Five F1 drivers sign up for Virtual GP finale

Valtteri Bottas is returning to Virtual GP action for the final time along with George Russell, Nicholas Latifi, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly.

We did reach a peak of eight of the current 2020 grid lining up on Sunday evenings but, with the return of the real thing just around the corner, other commitments are starting to take priority for the likes of other regulars such as Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.

The current Formula 1 drivers will be joined by some fresh faces, with Biffy Clyro frontman Simon Neil making his debut for AlphaTauri.

Also involved are Youtubers Jon Olsson, Tiametmarduk and Aarava, while you can also expect to see Guanyu Zhou, David Schumacher, Pietro Fittipaldi, Louis Deletraz and Callum Ilott.

The race will take place on the virtual Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Canada and live streaming will begin at 1800 BST on Sunday.

“The Virtual Grand Prix series has been a resounding success,” Julian Tan, head of digital business initiatives and esports said.

“We are so glad to have been able to provide our fans with racing action as well as engagement with our stars during a time when most live sports had gone dark.

“Whilst the Virtual Grand Prix series may be coming to an end, this is just the start of our plans for this season, as we turn our attention to the F1 Esports Series later in the year.

“We are working on numerous ideas to make this season the best yet as we continue to develop our approach to the esports market and cannot wait for the fans to be a part of the experience.

“The Virtual Grands Prix have given us a chance to reach a whole new audience and we’d love to see anyone who has enjoyed watching the series continue their journey with us when the action returns.”

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