Virtual GP: FDA Esports Team at Silverstone with Ilott and Shwartzman

One week on from the first Virtual GP in this three round 2021 mini-championship, it’s time for nine Formula 1 teams to tackle the second round, this coming Sunday at Silverstone, the historic location for the British Grand Prix. Apart from its official sim racers, the FDA Esports Team line up will be the FDA’s Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman. The Virtual Grand Prix idea is aimed at providing some entertainment for fans during the winter months when there are no races, but more importantly to support various charities. A prize fund of 100,000 dollars will be split between the teams according to where they finish in the teams’ classification with Ferrari nominating Save the Children as its charity.

The races. As in round 1, the regular FDA Esports Team sim racers, 2019 world champion David Tonizza and two time champion Brendon Leigh, will tackle a one-lap qualifying before taking part in a five lap Sprint Race, the result of which decides the grid for the Feature Race. Tonizza is partnered with Shwartzman, while Leigh will race to determine Ilott’s grid position. The Feature Race runs over 50% of the real race distance, which is 26 laps of Silverstone and features professional race drivers. Robert and Callum have already tried their hand at the Virtual Grand Prix races last year, the former in Bahrain and the latter finished twelfth in China and eighth in Canada.

Programme. The scene is therefore set for this coming Sunday afternoon, live on the FDA’s Facebook page, as well as on Formula 1’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitch channels. The action starts at 19 CET and lasts around 90 minutes. The Sprint Race is at 19.10 with the Feature Race at 19.30.