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MotoGP Launches Virtual Video Game Motorcycle Race 2020

MotoGP will host a virtual race this weekend with its top racers.

March 27, 2020

MotoGP will host its first-ever virtual race that will be streamed live on Sunday, March 29. The race will include nine of the world’s top GP racers.Red Bull Content Pool

With the start of the 2020 MotoGP motorcycle racing season postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, the world’s premier motorcycle race series announced a virtual race that will stream live on motogp.com Sunday, March 29, at 3 p.m. (GMT+2).

Nine racers from seven teams will take part in the virtual event including the Márquez brothers (Repsol Honda), Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Álex Rins and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Iker Lecuona and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), and last but not least Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing).

The competition will utilize the official MotoGP19 video game software that was released last year. The game can be played with PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows-compatible consoles.

Racers will compete on a virtual rendering of the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello in central Italy. A five-minute qualifying session in time-attack/sprint-style format will dictate grid positions for the six-lap race.

This marks the first time MotoGP has attempted to execute such a competition and could theoretically open up a new subseries (and revenue stream) that could run during the off-reason or in times of duress.