Mario Andretti heads to Indy for Legends Trophy oval battle!

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Motorsport legend Mario Andretti is joining ithe sim fray, the Indy 500 winner and F1 world champion entering next Saturday's Legend Trophy oval race that that will take place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

IndyCar was forced to postpone this year's Indy 500 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but there will be some frantic virtual action at the Brickyard on May 23.

Torque Esports, the organizer of The Race All-Star Series and the Legends Trophy, will move its distinguished field of veterans - which includes several past and present IndyCar drivers - from its usual 70s F1 car to a current Dallara DW12 IndyCar.

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The event will mark Andretti's Esports debut and the 1969 Indy 500 winner is raring to go but keeping his expectation in check.

"I have a pretty steep learning curve ahead of me. It’s been a long time since I’ve been a rookie at Indianapolis," said the 80-year-old legend.

"I’m trying to learn as quickly as possible and I hope I can deal with some of these young stars. I’ll just commit and hope I’m competitive."

Andretti will a host of great champions to contend with on race day, with fellow Indy 500 and F1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi also lining up on the grid, as well as Fernando Alonso.

Legends Trophy championship leader and Indy rookie Jenson Button, and regular participants like past Indy 500 winners Dario Franchitti, Juan Pablo Montoya, Helio Castroneves, Gil de Ferran and Tony Kanaan, will also be gunning for glory on Saturday.

The action is scheduled to kick off at 5pm UK time (12pm EST - 6pm CET) and will be streamed live on The Race's YouTube channel.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.