Cem Bölükbaşı Joins Formula 2
After a string of esports championships won since 2017, and with only two years of professional racing behind them, Turkey's successful national athlete Cem Bölükbaşı announced at a press conference held in Istanbul today that they will compete in the 2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship with the Czech team Charouz Racing System. With this move, Bölükbaşı becomes the first Turkish racing driver in the history of Turkish motorsport to compete in Formula 2, and also goes down in history as the world's first racer to come from esports and write a virtual-to-real success story at this level. 
Backed by title sponsor, the cryptocurrency exchange ICRYPEX, as well as Kuzu Grup, Zorlu Enerji, the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), Rixos, Gentaş and TEM Agency, and supported by the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED), national athlete Cem Bölükbaşı will represent the country in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, which features two races every weekend.
The 2022 F2 Championship, which begins at the Bahrain International Circuit on 18-20 March, will continue over 14 weekends with races at Jeddah, Imola, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Baku, Silverstone, Spielberg, Budapest, Spa-Francorchamps, Zandvoort, Monza and Sochi, in that order. Running to the same calendar as Formula 1, the championship will conclude with the finale at the Yas Marina circuit on 18-20 November 2022. 
Saying a very important step had been taken towards the goal of becoming the world's first racing driver to move from esports to Formula 1, Cem Bölükbaşı said:
"This is an incredible development for me. While I was putting in thousands of hours of practice in virtual racing and winning world championships in Formula 1 Esports, I always had the thought in my mind that one day I would be able to show my abilities on real racing circuits too. I think I have proved that with the results I have achieved in various championships over the last two years. The Euroformula Open championship I most recently took part in went very well. I reached the podium eight times in 15 races and won two of them. The training I did in simulation contributed enormously to my racing career. I managed to reach the podium in cars I was driving for the first time. Now I will race in the full FIA Formula 2 Championship season in a Formula 2 car that I drove in an official test for the first time only a few weeks ago. On this journey, I would like to thank first of all my family, who believe in my dreams as much as I do, my agency TEM Agency and my title supporter ICRYPEX, as well as Kuzu Grup, Zorlu Enerji, Go Türkiye, Rixos and Gentaş, and TOSFED, who have also stood by me with their support. Without this support I could not have come this far. Now I can't wait to start the season with Charouz Racing System as soon as possible. I will do my very best to add new records to my racing career and to the history of Turkish and world motorsport." 
TOSFED President Eren Üçlertoprağı commented: "Cem Bölükbaşı is a successful young athlete whom we have followed closely for more than 10 years. As we all know well, single-seater racing is a field in which one can progress only with serious financial and moral support. With Cem coming from the Formula 1 Esports field, this 'virtual to real' story is being followed closely both in Turkey and abroad, especially by Formula 1's management. Cem Bölükbaşı, an exemplary young athlete, is now opening a very important door in the history of Turkish motorsport by stepping up to Formula 2. We were very keen to see Cem in Formula 2. At this point, it is very important that our national athlete is supported financially and morally on a rising curve. As the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation, we support Cem in every way. We sincerely believe that on this road, which could lead to Formula 1, Cem will continue to make us all proud."
Charouz Racing System founder Antonín Charouz said: "We are delighted to give a seat in our Formula 2 team to a driver as fantastic as Cem. It will be a challenging and exciting new experience for them, but in their career so far, even in the most competitive and demanding Formula 1 feeder categories, they have shown how quickly they can learn and achieve good results. We have a long and tough 14-weekend season ahead of us; this is a very important opportunity for Cem. As a team, we will do our very best to provide the best car and to guide them in the best possible way on their learning journey." 
TEM Agency founder Temuçin Ünalp, who manages Cem Bölükbaşı's career, said: "We are setting a world first. A gamer coming from esports is racing one step below Formula 1, the world's biggest motorsport organisation. That is an incredible achievement so far. We aim to become the first Turk to reach Formula 1 after two seasons in Formula 2. Although this goal is difficult, we want to show everyone that it can be done. It is difficult because in Formula racing talent alone is not enough; as a driver you have to finance the team. For that, we can only move forward with the support of our companies and brands, as we have done until now. Many thanks to everyone who believed in us and helped us achieve the difficult at a time like this; we are only just getting started." 
Cem Bölükbaşı's Formula 2 title sponsor, the cryptocurrency exchange ICRYPEX CEO Gökalp İçer, said: "We partnered with Cem's story as title sponsor in the Euroformula Open series last September. We are very proud to be part of this career that stretches from virtual circuits to real ones. After the successes in the Formula 3 Asian Championship, the victories in Euroformula Open clearly show where this career is heading. As ICRYPEX, we wanted to be Cem's title sponsor both during the official Formula 2 test and throughout this period in which they join Formula 2. We believe Cem will achieve significant results in all 28 races they will contest this season. We are with them through all of these successes as ICRYPEX, and we wish them every success in their first Formula 2 season."
