Virtual racing
Emailed on March 27th 2020 in The Friday Forward
Would you pay to see your favorite athletes play their games virtually? Not quite the same effect, but it's happening.
F1 drivers competed in the first ever Virtual Grand Prix yesterday set in Bahrain. Drivers played a half-length circuit on the official F1 2019 PC video game, and Formula One broadcast it through official streaming channels and its website. The league will continue with virtual competitions every race weekend through May.
The race peaked at 350,000+ viewers across Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook streams (not including some Sky Sports viewers).
It's not just F1, Nascar is in on the virtual action as well:
This week, Fox Sports aired its eNascar virtual alternative to the Homestead-Miami Speedway Cup Series race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt and Kyle Busch were among the 35 racers who completed 100 1.5 mile laps, strapped into a fairly elaborate gaming rig pictured below.
