Team Australia has secured the services of another representative for this year’s FIA Motorsport Games, with Philippa Boquida to compete in the Digital Cup.
 
A highly skilled sim racer, Boquida earned her spot in Team Australia after winning an intense qualifying program throughout September.
 
After posting one of the fastest 20 times during the FIA’s Hot Lap worldwide program, Boquida went on to dominate the two races during the final qualifying stage in what was a faultless performance. 
 
Having edged out fellow contender Ryan Hoolihan in qualifying, Boquida led the first race from lights to flag, beating Hoolihan by seven seconds, before claiming an even bigger win in the second race with a 14-second margin separating her and the second placed Matthew Lamb. 
 
As a result of her selection, Boquida becomes the sixth Australian to go to the FIA Motorsport Games, joining Matt Campbell, Stephen and Brenton Grove, Aaron Cameron and karting duo Aiva Anagnostiadis and Peter Bouzinelos.
 
The Victorian will now go up against the rest of the world with plenty of experience in Esports, having enjoyed a scintillating 2022 season, highlighted by a GT World Challenge Esports Asia Sprint Series Championship title and 10 wins in the competitive RaceOnOz Monday Night League.
  
With one of her biggest challenges now on the horizon, Boquida was looking forward to the opportunity to represent her country.


“To represent Australia is an incredible feeling and although the feeling hasn’t settled in just yet, it’s very exciting to know that I have this opportunity,” Boquida said.
 
“I am not entirely sure what to expect as a lot of my time in sim racing has been online, but I am looking forward to competing via LAN (local area network) at the Motorsport Games against some of the best sim racers in the world. 
 
“All my previous tournament experience has been in other games, but that should hold me in good stead for the Games and I feel I will be pretty comfortable with that.  
 
“Thank you to Motorsport Australia for giving me this incredible opportunity and having had a good year so far, I would love to add to my collection and make this country proud.”
 
Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca congratulated Boquida on being selected to represent Team Australia at the Games.
 
“Philippa has shown in the past year that she is extremely talented when it comes to Esports and she is fast becoming the best in the country in this growing discipline,” Arocca said.
 
“Team Australia has already been fortunate enough to have won Gold in this discipline during the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games and I have no doubt that Phillipa will do a wonderful job in trying to make it consecutive Golds.
 
“A big congratulations to her for earning the chance to represent her country and we wish her the best of luck in her attempt to claim Gold.”
 
The FIA Motorsport Games Digital Cup will see competitors utilise the world-renowned Assetto Corsa Competizione platform with racers competing and run digital GT3 cars, which are the same cars that will compete in GT, GT Sprint, and Endurance disciplines of the Games.
 
The 2022 FIA Motorsport Games takes place at Circuit Paul Ricard in Marseille on 26-30 October.