Fans were in for a treat as the new virtual PorscheSport Carrera Cup powered by Simpower, took place on Sunday. The world famous Nürburgring played host for the opening round with 60 drivers competing this season. The grid featured some well known names and teams with HM Engineering, Manti Racing, RaceKraft E-Sports, Volante Racing, PorscheSport and many many more, all battling for the title and cash prizes.

With a closed qualifying session, drivers would compete in one of two heat races that would then make up the grids for the feature and the consolation race. With some of the leading sim racers featuring in the series, it was no surprise to see a fiercely fought qualifying with HM Engineering driver, Maxim Ramsteijn taking the pole position for round one.

To keep the heats fair and competitive, qualification orders were split into two heats, based on odd and even numbers. The top ten from both heats would make their way into the feature race, with the remaining field of 40 drivers participating in the consolation race. For those drivers participating in the consolation race, there was still hope to take part in the featured event, as the top ten automatically qualified.

In Heat 1, it was the pole sitter Maxim Ramsteijn who led comfortably from the lights out to the chequered flag. However, there was plenty of action behind and fans were treated to wheel to wheel action with three more races still to come. The Maniti Racing driver Tim Matzke took home second place followed by Justin Tipton for RaceKraft Esports.

In Heat 2, our second place qualifier Diogo Francisco for RaceKraft Esports, charged into turn one. It looked like everyone managed to get through the first corner until trouble struck on the exit, when a few drivers, including the PorscheSport #225 of Ryan Parkins, were caught out by spinning cars in front of them. Battles continued throughout with Dylan Birse & Anders Myhre putting on a show for second position. Myhre, was penalised with an unfortunate slow down penalty for track limits which took him out of contention. It was the turn of another HM Engineering driver to challenge for the lead, this time Kieran Harrison, who managed to overtake Birse for second. Harrison piled the pressure on Diogo Francisco right up until the chequered flag, but the RaceKraft Driver took the win from Harrison, putting Dylan Brise in third.

The consolation race featured 40 drivers and it was Ivo Laubscher who started on pole position. The pole sitter didn’t have much time to lead the pack as he was almost immediately overtaken by Anders Myhre from the lights. It was all to play for throughout the field as the top ten finishers would then qualify for the following feature race, providing fans with some dramatic racing. It would be Myhre for Team Bergen who would win the series’ first consolation race, with Meraki Racing’s Lewis Ward in second and Ivo Laubscher for Positively Racing in third.

Our feature race lived up to everything the fans excepted, with the front row featuring Diogo Francisco, Maxim Ramsteijn, Tim Matzke, and Kieran Harrison. The second place car of Francisco had a unfortunate start and was swamped by the chasing pack on the exit of turn one. It was Maxim Ramsteijn who replicated his dominance from the heat race and took the first ever PorscheSport Carrera Cup victory for HM Engineering. The sister car of Kieran Harrison gave a good battle, but it was Tim Matzke for Maniti Racing who took second.

Driver Standings (Top Ten)