Virtual F1 Race: Formula 1 and Nascar Launch Virtual Races Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

A Virtual F1 Race has been announced by Formula 1 and features a bunch of current F1 drivers. This series allows fans to watch races virtually after races were postponed by COVID-19.

Virtual F1 Race

F1 virtual races started Sunday, March 22, with the Virtual Bahrain Grand Prix and will continue in place of every Grand Prix that was postponed. To guarantee the driver's safety, F1 had participants join remotely and hosted them live from Gfinity Esports Arena, starting at 4:00 p.m ET.

Developed by Codemasters, the 2019 F1 PC video game was the game of choice used by the F1 series. The first Grand Prix took place on the virtual Sakhir track and was 28 laps, half the length of a regular race. You can watch the re-broadcast on any of the Formula 1 official channels, including their YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook channels.

The run time was around 1 hour and 30 minutes, and grid positions were determined based on the driver's fastest lap time. Game settings were configured to encourage a fun yet competitive race that tailored to each of the driver's gaming skill sets.

Virtual races are for entertainment purposes only and scheduled to run until May, but that is likely subject to change.