Sim Racing as a Talent Assessment Tool for the Industry
Hexagon, a specialist in measurement technology, and Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing have launched a global online challenge aimed at identifying talent for modern industry.
The “Future Skills Challenge 2026” runs through October 21 and is specifically aimed at participants with no prior knowledge of engineering or manufacturing. This unique initiative stems from the observation that sim racing requires skills that are increasingly in demand in factories and development departments as well. Those who can analyze data, identify complex relationships, and make decisions under time pressure possess key qualities for digitized production environments.
Participants must complete ten challenges developed in collaboration with British Mensa and Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing. The challenges test logical thinking, data literacy, and problem-solving skills. Prizes include a Fanatec racing simulator cockpit and a trip to the Red Bull Technology Campus in Milton Keynes, UK.
The Future Skills Forum will take place there on November 17, where industry representatives, education experts, and technology companies will discuss the skilled labor shortage and new ways to recruit talent. Hexagon also plans to present a program designed to help people without industry experience enter the field of modern manufacturing.
The organizers are banking on a shift in perspective: Today, talent can be found not only in lecture halls or training centers, but also behind gaming PCs and sim-racing cockpits. The very first edition of the Challenge in 2025 attracted more than 1,100 participants.
