AAB honours six sim racers, announces bigger NESRC 3.0
The Automobile Association of Bangladesh has announced plans to expand the National Esports Sim Racing Championship next year, aiming to build on the momentum of its 2025 and 2026 seasons and strengthen the country's motorsport talent pipeline.
At a joint awards ceremony, six leading competitors from the last two seasons were recognised, as organisers detailed new initiatives to broaden sim racing and nurture local motorsport talent.
Award recipients for the 2025 season included:
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- Pro champion: Rahul Chakraborty
- Pro-Am champion: HM Tauhid Avik
- Junior champion: Ahmed Shayan
Rahul Chakraborty was honoured as the country's fastest sim racer. HM Tauhid Avik represented Bangladesh at international events, while Ahmed Shayan was the youngest champion in 2025, organisers said.
The recently concluded NESRC 2.0 awarded a total prize pool of Tk40,000. Certificates, trophies and cash prizes were distributed to top finishers in the 2026 Pro category.
Award recipients for 2026 were:
- Pro champion: Zohaib Hossain
- First runner-up: Khondoker Abdullah Ayaz
- Second runner-up: Abir Ahmed
Following the awards ceremony, competitors participated in an open question-and-answer session with officials from the Automobile Association of Bangladesh to discuss future tournaments and the continued growth of Bangladesh's sim racing community.
National Motorsport Team Manager Asif Hossain announced that NESRC 3.0 would return next year on a significantly larger scale.
"Bangladesh faces a significant barrier—there is no dedicated, physical racetrack," said National Motorsport Team Manager Asif Hossain. "That is why the Automobile Association of Bangladesh has intervened. If we cannot build a track overnight, we can still provide access to the world's best circuits through simulators."
He added that professional simulators can help drivers develop muscle memory and track knowledge relevant to real-life circuits, positioning esports as a viable entry point into traditional motorsport.
He also encouraged drivers, particularly those without formal training, to participate in upcoming sessions at the Automobile Association of Bangladesh Academy.
