For a new addition to the Games, Esports F4 made a lasting impression with three superb Quarter-Finals in which the teams from Singapore, Netherlands and Hungary scorched into tomorrow’s Semi-Finals.
All three outings on iRacing featured huge drama and pack racing as managing the strong slipstream effect of the digital Tatuus racers around Spa-Francorchamps proved decisive.
Team Singapore introduced Esports F4 in spectacular fashion, with Ar Muhammad Aleef Mohamed Rafik scoring victory in a breathless opening race. Mohamed Rafik ran within a multi-car lead pack throughout, eventually hitting the front and holding off a late challenge from Team Malaysia’s Nabil Azlan to secure the result. One of the pre-event favourites, Team Brazil, so nearly lost out after a dramatic brush with Team Switzerland into Malmedy sent driver Luis Felipe de Sá Tavares into a half spin. He managed to recover the monster moment, and eventually slipped back past Switzerland’s Jimmy Antunes to grab the final podium place after a superb fightback.
The second Quarter-Final proved even more dramatic, with Team Netherlands taking a surprise win as the race leaders clashed on the run to the line. The race boiled down to a straight fight between Spain, Chile and the Netherlands, with Team Spain’s Pablo Espes De Haro starting the final lap ahead before an audacious move from Team Chile’s Nicólas Rubilar around the outside of the Bus Stop Chicane appeared to give Chile the decisive edge. But when the two cars then clashed on corner exit, Team Netherlands’ Isaac Lennert Gillissen came through to win it at the flag. Team Italy’s Tommaso Zappalà grabbed second ahead of the delayed Espes De Haro.
Team Hungary completed an incredible run of races by scoring a stunning win in the last Quarter-Final, despite going into the final turn in third. Hungary, Republic of Korea and Czechia escaped the pack by drafting each other, and it looked like Czechia has stolen it when Martin Kadlečik slipped ahead out of Courbe Paul Frère on the last lap, with Gyumin Kim from Korea following through Maison Blanche. But Hungary’s Attila Bucsi pulled off a stunning double undercut through the Bus Stop to snatch the win at the flag.
The top 10 from each race progress to the Semi-Finals tomorrow, with the others going on to contest two Last Chance races this evening from 17:55.