The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has seen a lot of big events being cancelled over recent weeks – and the 2020 season of Formula 1 Grand Prix races is no exception. But in a somewhat surprising move, the races will still be going ahead – but via Codemasters’ official game instead, rather than in the real-world settings across the globe.

The announcement came via F1’s official website (thanks, Kotaku), where the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series was revealed. The event will include “a number of current F1 drivers” and give fans the chance “to continue watching Formula 1 races virtually, despite the ongoing COVID-19 situation that has affected this season’s opening race calendar”.

The first race took place yesterday via live streaming on the official F1 channels on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch. You can watch it in its entirety in the video above (click here for a direct link). And it seems that not all drivers are created equal – part of the announcement talks about the “wide variety of gaming skill levels” among the drivers, and measures have been taken to allow for that disparity.

“Game settings will be configured in such a way to encourage competitive and entertaining racing. This includes running equal car performance with fixed setups, reduced vehicle damage, and optional anti-lock brakes and traction control for those less familiar with the game.”

And if the start of yesterday’s race is anything to go by, it’s absolute mayhem for a couple of drivers who seem to need a little more time with those controls.

F1 is also keen to point out that the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series is purely for entertainment purposes only and its only aim is to “bring racing action to fans in this unprecedented scenario the world has been affected by”. So in keeping with the spirit of the event, no official World Championship points will be given to drivers.

The races are set to take place on the days that the normal Grand Prix would’ve run, so the next one should take place on April 5. If you want to keep up with all the goings-on, you can follow the official F1 Facebook page or Twitter account.

While it’s clearly not the same as the real thing, the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series is a brilliant – and sometimes hilarious – way to allow fans to get their F1 fix during this difficult time.