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French star Sarrazin completes Veloce Racing driver line-up

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  • Versatile French legend joins W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick for Season One
  • Sarrazin aiming to add Extreme E success to impressive career CV
  • Cross-country specialist Lance Woolridge appointed reserve and development driver

Veloce Racing has completed its driver line-up for the inaugural season of Extreme E, after signing successful French all-rounder Stéphane Sarrazin to partner reigning W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick. In support of this duo, South African cross-country and off-road specialist Lance Woolridge joins the team as reserve and development driver.

Sarrazin has enjoyed a long and diverse career in the sport, and arrives at Veloce boasting an impressive résumé. Whilst perhaps best-known for his sportscar racing exploits – with six podium finishes in the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours, two Le Mans Series titles and multiple victories in the FIA World Endurance Championship to his name – he has a far more versatile CV than many of his Extreme E rivals, which should serve him well in the pioneering new electric off-road racing series.

In 1999, Sarrazin contested the Brazilian Grand Prix and continued to carry out Formula 1 testing duties until the end of 2002. Four seasons in the FIA Formula E Championship yielded three rostrum visits and 21 points finishes, while in 2011 and 2012, he tested his mettle in Australia’s V8 Supercars Championship.

Since 2004, the Gard native has also made successful appearances in the FIA World Rally Championship, increasingly honing his off-road expertise. From 22 starts at the highest level, he has achieved ten points-scoring results – highlighted by a brace of fourth places – and in both Germany and France in 2005, he finished just one position behind Subaru World Rally Team stablemate and 2003 World Champion Petter Solberg.

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Sarrazin’s first international rallying triumph came on the 2014 Tour de Corse – the finale of that year’s FIA European Rally Championship season – and from three Monte-Carlo Rally outings as part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, he has never finished lower than fourth, with a podium to his credit in 2009. That experience makes him well-equipped indeed to deal with the variety of surfaces and conditions competitors are likely to encounter in Extreme E.

Stéphane Sarrazin, Driver, Veloce Racing, said:

“I am delighted to have agreed terms with Veloce Racing to contest the first season of Extreme E. This is a hugely appealing new series that has already attracted a lot of international attention – and all before the racing has even begun! As a driver, the concept is tremendously exciting and motivating – both on a competitive and personal level – and the challenge will be like no other.

“I’ve driven a lot of different types of car during my career, but the ODYSSEY 21 really is something special and it’s going to generate some incredible action. When we went testing together, it did not take me long to ‘click’ with the Veloce Racing guys – like me, they arrive in Extreme E with a lot of experience from different disciplines in the sport, and that can only be to our advantage over the forthcoming campaign. I can’t wait to go racing!”

Sarrazin and Chadwick will be supported throughout the forthcoming campaign by Lance Woolridge, who has established a fearsome reputation for his off-road endurance skills in his home country.

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Born into a motorsport family – his father Neil Woolridge is a multiple cross-country champion on both two wheels and four, and tackled the iconic Dakar Rally in 1998 and 1999 – Woolridge already has 12 seasons of competition under his belt at the age of just 29. Not only that, but he has been breaking records every step of the way, including becoming the youngest driver in South African history to win a national championship cross-country event.

One of the leading protagonists in the South African Cross Country Series (SACCS), he secured consecutive Class T championship crowns in 2018 and 2019.

Lance Woolridge, Reserve and Development Driver, Veloce Racing, said:

“I’m thrilled to be joining Veloce Racing as reserve and development driver. Having tested the ODYSSEY 21 a couple of times now, I can vouch for the fact that it is a seriously impressive piece of kit and I’m confident that my background in cross-country rallying and with similar vehicles will enable me to offer valuable feedback to Stéphane, Jamie and the engineering crew. I’m looking forward to playing a key role behind-the-scenes to help give the whole Veloce Racing team the best possible chance of success.”

The 2021 Extreme E season will travel to five remote locations around the world, all of them damaged by climate change, as the series aims to shine a spotlight upon global environmental issues. The action will begin in AlUla, Saudi Arabia (3-4 April) before moving on to Dakar, Senegal (29-30 May), Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (28-29 August), Para, Brazil (23-24 October) and Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina (11-12 December).

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Ian Davies, Team Manager, Veloce Racing, said:

“We are delighted to announce Stéphane as our male driver for the first season of Extreme E and to confirm Lance’s reserve and development role within the team. Both of them tested with us at MotorLand Aragón last month, and to be honest, they gave us a real headache in terms of who to choose. Since we didn’t want to lose either, in the end, we decided to sign them both.

“Both Stéphane and Lance worked extremely well with Jamie and Veloce’s engineering team at the test, and their different skillsets and experience complemented each other perfectly. Stéphane is very much an all-rounder – a master of endurance racing but also clearly extremely adept in sprint and off-road competition – while Lance is well-accustomed to vehicles like the ODYSSEY 21 from his cross-country racing and has a very well-developed mechanical understanding.

“Both guys were quick out-of-the-box in Spain, and we believe both will bring a great deal to Veloce Racing as we aim to hit the ground running in Saudi Arabia. We are confident that with Jamie and Stéphane driving and Lance working hard behind-the-scenes, we have a very strong team indeed.”

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Week 8/2025 slot games releases

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Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming

Tom Horn Gaming is thrilled to announce the launch of its latest Hold & Win slot game, Majestic Coins. ​ This high-volatility 3×3 slot takes players on a winning quest, where shimmering coins, respins, and grand jackpots lead to massive wins. Set against a sleek black 3×3 reel grid with 5 win lines, Majestic Coins offers classic slot excitement with a modern twist.

Hold, Win, and Grab Jackpots in Tom Horn’s Majestic Coins Slot

Candy Links Bonanza 2 is the newest slot game from Stakelogic, inviting you to wander through magical realms filled with delightfully sweet treats. Amidst this charming backdrop, two 5×5 grids are placed side by side. The grid on the right is where all the gameplay unfolds, while the other grid collects coins. Forming lines of coins wins their values and activates the powerful Wheels of Fortune!

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You are in for a sweet treat with Candy Links Bonanza 2, the latest release by Stakelogic

Step into a world where opulence meets nature in Zillion’s latest release, Royal Crown Fruits – a dazzling slot experience filled with vibrant fruit symbols, golden crowns, and thrilling rewards. With 20 winning lines, the game blends classic charm with modern excitement, offering players a chance to strike royal-sized wins.

 

Big Time Gaming is back with its most exhilarating instalment yet. Max Megaways III invites players to gear up and embark on a high-stakes Arctic mission that’s shaken, stirred, and loaded with epic rewards. In this 6-reel Megaways™ slot, players get up to 117,649 ways to win, and that’s just the start of the action. Armed with MegaDozer™ mechanics, Free Spins, and a treasure trove of bonuses, Max Megaways III is set to deliver edge-of-your-seat excitement like never before.

Play’n GO delves into the mysteries of ancient Egypt with the release of Myth of Dead, a visually stunning slot that combines engaging gameplay with the allure of legendary treasures. This 5-reel, 3-row game with 10 paylines offers a captivating journey into a world ruled by powerful deities and golden riches.

Unearth Ancient Riches in Myth of Dead

 

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Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has released Blast the Bass, a brand new title that immerses players into an adventure on the open seas. Set out in the deep ocean, Blast the Bass brings together engaging mechanics, big bonus features and fun graphics that entertain players on every spin. A salty old skipper acts as the Wild symbol and will substitute for all regular symbols to combine for winning lines.

Belatra’s Blast the Bass explodes onto the market

Push Gaming has launched Mad Blasta volatile, multiplier-focused, pay-anywhere game that builds crazy robots along with wild winnings. Set in the workshop of the Mad Tinkerer, quirky, colourful bomb symbols populate the reels, with eight or more required to award a win. Winning symbols are removed from play, and the cascade of replacement icons allows subsequent wins to be formed.

Push Gaming lights the fuse for explosive multiplier play in Mad Blast

Relax Gaming has revealed Glyph of Gods, an Egyptian-themed slot where hieroglyphs hold the key to wins. Bringing a fresh take on the much-loved Egyptian theme, this game features Glyph Positions which allow for Wild, Bonus, and Glyph symbols to land in dedicated spots, opening up multiple opportunities for big winning moments.

Relax Gaming transports players to an alternative Egypt in Glyph of Gods

Blueprint Gaming returns in style with Big Catch Even Bigger Bass, offering a plethora of modifiers to maximise players’ winning potential. After years of success with its iconic Fishin’ Frenzy™ series, Blueprint has moved from the ocean to a picturesque lake where a bait box of aquatic symbols take their place on the 6×4, 4,096 win matrix, nestled in a mountainous landscape.

Bigger Bass, Bigger Wins: Blueprint's latest catch

Amusnet announces the exclusive launch of 20 Wild Goals at Betano in Romania from February 20th to March 24th, 2025. 20 Wild Goals is a 5-reel video slot set in a stadium environment, offering 20 paylines. The Wild symbol, represented by a ball, expands to cover the entire reel, boosting the potential for higher wins. The tumbling reel feature adds a layer of excitement by removing winning combinations and increasing multipliers with each subsequent spin.

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Amusnet Deepens Collaboration with Betano for Exclusive Launch of 20 Wild Goals

 

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IGT Achieves Improved ESG Score from FTSE Russell

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International Game Technology PLC announced that it has achieved an environmental, social and governance (ESG) Score of 4.3 out of 5.0 from FTSE Russell, positioning IGT in the 97th percentile within the Travel and Leisure sector of FTSE Russell’s ESG Scores. This was an improvement from IGT’s previous ESG Score of 4.2 out of 5.0 in 2023, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to enhancing ESG performance.

“As a company committed to continually elevating our sustainability practices and leadership, IGT is proud to once again achieve an improved ESG score from FTSE Russell. Through our global Sustainable Play program, we execute sustainable practices and policies throughout our company and this improved score validates our ongoing efforts,” Wendy Montgomery, SVP of Marketing, Communications and Sustainability at IGT, said.

FTSE Russell’s ESG Scores and data model allows investors to understand a company’s exposure to, and management of, ESG issues in multiple dimensions. The ESG Scores are comprises an overall rating that breaks down into underlying pillar and theme exposures. Scores built on over 300 individual indicator assessments are applied to each company’s unique circumstances. The ESG Scores align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all of which are reflected in FTSE Russell’s ESG framework.

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Playtech’s Bingo Technology Powers Buzz Bingo’s Launch of Innovative Omni-channel Experience

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Playtech announced the launch of Buzz Bingo’s groundbreaking omni-channel bingo game, Big Money Live.

Big Money Live sets a new standard in the bingo proposition by seamlessly combining online and land-based players across all Buzz Bingo clubs into a shared and exciting experience, powered by a low latency video stream with an engaging live presenter.

Officially launched at the end of 2024, Big Money Live debuted with a record-breaking £100,000 prize pool, the largest omni-channel bingo prize in the UK. Players nationwide participated in the exciting new chapter of bingo history, enjoying the game from both the vibrant atmosphere of bingo halls and the comfort of their own homes, showcasing the flexibility of this bingo offering.

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Big Money Live is broadcasted from Buzz Bingo’s state-of-the-art studio in Derby and streamed live twice daily, seven days a week. Playtech, in collaboration with its ECM Systems platform, has worked closely with Buzz Bingo to develop a cutting-edge offering that caters to both digital and retail bingo enthusiasts. The seamless delivery of bingo games alongside live video enables entertaining and engaging features to be created around the core games, creating opportunities to attract new and younger audiences to play bingo together online and in-venue.

Marat Koss, VP of Interactive Gaming at Playtech, said: “We are incredibly proud to partner with Buzz Bingo on this project. Big Money Live represents a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in the gaming industry. This collaboration showcases our ability to deliver top-tier technology solutions, such as the ECM handheld machines, that enhance player experiences across multiple channels, including online and retail. We’ve already received great feedback from the industry over this offering and functionality.”

Dave Evans, Chief Product Officer at Buzz Bingo, said: “The launch of Big Money Live marks an exciting new phase for bingo in the UK. Our partnership with Playtech has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life, and we are confident that this game will attract more players and offer bigger prizes than ever before.”

Richard Kearns, Head of Bingo at Buzz Bingo, said: “This new concept is a testament to the hard work and collaboration between our teams and Playtech. We are dedicated to providing innovative and engaging bingo experiences, and Big Money Live is a perfect example of this commitment.”

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