A virtual Snetterton circuit in Norfolk hosted rounds five and six of Porsche Esports Carrera Cup GB on Sunday 13 March with some of the top names in professional sim racing doing battle on the two-mile '200' layout. The third weekend of the 2022 championship followed the established format of a 17-minute qualifying session followed by two 25-minute races broadcast live via the Porsche Twitch channel.

The first four races of the season produced four different winners; Sebastian Job, Peter Berryman, Graham Carroll and Kevin Ellis Jr. Those same four names appeared at the top of the timesheet in practice at Snetterton – Ellis Jr with the edge over his rivals. However, it was Berryman who came out on top in qualifying, a result which he turned into a lights-to-flag victory in round five.

In the weekend's second race Ellis Jr put in an impressive performance to snatch the lead early on, driving to victory as championship rivals Job and Berryman clashed in spectacular style. Berryman was forced to retire with damage to his car, while Job limped home in fourth position before a penalty relegated him to seventh.

Qualifying
Carroll initially took the lead in qualifying, lapping in a time of 1:08.453 which was a fraction quicker than Ellis Jr had managed in the day's earlier practice session. With 10 minutes of the session complete, Ellis Jr reasserted his authority on the weekend by moving to the top of the timesheet only to be quickly usurped by an improving Carroll – this time with a 1:08.424.

However, those expecting either Carroll or Ellis Jr to head the grid in Norfolk had failed to recognise the challenge from an on-form Berryman. His time of 1:08.393 set in the final few minutes of the session was good enough secure his first pole of the season. Carroll would join him on the front row with championship contenders Ellis Jr and Job on the second row, less than two tenths of a second covered the top four drivers.

Race one
Berryman made a good start when the lights went out for the weekend's first race, leading Carroll into the first corner as just behind Ellis Jr and Job fought for third – Job emerging ahead. The first four drivers soon separated with a noticeable gap forming between Carroll in second and Job in third. Carroll pressured Berryman ahead as Ellis Jr did Job, but none of the top four were able, or willing, to break the status quo during the early part of the race.

With the fight at the front remaining static, attentions turned to several developing battles further back. William Chadwick, Josh Thompson and Jack Sedgwick became engaged in an exciting scrap for fifth, while an equally close dice for tenth place formed between Leon Penn, Jon Derrick, Will Tregurtha and Lewis Ward – Penn getting ahead of Tregurtha as Derrick slipped backwards.

Half way through the race, Thompson overtook Chadwick for fifth only for the latter to employ a classic switchback move to regain the position. The fight helped form a train of cars and, in the midst of the action, Chadwick found himself shuffled back down the order losing four places in just a few corners. The result put Thompson ahead in fifth, Sedgwick in sixth, Blair Mann in seventh, Matt Emery in eighth and Chadwick down in ninth, but there was little to choose between them.

In the final five minutes of the race less than one-second covered the top four drivers as they closed up to one another in the fight for victory. Ellis Jr began to put Job under increasing pressure, on the penultimate lap mounting a challenge into the Brundle and Nelson complex in an attempt to force Job off-line. However, the move did not come off and resulted in Ellis Jr dropping back, providing Job with much-needed breathing space.

Following his neat and tidy race, Berryman took the chequered flag to become the season's first double race winner with Carroll grabbing second and Job third, championship challenger Ellis Jr coming home in fourth. By maintaining sixth spot, Sedgwick secured pole position for the reverse grid to start race two.

Following the race, for an incident involving Daniel J Thomas and Thomas Cope on lap two at Riches, 10 seconds was added to race time of Cope.

Race two
The grid for the second race was determined by reversing the top six finishing positions from race one. Sedgwick was joined on the front row by Thompson with Ellis Jr and Job creating row two, Carroll and Berryman would start from row three. Sedgwick got away cleanly at the start but Ellis Jr was the driver on the move, he quickly grabbed second from Thompson and would challenge for the lead into Brundle on the opening lap while Job slotted into fourth.

On the second lap, Ellis Jr drove around the outside of Sedgwick into Riches and Wilson, running side-by-side with his rival to grab the lead. Meanwhile, Job attempted to snatch third from Thompson at Wilson but lost ground at the exit which allowed both Thompson and Berryman to get ahead. On the back straight Sedgwick came back at Ellis Jr and the pair ran side-by-side, Thompson sat third while Berryman and Job also drew alongside one another as they all approached Brundle. Meanwhile, Carroll was tucked directly under Job's rear wing ready to capitalise on any errors.

Through Brundle, Sedgwick nosed ahead of Ellis Jr but the latter had the preferred inside line for Nelson, giving him the race lead for good. Just behind, Job held on around the outside of Berryman to get ahead through Brundle, but under braking his car launched across the curb at Nelson striking Thompson at the apex. Thompson was first pitched into a spin and then a spectacular roll as he was collected by Berryman, Mann and Emery who all had nowhere to go. Job appeared to have damage, but he continued his race having lost places. Thompson, Berryman and Emery all made their retirements.

The order at the front of the race was now Berryman from Sedgwick and Carroll, while a recovering Job quickly passed Tregurtha for fourth at Bomb Hole. Soon afterwards Sedgwick suffered a technical issue allowing Carroll to pass him for second. Job was running a few seconds further down the road, seemingly unable to make forward progress and that is largely how things stayed. In the midfield a fascinating fight developed between Derrick, Chadwick, Mann, Daniel J MacDonald, Daniel McAuley, Lewis Goodway, Daniel J Thomas and Penn. Their tight battle resulted in several changes of position between the group before the end of the race, Chadwick ultimately prevailing in seventh.

When the flag fell it marked a second win of the season for Ellis Jr, the championship leader joined on the virtual podium by Carroll and Sedgwick with Job crossing the line in fourth – though a post-race penalty would impact the final results.

Following the race, for the incident between Job and Berryman on lap two, 15 seconds was added to the race time of Job. This resulted in the reigning champion being classified as finishing in seventh position. For an innocent between McAuley and Mann on lap 16, five seconds was added to the race time of Mann.

Rounds seven and eight of the championship take place on 20 March at a virtual Oulton Park – a circuit which delivered one of 2021's most exciting races. Keep up to date with Porsche Esports Carrera Cup GB news via the Porsche Motorsport GB Twitter feed: twitter.com/PorscheRacesGB

Championship positions:

1st - Kevin Ellis Jr - 126
2nd - Graham Carroll - 111
3rd - Sebastian Job - 100