The worlds of Supercars and Formula 1 are set to collide this Wednesday in a very different way.
Red Bull F1 pilot Max Verstappen, one of the most renowned drivers on the pinnacle category's grid, has been confirmed as a starter for this week's round of the virtual BP Supercars All Stars Eseries.
The eight-time Grand Prix winner will race in a Red Bull Holden Racing Team ZB Commodore wildcard entry, as the field takes on Silverstone in the UK and Catalunya in Spain.
"I’m looking forward to the race. It’s going to be a challenge as it’s not a car I’ve driven a lot on the sim, but they are pretty cool to watch in real life," the Dutchman told Supercars.com.
"We always race with Supercars in Melbourne so it’s going to be interesting to see how I get on against all the regular drivers.
“I’ve tried the Supercar now a few times on iRacing and it’s a very tricky car to get right. I’m looking forward to racing alongside my mate Shane [van Gisbergen], or Pastor, as I call him – he’s a top shunter on the sim," Verstappen laughed.
"We race online a lot together so hopefully we can do well for Red Bull and it should be a bit of fun racing against the other V8 drivers as well.”
Read more: Just a game? Everything you need to know about Supercars' virtual showdown
Like van Gisbergen, Verstappen is a regular fixture on iRacing along with Lando Norris. The duo are known for competing against other drivers in public lobbies, creating a unique opportunity for fans to race against (and sometimes beat) their motorsport heroes.
“It’s awesome that a driver of Max’s caliber will be on the grid to take us on in a Red Bull Supercar,” van Gisbergen told Supercars.com.
“He’s put in plenty of hours in a Supercar online. Just like he races in an F1, he’s aggressive and won’t back down against anyone, so it will be great to have him on the grid this week.”
Verstappen's inclusion isn't the only change for this week's racing.
There has been one driver swap, with 2017 Bathurst 1000 champ David Reynolds trading his seat with endurance cup co-driver Will Brown. And, following positive reaction from the season opener last week, the television format has been extended to showcase qualifying. There will also be four races instead of three (two at each circuit), with the broadcast scheduled to kick off one hour earlier at 8.00pm NZST.