On the virtual road to success
Discover how business management graduate Tobin Leigh became an accomplished esports professional driver and owner of his own esports and gaming company
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Business Management (2 year fast track)
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?Graduated 2020
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?Professional esports driver
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?Team Manager of McLaren Shadow
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Founder of esports business Pacenote
I have always loved cars, especially race cars. However, it’s hugely expensive to drive real race cars… so I got involved in the virtual world through esports and my career has accelerated ever since.
On the right track
When I was a child, I really wanted to get into motorsport but because of the costs it was unrealistic for me to get involved. I quickly learned that there is a very big online community in the same position that see racing games as a viable alternative to the real thing.
As a former professional sim-racing driver for Veloce Esports and Lazarus Esports, I have turned my passion into a number of successes. In 2019 I was part of the team that came second in the world in the 2019 ForzaRC Invitational Series held in California.
As an emerging industry, esports are now a viable route to mix with drivers from the top of motorsport. In 2020, I regularly raced against F1 World Champion, Max Verstappen. I also hosted a head-to-head race against McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris on racing simulators and during lockdown I shared a (virtual) car with 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button in a charity event.
Representing Lazarus Esports
Racing against McLaren's Lando Norris
At Silverstone with Quadrant
A podium finish
To date, I have worked with Quadrant – a gaming and lifestyle brand founded by Lando Norris – I oversaw the day-to-day operations, strategy and helped to organise large-scale productions and activations. For example, in 2022 we took over the fan zone at the British F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone and organised simulator races and a meet and greet.
I also worked for Veloce, a leading racing, gaming and lifestyle media platform. I managed and maintained Veloce's relationship with McLaren as the Team Manager of McLaren Shadow – their esports team.
My goal was to ensure that McLaren Shadow is at the top of its game in everything they do. Duties included the management of top esports talent and staff, developing an operational structure, managing the client relationship between Veloce and McLaren and ensuring the team has the tools to maximise their performance.
My proudest moment to date is helping McLaren's F1 Esports team to the 2022 F1 Esports Pro Constructors’ Championship, where we won McLaren’s first constructors trophy since 1998. Our esports trophies will sit in McLaren's headquarters alongside all the F1 trophies.
Coaching at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022
Fast-tracked business success
Although competing in esports does not compare with the physical challenges real sport offers, it definitely is a test of mental power and resilience. Similar to real sport, a lot of the work takes place off the track, behind the scenes. From networking to contract negotiations, my experience studying business management has become incredibly useful as so many skills are transferable.
I chose to study at Plymouth because I had a specific interest in business management and the University was one of the few places that offered a fast-track degree in this subject. This allowed me to complete my studies at a faster rate and gave me the ability to learn skills quickly and immediately apply everything in the real world – it was a complete win-win.
Driven to succeed
After graduating in Business Management (2 year fast track) in 2020 and successfully progressing in my career, my goal is to make an impact on the industry and the way I work. I want to get to a point in life where I have the control to earn a living and have the opportunity to enjoy my free time.
You really need to be passionate and do what feels right for you to succeed as an esports entrepreneur. I will always be happy that I have managed to leverage time successfully competing as well as securing a management position in the industry. It has been an example of showing how doing what you enjoy can really pay off, even if you don’t expect it.
I now have my sights set on my new esports business venture called Pacenote. This service-based company will provide a range of support to individuals and businesses also wanting to take advantage of the opportunity of the rapidly-rising sim racing industry.
My goal is to positively transform the available support for everyone in the sim racing space. Whether you're a business looking to grow, or a talented professional seeking career advice, Pacenote has the expertise and resources to help you succeed.
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