- Casino
- By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- By State
- Slots
- Poker
- Sports
- Esports
With Azerbaijan Postponed, F1 Shifts Focus on Esports

With the world of motorsports taking several major blows already, F1 has decided to fight back by hosting the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix to provide fans with a new form of entertainment.
F1 Shifts Focus on Esports Races After Azerbaijan Grand Prix Gets Postponed
With COVID-19 taking a toll on the global sports market, an increasing number of sports organizations have turned to video games as a viable alternative. Spain’s La Liga has already broadcast some matches played in FIFA 20, the esports game that has been enjoying solid popularity even without a global pandemic forcing us to panic-buy all essential goods.
Recently, Sevilla defender Sergio Reguilon and Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias hosted a virtual match that was watched by 62,000 on the Twitch channel. This has prompted Ibai Llanos, a Spanish esports commentator to host a charity stream collecting participants from every football club in La Liga, posting a final list of 18-odd participants.
Yet, this is only one of the examples how video games are filling the void. F1 has taken things a little more seriously in hosting a full-blown virtual competition which will replace popular races from the official circuit.
With the Azerbaijan Grand Prix postponed, the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix, which launched on March 22, is now underway. The first of the events was Virtual Bahrain Grand Prix, a homage to the actual motorsports event.
Some teams, including McLaren haven proven more prepared than others who have taken video games less seriously. The F1 Esports Grand Prix is now run on the official F1 2019 PC video game.
F1 Drivers Join the Digital Race Amid COVID-19 Outbreak
While you might have thought that drivers would not be up for it, many have actually tried to qualify against players. In the meantime, the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix will run through May, but the possibility exists to extend the virtual races if actual racing hasn’t returned to normal due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Commenting on these developments, F1 head of esports, Julian Tan, had the following to say:
“We are very pleased to be able to bring some light relief in the form of the F1 Esports Virtual GP, in these unpredictable times, as we hope to entertain fans missing the regular sporting action.”
Baku City Circuit officials have agreed to postpone the event after negotiating with F1 executives and specifically the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile and the Government of the Azerbaijan Republic.
In their official statement, The Baku City Circuit reiterated the evident reason behind the decision, citing the spread of the COVID-19 illness as the reason why the event had been cancelled. More races have been cancelled elsewhere, of course, with Monaca, Vietnam, China, Dutch, Spain and other countries failing to host a race on time.
The next event on the Circuit is the Canadian Grand Prix, but there is no guarantee that the event will go through on June 14.
F1 Esports has done pretty well, attracting a good deal of interest, players, and drivers. While esports won’t become the new norm, it would certainly gain some popularity and help fans get access to more motorsports action.
Related Topics:
Stoyan holds over 9 years of esports and gambling writing experience under his belt and is specifically knowledgeable about developments within the online scene. He is a great asset to the Gambling News team with his niche expertise and continual focus on providing our readers with articles that have a unique spin which differentiates us from the rest.
Must Read
Esports
February 13, 2025
Overwatch 2 to Reintroduce Loot Boxes Due to Popular Demand
Esports
February 10, 2025
League of Legends Developer Sued in Belgium over Loot Boxes
Esports
January 20, 2025
Riot Games to Allow LoL and VALORANT Sportsbook Sponsorships
More Articles
Sports
February 11, 2025
Allwyn Joins Formula 1 as Official Partner, Vows to Empower Fans
Industry
December 11, 2024
LVCVA CEO: F1 Race Didn’t Reach 2023 Attendance, Still a Win
Casino
November 15, 2024
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Workers Plan Strike Ahead of Grand Prix
Industry
November 14, 2024
F1 Conceals Vegas Race from Pedestrians
Sports
October 24, 2024
Vegas Strip Club to Host Anti-F1 Grand Prix Party
Business
January 15, 2024
Las Vegas Businesses Seek Compensation after Formula One
Sports
November 16, 2023
Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix Ticket Prices Plunge as Event Nears
Sports
November 2, 2023
F1’s View Blocks Don’t Sit Well with Vegas Citizens and Tourists
Sports
September 20, 2023
2023 Japanese Grand Prix Formula 1 Odds, Time, and Prediction
Sports
August 23, 2023
2023 Dutch Grand Prix Formula 1 Odds, Time, and Prediction