The 2025 Ferrari HP Esports Series made its final stop this week (3 December) at Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, delivering a dramatic LAN showdown that concluded with 19-year-old Grantas Kareckas as champion.

Hosted inside the state-of-the-art Ferrari World Esports Arena, the LAN Grand Final concluded a six-month campaign and featured a world-class grid of 14 finalists from 10 countries across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions.

Renowned for being one of sim racing’s most demanding title deciders, the Grand Final format required drivers to complete both a qualifying session and a race across three different platforms.

Showcasing the breadth of talent within the sim racing community, competitors ranged from 18 to 48 years old and battled across three iconic Italian circuits: Mugello on iRacing; Monza on Assetto Corsa; and Misano on Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC).

Taking the 2025 Ferrari HP Esports Series crown was 19-year-old Lithuanian Kareckas, whose remarkable consistency proved decisive. Despite specialising in ACC during the Regional Finals, Kareckas demonstrated impressive adaptability across all three sims, securing second place on Assetto Corsa, along with a solid fifth-place result on iRacing.

Kareckas’ ability to minimise losses on his weaker platforms and maximise performance where he felt strongest earned him the overall title, marking a major milestone in his young esports career.

Grantas Kareckas, 2025 Ferrari HP Esports Series Champion, said: “I’m speechless. I think this is one of the biggest esports events you could have and by winning it I’ve proved to myself that I’m capable of competing at the highest level and racing against some of the best esports drivers in the world.

“There is no other competition that does three sims in one series – let alone all in the same day! It is very difficult, but you must stay consistent, and I managed to do that. On my toughest sim I still finished in a good position despite having a lot of damage on the car. It was all about damage limitation where I felt less comfortable and then maximising my results elsewhere.”

Finishing in second place was Australian driver Damon Woods. At just 19 years old, Woods entered the event as the leading iRacing driver from the APAC region and lived up to expectations by securing victory in the Mugello race. A strong showing on his preferred platform, combined with consistent pace across the remaining sims, earned Woods the runner-up spot.

Claiming third overall was Amedeo Castorino. The 22-year-old Italian secured impressive back-to-back wins on the Monza and Misano circuits, showcasing his mastery of both Assetto Corsa and ACC, respectively. However, an 11th-place finish on the iRacing platform ultimately denied Castorino a chance to fight for the title, leaving him with the final spot on the podium.

Taking fifth place in the standings was wildcard entry Simone Seminara. A decisive victory in the final round of the Thrustmaster Community Cup secured Seminara’s spot in the Grand Final, where the Italian took third in both the Assetto Corsa and ACC races.

Judging was overseen by an expert panel which included: Tiziana Mecozzi, Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports Team Manager; Bari Broumand, Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports Team Driver; and Luke Whitehead, 2024 Ferrari HP Esports Series Champion.

Tiziana Mecozzi, Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports Team Manager, said: “This Grand Final was once again a great opportunity to highlight the best talents on the global esports scene and, as the Ferrari brand, to engage with the younger generations. We witnessed three very exciting races with unpredictable outcomes, which made it challenging for us judges to reach a final verdict. Thank you also to the audience at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, who brought the atmosphere and followed the event with so much enthusiasm.”

Luke Whitehead, 2024 Ferrari HP Esports Series Champion, said: “It was surreal to be back at Ferrari World Yas Island, and it was very interesting to experience the event from a different perspective this year. I had a fantastic time judging the competitors, sitting alongside Tiziana and Bari, and getting an insight into what they look for in an esports driver.”

The Ferrari World Esports Arena served as the perfect stage for the finale, setting the tone in Abu Dhabi ahead of what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the 2025 Formula 1 Championship this weekend (5-7 December).

Fans can now relive every moment of the action, with the full event available to watch on the Ferrari Esports Twitch channel and the official Ferrari YouTube channel.