Bahrain Virtual Grand Prix result: Guanyu Zhou wins inaugural F1 eSports race cut short by technical problems
Inaugural Virtual Grand Prix had to be cut in half due to technical issues but provides plenty of drama as F2 prospect makes history with online victory
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Your support makes all the difference.Guangu Zhou made history by winning the first Formula One Virtual Bahrain Grand Prix on a chaotic and technically-challenging night, as live motorsport returned to screens amid the coronavirus crisis.
Teething issues with the event could not mask the fact that F1 was attempting to bring a bit of light relief at a hugely difficult time, with the outbreak of Covid-19 currently sweeping the world and causing nearly all sport to be cancelled due to health concerns.
As a result, F1 have committed to running a Virtual Grand Prix each race weekend, with the first taking place at the Bahrain International Circuit. Unfortunately, the short-notice left many F1 stars unable to compete, leaving only Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi as the only current drivers on the grid. But they were made up with a host of famous names, with former drivers Nico Hulkenberg, Stoffel Vandoorne, Anthony Davidson and Johnny Herbert all competing, while the more well-known names from outside of the sport featured Olympian Sir Chris Hoy and former One Direction star Liam Payne.
However, a lengthy delay that saw Norris unable to take part in qualifying meant that the race was cut to 25 per cent distance, leaving a 14-lap shootout rather than the 28-lap scheduled Grand Prix, and the technical gremlins returned when the current McLaren star was booted out of the race on the formation lap.
A lightning start from Herbert resulted in a 10-second time penalty as he cut the first corner to take the lead, but the veteran could not hold on as Philip Eng and Zhou quickly passed him to battle for the lead. Zhou elected to pit early, and utilised the undercut to take a healthy lead when the stops cycled through, leading by more than nine second and take the chequered flag. Eng lost second place on the penultimate lap to a charging Vandoorne, and although Norris was able to make a late charge when he reconnected to the session, his hopes of salvaging fourth ended in a collision with Jimmy Broadbent at the final corner, leaving him down in fifth.
The series will return in two weeks' time, with F1 set to announce a random venue to replace the postponed Vietnamese Grand Prix.
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'Not The Bah GP'
A strong second lap from Norris puts him up to sixth and into that third-row sport he said he couldn't achieve. Into the final five minutes we go and we're closing in on the last-lap shootout.
if you want to watch Lando's private stream, you can on Twitch right here: https://www.twitch.tv/landonorris
'Not The Bah GP'
Norris is on course for an improvement here, but how much will it be?
'Not The Bah GP'
"F***!" - that says all you need to know for Norris' last corner as he runs wide on the exit, but he's still delighted with sixth place there that's a strong showing from one of the real-world racers.
Norris then battles with Ben Daly the whole way round his cool-down lap, knowing that he is seventh on the grid to prevent him from getting one final lap in. Sportsmanship is very much out of the window.
'Not The Bah GP'
It's a one-two for Alfa Romeo! Berezney gives teammate James Baldwin a tow around his final lap, which does enough to lockout the front row.
'Not The Bah GP'
The two Alfa Romeos are away strongly but behind there's drama as Norris and Gutierrez collide and the McLaren star goes off!
'Not The Bah GP'
PietsMiet in the Renault is causing havoc out there as he crashes into a number of drivers on the opening lap, including Norris who is off for the second time on the opening lap.
'Not The Bah GP'
1. Berezney (Alfa Romeo)
2. Opmeer (Renault)
3. Baldwin (Alfa Romeo)
4. James Doherty
5. Bolukbasi (Alpha Tauri)
6. Latifi (Williams)
7. Vandoorne (Mercedes)
8. Deletraz (Red Bull)
9. Broadbent (Ferrari)
10. Gutierrez (Mercedes)
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