Drivers raise $48,000 as Leclerc and Albon win charity sim races
Formula 1 stars Charles Leclerc and Alexander Albon split the race wins in the latest round of the esports charity event, as the total money raised exceeded $48,000.
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
The Race for the World is a virtual six-race series solely organised by professional racing drivers including six F1 drivers, with the target of raising $100,000 for the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi took pole for this round’s first race at Spa, but qualifying was re-run after technical issues meaning the Italian lost his maiden pole in the series. Red Bull driver Albon’s younger brother Luca took pole in the replacement one-shot qualifying session, edging Leclerc by just 0.003s. Lando Norris was in P3, 0.038s off pole.
Albon Jr was demoted from first to third on the run to Les Combes on the opening lap, with Leclerc and Norris seizing the slipstream advantage. The duo duelled over the opening laps and Norris attempted to undercut Leclerc pitting two laps before Ferrari’s star driver.
However, Norris emerged in traffic and ended up behind Leclerc, when he made his one mandatory pitstop. Norris was unable to respond as Leclerc stormed off into the distance to take his first esports win since he dominated the latest round of F1’s Virtual Grand Prix series.
Renault junior Christian Lundgaard took third place after starting eighth on the grid. Arthur Leclerc, who won the second race of the series at Silverstone, was fourth ahead of ex-F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne.
Albon Sr dominated the second race of the round at Baku from pole. He led Charles Leclerc, who charged from 10th to second on the opening lap. His brother Arthur spun out of second at the castle section.
Giovinazzi was the next victim, crashing out of third place at the very same corner. Current Formula E points leader Antonio Felix da Costa was the next to spin out of third place, leaving Luca Albon to take the final place on the podium ahead of 2020 F1 rookie Nicholas Latifi.
Vandoorne took fifth place ahead of Haas F1 tester driver Louis Deletraz. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois took seventh ahead of Ferrari juniors Enzo Fittipaldi and Arthur. 10 seconds of penalties dropped da Costa to 10th place, ahead of popular streamer Jimmy Broadbent.
The final round of the Race for the World series will take place on Friday night at 6pm BST.
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