We’re truly getting into weirdness here now, with the worldwide virus lock-down forcing us to delve into the realms of fantasy, virtual bike racing to replace the real thing.
Spain’s Alex Marquez claimed a stunning first win of 2020, winning the inaugural “StayAtHomeGP”.
Six laps around the Mugello circuit produced thrilling action for the first StayAtHomeGP, riders attacking from the moment the lights went out. With a more condensed event format than a typical GP, riders had little time to refine their setting.
Keeping calm, Marquez stuck to his pre-race plan and put in a sterling performance to make history and clinch the win aboard the Repsol Honda Team RC213V in his eSports debut. A massive seven-second lead stamped his authority on the field.
His elder brother and current MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez put in a strong and consistent ride to secure fifth place in his debut eSports race, demonstrating impressive riding skills in both the real and virtual worlds. A strong start saw Marc in podium contention as he looked to match the pace of his team-mate in the early laps.
The result sees the Repsol Honda Team become the first official MotoGP team to win races in both the real and virtual worlds.
“Fantastic! What a result!” said Alex Marquez.
“It was a really funny event with all of the other riders and I am really pleased to win my first race! I found a good setting with the RC213V which let me race how I wanted to and I knew I had a few different lines for when I needed.
“Even at just six laps you really needed to stay focused because with one small mistake it can go very wrong. I enjoyed it a lot and I hope everyone who watched also had a good time. Let’s hope that everyone continues to follow the advice of the doctors and scientists so that we can return to a more normal life, seeing friends and family, enjoying the outside and going racing.”
#StayAtHomeGP
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