VFC News of the Week – Edition 2

Even during the summer break, things are anything but quiet in the VFC paddock. The first major decisions for 2027 are being made, while several sporting questions are already beginning to shape the second half of the current season.

From Fabian Szyrzik’s move to Optiminal and the open futures of Tim Hauck and Horizon Motorsport to Sven Schubert missing the Belgian Grand Prix and the growing importance of engine management, here are the latest stories from the Virtual Formula Championship.

Szyrzik joins Optiminal

Another major piece of the 2027 grid has fallen into place: Fabian Szyrzik will leave Horizon Motorsport at the end of the season and join Optiminal Esports.

With the move, the current front-running team is not only signing a quick driver, but also someone who can bring additional value through his technical understanding and extensive knowledge of setups. Due to Szyrzik’s private commitments, he could share the seat with Rouven Meschede whenever necessary.

One of Optiminal’s seats for next season is therefore secured. At the same time, however, the transfer has created new questions elsewhere – both regarding Tim Hauck’s future and Szyrzik’s current team, Horizon Motorsport.

Where will Tim Hauck end up?

For a long time, Tim Hauck appeared to be one of the most obvious candidates for an Optiminal Esports seat in 2027. With Fabian Szyrzik now confirmed, however, the situation has changed.

A move to Optiminal is not completely off the table. Sven Schubert has not yet been officially confirmed for next season, meaning a second seat could theoretically still become available.

At the same time, Hauck has recently also been linked with Blue Horns. Following the announcement that he will leave Ottimale EM, the German remains one of the most interesting available drivers on the market.

Where Hauck ultimately ends up is likely to remain one of the key questions of the coming weeks.

What happens to Horizon Motorsport?

Fabian Szyrzik’s departure leaves a major gap at Horizon Motorsport for 2027. At this stage, it remains completely unclear who could take over the vacant seat – or whether that seat will even exist next season.

There has so far been no confirmation regarding Horizon’s plans for the future. One possibility would be for the team to sign a new driver and continue with a revised line-up in 2027.

However, a much bigger question is also beginning to emerge: will Horizon Motorsport remain part of the VFC grid at all next season?

The situation is therefore no longer only about finding a replacement for Szyrzik. The coming weeks could also determine the future of the entire team.

Schubert to miss the Belgian Grand Prix

The second half of the season will begin with a setback for Sven Schubert. The Optiminal driver will not take part in the Belgian Grand Prix and will therefore miss an entire race weekend.

In such a close championship fight, the absence could prove particularly costly. While Schubert will have no opportunity to score points, his main rival Tom Oldenmenger will have the chance to significantly extend his advantage.

Schubert will then face the task of recovering whatever deficit emerges over the remaining races of the season.

Looking back at the end of the year, the Belgian Grand Prix could therefore prove to be one of the decisive turning points in the 2026 title fight.

Engines could become a decisive factor

As the summer break comes to an end, attention is increasingly turning not only to outright pace but also to the engine situation across the grid. Each VFC driver has just five power units available over the course of the season, with every engine gradually losing performance as its mileage increases.

This could become particularly important in the championship battle. Tom Oldenmenger currently has one more fresh engine available than Sven Schubert, potentially giving him an additional advantage over the coming races.

Teams will therefore have to carefully consider when to introduce a fresh power unit and on which circuits the performance difference is likely to have the biggest impact.

The closer the season gets to its conclusion, the more engine strategy could become a factor not only in individual races, but potentially in deciding the championship itself.