Verstappen, Norris collide in Redline ‘Real Racers’ event
Formula 1 stars Max Verstappen and Lando Norris collided while battling for the lead in the opening round of Team Redline’s new sim racing series for real-life racing drivers.

Sim racing giants Team Redline launched a brand-new series, Real Racers Never Quit, which brings together over 40 professional racing drivers with two-time Indy500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya among the line-up.
The opening round tasked the drivers with racing the European Formula 3 cars on iRacing around the virtual Spa circuit across two 10-lap races. Verstappen dominated the opening race after jumping from third on the grid into the race lead on the opening lap.
Formula Renault Eurocup race winner Lorenzo Colombo stayed within a second of Verstappen for the majority of the race but the polesitter was unable to find a way past the Dutchman.
2012 Euro F3 champion Daniel Juncadella used his real-life knowledge of the car to complete the podium places. Norris started the race fourth but lost a heap of positions with a poor getaway off the line. He recovered to finish in sixth place.
Read Also:
He lined up second on the grid for race two alongside polesitter Verstappen. The duo enjoyed a race-long battle, swapping the lead on multiple occasions.
Their battle reached its peak on the penultimate lap, as 2019 ADAC GT Masters champion Kelvin van der Linde made it a three-way fight down to Les Combes.
Van der Linde yielded first while Verstappen attempted an audacious move around the outside of Norris, only to run wide on the exit and spin. His spinning car collected Norris, leaving van der Linde clear to take the race lead and ultimately the race win.
Verstappen and Norris re-joined the circuit, still in the top five. However, Verstappen then collided with BMW factory driver Nicky Catsburg at the final chicane on the final lap.
This allowed Norris to pass both of them and take home fourth place behind BMW DTM driver Philipp Eng and ex-Euro F3 driver Mikkel Jensen in second and third respectively.
Verstappen finished fifth ahead of Formula E race winner Antonio Felix da Costa and 2012 DTM champion Bruno Spengler.
Montoya suffered a miserable first round. He was rolled over at Les Combes after a collision with 2013 DTM champion Mike Rockenfeller in the first race.

Hamlin: Pro Invitational event "definitely a success"
Early ARG eSport liveries break cover

Latest news
How an unlikely tie-up won sim racing's biggest prize
An unlikely partnership between World Endurance Championship LMP1 privateers Rebellion Racing and Williams Formula 1's highly-successful sim racing team yielded victory in the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. Here's how it triumphed in the biggest sim race ever staged
How seriously should Esports be taken?
As interest in Esports has increased during the coronavirus lockdown, the lines have become blurred between what's real and what's virtual - especially when some high-profile participants seem to be playing for laughs, says Luke Smith
Why Abt's deception left Audi with no choice
Daniel Abt's suspension by the Audi Formula E team - and possible loss of his drive - for fielding a ringer in an Esports event could be considered an overreaction. But in a wider context, his employers had little other alternative
How Leclerc is embracing his new mission
The emergence of Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc as a Twitch streaming star has been one of the pleasant surprises of lockdown so far. He says it is giving fans a greater insight into his nature, but that's not his primary purpose
Leclerc's Virtual GP annihilation deserves great credit
The introduction of Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon, George Russell and Antonio Giovinazzi to Formula 1's Virtual GP last weekend meant it was a step above the franchise's debut two weeks ago. But a dominant performance from Esports newcomer Leclerc stole the show
How the hidden side of being fast has been exposed
The lack of real track action so far this year hasn't stop drivers from keeping their racing brains 'fresh', as former F1 star Stoffel Vandoorne suggested last weekend.
Why entertainment isn't Esports greatest virtue right now
MotoGP's virtual #StayAtHomeGP was a sad reminder of some of the storylines that could be unfolding had the real-life season not been delayed indefinitely by the coronavirus pandemic. While we can bemoan Esports as being a poor relation of the real thing, it has an even more important function to perform
F1’s pantomime Virtual GP is fun but unsustainable
F1 Esports' inaugural Virtual Grand Prix last weekend provided brilliant entertainment to those tuning in to watch a mix of F1 drivers and celebrities battle on track, but was a missed opportunity for marketing its own Esports stars. A change of approach is needed if it is to successfully fill the void until the resumption of proper racing