(Virtual) AUSTIN, Texas — Throughout the last five weeks of the IndyCar iRacing Challenge, several notable non-IndyCar wheelmen have made their debut in the virtual open-wheel series. McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris became the first to win his first race on Saturday.
Norris started from the pole at Circuit of The Americas, but he wasn’t as dominant as expected. Norris spun on the front stretch halfway through the race but still pushed to the front through alternate pit strategy and miscues by Will Power and Felix Rosenqvist.
Norris undercut Arrow McLaren SP teammate Patricio O’Ward with the alternate strategy, which allowed him to lead the Mexican driver in the final laps after both made their stops. O’Ward finished second, and Rosenqvist was third.
Had Rosenqvist not spun in the closing laps, he could have won the AutoNation IndyCar Challenge. He was ahead of Norris and on the same strategy when the incident occurred.
Norris has been participating in Formula 1’s esports events and is quite talented at sim racing. His qualifying lap at COTA was 0.4 seconds faster than second-place starter Power.
He’s just the latest newcomer to have success. Three weeks ago, Australia Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin won Round 2 of the iRacing Challenge at Barber Motorsports Park.
Two weeks ago, retired NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his debut at Michigan International Speedway and finished third. Other well-known drivers to race on the platform include NASCAR champions Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. Walkinshaw Andretti United Supercars driver Chaz Mostert made his debut Saturday, too, and finished 20th.
The final round of the iRacing Challenge was supposed to be at a non-IndyCar “dream track,” but that has changed. Virtual Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host Round 6 since IndyCar drivers got to select it. After all, it is their dream to win there, even if it is virtual.
