Did you miss the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup on iRacing last weekend? Here are the results and standings after PESC Round 6 on Watkins Glen.
Image credit: Porsche
The Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup drivers didn’t have a moment to rest as they faced back-to-back race weeks. After the exciting racing at the high speed Red Bull Ring, the short Watkins Glen was sure to deliver much of the same.
Heading into the event, Jordan Caruso was leading the championship despite a less than ideal Main Race the weekend prior. He had won the Sprint, and held a relatively healthy lead of over 30 points to rivals Charlie Collins and Diogo Pinto.
So how did it all go around Watkins Glen? Here’s our breakdown of the racing from Round 6 of PESC.
Ariel Back-to-back
After an immensely popular first victory in the Main Race only a week ago, Gustavo Ariel made it two wins in a row. The Brazilian had qualified fourth. Meanwhile, former champion Sebastian Job clinched his first pole of the season. The Brit was unleashed, as this was his first weekend of relief from juggling PESC with his Red Bull F1 simulation duties since the Grand Prix season started.
At the start, early season leader Zac Campbell jumped from second into the lead. Meanwhile behind, there was disaster for championship contenders Charlie Collins and Diogo Pinto touched which sent the VRS Coanda driver around. Collins ended up not scoring as a result.
Back up at the front, Job had found his way back through on Campbell with Pinto looming behind. Then, chaos ensued on the final lap as Pinto came together with Job which eliminated him from the action and he too scored no points.
Gustavo Ariel came out of nowhere to take the lead. Then, when Campbell overhauled Job, they came together on the run up to the line. This allowed Caruso and Alessandro Bico to take advantage.
Sprint Race Result:
1. Gustavo Ariel (BRA, TXC Racing by TK)
2. Sebastian Job (GBR, Oracle Red Bull Racing) +0.495
3. Jordan Caruso (AUS, Altus Esports) +0.756
4. Alessandro Bico (ITA, Williams Esports) +0.859
5. Zac Campbell (USA, VRS Coanda) +0.866
In the battle for the Main Race pole, it was Alejandro Sánchez who came out on top. The Stormforce ART driver had started first for the previous two round’s sprints, but this time round it would be for the main race. He was to be surrounded by the VRS Coandas of Zalenski and Bryn Collins.
Coanda Lockout
Sánchez initially got the holeshot, but he relented to the fast charging younger Collins brother. Zac Campbell was channelling all of his energy into getting back a strong finish, after he lost it in the sprint after his contact with Job.
He found his way into the lead and was able to break away as Sánchez, Collins and Zalenski were tussling. As a result of the battling, Sebastian Job was able to claw his way into contention. He battled up to second in the closing laps. Heading into the last lap he was shadowing Campbell for the lead.
In an effort to be on the inside for the last corner, Job ran wide. The quick-thinking Bryn Collins dove into the gap Job had formed. This spelled disaster for the pole winner, as he tumbled all the way down to seventh at the line, allowing Bobby Zalenski to make it an all-Coanda podium.
Main Race Result:
1. Zac Campbell (USA, VRS Coanda)
2. Bryn Collins (GBR, VRS Coanda) +0.530
3. Bobby Zalenski (USA, VRS Coanda) +0.718
4. Alejandro Sánchez (ESP, Stormforce Racing ART) +0.780
5. Oscar Mangan (IRL, VRS Coanda) +0.906
In terms of the championship, Caruso may have only finished eighth in the Main Race but his consistency is paying dividends. Diogo Pinto and Charlie Collins fought back to P12 and P17 respectively, but they have fallen even further behind.
While all of his main opponents are having their ups and downs, the Altus Esports driver is picking up strong points. It’s reminiscent of what Pinto did last year, and we all know how that turned out for him. Can Caruso keep this up and become champion?
Supercup Standings:
1. Jordan Caruso (AUS, Altus Esports) – 348
2. Diogo Pinto (PRT, Team Redline) – 290
3. Charlie Collins (GBR, VRS Coanda) – 286
4. Sebastian Job (GBR, Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports) – 273
5. Alejandro Sánchez (ESP, Stormforce Racing ART) – 269
Back-to-back in All-Stars
It was business as usual in the All-Stars, with Casey Kirwan on pole yet again on a fairly familiar track to the eNASCAR champ. But after not starring at all in the previous rounds, fellow Round 5 winner Christian Ortega aka Keny500 surprised by earning second in quali.
The underpowered 718 Cayman GT4 will be swapped out for the 911 RSR for the next round, but it proved fitting of the Watkins Glen short course as there were slipstream battles aplenty in both races. Kirwan fought with DaveCam for the entire sprint race who had fought from P7 to contend for the victory. The championship leader came out on top ahead of DaveCam and a returning Tony Kanaan.
Despite starting second, Keny500 ended up seventh in what was essentially a straight swap with DaveCam. But unlike last week, Ortega wouldn’t need a full invert to get back up to the front. After an incident filled few laps in the Main Race, initially Lyubov ‘LoveFortySix’ Ozeretskovskaya had a sizeable lead for the majority of the race.
But that lead would slowly disappear, and reigning All-Stars champion Tyson ‘Quirkitized’ Meier got into first with seven laps to go. But with four to go, the inevitable happened. LoveFortySix had just got back the lead but then she, Quirk and Kirwan collided and that allowed Keny500 to go from seventh to the lead in one corner!
The previous week’s Main Race winner had compatriot Xabier ‘Heikki360’ Sánchez for company in the closing laps, as well as Matt Malone and DanSuzuki close by. Despite a challenge by Sánchez on the last lap, Keny500 held on for another stunning All-Stars victory!
Despite the DNF in the Main Race, Kirwan’s lead is still just short of twice of second place, which is now occupied by Kirwan’s effective predecessor as Porsche TAG Heuer Esports All-Stars champion Quirk. That battle for second is still incredibly close, with Jardier and Emree not far behind. Plus on count of his efforts in the last two events, Keny500 is now in a strong position!
All-Stars Standings:
1. Casey Kirwan (USA) – 250
2. Tyson ‘Quirkitized’ Meier (USA) – 130
3. Jaroslav ‘Jardier’ Honzik (CZE) – 124
4. Emily ‘Emree’ Jones (AUS) – 123
5. Christian ‘Keny500’ Ortega (ESP) – 95
An Old Favourite
Spa-Francorchamps is the next stop on the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup schedule, to the delight of many. Perhaps safe to say one of nearly all sim racer’s favourite circuits, and whilst starkly contrasting the Watkins Glen short course by being one of the longest tracks in motorsport, it retains the high speed nature.
Mark down your calendars for 22 April when the series resumes at Spa. All the racing from the Supercup and All-Stars drivers will be broadcast from 8pm CEST on Porsche’s YouTube and Twitch channels.
In the meantime, if you want to catchup on the races on the Watkins Glen circuit, the entire broadcast is available to watch below.
Who impressed you the most in the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
