A record number of Formula 1 drivers have been confirmed for this weekend’s Virtual Monaco Grand Prix.
Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas will be racing for the first time, along with six other drivers who have raced in previous Virtual Grands Prix; Alex Albon, Antonio Giovinazzi, George Russell, Nicholas Latifi, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc.
The professional real-world F1 drivers will also be joined by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, from Premier League football club Arsenal, and Belgian international goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who will be driving for Alfa Romeo following his 11th place finish in the Virtual Spanish GP.
Alex Albon, who won at the Interlagos Circuit, will be partnered with big-wave surfer Kai Lenny, driving for Red Bull Racing, while Latin American singer Luis Fonsi will debut for Racing Point.
The Virtual Monaco Grand Prix will be taking place on the same weekend that was originally scheduled for the real-world Monaco Grand Prix, and will take place at the virtual version of the Circuit de Monaco, with drivers racing remotely.
A host broadcast will be live from the Gfinity Esports Arena from 18:00 BST on Sunday 24 May. It will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, in addition to Weibo and Huya channels in China. It will also be broadcast live through partners in over 100 countries, including on Sky Sports in the UK, ESPN in the US, and FOX Sports Asia across Southeast Asia.
Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports at Formula 1, Julian Tan, said:
“The Virtual Grand Prix series has proven to be a fantastic live spectacle with over 20m viewers to date, providing fans with some racing entertainment during these challenging times.
“We are delighted to announce our strongest line-up of current F1 drivers alongside a star-studded list of global talent from the worlds of sport and entertainment, as we all stand together to put on great racing entertainment around the historic streets of Monaco, virtually.”
The F1 Esports Pro Exhibition race will precede the Virtual Grand Prix, and will begin at 17:00 BST on the official Formula 1YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, along with selected TV broadcasters. While the Formula 2 Virtual Racing event, featuring F2 and F3 drivers will also be live on the official Formula 1 YouTube and Twitch channels from 16:00 BST.
AYO.NEWS says:
From Formula 1 and NASCAR to World of Outlaws dirt racing and WRC, sim racing has seen a tremendous profile boost during the COVID-19 lockdowns, with broadcasters finding it surprisingly easy to entice traditional motorsports fans to the virtual world.
With much lower production costs and the ability to provide viewers with a faster, more engaging experience (lack of real-world delays etc), it seems sim racing may well have found a long-term place in the mainstream, even after the COVID-19 crisis passes.
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