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After five races in the Formula One Virtual Grand Prix competition, we take a look at the theoretical standings. These are the five best virtual Formula One drivers.
Bahrain, Vietnam, China, Brazil, Spain: Five virtual Formula One races have entertained the fans of the famous racing series so far, while the real competition is paused due to the coronavirus.
We have seen tense and close races in the Virtual GPs, but it feels a bit underwhelming that there is no real leaderboard. We had a look at the theoretical distribution of points (excluding the ones for the fastest lap) for the races so far: Here are the five best virtual F1 drivers.
Rank 5: Zhou Guanyu (40 pts)
20-year-old Chinese racing talent Zhou Guanyu is not only a competitor in the FIA Fomula 2 Championship, but also works as a test driver for Renault’s Formula One team.
While he only participated in two races of the Virtual Formula One series, he managed to show stellar performances in Bahrain and China by finishing first and third. That makes 40 points for Zhou, who would without a doubt be one of the favourites if he decided to compete at another Virtual Grand Prix.
Rank 4: Stoffel Vandoorne (48 pts)
Former Formula 1 driver and current Formula E competitor Stoffel Vandoorne participated in four out of five virtual F1 races this season and always managed to finish in the top ten.
The Belgian reached the podium in Bahrain, where he finished in second place. We have yet to see the Mercedes driver taking away a victory, but he has definetly been one of the most consistent competitors.
Rank 3: Alexander Albon (59 pts)
British-Thai professional driver Alexander Albon is a member of the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team in the real Formula One World Championship. However, the 23-year-old also knows how to succeed on the virtual track.
Albon was the second best driver in China and managed to win the Grand Prix in Brazil. He has established himself as one of the favourites for the upcoming races. He could even be higher in the standings, but his first appearance in the Virtual GP of Vietnam did not go too well and he only reached P8 in the end.
Rank 2: George Russell (70 pts)
The virtual races are especially great for the Formula 1 racing stable Williams, as the team’s star George Russell (22) seems to feel really good on the tracks of F1 2019.
Four races, three podium finishes and one victory: The British driver has presented himself in great shape and just won the last race in Spain. For the upcoming events, it’s going to be exciting to see whether Russell is able to take first palce in our standings.
Rank 1: Charles Leclerc (83 pts)
It might not come as a surprise, but Monegasque Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is still in the lead when it comes to virtual Formula 1 performances. Just as in the real Formula 1 series, he managed to win two virtual races so far – more than any other driver.
Moreover, the 22-year-old has always reached the podium in his four appearances at the Virtual GP competition. Leclerc has without a doubt been the best driver on the virtual track so far, but he needs to keep up the pace, if he wants to defend his position against Russell and Albon.
Image source: Codemasters
