Race
Sebastian Job completely botched the final overtaking manoeuvre. Driving for the Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports team, the UK sim racer started the feature race for round seven of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup from pole position. In a seemingly deliberate move, however, Job handed the lead to Australian Jordan Caruso from the Altus Esports squad in the first corner at Spa-Francorchamps. Job had a plan: Also for the virtual Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, overtaking on the 7.004-kilometre Formula 1 circuit is only really possible from the slipstream. Thus, leading the field is more of a disadvantage.
In the last of twelve laps, Job then launched his attack on the leading Caruso at the end of the ca. two-kilometre-long Kemmel straight. However, he missed the braking point for the following chicane and took a shortcut across the grass. The resulting penalty threw the 2020 champion back to sixth place. Still, with this result, Job managed to advance to third place in the overall rankings.
Over the final kilometres, Caruso defended his lead. With second place, Finland’s Oskari Rinne from BS+Competition celebrated his first podium result in the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup. Third place in the feature race went to Zac Campbell from the VRS Coanda team. The American had previously also clinched third in the six-lap sprint behind the first-time winner Alessandro Bico (Williams Esports) from Italy and Fyra-Simsport driver Lasse Bak from Denmark. Consequently, Campbell progressed up the rankings to third overall.
Bad luck, however, plagued defending champion Diogo C. Pinto. Runner-up in the overall standings before round 7, the Redline team driver tackled the sprint race from the last grid row. In the feature race, the Portuguese driver became entangled in two collisions. Thus, Pinto went home with only twelve points. Things were equally as tough for Britain’s Charlie Collins from the VRS Coanda team. Finishing 22nd in the sprint and 15th in the feature race relegated him from third place overall to sixth.
Pablo López and Matt Malone winners of the All-Stars events
The All-Stars, 14 content creators from the world of sim racing, opened the race day with a sprint over seven laps. Spain’s Pablo “ThePulpoLopez” López drove a flawless lights-to-flag victory at the wheel of his virtual Porsche 911 RSR. Emily “Emree” Jones from Australia finished second ahead of Dave “Davecam” Cameron from the UK.
The feature race, which started in the reverse order of the sprint race result, turned into a three-way battle between the Americans Matt Malone, Casey Kirwan and Tyson “Quirkitized” Meyer. Unlike Sebastian Job, they succeeded in using the slipstream for many overtaking moves. After twelve laps, Malone took first by a nose in his Porsche 911 RSR followed by All-Stars points’ leader Kirwan and Meyer.
Next stop “Green Hell”: the Nürburgring Nordschleife
In two weeks, the first season highlight awaits the sim racers contesting the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup: the legendary Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. The 25.38-kilometre racetrack through the so-called “Green Hell” in Germany’s hilly Eifel region is considered one of the most picturesque and challenging racetracks in the world. There, the 30-strong field will tackle a three-lap sprint and a four-lap feature race in their virtual Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racers.
As part of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup support programme, about a dozen content creators from the esports scene will take on the “Green Hell” challenge. The All-Stars compete in the Porsche 911 RSR. The live stream can be viewed on www.twitch.com/porsche and https://www.youtube.com/@Porsche on May 6th from 8 pm. (CEST). The Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup then gets underway at 9:15 pm.
Comments after the race
Jordan Caruso (AUS/Altus Esports): “My qualifying was dreadful. I simply didn’t get a feel for my Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. The fact that I then won the feature race is completely crazy. I couldn’t be happier.”
Oskari Rinne (SF/BS+Competition): “I suspected that Sebastian Job would attempt to attack Jordan Caruso – the two even touched. I tried to keep out of it. At the same time, I had to fend off Zac Campbell. In the last metres, I tried to pass Caruso when he made a braking mistake. Obviously, I wanted to win but I’m very pleased with earning points for second place.”
Zac Campbell (USA/VRS Coanda): “Overtaking is very tricky at Spa-Francorchamps. It almost only works off the track limits – but you’ll immediately pay the price with a penalty. In the feature race, Jordan Caruso and Sebastian Job were simply too clever to allow Oskari Rinne or me to overtake legally.”
Matt Malone (USA): “What a crazy race. Casey Kirvan bump-drafted me over half the race and that allowed us to pull clear of the others. I think he could easily have overtaken me but he didn’t. He’s a real friend.”
Results
Spa-Francorchamps (B), sprint race
1. Alessandro Bico (I/Williams Esports)
2. Lasse Bak (DK, Fyra Simsport)
3. Zac Campbell (USA/VRS Coanda)
4. Quentin Vialatte (F/R8G eSports)
5. Luca Kita (D/URANO eSports)
Spa-Francorchamps (B), feature race
1. Jordan Caruso (AUS/Altus Esports)
2. Oskari Rinne (SF/BS+Competition)
3. Zac Campbell (USA/VRS Coanda)
4. Luca Kita (D/URANO eSports)
5. Lasse Bak (DK, Fyra Simsport)
Overall standings after 7 of 10 rounds
1. Jordan Caruso (AUS/Altus Esports), 412 points
2. Zac Campbell (USA/VRS Coanda), 326 points
3. Sebastian Job (UK/Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports), 317 points
4. Diogo C. Pinto (P/Team Redline), 302 points
5. Alejandro Sánchez (E/Stormforce Racing ART), 302 points
