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          Courtois, Poulter to join F1 ace Norris in esports race

          Golfer Ian Poulter has previously talked about his love of cars and Formula One racing. Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
          • ESPN
          Mar 20, 2020, 05:25 PM

          Pro-golfer Ian Poulter and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will compete against last year's Formula One rookie of the year Lando Norris in Veloce Esports' #NotTheBahGP.

          With several motorsport events cancelled, #NotTheBahGP is a virtual race based on the Bahrain Grand Prix which was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

          Poulter regularly attends F1 races and has previously participated in the Ferrari 299 GTO Tour.

          "As an avid follower of Formula 1 and a huge petrolhead, I love to jump into my simulator from time to time and having the opportunity to drive in Veloce Esports' #NotTheBahGP is extremely exciting," Poulter said in a statement.

          "The chance to race with Lando [Norris], Stoffel [Vandoorne] and the rest of the guys would normally never happen. Plus, adding in sporting icons like Thibaut [Courtois] and major YouTubers and esports drivers is a brilliant concept which will capture a very diverse audience. Now it's time to get some practice in!"

          Courtois also raced in last year's event.

          This is the second race Veloce has hosted with F1 Esports driver Dani Bereznay winning #NotTheAusGP last week.

          Norris' Twitch stream of him racing in the event based on the Australian Grand Prix was the most-watched in the world on the day, attracting 70,000 live viewers.

          All of the action from #NotTheBahGP can be followed live on the Veloce Esports YouTube and Twitch channels, with the race set to start at 18:00 GMT.