Gianluca Petecof and Callum Ilott racing for FDA Hublot Esports Team in the Virtual Canadian GP

The Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) Hublot Esports Team is ready to tackle the final round of the Virtual GP series part of the “We Race On” programme with a different line up to usual which features a novice in this type of competition. David Tonizza and Enzo Bonito will be tackling the Pro Exhibition Race, joined by Callum Ilott who has already taken part in one virtual Formula 1 race along with four of the Virtual Formula 2 rounds. The rookie is Gianluca Petecof, the young Brazilian who will be racing this season in Formula Regional with Prema Powerteam. 

Final round. The Virtual Canadian GP is the last race of the “We Race On” initiative instigated by Formula 1 around three months ago which has given race fans something to watch during the lockdown with Esports versions of races on the Sunday on which the real Formula 1 events should have taken place. The Gilles Villeneuve circuit provides the backdrop to what’s been an undoubtedly positive experience, that has produced some exciting racing, giving fans the chance to keep in touch with drivers and even get to know them better. Those F1 drivers taking part have included Charles Leclerc who has won twice in the Vietnamese and Chinese races and also finished on the podium a further three times. Finally, it’s nearly time to go racing for real again, but all enthusiasts have been given a taste of the potential of motorsport-based Esports. 

Pro Exhibition Race. As usual, the Pro Exhibition Race gets the event underway, with Tonizza and Bonito taking part. They will be sitting in their own simulators, just over two hours after the end of the Virtual Le Mans 24 Hours, which the two of them will have tackled in the Maranello Museum and it’s in this wonderful venue that they also take part in the Canadian race. Last year, in the Formula 1 Esports Pro Series, in very wet conditions, Tonizza finished eighth and Bonito was 14th. 

Virtual GP. Then it will be time for the Virtual Canadian GP, featuring Callum and Gianluca. The British driver, who will be racing in Formula 2 this season with the UNI-Virtuosi Racing team, has already raced in the Virtual Chinese GP, while Gianluca Petecof, who last year competed in Formula 4 with the Prema Powerteam, is moving up a category for this year. He will stay with the same team, racing in Formula Regional, a high level training category which has its first round in Hungary on 12 July. 

Programme. The racing starts on Sunday 14 June at 18 CET with the Pro Exhibition Race over 18 laps. At 19 CET it will be time for battle to begin on the Montreal track between celebrities and real racing drivers, including Ilott and Petecof, this time for 35 laps. As usual, taking into account the fact not everyone is so familiar with the F1 2019 game, the cars will have identical set-up and performance levels with only limited damage possible. The event can be seen on-line on the Formula 1 YouTube, Facebook and Twitch channels as well as on the Ferrari and FDAFans Facebook page.