Alonso wins at Indy, Formula E hit with imposter scandal – FOS Future Lab
Fernando Alonso managed to achieve in the virtual world what he couldn’t in the real one: a victory at Indianapolis. Racing in only his second ever esports event (his first esports event did not go to plan), Alonso won both rounds of the Legends Trophy at the Brickyard, to become the first driver to achieve this feat.
After a photo-finish with former McLaren team-mate Jenson Button, Alonso started the second race from the very back of the field. His oval experience soon had him carving through the field to join the front pack, despite a combined 13 Indy 500 wins among the field of drivers – which included Mario Andretti on his own esports debut.
Despite never racing on oval circuits before, Button backed up his race one 2nd place with a 4th in the reverse grid race, sending him into the final next weekend with a big points lead over Emanuele Pirro.
The big talking point over this weekend came with Saturday’s Formula E race. Audi Sport racer Daniel Abt hadn’t had the best form in the four previous races, but showed a surprising turn of speed at the Berlin Tempelhof circuit, qualifying in second and taking the lead on the first lap. In fact it was so surprising that his fellow racers Stoffel Vandoorne and Jean-Eric Vergne suggested it wasn’t actually Abt driving at all.
In this case, the racers’ instincts proved correct. Upon checking data from the computers involved, the organiser discovered that Abt had given his drive to sim-racer Lorenz Hoerzing. The duo went to some lengths to disguise the fact that Hoerzing, who races in the Formula E series for sim drivers, was in Abt’s car, obscuring the driver’s face on the video feed and mysteriously disconnecting when it came time for the post-race podium interviews.
With the deception discovered, both drivers were disqualified and banned from their separate series, with Formula E also requiring Abt to make a “compulsory donation” to charity of €10,000. Abt has since apologised for his actions.
Elsewhere, Formula 1 held a Virtual Grand Prix at Monaco, and for the second race in a row Williams driver George Russell took the win. Russell lead the race throughout, streaking away from the incidents behind him to finish almost 40 seconds ahead of the next-best driver, Esteban Gutierrez. Home favourite Charles Leclerc could only manage third.
The Monegasque Leclerc also tried his hand at GT car racing in an exhibition event from the Monaco Esports Federation. Although using an unfamiliar platform, with Leclerc commenting that he only downloaded the game – Gran Turismo Sport – 45 minutes before the race, he managed a creditable performance. David Perel, a sim-racer turned pro GT driver for the Rinaldi Racing team, won, with Leclerc a very close second.
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FOS Future Lab
esports
Fernando Alonso
Jenson Button
Emanuele Pirro
Formula e
Formula 1
George Russell
Charles Leclerc
Daniel Abt
Jean-Eric Vergne
Stoffel Vandoorne
Gaming
Formula 1
George Russell scores an unlikely Williams win – FOS Future Lab
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Formula 1
Vandoorne seals digital Formula E title, as Russell wins another virtual Grand Prix – FOS Future Lab
