Rony Kronpuss leads the way during first lap and flies solo to the win
RONY KRONPUSS does the DOUBLE in Kyoto and he's now the Title Favourite!
After a difficult start of the winter campaign in the Lorenzring, the Race Green Legend now seems to have found the right balance on his car, the Green Dinosaur, as he likes to call it.
After qualifying in P2, behind S1dus driver Unite, Rony kept his cool in a hectic first lap, where he managed to overtake the poleman and fly off solo towards his second win of the season.
It was a dominant display: not even the mighty THR Mazdarati could stop Rony, who was flying between the bends and the parabolicas of Kyoto Ring Maximum track.
At the chequered flag, the gap between them was around the minute, with RG^Lorenzo completing the podium, a further 20 seconds behind Mazdarati.
After taking pole position, Unite didn't manage to keep it clean in the race, and damaged his car very soon, leading to an early retire.
With just the Season Finale of next monday to go, the championship battle seems to have shrunk down to 3 contenders: the main two, Rony and Mazdarati, and a possible outsider, Lorenzo.
But with a 2 hours double points race, everything is still possible!
HYPERCAR CLASS -------------------------------------
In the Hypercar class another face joined the challenge, trying to interrupt ZFRL's Thehemuli winning streak.
It was EvilMe, who already did well the week before in Blackwood Outskirts, racing for the Porsche Cup.
The newcomer qualified close to Thehemuli, who got Pole, and raised hopes for a closely fought race between the two.
However, the experience and the speed of the ZFRL leader made all the difference in the race: Thehemuli disappeared into the distance, while EvilMe was fighting hard with the second ZFRL car of LG-Mies.
In the end, it was another dominant victory for Thehemuli, who now just needs to finish the Season Finale event to take the Hypercar crown!
With just one race to go, ZFRL Thehemuli have the championship in his bag: only a DNF by him and a win by LG-Mies could re-open this championship battle.
But we know Retro, this can well happen!
GT CLASS -------------------------------------
The GT class was one of the most interesting categories in Kyoto: B2R LITRO got pole ahead of CRAAACH, but a late technical problem at the start of the race meant that LITRO started from the pit-lane.
CRAAACH couldn't believe his eyes, and started to push at the front of the race, with [PM] JAM 616 and newcomer Miguel following close by.
CRAAACH led till lap 6, when a mistake just after the oval section allowed JAM to get by and take the lead of the race.
The race of CRAAACH got even worse during the pit-stops, as he received a penalty for speeding.
Meanwhile B2R LITRO's great comeback put him in a provisional P2: JAM was only 10 seconds ahead, Litro believed in the winning comeback, but a late puncture forced him to abandon all hopes for the win.
He still managed to finish P2, ahead of CRAAACH, who completed the podium.
With only the Season Finale to go, the championship battle in GT's sees JAM as the natural favourite.
He's got a healty lead over a tight bunch composed of CRAAACH, WCL Arska, RG^RD2 and B2R Litro.
However, a difficult race by Jam in Berlin could open the championship battle to multiple contenders.
PORSCHE CUP CLASS -------------------------------------
You can always count on the Porsche CUP to deliver great battles and drama.
It was the same in Kyoto, even though the win was never in doubt this time: after taking Pole Position in his Porsche Cup debut, RG^NOSLE executed a mind-blowing race performance, lapping several seconds faster than the direct opposition every lap, often mixing it up with the faster GT cars.
Behind him, the fight for the podium was intense: the battle got physical in the first lap between MadJester and B2R Rayman, who collided at the hairpin, allowing RG^M@ci3k to jump in provisional P3.
Rayman had to retire the following lap, leaving P2 to M@ci3k: it was looking good for a RG 1-2, but M@ci3k needed to stop for a Pit at lap 12, letting by the trio of GUM||Donald, S.Martin and Madjester.
A spectacular 3 way battle started to unfold between these three, with multiple moves and changes of position. Porsche Cup rules!
With a fresh car out of the pits, M@ci3k started to push and caught back the trio: he overtook Donald and looked like he had the pace to catch S.Martin, but ended up in the gravel soon after, loosing the position again.
At the front RG^NOSLE took the chequered after a dominant performance, while S.Martin managed to secure a very important P2 for the championship battle.
Podium is completed by GUM||Donald, who managed to hold off RG^M@ci3k till the end. Madjester eventually fell back to P5 due to a late pit-stop.
The Porsche Cup Championship battle is fascinating!
We've got GUM||Donald in the lead, but the margins with the rest of the pack are super tight: 4 drivers in 11 points, and a fith one not super far behind.
Everything is possible in the 2 hours double points finale.
Who will take the crown in Berlin?
COMPLETE ROUND RESULTS ----------------------------
QP
RACE
ARE YOU READY FOR AN EXCITING FINALE? ----------------------------
Everything's ready for an EPIC finale for the RETRO CUP Winter Series.
In the streets of the new track of Berlin, the drivers will face the ultimate challenge of a 2 hours long endurance, with Double Points awarded.
A big race, with all the championship titles at stake.
Will you be part of the show in next monday's Grand Finale?
See you there!
