19 May 2023 , 18:26
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Max Verstappen is set to race this weekend despite the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Imola being called off.
Deadly flooding in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy has placed huge strain on emergency services and led to the F1 event being called off. Support races in the Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships will also not be going ahead with teams now transporting all their equipment to Monaco for their next outing.
But event though he won't be on track at Imola, Verstappen still plans on competing this weekend. His esports outfit Team Redline has confirmed the Dutchman's participation in a virtual racing event this weekend.
The race, expected to take place at Imola, is due to begin at 2.30pm on Sunday and will be broadcast on streaming platform Twitch. And Verstappen will be joined by a host of familiar faces taking part in the event, titles Real Racers Never Quit.
At the time of writing, none of Verstappen's F1 rivals have been announced as taking part. But plenty of those who would have been competing in F2 and F3 this weekend have signed up, along with a swathe of Red Bull junior drivers and some from other series.
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Among the F2 stars set to take part are Red Bull development drivers Isack Hadjar, Ayumu Iwasa, Jak Crawford and Enzo Fittipaldi. Jack Doohan, an Alpine junior, has also confirmed his participation along with F2 racer Richard Verschoor and reigning F2 champion Felipe Drugovich, now an Aston Martin F1 reserve driver.
Representing the Formula E championship will be Porsche racer Antonio da Costa and Oliver Rowland of Mahindra Racing. And Australian Supercars driver Shane van Gisbergen will also be taking part, along with Red Bull esports driver Sebastian Job and a handful of Team Redline regulars.
Williams junior Luke Browning, who won the prestigious Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award in 2022, will fly the flag for F3 alongside Gabriel Bortoleto.
And Formula 4 racer Arvid Lindblad, also part of the Red Bull setup, rounds off the list of drivers confirmed so far.