Debutant Nielsen claimed victory at Mid-Ohio for the first round of the highly anticipated Season 2 of the PorscheSport Carrera Cup powered by Simpower. The AXA SimSport driver clinched the first Feature Race win of the 2021 season, holding off Team Antolia’s, Gunonso Tasdelen.

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Qualifying for the Heat Races saw Core SimRacing’s Maxim Ramsteijn on pole. HM Engineering’s Jeremey Lamier lined up in third with the Racekraft trio of Suellio Almedia, Kane Halliburton and Brian Lockwood completing the rest of the Top 5 on the grid going into Heat Race 1. It was Kevin Nielsen, Gunonso Tasdelen, Racekraft’s Sam Kuitert, RBG Junior Esports’ Quentin Vialatte and Apex Racing Team’s Jake Robertson made up the Top 5 on the starting grid for Heat Race 2.

Two competitive Heat Races opened the 2021 PorscheSport Carrera Cup season, with a strong pace being created across the field and the majority of the drivers lapping Mid-Ohio with a few tenths of a second difference. Maxim Ramsteijn proved his credentials in Heat Race 1, as the Dutchman claimed an impressive victory. In Heat Race 2, Gavin Halls proudly represented PorscheSport, holding off the pressure from Rebecca Pauline to go into the Feature Race. Whilst a superb drive from Kevin Nielsen took the win in Heat Race 2 after leading from pole.

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There was an action-packed Consolation Race, with Gray Wolf Racing’s Miroslaw Nastalcyk going into the wall after leading in the opening lap. Three cars were also involved in drama in the opening laps as Gaetan Anger spun and lost control, collecting two other cars who were caught out by the smoke of Anger’s car (a new feature of the iRacing update). The incidents continued with 15 minutes to spare, Lewis Ward making contact with Jaime Fierro, sending Fierro out of position for a Feature Race drive in 11th.

From all the excitement of the first three Heat Races of the season, viewers were in for an enthralling first Feature Race of the season at the Mid-Ohio circuit, as Kevin Nielsen lined up alongside Maxim Ramsteijn. Fellow debutant Gunonso Tasdelen, lined up on the grid in fourth. From lights out, Nielsen lead the pack whilst the Racekraft Esports drivers of Suellio Almeida and Brian Lockwood had a tricky start to the race at the Mid-Ohio circuit. Meanwhile, Gavin Halls managed to climb from 16th to an impressive 8th place during the Feature Race, whilst continually being under pressure, again, from Fiercely Forward’s Rebecca Pauline, who also made a name for herself in Round One. Kevin Nielsen won the first Feature Race of the season by only +0.175 of a second ahead. As temperatures continued to rise through the session, conditions became even more tricky and Gunonso Tasdelen was able to capitalise on Ramsteijn’s mistake, who was off and onto the grass with 9 minutes to go.

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It is safe to say, that Maxim Ramsteijn has a rival in Kevin Nielsen in the PorscheSport Carrera Cup this season, as a gracious Ramsteijn who spoke to RaceSpot TV after the Feature Race revealing that he “could not find a way past Kevin,” with the Dutchman congratulating Kevin on a “really impressive drive.”

Season 2 of the PorscheSport Carrera Cup continues with Round 2 at the Zolder circuit on the 4th of April.

You can watch the full race replay here.