Issue #189: Blast From The Past

Clocks jumping forward, remote working, COVID-19 and virtual motorsport were all definitely part of the recipe that ensured that some of our e-mails didn't go our earlier this morning. If you were one of our subscribers affected, please accept our apologies. Anyway here is this week's magazine...

What a diverse magazine we have this morning. Sure, the global Coronavirus pandemic may have stopped actual racing on circuits but now, going into week three of no actual motorsport, we are starting to see some amazing "virtual" racing!

On the topic of virtual racing and how to do it, IndyCar left their rivals in the dust this weekend with their INDYCAR iRacing Challenge American Red Cross Grand Prix held on a virtual Watkins Glen. Believe me when I say it, there were times that you could have been forgiven for thinking you were watching the real thing! From the regular dulcet tones of Leigh Diffey to the American anthem being belted out pre-race to a "real" post-race press conference with winner Sage Karam, INDYCAR put on quite a show. Formula 1 really needs to get its sim act together...

We also have a full report on SRO's first venture into the sim world with their SRO E-Sport GT Series Charity Challenge, hosted on Assetto Corsa Competizione, the official licensed game of the GT World Challenge. Not quite in the IndyCar league but very well done and head and shoulders above anything else on offer in the sportscar market.

Finally we have some amazing features from David Ledbitter - who dug out his 2005 Tour Natal rally report, the first S2000 event, Joe Saward - who took an Australian detour on his way home from Melbourne, Ryan Wood and Phil Horton - who took the time to work out what the ultimate ingredients would be for the perfect grand prix weekend, and Davey Euwema - who took the time to dig out the story behind the Porsche's recent retro liveries.