DEBUT OF ESPORTS CHALLENGERS DRIVER INCLUDED GREAT FIGHTING ALL THE WAY IN BAHRAIN

After the triple header of street tracks in the calendar plenty of drivers were looking forward to the return of full purpose racetracks. The Sakhir circuit is a tough track on tires but also has lots of great overtaking opportunities. Both factors created an exciting race under the flood lights at Sakhir. Qualifying Even before the race there was promise of an exciting race as all drivers who set a time were separated by less than 5 tenths and the top 5 by less than a tenth. Yagizhan was able to take pole with Bread just 4 thousandths behind him and Foufana finishing off the Top 3.

The Race Lap 1 gave us some a brilliant fight for the lead as Bread and Yagizhan fought very well through the first half of the lap but Yagizhan could hold the lead as a few drivers falling down the pack and MaxRO getting damage. A few laps later Bread tried to make the move for P1 again at the end of the first sector but loses his position to Guil behind. A few sectors later however, Bread was able to retake the position after he, Guil and Juulian went three wide on the main straight and gave him the chance to try and catch up to Yagizhan again. But it would be difficult as there were four other drivers very close behind in a train racing each other very well. Eventually over the next few laps however, this train would accumulate almost the whole grid which could be crucial for tyre wear, especially for the Hard runners. Luckily though, this train would still give some good overtaking around the midfield, but it would eventually split up around lap 8-11 as the Soft runners pitted for Hards. This though, gave the people who started on the Hards and Mediums outside of the Top 10 the leading positions. A few laps later though, the ones on Mediums would have to pit and came out at around the same positions they started.

During all this though, important track position was being disputed from the leaders who had pitted to Hards. Acse and Juulian were fighting side by side for a good portion of the first sector on Lap 12 as Juulian eventually took the position. A few laps later however, it was time for the Hard runners, who at this point were leading the race, to pit. Champ had pitted on Lap 16 and Vilzu on Lap 17, both to Mediums. From pretty much the get-go, Vilzu went off like a rocket on his final stint, immediately overtaking both Mercedes for P9, as Acse and Guil fought for P4. Vilzu over the next few laps made it up to P5 including a double overtake on Luuk and Acse after they both collided, but a podium was starting to look like it was out of reach with 4 laps to go. Luckily for him though, P2-4 were in a close train and battling for position. As the last lap started, Vilzu had caught up to Yagizhan, Guil and Juulian and it would be a huge fight for each position. Into T1 Yagizhan lost P2 to Guil and almost immediately after lost P3 To Juulian demoting him 2 positions in 2 corners. The close racing followed although with no position changes and as Bread crossed the line to take the win, who would join him on podium was still unsure. Into the last two corners. Guil attempted a move on Juulian for P2 but went wide in the last corner, allowing Vilzu passed into P3 with Guil P4 and Yagizhan, the polesitter, in fifth.