IndyCar drivers beat F1 drivers in virtual F1 replacement race

IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist top finishing real world driver

Red Bull Formula One driver Max Verstappen finished only 11th in an ‘All-star Esports battle’ to fill the gap left by the coronavirus-caused cancellation of Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Swedish IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist was the highest-ranked real world driver in seventh place. American Colton Herta, another IndyCar driver, was 10th.

The 12 lap race around a virtual version of the Nurburgring, a German track no longer on the F1 calendar, was won by Slovenian Jernej Simoncic and dominated by leading professional gamers.

Organizers The Race and parent company Torque Esports had assembled a field of real world drivers along with top simulator racers with a total prize pot of $10,000 and $4,000 for the winner.

McLaren Shadow’s Kevin Siggy was second with Rudy Van Buren, winner of the inaugural 2017 World’s Fastest Gamer competition and the prize of a simulator role with McLaren, finishing in third place.