Fredrik 'Bergie' Bergmann is a 7 year Trackmania veteran within Team Dignitas. He is the current Captain of the team and a former world champion. He has more medals than I have can count on my hands and not to mention the title of World Champion on top of it all. In some areas of the world, "cough" North America "cough", don't have much if any competition for racing type games.

I tried to think a little outside the box when asking Bergie these questions to really gain some insight into what it is all like and where he stands. If you aren't a firm believer in the potential of racing games go check out some of his videos on Team Dignitas' Youtube channel. The stunts and skills may seem robotic but if you have ever played Trackmania or another popular racing game you know how calculated every turn is and the sort of consistency you need to get a good time.

Bergie started playing Trackmania in 2006 during the easter holiday and fell in love with it. He has since become a big name in Trackmania and with a second to none team behind him.

What does practice look like for Trackmania?

Bergie: Practice for Trackmania is quite different from any other game. For starters, we usually have three completely new tracks for each match, which means we first have to learn where to drive and then how to be consistent. Many tend to play in "Time Attack" to learn the fastest route, before they then set out on a mission to become consistent round after round.

Do you have any pregame rituals?

Bergie: When I am at home I drink a glass of Pepsi Max before each game. People in the scene know me for my passion towards that drink, and some are quite surprised I am not sponsored by them yet! As for events and in general I just like to stay focused even before the games, and work on how I need to focus on myself and channeling all energy towards the circuit and not on my opponents.

Tons of gamers are unaware of Racing games still being in some competitive circuit. How would you describe the competition in Trackmania

Bergie: The competition in Trackmania is fierce and there are always close battles between the players. One small mistake and you drop easily from first to last position, and that is what makes this game so great to watch.

While there are a lot of racing games out there what makes Trackmania the great game that it is in your opinion?

Bergie: Trackmania is nothing like any other racing game. All the refined techniques you have got in the game is what makes it so special in my eyes. The many ways of drifting, "wallbanging" and no collision between the cars is truly spectacular. Also you cannot forget the high pace and wild jumps!

Having played a good amount of Trackmania myself what would you consider good computer equipment to have? For example, are Racing Wheels a given?

Bergie: You would think a Racing Wheel is perfectly fitted for a racing game, but in this case it is not. The wheel reacts too slowly in Trackmania and does not give you what you need, precision. In Trackmania there are often times where you need to shift from right to left or vice versa very quickly, and a Racing Wheel cannot do that. So, most players use a gamepad (i.e XBOX 360 or PS4 controller) and also the classic Keyboard is used as well.

What do you consider to be the big game Competitors to Trackmania?

Bergie: I honestly do not consider any other racing games as competitors to Trackmania in the eSports circuit. The game is so unique and a great for spectators, and no other racing game keeps you on the edge throughout a whole race.

You hold a lot of big time wins and a great professional record. How does all that experience help you effectively captain the team?

Bergie: I am very proud of my achievements in eSports, and they have definitely helped me grow as a captain. To be quite honest with you though, captaining this team has been pretty easy. Yeah we had a rough couple of years at the beginning when a few core players left the team for new challenges, however we kept working hard and the last few years have shown we are by far the most dominant Trackmania team there is, was and ever will be. 4/5 World Championship titles prove that :)

Trackmania has never had great popularity in North America, do you have any theories to why that is?

Bergie: You know, it is quite strange how a racing game never really got popular in North America considering how Nascar and such are so popular there. I guess it is because the game was not well marketed in that area, compared to European countries.

Big companies are rolling out big new titles of FPS and MOBA games but not in racing. Do you think racing games are underappreciated in the competitive gaming world?

Bergie: I definitely think so. Many people do not consider racing games as "serious" eSports titles, and that is something I do not understand at all. To become a great player in especially Trackmania, you need fast reactions just like in any other game. There are also tactical aspects, should you safe in a round or go for the risky lines? Racing games are underappreciated and hopefully this will change in the near future.

According to Castelnerac in July of 2014 " Trackmania 2 is still being done and that’s why time is our best enemy and our best ally." Do you think TM2 is a viable replacement for Trackmania Nations Forever?

Bergie: I think TM2 Stadium is a viable replacement for Trackmania Nations Forever, however as Castelnerac said: Time is decisive. For Trackmania to become big in eSports we need to have a close to finalized product pretty quickly, and thus it is important that during the year of 2015 the game fixes its problems as fast as possible.

Does playing racing games affect your real life driving?

Bergie: I wish I could answer that question, but I do not have a drivers license! I bet it would affect me in both ways though, negative in terms of driving too fast and positive in terms of staying calm whenever something unexpected happens.

Any Last comments or shoutouts?

Bergie: Shoutouts to my teammates whom have been great to captain for many years now. You make it very easy for me and I am proud to be part of the team together with you. Shoutouts to ODEE for supporting us for such a long time. 9 years for this Racing game which many do not even know exist, is pretty damn awesome! Also a big shoutout to all our sponsors: Corsair Gaming, Alienware, Scan Computers, Iiyama, Twitch, Intel, WD, DXRacer, Multiplay, 3DS Systems. Without them I would not be where I am today. Lastly a special shoutout to Dennis 'Massa' Lötze who sadly is not part of our team anymore. He was a great teammate and we will miss him!

It was an absolute pleasure to interview this legend who's still very much on the scene. If anythingh esports could use seom variety and I think Trackmania is just the right game to bring in.