With the opening rounds of the 2020 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup disrupted due to the Coronavirus pandemic the series is launching the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Virtual Edition which will see current drivers and teams take part in 8 races alongside other selected participants.

While based on same iRacing platform, the latest series will separately from Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup which enters its second season this year.

“Virtual motor racing, or so-called ‘sim racing’, is becoming more and more popular, on a professional level as well. This is underlined by the great success of Porsche’s general esport activities. Until the postponed start of our real season, we’ve created a tremendous platform with the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Virtual Edition for our teams and drivers,” explained Oliver Schwab, Project Manager of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Until the end of 2016 it was unusual to see a Porsche outside of an Electronic Arts game after they signed an exclusive contract around the time that Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed was released.

Since the end of that contract the German marque has pushed hard to see representation across the top titles from mobile gaming, arcade racers and more recently simulators, including launching their own Esports series last year.

“With the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup, we’ve expanded our presence in the motor racing world and have opened the door for sim racers to join the international Porsche Motorsport family,” said Marco Ujhasi, Esports Manager at Porsche Motorsport. “We now look forward to supporting our colleagues from the real Supercup and to be able to offer them an appropriate platform with iRacing.”

Drivers have already had chance to put their simulators to the test with a test day on Sunday (29 March) which took part at the virtual Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The season will kick off on 4 April with a double-header at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before moving on to Silverstone, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

While the full entry list is yet to be revealed, teams and drivers who are registered for this seasons Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup along with invited guests will take to the track with a maximum grid of 40 drivers.

Along with the fight for the overall victory, Pro-Am and Rookie class entrants will get to fight it out for victories.

Cars run by the Supercup teams will feature the real-life liveries that would have hit the track for the start of the season.

“The current situation has put a real damper on my life as a racing driver. Instead of real racing, I spend a lot of time on the simulator. The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Virtual Edition is a great opportunity to fill the gap. I can hardly wait until the first race,” says Porsche Junior Ayhancan Güven.

Güven is no stranger to esports having previously driver alongside Max Verstappen and Lando Norris; Joining Güven is fellow Porsche Junior Jaxon Evans with a full lineup of Supercup drivers to be announced soon.

Racing calendar Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Virtual Edition 2020

29.03.2020, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Spain), official test

04.04.2020, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Spain), races 1+2

18.04.2020, Silverstone Circuit (Great Britain), races 3+4

25.04.2020, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), races 5+6

16.05.2020, Autodromo Nazionale Monza (Italy), races 7+8

Each race will be broadcast live on Twitch and YouTube.

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