Need for speed: Swiss F2 driver trains in basement as races shut in virus crisis

Louis Deletraz is not allowing the coronavirus lockdown to halt his training.

SHOWS: VEYRIER, SWITZERLAND (APRIL 20, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

VARIOUS OF SWISS F2 DRIVER SELECTED AS TEAM HASS (F1) RESERVE DRIVER, LOUIS DELETRAZ, TRAINING ON FORMULA 1 SIMULATOR 2.

SIMULATOR CONTROLLER SHOWING SPEED 3.

DELETRAZ TRAINING ON FORMULA 1 SIMULATOR 4.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SWISS F2 DRIVER SELECTED AS TEAM HASS (F1) RESERVE DRIVER, LOUIS DELETRAZ, SAYING: "The situation for us is very difficult because, for example in F2, it is obviously less budget than Formula 1.

We also have sponsors, but the sponsors right now are not in the best shape.

No one wants to spend money outside of themselves, which is right (due) to the crisis, so motor sports go second, I would say.

I don't really know what would be the impact.

So far, it looks okay, but maybe it will be more tough for the next few years.

For sure, all the big sports will take a hit from this, so hopefully we can survive it." 5.

DELETRAZ TRAINING ON SIMULATOR 6.

VARIOUS OF PEDALS 7.

VARIOUS OF DELETRAZ TRAINING ON SIMULATOR 8.

SIMULATOR SCREEN / DELETRAZ TRAINING 9.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SWISS F2 DRIVER SELECTED AS TEAM HASS (F1) RESERVE DRIVER, LOUIS DELETRAZ, SAYING: "I am definitely worried for the sport in general, for also the economy of the sport, because we rely a lot on sponsors and on TV rights.

And right now, there is no TV rights because there is no racing, and sponsors also are not so keen anymore to do motor sports.

So, it puts us in a very bad situation.

For sure, there are worst things happening in the world, but the sport will suffer from it, and I hope we can get back on our feet quite quickly." 10.

HELMET WITH SWISS FLAG / DELETRAZ TRAINING 11.

VARIOUS OF DELETRAZ TRAINING 12.

VARIOUS OF SCREEN SHOWING TRAINING IN PROGRESS 13.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SWISS F2 DRIVER SELECTED AS TEAM HASS (F1) RESERVE DRIVER, LOUIS DELETRAZ, SAYING: "Testing has been a big question because basically, we did three days in F2, now we don't have time anymore for testing.

If we start racing, then we will just race.

Same in F1.

So, it is a bit of shame, because we were talking about some testing time with Haas F1 and also with F2, then I don't really know what will happen there anymore but we see it's a grave situation and everyone has to work with it, and the most important thing is that we can race, hopefully get some trophies and move on." 14.

SCREEN SHOWING WHEEL 15.

DELETRAZ TRAINING 16.

SCREEN SHOWING WEBCAM IMAGE OF DELETRAZ TRAINING 17.

SCREENS SHOWING TRAINING IN PROGRESS 18.

HELMET WITH SWISS FLAG AND WORD "LOUIS" ON IT, DELETRAZ TRAINING IN BACKGROUND 19.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SWISS F2 DRIVER SELECTED AS TEAM HASS (F1) RESERVE DRIVER, LOUIS DELETRAZ, SAYING: "I miss real racing a lot.

Sim (Simulator) is nice, it is good fun, we play with a lot of friends, you can catch up with people that you maybe did not have time to spend through for a long time.

But you don't have the speed, you don't have the adrenaline.

Also - it is bad to say - but you don't really have the risks.

So, in the Sim when you crash, you press restart and you go again.

In real life, it is a bit more complicated, and it takes more needs to go fast." 20.

VARIOUS OF DELETRAZ TRAINING 21.

VARIOUS OF DELETRAZ'S FEET ON PEDALS 22.

MOTOR SPORTS BOOKS ON SHELVES / DELETRAZ TRAINING STORY: Swiss racer Louis Deletraz has not let the shutdown of races due to the coronavirus crisis get in the way of his need for speed.

As Formula 1 teams have halted activity until late May because of measures in place to curb the virus, Deletraz has moved away from the tracks and onto a simulator to cope with the "difficult" situation.

In his parents' basement in Veyrier, a small town near Geneva, the 22-year-old Swiss tries to keep in shape by training every day on the simulator.

Deletraz said he expects the next years to be tough for the sport.

"For sure, there is worst things happening in the world, but the sport will suffer from it and I hope we can get back on our feet quite quickly", he told Reuters on Monday (April 20).

F1 has said it hopes to run a reduced championship of 15-18 races from the European summer in a season that has yet to start due to the pandemic.

The original 2020 calendar was slated to feature a record 22 races.

In the absence of real racing around the world, a range of esports series have emerged to fill the void, with Formula One also putting on a series of virtual grands prix with some of the current drivers.

In his last esports race on Sunday (April 19), Deletraz, an F2 driver selected as Team Hass F1 reserve driver, placed seventh.

There have also been discussions about continuing the season into 2021 and running more than one race at the same circuit while condensing others into two days to enable more to be rescheduled.

Testing remains "a big question", Deletraz said, as drivers won't have the time to test cars and circuit before racing.

Much depends, however, on countries coming out of the coronavirus lockdown and allowing sporting events and mass gatherings again.

Deletraz said he can't wait to get back behind the wheel of a real car, since the simulator is just not the same.

"You don't have the speed, you don't have the adrenaline... You don't have the risks," he said.

"In the Sim, when you crash, you press restart and you go again.

In real life, it is a bit more complicated." (Production: Cecile Mantovani)