‘This is likely the biggest LAN of my career so far’ – Tobin ‘Racerz’ Leigh shares his thoughts ahead of the ForzaRC

Dominic Sacco

4 min read | 14 Nov 2019

Tobin ‘Racerz’ Leigh, a professional British Forza player for Lazarus and British Esports game adviser, is about to fly out to LA to compete in the finals of the Forza Racing Championship (ForzaRC) Invitational for a slice of the $250,000 prize pool.

In this exclusive blog post, Tobin pens his thoughts on the approaching competition – the biggest Forza event to date.

I’ve been competing in Forza at the top level for the past three years, but this tournament represents a massive opportunity in my pro player career, as the format has been changed in favour of a new team racing format.

In previous seasons, everything has been down to the performance of an individual; everyone would be in the same car so it would be entirely on the driver’s ability to make the difference. Now however, teams of drivers win and lose together, with each of the three drivers in a team responsible for driving a different car (with slightly differing levels of performance), resulting in varied strategies throughout the races.

“I’ve never been more excited for a live event than I have been for this upcoming LAN. Whilst there is a large amount of expectation on us to perform, I believe that this is likely to be the biggest LAN of my career so far.”

Also new to this season are building and upgrading criteria that gives each team the chance to try and gain an advantage over competitors from differing car builds, another dynamic that contributes to the competition this year.

The prize pool also deserves a mention as it has increased to a massive $250,000 for 8 weeks of competition!

The performance so far

In order to qualify for the LAN in Los Angeles taking place November 23rd-24th 2019, there were several rounds of online qualification to determine the teams that would attend the finals.

My two teammates, ForceOne and Rossi, and I have had a hugely successful run in the tournament so far, qualifying second overall headed to LAN, just behind Williams Esports and just ahead of Red Bull Racing Esports:

On a personal level, this season has been really encouraging as I have typically been given the “hare” role – my job is usually to start at the front of the grid and win the race for the team, securing a large haul of points.

With 5 wins in the tournament, I have the joint-most wins of any individual driver so far. Considering the competition I’ve faced, I have been really encouraged by the progress I have made over the past year. 

I’ve also been showcasing and analyzing my races on my YouTube channel, which has been well received by both viewers and the tournament organiser alike.

Final expectations

I’ve never been more excited for a live event than I have been for this upcoming LAN. Whilst there is a large amount of expectation on us to perform, I believe that this is likely to be the biggest LAN of my career so far.

With so much strategy and so much on the line, I think the finals are going to be as intense and engaging as Forza esports gets, but I’m hoping that the preparations leading into the tournament mean that we are able to perform at the strong level we have been at all season so far.

Why check out Forza?

If you’re into motorsport or esports alike, ForzaRC is as varied as racing esports gets, with so many dynamics and factors that other titles don’t have.

The team format this year also makes it easy to get to know teams and the drivers that make them up, so you can follow your favourites as they progress through the tournament.

Thanks to Tobin for this blog post and the British Esports Association wishes him the best of luck in the tournament.

Follow Tobin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LZR_Racerz

Stream link for the tournament on November 23rd and 24th November: www.mixer.com/Forza