200,000 tickets sold, 24 streamers on the track, the famous Bugatti circuit in Le Mans on 80 cameras and even a transmission in France TV. It is the event of all superlatives. This project is the GP Explorer, the career 4 career organized from October 3 to 5 by YouTubeur Squeezie.
The project was written as a Formula 1 Grand Prix, with free tests, grades, a prize ceremony and even an opening concert. With the key, an exponential audience. In 2023, the second edition of the race registered a peak of more than 1.3 million people connected, compared to one million during the first edition.
A challenge released in the Zevent
However, at first, the GP Explorer was just a “simple” challenge. It all started in 2020. When Squeezie, present at the Zevent, the charity marathon organized by the streameur Zerator, wants to encourage internet users to make donations. As the streamers do, Squeezie establishes donations, objectives or challenges established according to the amount collected. Squeezie then proposed to organize “an IRL tournament (in real life, in real life, the editor’s note) of Formula Renault”.
The idea continues to germinate in the creator’s mind. “It was facing season 1 of Driving to survive In Netflix and I tell myself: “What happens if we organize a formula 4 career among Internet people?” “Remember your documentary dedicated to GP Explorer. If the idea seems unfeasible, a member of his team, F1 fan, is not of this opinion.
Then everything accelerates. What was originally a joke becomes a reality. After “600,000 emails sent” and one year of waiting, the Western Automobile Club (ACO) accepts coorganizing the race, in the Bugatti circuit of the 24 hours of Le Mans. 22 Streamers are also ready to participate. Better yet, sponsors respond to the call. A dozen brands such as Deezer, Nord VPN or Tiktok agree to finance the 3 million euros necessary for the organization of said show.
“The craziest project of my life”
After another year of preparation and training for apprentice pilots, the first edition of the GP Explorer took place on October 8, 2022 compared to 40,000 spectators on the site, and one million Internet users on Twitch. At the end of the sports weekend, the creator is convinced of this:
However, YouTubeur is far from finishing. From this first edition, Squeezie has seen things in (even more). The event now benefits from the means of production of VISUAL TV, a company that works regularly for all PAF channels.
For the last edition, the race also became a real festival. If the second edition had already been embellished with Arcade games, an escape game or even a fairground mini-fiery The GP explorer the last race It has a zip line, a karting, a large wheel and even a musical show.
According to the organizers, the proof of enthusiasm, about 200,000 places sold, five times more than in 2022, have passed in less than two hours, according to the organizers. To see if this third automotive epic will break the previous record.
As a reminder, the GP Explorer celebrates the French event on the most often Twitch with 1.3 million internet users connected. Enough to place the Formula 4 career in the fifth position of the most followed projects on Twitch … worldwide.
Source: BFM TV
