What to expect from Veloce and Motorsport Games' new Esports series
After two rounds of entertaining racing in Veloce Esports' #NotTheGP series, its new Pro Series in association with Motorsport Games will raise the level of simulation for its drivers

The #NotTheGP takes place on the officially-licensed F1 2019 game, while its new series - in partnership with Motorsport Games - will use simulation-focused platform iRacing and will take place on weekends in between #NotTheGP rounds.
F1 drivers Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi lead the line-up and represent a contrast in experience of the real racers participating in the event.
Norris is an experienced sim racer and regularly participates in events on sim titles iRacing and rFactor 2, whereas Latifi only discovered sim racing when his F1 debut was delayed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Latifi made a successful Esports debut with fifth place in Veloce's #NotTheBahGP, but that was on F1 2019 - a far more accessible game than iRacing.
iRacing is a steep learning curve even for professional racing drivers so expect a more significant pace differential between those drivers new to the scene compared to the sim racing veterans.
Formula E championship leader Antonio Felix da Costa was the final name in the race to be revealed.
He's been racing in Team Redline's Real Racers Never Quit series on iRacing.
The Portuguese has been somewhat accident-prone, though not always of his own making, so Veloce's Pro Series will provide him with a clean slate.

Mercedes FE team-mates Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne are another example of varying sim-racing experience levels.
Ex-McLaren F1 driver Vandoorne is a veteran of the virtual world and should be among the favourites for the win.
Reigning Formula 2 champion de Vries, on the other hand, is something of a novice in this world.
He will be joined by Haas F1 reserve drivers Pietro Fittipaldi and Louis Deletraz as well as Mercedes sim driver Esteban Gutierrez.
Other professional drivers taking part include reigning Super Formula champion Nick Cassidy, another handy sim racer, and Toyota World Endurance Championship driver Jose Maria Lopez.
Juan Manuel Correa is continuing his racing comeback following his horrific crash at the 2019 F2 round at Spa last year.
He will be joined by fellow F2 racers Luca Ghiotto, Arjun Maini, Ryan Tveter, Giuliano Alesi and Sean Gelael, as well as FIA F3 newcomer David Schumacher.
- 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
- Karam sees off Rosenqvist to win IndyCar iRacing opener
- MotoGP promoting Esports with "responsibility" of keeping people at home
The sim racers will be led by Cem Bolukbasi, winner of the reverse-grid #NotTheBahGP race, and World's Fastest Gamer season two winner James Baldwin.
The duo should provide the benchmark for the real racers, but they will face genuine competition from the likes of Norris and Vandoorne.
There's also plenty of junior drivers that, with the postponement of their categories' seasons, will have to use races like these as their opportunity to impress potential future employees.
Popular content creators Jimmy Broadbent, Ben 'Tiametmarduk' Daly and Steve 'SuperGT' Brown may provide the entertainment but they're as serious racers as anybody else on the grid.
A mix of sim racers and both experienced and novice real-life racing drivers should provide a mouth-watering contest.
The first race of the Veloce Pro series will start at 6pm GMT and will be live on Autosport.com.

Karam sees off Rosenqvist to win IndyCar iRacing opener at Watkins Glen
Alex Marquez wins chaotic #StayAtHomeGP MotoGP Esports race

Latest news
Las Vegas approves plan to shut Strip for F1 race until 2032
Officials in Las Vegas have approved a plan to shut the Strip for the Formula 1 grand prix for the next 10 years as they eye a “lifetime in partnership.”
Porsche boss “as surprised as anyone” over Gulf-Williams F1 social media frenzy
Porsche’s head of motorsport Thomas Laudenbach found it “funny” that streamlining its Instagram channels caused a Formula 1 social media speculation frenzy last month.
Why Albon won't be "throwing around laptops" to gain a 2023 F1 edge
OPINION: At the Williams 2023 Formula 1 season launch, Alex Albon’s easy-going nature was again a point of focus. But does being “too nice” really matter in modern F1? Albon’s own expressions put that in an intriguing new light
Why Alfa Romeo has kept its blade roll hoop on 2023 F1 car
The Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team has retained its unique blade roll hoop for the C43 but designed it to withstand load tests that the FIA will introduce in 2024.
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.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.