Formula One has become the latest racing series to jump on the ‘sim-racing bandwagon’ with the unveiling of a virtual Grand Prix series.
The series will see the current grid of F1 drivers line up alongside a host of stars that are to be announced in due course.
Races will be held in place of every postponed Grand Prix, starting this weekend with the Bahrain GP. Every subsequent race weekend will then see the postponed real-world Grand Prix replaced by a virtual race.
The series will use the official F1 2019 PC video game, developed by Codemasters, and the first virtual GP on the Sakhir track will be a 50% length race with 28 laps.
The series is strictly for entertainment purposes only. No championship points will be on offer and, due to the wide variety of gaming skill level, the game settings will be configured in a manner that encourages competitive, close racing.
This includes running equal-car performance with one fixed setup, reduced damage and optional driver assists such as ABS and traction control.
Frank Sagnier, Chief Executive Officer, Codemasters said,
“We’re excited to be a part of the new F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix Series. With sporting events currently on hold around the world, it’s great that the official F1 video game can help fill the void by bringing together an exciting line-up of talent to race online during the postponed race weekends. It’s going to be competitive, action-packed, and a lot of fun for everyone involved.”
The first virtual GP from Bahrain will be broadcasted live on Sunday, March 22 on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels, as well as F1.com.