Bottas and Ocon to make F1 Virtual GP debuts in Monaco

Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon will make their debuts in Formula 1’s Virtual Grand Prix series this weekend at the Virtual Monaco Grand Prix.

Bottas and Ocon’s confirmed participation takes the number of current F1 drivers contesting the official Esports series up to eight for this weekend’s event, marking the highest number to date. Mercedes driver Bottas recently teased he might take up sim racing after taking delivery of a rig. 

Alongside Bottas and Ocon, Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon, Lando Norris, Antonio Giovinazzi and Williams duo George Russell and Nicolas Latifi all return for the latest round, which takes place around the virtual streets of Monte Carlo.

The 2020 Monaco Grand Prix was due to take place this weekend but became a casualty of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which forced the cancellation of F1’s blue riband race.

Joining the F1 drivers on the grid will be a contingent of celebrity guests, including Arsenal’s Premier League star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who will race alongside Norris at McLaren.

Real Madrid and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois returns for his latest Virtual GP outing with Alfa Romeo, while surfer Kai Lenny and Latin American singer Luis Fonsi will make their debuts for Red Bull and Racing Point respectively.

A half-distance 39-lap race will follow an 18-minute qualifying session, with the live broadcast beginning at 6pm BST time on Sunday May 24.

Full Virtual Monaco Grand Prix line-up:

Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Gutierrez
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Arthur Leclerc
Red Bull: Alex Albon, Kai Lenny
McLaren: Lando Norris, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Renault: Esteban Ocon, Nicolas Prost
AlphaTauri: Antonio Liuzzi, Luca Salvadori
Racing Point: David Schumacher, Luis Fonsi
Alfa Romeo: Antonio Giovinazzi, Thibaut Courtois
Haas: Louis Deletraz, Pietro Fittipaldi
Williams: George Russell, Nicholas Latifi