After finishing 2nd last year Southword was one of the favorites for at least a podium finish, but this year it was clear that he has to face more opponents. One of them is Wisniewski who is leading the championship not to mention both spdo drivers Hörenbaum and Silhanek, who just couldn’t achieve the results which would match their speed. Another two were Southwords teammate Pete Hopkins and SpeedCore driver Nelson Marques, who improved compared to last season in almost every category.
It was no wonder that all six formed the first three rows on the grid led by Martin Silhanek, followed by Innovate Racing driver Jürgen Gießler with a full fuel tank who was lucky enough to reach Q2 while driving the same time in Q1 as Milan Radonic who had to spectate after the first qualifying. My3id Racing took part for the first time and got with James Peace one driver into Q2 who starts on tenth.
All eyes were on Turn 3 as the starting signal was given but a good start still was essential because of the long full-throttle section until turn two. Hörenbaum went pass his teammate to lead the field into the following turns while Wisniewski went from 6th to 3rd. With slight contacts but without any incidents the cars went into turn three when Sascha Zimmermann hit the other My3id driver Benji Crooks in the back and spins him but luckily no one else was involved. Peace isn’t that lucky and has to give up a few laps later after a little damage on the suspension although he went up to 7th for a short time. Hörenbaum also drops back from 1st to 4th.
At lap 16 the first stops were plannend. Silhanek was the first in the pits followed by Wisniewski and Marques who were 4 laps longer than Silhanek but couldn’t take advantage of it. Hörenbaum was at the front when he had to retire with technical problems. Gießler was leading he field and one could have thought he would make only one stop after pitting in lap 29 of 60, but his stop was short compared to how long it had to be. None of the top drivers were changing their tyres at the first stop so it was a question of preventing the tyres to slide through the corners and letting them live as long as possible.
Before the second round of pitstops Silhanek again was at the front and again he had to stop earlier than the others. This time Wisniewski followed by Southword stopped six laps later and came out in front of him. Hopkins just came out in front of Marques who needed three laps to overtake Hopkins for 5th position what turned out as 4th when Gießler had to stop late for his second stop after leading for seven laps. During that time Silhanek was just behind Wisniewskin and Southword. After overtaking Southword he reached second place but lost it three laps later after trying to outbrake Wisniewski in the final section of the track. Silhanek hits him on the rear and spins giving Southword the 2nd place. With Gießler surely staying behind the Top 5 after his stop Wisniewski was chased from Southword. Silhanek was third while defending himself against Marques while Hopkins was keeping a safe distance on 5th. Wisniewski and Silhanek were suffering from a damaged suspension that let them vulnerable to their opponents. All were seperated within five seconds and no differences in lap times.
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Silhanek was able to save himself in front of Marques while Wisniewski misjudged the exit of the last turn that led to the oval part giving Southword the chance to attack a few laps before the finish. Wisniewski was at front until the entry of turn two when Southword overtook him for the lead on the outside and staying there until the finish. Gießler finished 6th in the lead lap, the rest of the field was lapped. Cile Rosic reached 7th scoting another two points for the Serbian Chromed Pistons followed by SpeedFreak’s Damon Ryder who saves one point in front of Franz-Josef Stumm who was one second per lap faster in the final stages of the race but still couldn’t reach him.
Wisniewski still leads the drivers championship in front of Marques and Southword, but everything is possible, even for the drivers behind them. In the team championship 1stBFA leads Sonicrealms Racing by three little points. The next race will take place at the streets of South City Long, one of two races at the city this season on Saturday, 23rd May.
Q1 | Q2 | Race
Standings (Clear your cache if necessary)
Full screenshots at owrl.de
It was no wonder that all six formed the first three rows on the grid led by Martin Silhanek, followed by Innovate Racing driver Jürgen Gießler with a full fuel tank who was lucky enough to reach Q2 while driving the same time in Q1 as Milan Radonic who had to spectate after the first qualifying. My3id Racing took part for the first time and got with James Peace one driver into Q2 who starts on tenth.
All eyes were on Turn 3 as the starting signal was given but a good start still was essential because of the long full-throttle section until turn two. Hörenbaum went pass his teammate to lead the field into the following turns while Wisniewski went from 6th to 3rd. With slight contacts but without any incidents the cars went into turn three when Sascha Zimmermann hit the other My3id driver Benji Crooks in the back and spins him but luckily no one else was involved. Peace isn’t that lucky and has to give up a few laps later after a little damage on the suspension although he went up to 7th for a short time. Hörenbaum also drops back from 1st to 4th.
At lap 16 the first stops were plannend. Silhanek was the first in the pits followed by Wisniewski and Marques who were 4 laps longer than Silhanek but couldn’t take advantage of it. Hörenbaum was at the front when he had to retire with technical problems. Gießler was leading he field and one could have thought he would make only one stop after pitting in lap 29 of 60, but his stop was short compared to how long it had to be. None of the top drivers were changing their tyres at the first stop so it was a question of preventing the tyres to slide through the corners and letting them live as long as possible.
Before the second round of pitstops Silhanek again was at the front and again he had to stop earlier than the others. This time Wisniewski followed by Southword stopped six laps later and came out in front of him. Hopkins just came out in front of Marques who needed three laps to overtake Hopkins for 5th position what turned out as 4th when Gießler had to stop late for his second stop after leading for seven laps. During that time Silhanek was just behind Wisniewskin and Southword. After overtaking Southword he reached second place but lost it three laps later after trying to outbrake Wisniewski in the final section of the track. Silhanek hits him on the rear and spins giving Southword the 2nd place. With Gießler surely staying behind the Top 5 after his stop Wisniewski was chased from Southword. Silhanek was third while defending himself against Marques while Hopkins was keeping a safe distance on 5th. Wisniewski and Silhanek were suffering from a damaged suspension that let them vulnerable to their opponents. All were seperated within five seconds and no differences in lap times.
-Silhanek was able to save himself in front of Marques while Wisniewski misjudged the exit of the last turn that led to the oval part giving Southword the chance to attack a few laps before the finish. Wisniewski was at front until the entry of turn two when Southword overtook him for the lead on the outside and staying there until the finish. Gießler finished 6th in the lead lap, the rest of the field was lapped. Cile Rosic reached 7th scoting another two points for the Serbian Chromed Pistons followed by SpeedFreak’s Damon Ryder who saves one point in front of Franz-Josef Stumm who was one second per lap faster in the final stages of the race but still couldn’t reach him.
Wisniewski still leads the drivers championship in front of Marques and Southword, but everything is possible, even for the drivers behind them. In the team championship 1stBFA leads Sonicrealms Racing by three little points. The next race will take place at the streets of South City Long, one of two races at the city this season on Saturday, 23rd May.
Q1 | Q2 | Race
Standings (Clear your cache if necessary)
Full screenshots at owrl.de