As it happened: F1 Chinese Virtual Grand Prix
Formula 1’s official Esports Virtual Grand Prix series continues today with the Chinese Grand Prix.
The F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series will run as replacements to the postponed rounds of the 2020 season – which has been severely affected by the ongoing global coronavirus crisis – with all teams and drivers invited to take part in each race.
Formula 1’s official Esports Virtual Grand Prix series continues today with the Chinese Grand Prix.
The F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series will run as replacements to the postponed rounds of the 2020 season – which has been severely affected by the ongoing global coronavirus crisis – with all teams and drivers invited to take part in each race.
Renault test and reserve driver Guanyu Zhou claimed honours by taking victory in the first race in Bahrain, before Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc stormed to a dominant win on his F1 Esports debut last time out in the Vietnam Virtual Grand Prix held at Melbourne’s Albert Park street circuit.
Seven F1 drivers, global sport megastars, junior drivers...
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 19, 2020
It's time for the #VirtualGP!
Following on from the opening two rounds, the third race of the Esports Virtual Grand Prix series takes place tonight with the Chinese Virtual Grand Prix.
China was scheduled to host the fourth round of the 2020 F1 season this weekend but became the first race to be affected by the COVID-19 outbreak earlier this year.
The Virtual Grand Prix takes place tonight at 18:00 BST local time and is being live-streamed. The event will feature a 28-lap half-distance race on Codemasters F1 2019 video game around the Shanghai International Circuit.
Seven current F1 drivers will take part in the race including Carlos Sainz, who is making his Virtual Grand Prix debut with McLaren fielding its full 2020 driver line-up, while Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Lazio forward Ciro Immobile make up some of the invited guests.
Full Chinese Virtual Grand Prix line-up:
Mercedes: Stoffel Vandoorne, Esteban Gutierrez
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Callum Ilott
Red Bull: Alex Albon, Thibaut Courtois
McLaren: Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris
Renault: Guanyu Zhou, Ian Poulter
AlphaTauri: Liam Lawson, Ciro Immobile
Racing Point: Anthony Davidson, Jimmy Broadbent
Alfa Romeo: Antonio Giovinazzi, Juan Manuel Correa
Haas: Pietro Fittipaldi, Louis Deletraz
Williams: George Russell, Nicholas Latifi
