property of Red Bull Racing's F1 program, running branded tournaments and team-based leagues. Comparable as a motorsport-brand-led esports competition, with strong brand IP similar to how IR Esports works with VW/Hyundai.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
IR Esports social profiles
Digital presenceIR Esports financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IR Esports leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
IR Esports funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IR Esports M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IR Esports
What does IR Esports do?
IR Esports organizes and operates competitive virtual racing (sim racing) championships and executes bespoke motorsport-themed marketing campaigns for brands in the Indian esports market. Its flagship offering is the Indian eRacing Championship (IERC) with multiple league tiers (Pro Formula, Junior Formula, Touring Car, Amateur, Women's), supplemented by branded championships (Volkswagen Virtual Racing Championship, Rev-it! Virtual Racing), mobile-based competitions (IR Esports Mobile Challenge via Shell Racing), and city-wide events (Mumbai's Fastest Gamer). The company also runs an official racing team and provides brand activation services in the motorsport/esports space.
Is IR Esports a public or private company?
IR Esports is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was IR Esports founded?
IR Esports was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is IR Esports based?
IR Esports is headquartered in Mumbai, India, in the Asia region.
How does IR Esports make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Brand Sponsorships & Marketing Campaigns are the primary driver. The others are event Registration & Competitions.
Who are IR Esports's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are iRacing, NODWIN Gaming and Motorsport Games. Broad incumbents are ESL FACEIT Group, Gran Turismo (Polyphony Digital / Sony), DreamHack, Hyundai N e-Festival and F1 Esports Series. Nazara Technologies is listed as a regional player. Red Bull Racing Esports is listed as an emerging player.
Does IR Esports have an API?
No public API is recorded for IR Esports.
What industry is IR Esports in?
IR Esports's product category is Esports Event Management & Sim Racing Championships. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFADAF, Esports Competition Platforms (Tournament Platforms, Matchmaking, Ladders), with a secondary code of MPAGANAC, Professional Esports Leagues & Seasonal Competitions. Its NAICS code is 7113 and its SIC code is 7948.