Correa to make F1 Virtual GP debut for Alfa Romeo

Juan Manuel Correa will make his Formula 1 Esports debut for Alfa Romeo in this weekend’s Chinese Virtual Grand Prix.

The Ecuadorean-American driver, who is continuing to recover from the severe leg injuries he sustained in a crash that claimed the life of Anthoine Hubert during a Formula 2 race at Spa-Francorchamps last August, will contest the third instalment of F1’s Virtual Grand Prix series.

The Esports series is run as a virtual replacement for the delayed 2020 F1 season, after the opening nine races were postponed or cancelled as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Races take place on the same date of the actual grands prix before they were postponed, with the Chinese Virtual Grand Prix taking place this Sunday. Correa joins Antonio Giovinazzi in completing Alfa Romeo’s line-up for the event, having tested for the Swiss squad in 2019.

While he has not participated in F1’s Virtual Grand Prix series before, Correa has plenty of experience in virtual racing, including making several appearances in the variety of Esports events that have taken place in recent weeks. 

“So excited to be back in the cockpit for Alfa Romeo this Sunday for the F1 Chinese Virtual Grand Prix,” Correa said in a post on Twitter.

Six regular F1 drivers who took part in the last Virtual Grand Prix will return to action for this weekend’s race, including debut winner Charles Leclerc for Ferrari. Carlos Sainz has also confirmed he will contest the race to make his debut in the series. 

Alongside Leclerc and Giovinazzi, Alex Albon, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Williams pair George Russell and Nicholas Latifi will be participating once more, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois being called up to complete Red Bull’s line-up next to Albon.