Lando Norris and Max Verstappen headline esports events that replace the Australian Grand Prix

eSports

Norris and Verstappen headline esports events that replace the Australian Grand Prix

As the real world suffers, the virtual world offers alternative entertainment

Sam Hall

Monday 16 March 2020 15:27 Updated: 10:22

Make us your Google favorite

While the majority of global motorsport events have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the world of esports stepped forward to fill the void, with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris both taking part in separate events.

Verstappen competed in an event organised by 'The Race' on rFactor 2, a simulator widely regarded as the most accurate publicly available. With BBC Formula 1 radio commentary team Jack Nicholls and Jolyon Palmer, the former Renault driver, lending their talents, the event felt close to a real world race meeting.

Divided into three heats ahead of a longer final at the Nurburgring Grand Prix track, the professional drivers, including Juan Pablo Montoya, Antonio Felix da Costa and Simon Pagenaud, alongside Verstappen, showed that they are more adept to real world racing than competing in a virtual world - the number of crashes in eight laps possibly exceeding that of an entire Formula 1 season.

Article continues under video

Jernej Simoncic, Formula Sim Racing world championship winner in 2019, took the overall win after progressing from the heat for professional sim racing drivers.

Lando Norris was the headline driver in the Veloce esports 'Not the AusGP' event. The event was a half-length Grand Prix with drivers that included Stoffel Vandoorne, Esteban Gutierrez and Norris alongside professional sim drivers and even the Real Madrid goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois.

The race was won by Alfa Romeo Formula 1 esports driver Daniel Bereznay, while Norris finished sixth.

Known for showcasing his sim racing exploits on social media, the highlights reel of the McLaren driver's race made for entertaining viewing, including a mistake at the start of the formation lap.

View this post on Instagram

SOUND ON! THIS IS BRILLIANT !! When @landonorris gets confused during the formation lap of #NotTheAusGP ! You guys made my day @_aarava & @benjamin_daly @veloce_esports #F1Esports #Esports #VeloceEsports #VideoOfTheDay #Racing #LOL

A post shared by JEV (@jeanericvergne) on Mar 16, 2020 at 5:13am PDT

Benjamin Daly, a Veloce esports driver, went wheel to wheel with Norris, briefly fending off the McLaren driver.

I was happy to fight an F1 Driver on track@LandoNorris didn't share that enthusiasm..#F1 #NotTheAusGP @VeloceEsports @F1 pic.twitter.com/ClSNHjY3Qk
— Benjamin (@Tiametmarduk) March 16, 2020

Norris proved that, even though he is capable of incredible feats behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, racing in the virtual world is an entirely different ball game.

View this post on Instagram

#NotTheAusGP providing new ways for @landonorris to interact with his community... Even if it affects his concentration ?

A post shared by Veloce Esports (@veloce_esports) on Mar 16, 2020 at 6:20am PDT

Finishing sixth, Norris was unsure over whether he should be pleased or not, eventually deciding to celebrate the occasion.

How. Was. That. ?

P6 in the race and he also hit the top spot as the #1 most viewed stream on @Twitch ?

?? #L4NDO #NotTheAusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/3wksuBsv1Z
— #L4NDO (@TeamL4NDO) March 15, 2020