New Zealand's lengthy list of motorsport stars are banding together, launching a new virtual series to help small businesses.
Six weeks ago, two-time Le Mans winner and ex-Formula 1 driver Brendon Hartley made the call to leave their Monaco home, returning to New Zealand with wife Sarah.
Relying on his simulator for his racing fix, Hartley and 25 of New Zealand's best drivers will come together tomorrow night to compete against each other.
The series, named "Racing Local" will see Hartley up against the likes of Le Mans teammate Earl Bamber, Supercars duo Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen, legend Greg Murphy, Formula E's Mitch Evans, rising duo Marcus Armstrong (Formula 2) and Liam Lawson (Formula 3) and others.
The series will be staged over four weeks, broadcast live on Facebook, with racing on dirt speedways, circuits and rally stages.
Despite their skill behind the wheel, the virtual switch isn't proving as easy for the group.
"To be brutally honest, I couldn't do more than two laps without spinning, [I've] got some work to do," Armstrong says.
The series will be backed by New Zealand motorsport's major benefactor, the Giltrap Group, with drivers donating money.
"I think the main thing is us giving back to these local small businesses, that so many of us have relied on over the years," Hartley tells 1 NEWS.
The series will decide New Zealand's best all-round driver, in a virtual sense anyway.
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