McLaren F1 driver Norris set to join COTA IndyCar Esports round

IndyCar is one of many championships that has taken to sim racing to fill the void as the world deals with the COVID-19 virus.

The American open wheel championship has already hosted virtual rounds at Watkins Glen, Barber, Michigan and Motegi using the iRacing platform.

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The fifth round of IndyCar's iRacing Challenge will take place this Saturday on the Circuit of the Americas.

McLaren's Lando Norris has been invited by the series to join the grid and rub elbows with IndyCar's regular pack of drivers.

Norris, an avid sim racer and popular Twitch streamer, is set to line up with an Arrow McLaren SP livery alongside his US-based teammates Patricio O'Ward and Oliver Askew.

Austin's Circuit of the Americas is the only track that features on both the Formula 1 and IndyCar calendars, so Norris already knows the track well.

The call to get Norris on the grid started on Twitter via O'Ward.

Yooo!! @ArrowMcLarenSP , do you think we can find a ride for @LandoNorris this week at @COTA? #iRaceforAMSP #INDYCARChallenge pic.twitter.com/Sd0MuetJ65

— Pato O'Ward (@PatricioOWard) April 21, 2020

IndyCar responded swiftly by extending an invitation to the 20-year-old Briton.

The COTA race is scheduled this Saturday at 7:30 BST.

The last round of the six-race virtual championship will be held on Saturday May 2 on a "non-IndyCar dream track" that has yet to be announced.

For more on the exciting world of Esports, check out Motorsport Games.