OverTake presents our Hero of the Month for June: Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup champion Diogo Pinto.
Image credit: Diogo Pinto
From February to June, the fourth season of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup provided some incredible racing. In the end, it was mathematically down to four drivers coming into the final round, but only one could win. That one driver was Diogo Pinto.
The Porsche24 by Redline driver performed with unbelievable consistency. Despite taking only one victory in 20 races, he claimed the title with a sizeable 19 point margin over 2020 series champion Sebastian Job, who won seven races. For Pinto’s outstanding achievement, we are making him Hero of the Month for June.
Getting a Start
Racing started out as a hobby for Diogo. Between 5-6 years old, young Pinto went karting in his native Portugal. He raced professionally for a few seasons which led to him winning the national championships twice. But, as is so often the case, the money dried up and he had to stop.
Pinto then took up sim racing in 2016. At first it was very casual with a basic wheel, but it subsequently took off after he got onto iRacing in 2018. Some of his noteworthy achievements include winning a couple of top split iRacing Special Events (including the TCR class in the 2020 24h of Nürburgring). He also finished as runner-up to Maximilian Benecke in the 2021 Porsche Esports Carrera Cup Deutschland.
A Bumpy Road To The Top
Understandably, he considers winning the PESC championship his highlight, but it was perhaps a surprise to many that he stepped up in 2022. After finishing second in the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Qualifier to former teammate Charlie Collins, Pinto endured a rather difficult first season in the series.
Competing for Williams Esports in the 2021, he scored just five top 10 finishes. These included a second-place finish in the Main race on the Nordschleife. However, the rest of the season was marred by rather lowly finishes and he ended up 18th in the overall standings, not far off having to requalify.
Heading into the 2022 season, Pinto signed for Team Redline. He was paired up with Carrera Cup Deutschland title rival Max Benecke in the Porsche24 by Redline outfit. Pinto began racking up some strong finishes in the first few rounds. The Portuguese driver earned a victory in the Sprint race on the Barcelona circuit.
While rivals like Job, Kevin Ellis Jr and Zac Campbell had their ups and downs, Pinto quietly racked up strong results. Scoring those points ultimately lead him to the championship. All that after a torrid 2021 season in which he was heavily doubting himself.
What Lays Beyond
Pinto is currently on a technology course at university, and he hopes that opportunities will open up due to becoming champion in PESC. His next aim is to compete in the Le Mans Virtual Series on rFactor 2, a sim he’s not too familiar with.
Going from relative anonymity to winning one of the biggest championships in sim racing will certainly open up the path for Pinto. With his remarkable consistency, Diogo Pinto is truly deserving of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup championship and is only just getting started.
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Are there any personalities in esports racing you would like to nominate for the next edition of Hero of the Month? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
