A Win and Podium on Supercup Test Day
Yesterday saw the Official Media Day & Pre-Season test race ahead of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup. For drivers Dayne Warren and Josh Anderson it was their first taste of Supercup, whilst Tuomas Tähtelä it was a return to action after last year’s season.
Qualifying was a closely fought out affair, with the field seperated by a matter of tenths. Fortunately due to the reverse top 8, Josh found himself in Pole Position, with Dayne just behind in 3rd place. Tuomas a bit further back, however completely expected after no practice and jumping straight from the Vauhdin Festivaali race in the BMW M8.
Josh put in an exemplary drive, leading the way from the front and holding off the challenge from Castro Ledo, Sebastian Job and 2019 Champ Josh Rogers. He would run a flag to flag victory in the heat race, running an error free race despite the pressure from behind. Dayne was running in P3 and almost made it an Altus 1-2, however was caught out and passed by Job, Rogers and Carroll to finish back in 6th place. Tuomas avoided what was a whole lot of carnage back in the pack to return a clean car ready for the feature race.
Off the start line in the feature, Josh got too much wheelspin and was swamped by the pack before being involved in an incident in Turn 1 dropping him to the back of the field with a damaged car he would bring home in the latter end of the grid.
Dayne managed a solid start off the grid to move into P5 however made a mistake entering Turn 5 on Lap 1, sending Carroll off track which was regrettable. He was then climbing all over the back of Benecke with Verstappen close behind, and with the pace advantage went for a move into Turn 1 with a very slight touch causing Max to spin which was also a shame. Now in 3rd, the really encouraging sign however was the pace to Job and Rogers. For what was his first round in the series, the pace and consistency was right up there with the top two, Dayne ultimately finishing within 2 seconds of Rogers, and well ahead of Max Verstappen behind.
Tuomas managed to escape the Turn 1 melee, but couldn’t help going off track to avoid a spinning car at Turn 5 in a seperate incident to Dayne’s. He’d then channel his inner ‘Cole Trickle’ to avoid a two messes at the end of the circuit in the early and mid sections of the race to finish P20.
Overall it was a very solid pre-season race, and we are not going to get ourselves too carried away as it was just that, we are quietly confident heading into Round 1 at Zandvoort on May 2nd.