With the 2020 Formula One season coming to a halt with first the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix followed by a series of cancellations and postponements as a result of the worldwide outbreak of the Coronavirus Formula One drivers have been looking for alternatives to not been able to actually race. One such alternative has been the world of online racing.

One of these drivers happens to be ROKiT Williams driver Nicholas Latifi will join several other drivers in making his online F1 debut when he takes part in F1's online Bahrain Grand Prix.

As an alternative to the drivers as well as fans Formula 1 announced that it would be holding an Esports Virtual Grand Prix Series. This will see a selection of regular F1 drivers and guests race in online events that will help fill the gap resulting from cancelled and postponed races. Latifi announced that he was to join the series with a message on his Twitter account.

Since the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix Nicholas has retuned back to his home city of Toronto in Canada. He has spoken of his isolation since leaving Australia by saying: "I wasn’t expecting to be sat in Toronto at this stage of the season but, as we all know, the situation with coronavirus has forced a few plans to be changed.

"The positive is I’m now spending some time with my family at home. I left Australia after the GP was postponed and flew east back to Canada. I think I’ve pretty much flown full circle around the world since I took off from London to travel to Melbourne!

"As with the rest of the people in the F1 paddock, I’m currently self-isolating and doing my bit to limit the spread of the virus. My family are doing the same also."

As for his involvement in the online series Nicholas spoke of how it is important for him to keep active and this will be one activity in which he does so having to practice in an online environment as well as the racing itself.

Nicholas added: "It’s important to keep busy in this situation, so I’ve been making the most of the opportunity to do lots of training in my gym, watching movies and doing some home gaming.

"I have a sim station at home in Canada that my younger brother’s been kindly keeping warm for me while I’m in Europe.

"I’ve been working to get that properly set up so I can hopefully take part in some of the upcoming ESports races. I’ll probably get my butt kicked, but it should be a lot of fun."