Esports: When and where to watch the action this weekend

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It's an action-packed weekend on the Esports front with all major motorsport series - F1, Formula E, IndyCar and NASCAR - holding events in the virtual world.

Formula E will premiere its new 'Race at Home' challenge which will be run on the rFactor2 platform and include many real-time racers from the all-electric series.

IndyCar's field gets another boost thanks to the likes of Helio-Castro-Neves and Takuma Sato joining the fray.

And Formula 1's official online series also continues this weekend with the Virtual China Grand Prix in which McLaren's Carlos Sainz will take part, the Spaniard adding his name to the already well-endowed grid that will also welcome F2 racers Juan Manuel Correa.

Here's a run-down of the weekend's action and where to watch:

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Race at Home Challenge: Formula E's new series will unfold over nine weeks and support its new partnership with UNICEF by drawing awareness to the United Nation institution's work in keeping children safe and health during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The series' novelty will reside in its "race royale' game format where the last-placed driver at the end of each lap is eliminated. Saturday"s event will be a practice race for the field.

When: Saturday, at 3:30pm UK time (10:30am EST - 4:30pm CET).

Venue: TBA - rFactor2

The field: A majority of the regular Formula E drivers is expected to take part in the maiden event, including reigning FE champion Jean-Eric Vergne.

Channel: Formula E website, Youtube, Facebook, Twitch


The Race All-Star Battle: The All-Star Series will also be up and running on Saturday for the sixth time this season, with its two sub-events: the Legends Trophy which pits former drivers over 40 against each other and the All-Star Cup

When: Saturday 5pm UK time (12pm EST - 6pm CET)

Venue: TBC - rFactor2

The field: For the Legends trophy, among others, Jenson Button, Jacques Villeneuve, Emerson Fittipaldi, Rubens Barrichello, Dario Franchitti and Juan Pablo Montoya. The All-star Cup brings together a mix of pro sim racers like Bono Huis or Erhan Jajovski, and real life racers from F1, IndyCar, Le Mans, etc…

Channel: Youtube


IndyCar iRacing Challenge: Round four of the online championship will see drivers battle over 113 laps at Motegi tri-oval in Japan. As a reminder, the first three rounds all had different winners with Sage Karam, Scott McLaughlin and Simon Pagenaud taking top spoils.

When: Saturday, at 7:30pm UK time (2:30pm EST - 8:30pm CET).

Venue: Motegi - iRacing

The field: Thirty-three drivers, including new comers Helio Castro and Takuma sato and Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power and special guest Kyle Busch.

Channel: NBCSN (US), Sky Sports F1 (UK), YouTube


Veloce Pro Series - Not the ... GP: Veloce's 'Not the ... GP' is back again this weekend for a fourth installment that will once again pit prodrivers such as Lando Norris against a blend of sim racers and celebrities.

When: Sunday 8pm UK time (3pm EST - 9pm CET)

Venue: TBC - iRacing

The field: Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Nicholas Latifi, Alex Felix da Costa, Stoffel Vandoorne, James Baldwin, Thibaut Courtois, etc...


eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series: NASCAR's efforts in the virtual arena are proving extremely popular both with the drivers and the fans as viewing numbers demonstrated during the first three rounds of the series. For Race 4, the field heads to Richmond

When: Sunday 6pm UK time (1pm EST - 7pm CET)

Venue: Richmond Raceway - iRacing

The field: Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jnr, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jnr, etc…

Channel: Fox, FS1, Fox Sports app (US)


Virtual Grand Prix: Sunday evenings Virtual China Grand Prix fills in for the event that should have been taking place this weekend in Shanghai. Renault junior Guanyu Zhou and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc were the first two winners of F1's official online series, and both will be on the grid in Shanghai along with usual contenders Lando Norris, Alex Albon, George Russell and a host of other drivers. But the great news is that Carlos Sainz will also join in on the fun while another welcome addition is Juan Manuel Correa who has been drafted in by Alfa Romeo.

When: Sunday 6pm UK time (1pm EST - 7pm CET)

Venue: Shanghai, China - F1 2019 Codemasters

The field: Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon, George Russell, Lando Norris, Nicholas Latifi, Antonio Giovinazzi, Jenson Button, Arthur Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Juan Manuel Correa, etc…