McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris dominates Veloce Pro Series race
McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris crushed the opposition in the first Veloce Pro Series event in partnership with Motorsport Games
The Pro Series features a multitude of real-life racing drivers racing alongside sim racers and content creators across two races on simulation-focussed title iRacing.
Norris took pole position for the first 25-minute race at Silverstone by well over half a second and controlled the race thereafter.
He was able to immediately build a sizeable race lead while the cars behind frantically jostled for position.
"The guys behind battled a lot, that made my life a lot easier," race winner Norris said after the race.
"It was quite straight forward because I didn't have to fight anybody."
Norris crossed the line 10.935 seconds ahead of his nearest competition, which was 2019 World's Fastest Gamer winner James Baldwin.
IndyCar racer Ed Jones was running in a strong second position but disconnected from the race due to internet issues.
This promoted Baldwin into second place, who had just overtaken 2019 Japanese Formula 3 champion Sacha Fenestraz into the Loop on the previous lap.
Haas F1 reserve driver Louis Deletraz pressured Fenestraz for the final podium place but ultimately had to settle for fourth place ahead of one-time F2 racer Ryan Tveter.
#NotTheBahGP reverse-grid race winner Cem Bolukbasi rounded out the top six ahead of F2 veteran Luca Ghiotto and ex-F1 driver Esteban Gutierrez.
Bathurst 12 Hour class winner Martin Kodric took ninth ahead of former Ford factory driver Harry Tincknell.
With the top 10 reversed for the second 15-minute race, Tincknell and Kodric started the race on the front row.
Mercedes Formula E star Stoffel Vandoorne dropped out of the top 10 after a frustrating battle with the lapped Euroformula Open driver Niclas Krutten, who was attempting to unlap himself but cost Vandoorne significant time.
- More from the world of Esports
- Check out Motorsport Games and all of its exciting Esports products
- Red Bull Esports seizes lead of LMES series
-
WRX to launch Esports series with Motorsport Games
- Alex Marquez wins chaotic MotoGP Esports race
The reverse-grid race was dominated by Kodric who escaped down the road in a similar fashion to Norris in the opening race.
Norris survived opening lap contact on the way into Village with Baldwin and Vandoorne, who were both sent spinning.
Norris managed to climb from P10 to P2, cutting through the field.
He passed his former European Formula 3 team-mate and roommate Fenestraz for second into Stowe corner with just five minutes to go.
Deletraz took another fourth-place finish ahead of Bolukbasi and current Formula E points leader Antonio Felix da Costa, who charged from 22nd on the grid to finish in sixth place.
Veloce's #NotTheGP series will return next weekend in place of the postponed Vietnam Grand Prix.
That race will be available to watch on Autosport.com.
Watch Veloce and Motorsport Games' Pro Series Esports race live now
Supercars Esports series will "surprise" sceptics
Why physical fitness is an understimated challenge for IndyCar rookies
The lack of in-car physical fitness is an “underestimated” hurdle for an IndyCar Series rookie, according to Dale Coyne Racing's Indy Lights graduate Sting Ray Robb.
Bubba Wallace ‘got dumped’ by Austin Dillon in NASCAR Clash
Bubba Wallace says Austin Dillon “dumped” him out of second place in NASCAR’s chaotic Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday night.
Albon warns Williams has "long road ahead" to recover in F1
Alex Albon admits that his Williams Formula 1 team has a “long road ahead” as it tries to progress up the field this year.
Toyota won’t put more pressure on Katsuta at WRC Rally Sweden
Toyota World Rally Championship boss Jari-Matti Latvala says the team won’t "put more pressure" on Takamoto Katsuta to deliver in his first drive for the factory team this weekend.
Analysis: How an unlikely tie-up won sim racing's biggest race
An unlikely partnership between LMP1 privateer Rebellion Racing and Williams Formula 1's successful sim racing team yielded victory in the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. Here's how it triumphed in the biggest sim race ever staged
How poor driving standards ruined IndyCar's golden opportunity
The chaotic end to the virtual Indy 175 might be dismissed as "just a game," but the insulting actions of two IndyCar stars may have serious real-life consequences
Why Leclerc's Virtual GP annihilation deserves great credit
The introduction of Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon, George Russell and Antonio Giovinazzi to Formula 1's Virtual GP last weekend meant it was a step above the franchise's debut two weeks ago. But a dominant performance from Esports newcomer Leclerc stole the show
How the hidden side of being fast has been exposed
'Natural talent' is one of the biggest misnomers going in motorsport, and that is being proven by the way real life racers aren't immediately getting on the pace with the sim racing experts in virtual contests. To change that, they are having to apply the same tools required to be quick in real life
Why F1’s pantomime Virtual GP is fun but unsustainable
F1 Esports' inaugural Virtual Grand Prix last weekend provided brilliant entertainment to those tuning in to watch a mix of F1 drivers and celebrities battle on track, but was a missed opportunity for marketing its own Esports stars. A change of approach is needed if it is to successfully fill the void until the resumption of proper racing
The latest Red Bull exile to return in Esports
Since he was ejected from the programme at the end of 2006, the latest Red Bull junior driver brought back into the fold to race in Formula 1 - in a virtual sense for the inaugural Virtual GP - has had quite the career journey. From ADAC GT Masters and Porsche Supercup to Le Mans and the DTM, here's how a works pro got to relive a long-forgotten dream
Mercedes can be toppled in F1's other title race
Mercedes has not only set new standards in Formula 1, but it's also created a benchmark in Esports. Now its rivals have scrambled to catch up, there's a chance the Brendon Leigh-fronted Mercedes can be stopped
Why World's Fastest Gamer is returning to real-world racing
World's Fastest Gamer is a spiritual successor to the famous GT Academy. After a successful first year, it's returning to the Nissan programme's roots by targeting the real world of racing
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.