NextEV TCR drivers Nelson Piquet Jr and Oliver Turvey have said they’re looking forward to the challenge of racing in the first virtual Formula E race in Las Vegas this weekend.
The eRace will see the current crop of twenty Formula E drivers joined by ten expert gamers to compete for a share of a $1million prize pot.
The weekend will take the format of a regular ePrix, with two practice sessions, qualifying and a super pole before the race gets underway.
Season one Formula E Champion Piquet Jr said that he thought the idea of a virtual race was ‘brilliant’.
“This is an amazing idea and a fantastic new concept and I’m so excited,” he said.
“I think it’s brilliant what Formula E is doing combining the worlds of real and virtual racers and bringing such a big prize money to eSports.
“I love America, I think it’s the perfect place for the eRace and I think this is going to be really fun with all the drivers together.
“I’ve been doing a little bit of sim training but these professional sim racers are going to be tough competitors!”
His teammate Turvey said that he too was looking forward to the race, and hoped that his time in simulators would come in useful.
“I’m really excited to be going to Las Vegas for the eRace,” he said. “It’s the first one like this in the world and it’s going to be really competitive between all the drivers.
“It will be my first time in Las Vegas and I think it’s going to be a fun event.
“I’m always confident and I feel I have a lot of experience doing simulator work so hopefully I can get to grips with it well and be competitive there.”
