Brazil’s Enzo Fittipaldi, grandson of Emerson, a Formula One doubles world champion, won the first major grand prix of the year for Haas on Sunday after a scramble with Arthur Leclerc, younger brother of Ferrari driver Charles.
The 19-year-old won the 36-lap race around a video version of the Austrian Red Bull Ring after the starting grid was set in a sprint race featuring professional gamers from the F1 esports series.
That five-lap opener was won by Ferrari 2019 Ferrari champion David Tonizza, ensuring that New Zealand F2 driver Marcus Armstrong – a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy – started the feature pole race.
Leclerc started in third place with the efforts of double esports champion Brendon Leigh in his first race for Ferrari after leaving Mercedes.
Leclerc went past with Fittipaldi on lap 28 and fell to third place at the end, behind Mercedes Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne when penalties were imposed.
Real Madrid and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, representing Alfa Romeo, established the fastest lap of the race.
The prestigious Grand Prix series consists of three races on consecutive weekends, with the other two on Silverstone and Interlagos virtual tours.
Formula One hosted a prix grands platform with gamers, celebrities and some of the teams’ real drivers last year to provide entertainment as the season progressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 30 million people watched the eight races held, according to Formula One, with George Russell of Williams appearing as the winner.
Russell had to withdraw from Sunday’s race but team-mate Nicholas Latifi took part. Previous competitors were Vandoorne, Anthony Davidson, Alexander Albon, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Pietro, Fittipaldi ‘s older brother.
This year’s races have a charity prize fund with winning teams going to the reasons for their choice.
The real Formula One season kicks off in Bahrain on March 28th.