Formula One will run a series of virtual races, with some current drivers taking part, to replace a string of grands prix postponed by the coronavirus outbreak, the sport announced on Friday.
The first, run on the official F1 2019 PC video game, will be held on Sunday, when the Bahrain Grand Prix should have been.
'Every subsequent race weekend will see the postponed real-world Formula One race replaced with a Virtual Grand Prix,' Formula One said.
The Esports Virtual Grand Prix Series will run until May. The season-opening Australian and showcase Monaco grands prix have been cancelled with Bahrain, Vietnam, China, the Netherlands and Spain postponed.
The season is not due to start until the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on June 7, at the earliest.
'The first race of the series will see current F1 drivers line up on the grid alongside a host of stars to be announced in due course,' Formula One said.
'In order to guarantee the participants safety at this time, each driver will join the race remotely, with a host broadcast live from London's Gfinity Esports Arena.'
Formula One bosses took the first step to save the sport from financial meltdown on Wednesday by bringing forward the summer break from August to now.
In a further attempt to relieve the burden on the smaller teams struggling to stay afloat while racing is suspended, a summit took place on Thursday between the sport's major stakeholders.
FIA's World Motor Sport Council has now rescheduled a break which sees a mandatory, consecutive 21-day factory shutdown that must be carried out before April 31. This is a week longer than the usual fortnight hiatus in August.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-8134791/Formula-One-launches-virtual-racing-series-replace-postponed-grands-prix.html
bwahahahahahahaha. Sounds like some dumbfuckery idea Minister Somchai would come up with !!
NASCAR came up with it first.
This must be killing sports broadcasters.
For NASCAR, the Revolution, and others, it’s a virtual game-on | Boston.com
It was a bit of a laugh. A lot of the boys were ramming into each other in qualifying. Johnny Herbert was mental as usual.
Lando called Max...
Formula 1: A Silverstone bonanza and desert double for the 2020 season?
Formula 1 has laid out its ambition to start up the season in early July, by which time it hopes the coronavirus crisis will be sufficiently under control for the sport to go racing, albeit under significant restrictions.
F1 boss Chase Carey hopes to complete a season of at least 16 races in a year that has been laid waste by the coronavirus crisis, but there are complications around what national governments will allow F1 to do, how it might do it, and the restrictions it would have to work under.
So how would this work? BBC Sport has been talking to insiders in an attempt to put a shape to the season F1 hopes will come.
F1 plans to start season in Austria as French GP called off
Plans are inevitably not firm, as the medical situation in countries around the world is changing all the time.
But under the current trajectory, with many European countries looking to be going down the backside of the coronavirus infection curve, F1 has sketched out a plan for a few races in Europe to start the season off in the summer and then a sweep east, a dip into the Americas before rounding off the season in the Middle East in December.
Easy to say; not quite so easy to do.
The plan for Europe - where Monaco has already announced it will not hold a race this year - is relatively straightforward, at least to start with.
Carey has already announced its intention to start the season in Austria on 3-5 July. What has not been announced, but is in the works, is a plan for a second race in Austria on 12 July, followed by two at Silverstone on 19 and 26 July.
These four events would be behind closed doors - so no paying spectators and no corporate guests - and F1 is discussing with the authorities in each country how it might safely move in enough people to stage a race.
Will this require F1 personnel to be tested for coronavirus before they travel and to socially distance from the local population while there? Quite possibly.
After that, the next races could be in Spain, Hungary and France, or a selection thereof, depending on where each country is in its virus recovery phase.
France's nuanced announcement on Monday that its race was off does not preclude the fact that talks are ongoing about holding a race at the Paul Ricard circuit later in the summer - it would just not be the official French Grand Prix.
Then there are question marks over the two most historic races in the calendar, the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix.
Spa is looking shaky. Belgium has extended its ban on mass gatherings to the end of August, which means its race would have to be in September, and that gives a very small weather window to hold it in the Ardennes mountains - and knock-on logistical problems for the rest of the season.
The revived Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, due to be held this year for the first time since 1985 to ride the wave of Max Verstappen-mania, also looks in serious doubt, after that country also extended mass-gathering restrictions until the autumn.
As far as Italy goes, it was the epicentre of coronavirus in Europe and that has left its scars, so F1 is particularly aware of the potential sensitivities of holding an Italian Grand Prix.
On the other hand, there is political pressure to hold the race, from both Ferrari and TV company Sky Italia, sources say. And because of the importance of both F1 and Ferrari in national life in Italy, there is an argument that a grand prix could give the country a much-needed boost.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/52417996
One thing, Hazza can always amuse himself with when he's not playing with his organ - call me old fashioned by wft is this all about - bring back Sterling, Ayrton, Mansel, Stewart, Clark, Fangio et al - too many narcissist poofs in the sport now - actually that goes for sport in general. Too many basement blobs tugging off to them too.
The question is: Will they go all out to get Hammy on board? Or do Mercedes have the will to break the bank to keep him?
Sebastian Vettel to leave Ferrari Formula One team at end of year | Sport | The GuardianSebastian Vettel to leave Ferrari Formula One team at end of year
- Ferrari announce contract will not be renewed at end of 2020
- Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz touted as replacements
Well despite there being no racing yet this season, the musical chairs continue. Ferrari have snapped up Sainz, Ricciardo has gone to McLaren, and Alonso has signed some kind of "letter of intent" with Renault.
So where does that leave Grumpy?
Still plenty of shenanigens to go though:
2020 confirmed, not under contract for 2021
Mercedes
- Lewis Hamilton
- Valtteri Bottas
Ferrari
- Sebastian Vettel (won’t return to Ferrari)
Red Bull Racing
- Alexander Albon
Aston Martin (Racing Point)
- Lance Stroll
AlphaTauri
- Daniil Kvyat
- Pierre Gasly
Alfa Romeo Racing
- Kimi Raikkonen
- Antonio Giovinazzi
Haas
- Kevin Magnussen
- Romain Grosjean
Williams
- Nicholas Latifi
Yep, but there still may be races to win.
Your obsession with calling pansy games “sport” and declaring national events as “World Series”.
You dislike F1 because it is not American enough. They compete on every continent and the only positive for you, is a one fingered Yereman.
He will not compete in F1 next year. He has been found out.
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