Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) said on the 11th that it will host the "2026 Hyundai N Virtual Cup," which it described as South Korea's largest simulation racing esports championship. Launched in 2024, the Hyundai N Virtual Cup is a simulation racing esports competition run in collaboration between the gaming industry and an automaker. Gran Turismo 7, a well-known global racing simulation game, has been selected as this year's official racing game for the Hyundai N Virtual Cup. The Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo, a concept car that marked the debut of Hyundai's N brand in 2015, will appear in the game as the official race car. Gran Turismo 7 was previously adopted as an official esports event for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Hyundai Motor also provided official simulation racing equipment for the national team trials for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games' Gran Turismo 7, held during the first round of the Hyundai N Festival in May. For this competition, 24 of the country's top players, selected through online qualifiers beginning on August 14, will advance to the main stage. A range of other events, including a university student competition and an influencer competition, are also planned. Hyundai Motor said it aims to build a fan base for the N brand, expand its connection with the esports generation, and contribute to strengthening the global competitiveness of Korea's gaming industry and esports through the competition. "The Hyundai N Virtual Cup sim racing competition will offer customers an easier way to access motorsports and greatly contribute to spreading high-performance car culture in Korea," said Park Jun-woo, vice president of Hyundai Motor's N Management Division. "We hope more customers can experience Hyundai N through the familiar platform of gaming."