Xavier Cain may well be the only teenager looking forward to his alarm going off at 3 o’clock on a Monday morning.
The 16-year-old student from Mount Gambier, in south-eastern South Australia, will be jumping out of bed and into the driver’s seat as he competes against some of the world’s best simulator racers.
From the comfort of his home, Xavier will take on other sim racers in the 2026 Porsche eSports Super Cup World Championship, with competition getting underway at 4am on Monday.
“I’m not really aiming to finish a certain position, but I definitely just want to learn a lot for this year,” Xavier said.
Xavier’s set-up at his home will help him take on some of the best simulator drivers in the world. (ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook)
“I’m hoping I can be back for many years to come, so I’m not too worried about trying to finish well.
“I just really want to learn a lot so I can bring it into the future years to come.”
The Porsche Cup prize is a hefty one: $US10,000 and the chance to compete for a real-world development driving spot with the German motorsport giant.
Racing simulators use computer screens, a realistic steering wheel, and pedal set-ups. (ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook)
“I always had hopes that I could do well,” Xavier said.
“About a year ago, I had a conversation with my friend, and it was just a ‘what if’ conversation, like how good it would be to race in a world championship.“
Talent on show
Simulation racing uses computers and a realistic pedal and steering-wheel system to create a lifelike driving experience.
Racers need to consider real-world variables like tyre wear, vehicle damage and fuel levels as they tear around virtual tracks.
Driving on the simulator program iRacing, Xavier quickly rose through the rankings and joined a professional team, Automoves Racing, just six months ago.
He is now in the top 1 per cent of racers on iRacing.
Co-owner Jordan McDonnell said Xavier’s talent was clear and he was fast-tracked from the academy to the main team.
Jordan McDonnell is a sim racer and sprint car driver. (Supplied: Automoves Racing)
“Even though his ranking was a lot lower than what was needed to be in our main team, I spoke to the other owner and made an exception for him to be able to be pushed up,” Mr McDonnell said.
“One thing’s led to another and now he’s in the top 32 in the world for Porsche Cup cars and representing us on a global stage.“
Based in New Zealand, Mr McDonnell was a sprint car racer before founding his e-sport team with the help of a friend in Canada he met online through sim racing.
He said sim racing had helped grow motorsport and allowed more people access to what could be an expensive industry.
Professional Indycar driver Scott McLaughlin is also boosting the sim racing scene. (Supplied: Twitch)
“There was a driver that was in the academy, his name’s Nicholas, and we promoted him to the main team not too long ago,” Mr McDonnell said.
“It’s 2 in the morning in Poland where he’s from, and he just starts yelling out of joy, waking his whole family up.
“So hearing that and his reaction and waking his parents up at 2am, getting promoted … that really just makes you feel good and makes you feel part of something bigger.”
Making motorsport accessible
Racing simulators have long been used by motorsport teams as a way for drivers to practice their skills, but they remained a niche hobby for amateurs.
In the past decade, however, sim racing has exploded in popularity as the technology has become more accessible and social media has given it a platform.
Big motorsport names like Formula One champion Max Verstappen, who has formed his own sim racing team to compete in global events, have also helped to push the e-sport into the mainstream.
Major events are governed by international motorsport’s peak body the FIA.
Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen has formed his own sim racing team to compete in global events. (Getty Images: EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto, Marcel van Dorst)
Melbourne driver and content creator Emily Jones said the online culture around sim racing enabled her to have a career in motorsport.
“I’ve raced against Max Verstappen, Shane Van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin and all these international fantastic racing drivers,” she said.
“That opportunity wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for sim racing.“
Emily Jones turned her real-world racing experience into success in the virtual world. (Supplied: Emily Jones)
Ms Jones now streams her racing to about 38,000 subscribers on Twitch and produces videos for a YouTube channel dedicated to the e-sport.
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel overseas multiple times to Germany, Poland, Japan, the US and lots of really interesting places to both compete in international competitions and also just to create content around sim racing,” she said.
“If I could go back and tell a child version of myself that I get to travel and also get paid to essentially play advanced video games, I would be pretty stoked.“
Early mornings ahead
Back in Mount Gambier, Xavier’s early wake-ups will continue for the next six weeks as he starts his world championship campaign.
It won’t be easy juggling the high-octane competition with Year 11 classes at school and TAFE, where he is studying automotive service and technology.
But mum Teresa Cain will be cheering him on as he chases a world title and a chance at a dream real-world experience.
Xavier and his mum, Teresa, are bracing for the early morning race starts as part of the world championship. (ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook)
“That’s everyone’s dream that’s in racing, isn’t it?”
she said.
“It would be just amazing to see him get from this and get to that level.
“We’ll give him the best possible chance we can and tick all the right boxes to hopefully get him there.”
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