Good evening, and welcome to round 2 of the GPGNC, live from Interlagos, Brazil. We had a thrilling qualifying session yesterday, and the stage is set for a great race.
The weather is perfect, as the cars line up on the grid. Local hero Felipe Antunis on pole
Second place Portugese driver, in his first race under new management will be determined to win, after holding pole for most of yesterday’s qualifying
And They’re off! Great start from Antunis, and De Boer of the Netherlands makes another stonking start, charging past Maverick on the run down to turn 1
Carreriro is on the inside for Portugal as the field files into the Senna S
Maverick and McGregor hold of De-Boer as Copeman slips past Vukcevic
Antunis holds on, and leads on the run down to turn 3
Carreriro has a look into turn 3. Behind, Mcgregor defends from maverick and De Boer
Hunsley moves across on Razak of Malaysia
Yoshimoto makes a poor start to the race, losing places to Paddock and Zakes.
A big fight at the back between Hovath for Hungary, Oakley for Britain, Urazel for Turkey and Heart for Canada
It’s extremely close at the front as the field moves through sector 2
Carreriro isn’t close enough to have a look into turn 1, but sets the fastest lap
Paddock dives past Razak, as Hunsley makes up a place from Vukcevic
Action all the way down the field, as Tafuro dives past Zakes into turn 1
Hovath dives past Heart of Canada
Maverick clips Mcgregor of Australia. Both drivers lucky to hold on into turn 3
Paddock’s charge continues, as he despatches Vukceivc into turn 3. Behind, Yoshimoto dives past Razak, trying to recover
The tail enders are very much bunched together. Jantsher has made up a place from his starting position of 18th
The battle for 3rd is fierce, as Maverick tries everything to get past Mcgregor
De Boer slides wide, losing several places
And almost collects Hunsley as he rejoins the track
Vukcevic is being hassled by Yoshimoto
Maverick and Mcgregor collide again
Now Maverick has to defend from Copeman in the USA car
Somehow, he gains the slipstream and dives past Mcgregor into the Senna S
Copeman tries to follow him through
Yoshimoto dives past Vukcevic into 9th, 1 place away from the points
Oakley pounces on Urazel, and moves up to 21st
Copeman finds a way past Mcgregor into turn 3. 2 places lost in 2 corners for the Australian
Maverick runs wide
And he spins! Disaster for the Swiss driver – all his hard work undone!
He rejoins in last position
Stein makes a move on the Madagascan car
Xanthis tries to follow through for Greece. Ward is in close attendance for Ireland
Oakley makes an attempt at passing Heart
Xanthis drops it at turn 3. Disaster for the Greek driver
And there’s a collision! Stein spins on a kerb, and collects Ward of Ireland
Both cars are out of the race. Terrible luck for Germany and Ireland
Maverick has already caught the tail end of the pack, and is hassling Xanthis
Unseen by the cameras, Copeman has made a mistake, letting Mcgregor back through into 3rd
Disaster for Japan – a broken throttle necessitates an early unscheduled pitstop
Heart makes a move on Jantsher. The Austrian having a slow start to the race so far
As he loses another place to Urazel in the same corner
Out front, Antunis is pulling out a lead from Carreriro
Oakley is gaining a small train of cars behind him
Yoshimoto leaves the pits after a 6.8 second stop
Hunsley makes a move on Copeman to take 4th place
Vanthoor has a look at Hovath. The Hungarian driver tries to pin the Belgian against the pit wall
Good defending work there
Maverick tries to hassle Xanthis
Hovath compromises his exit from turn 2, and is a sitting duck into turn 3. 12th place for Belgium
Maverick jumps Xanthis and sets off after Urazel
On lap 7, the lead has risen to 2.5 seconds
Copeman has lost another place to De Boer
Paddock makes a small mistake for New Zealand
Maverick is on a charge – he despatches Urazel easily into turn 3
Vukcevic uses Paddock’s mistake to gain the time he needed to slipstream the New Zealand car and pass into turn 1
Paddock’s having none of it, and tries to fight back
Tafuro is ready to pounce
But has to wait until the next lap to make a move
Zakes has had an off for Madagascar, dropping down to 19th place
Belgium is now challenging Malaysia for 10th place. Good progress through the field for Vanthoor, the round 1 winner
A nice clean move into turn 3. Next target – Paddock of New Zealand
Tafuro loses it in turn 1 while challenging Vukcevic for 7th
The Italian rejoins in 19th place, only ahead of Yoshimoto
That’s a lot of smoke from somebody
It’s Jantsher! The engine has let go in the Austrian car
A second retirement for the Austrian. They had such high hopes for the race, but it just didn’t happen for them
Copeman is battling with De Boer for 5th place
They’ve touched into turn 3!
De Boer slides very wide
And Copeman spins. Disaster!
Vanthoor capitalises on this, and passes Paddock and is now running 6th
De Boer finds the run off area rather slippery and spins as he tries to rejoin
South Africa is enjoying a very strong performance, running fourth
Maverick has now reached 12th after his early spin
A recovering Zakes passes Xanthis
De Boer is dropping back from Yoshimoto in front
Vanthoor looks to be catching Vukcevic in 5th
Mcgregor is still running in a very lonely 3rd place
Vanthoor makes his move. Up into 5th for the Belgian
Oakley has quietly made his way up to 11th. A good effort from last on the grid
Bang! He pulls across on Maverick in the 180mph left hander! Madness!
Both drivers continue unharmed. A testament to the strength of these GPGNC cars
Maverick repays the favour by claiming 11th place from Oakley
Copeman is having a look at Xanthis
It’s wheel to wheel down the straight
Xanthis moves across and blocks the American
Copeman persists, and on the next lap makes the move stick. 15th for the USA
Next up for Xanthis to deal with is Tafuro for Italy
Who dives past into the Senna S
Xanthis is just dropping back. Now Yoshimoto is on his tail
And Yoshimoto uses the slipstream and motors past down the back straight
Maverick is closely following Heart of Canada
Out front, Anthunis is enjoying driving his own race
Maverick really is a man on a mission. He has a look at the Hungarian car down the pitstraight
And makes it past into turn 1
The leader pits first
Allowing Portugal to take the lead
Maverick, now 9th, has a look at Razak
While Urazel for turkey makes a move on Hovath
Oakley is also in the pits for Great Britain
Along with Tafuro for Italy
Antunis has rejoined in 5th position
Vanthoor makes his first stop
Followed by Hovath
Vanthoor emerges 12th, just in front of Copeman
Maverick pits for Switzerland
Leaving Urazel to have a look at the Malaysian rear wing
Urazel makes a move into turn 3
As Maverick emerges 14th
Copeman makes a stop
Mcgregor takes the lead
As Portugal stops
Yoshimoto, after his early pitstop has now climbed to 10th
Heart stops and emerges 14th for Canada
Followed out by Zakes of Madagascar
Vukcevic pits from 5th place, as Mcgregor continues on
Paddock also pits
It’s very busy in the pitlane as Turkey also makes a stop
Pitting late, Razak has to fend off Vanthoor, who is on fresher tyres
Luckily for the Belgian, Razak’s pit call comes through. Hunsley is also in the pits from 2nd place
Madagascar and Canada enjoy a brief tussle
Mcgregor pits from the lead
Japan’s strong run after the early stop comes to an end as Yoshimoto is called into the pits
Here are the top 6 after the first round of pitstops, with less than half of the race left
Zakes senses an opportunity to re-pass the Canadian car
Mcgregor is obviously enjoying this set of tyres, as he sets the fastest lap
Maverick slips up the inside of Vukcevic to take 6th place. An excellent recovery from his earlier error
Antunis has to deal with lapped traffic. De Boer is the first to be lapped
Zakes has passed Heart. Now the Canadian has the USA driver all over his tail
Copeman makes a move into turn 1. The fans watching at that corner are certainly getting value for money today!
Yoshimoto sneaks past Tafuro as the Italian makes a small error under braking
Razak has been close to Oakley for some time now. Can the Malaysian make a move?
Yes he can! A textbook pass into turn 3
Hunsley’s strong race for South Africa Continues. A rather lonely 4th place for the shiny South African machine
Vukcevic has no answer for Maverick’s pace. He is dropping back from the Swiss driver
Zakes drives past Oakley.
Followed by Copeman
With only 15 laps left, there are still some close battles on the track
As Razak passes Hovath for 10th position
And Yoshimoto dispatches Oakley. 14th place for the young Japanese driver
Hovath really seems to be slipping backwards. Now he has Zakes on his tail
Who makes his way past into turn 3
Out on his own at the front, Antunis laps Xanthis
Yoshimoto has found some speed and is now having a look at Copeman
And makes it through. Next target – Hovath
Tafuro make s a move on Heart. The Canadian’s challenge really seems to have fizzled out
Carreriro laps De Boer
And Yoshimoto makes his move on Hovath
Followed very quicly by Copeman
With only 7 laps left, Brazil comes into the pits for a splash and dash
Carreriro takes the lead – with traffic ahead
An 8.3 second stop for Antunis. What will the portugese crew manage when Carreriro stops?
Maverick pits
And Carreriro is in on the very next lap – what will his stop be like?
It’s a 6.8 second stop! This is going to be very close…
As Antunis negotiates turn 1…
It’s not enough! Antunis flies past the Portugese driver, though the lead has decreased
Hunsley is in the lead, having not made his second stop yet
Maverick dives past Yoshimoto. Will the Japanese driver have to stop again?
In comes Hunsley. A little later than his rivals
As Antunis gets some unwanted attention from Oakley, who is yet to pit and is determined not to be lapped. Carreriro is closing
McGregor of Australia really loves new tyres, as he sets another fastest lap out of the pits
Antunis is still battling with Oakley, as Tafuro rejoins just in front of Carreriro
Who is having none of it and dives for the inside
Mcgregor is also having traffic issues, in the form of the Greek car
De Boer dives out of the way of Razak and Zakes as he makes his 2nd pitstop
Allowing Zakes to make his overtaking move into turn 1
Turkey is the last to pit
Vanthoor has a clear track, and uses it to set the fastest lap. He’s after the two bonus points which that brings…
The Japanese strategists have really not done their job well today. Yoshimoto pits with only 2 laps left
Vukcevic is on his own in the last points position
Maverick has driven a brilliant recovery after his early spin to rise up to 6th place
Antunis finally gets past Oakley on the start of the last lap
Carreriro can smell the exhaust fumes of the Brazilian car… can he catch up with only 1 lap left?
Hunsley sets the fastest lap as the leaders enter turn 3
Bang! The Malaysian engine lets go on the last lap of the race
Carreriro is pushing so hard – but it doesn’t look like he can do anything!
And indeed he can’t! As Antunis takes a fabulous home victory for Brazil!
Carreriro fought hard, but 2nd place is a huge improvement for Portugal, with their new owners.
We haven’t seen much of him, but 3rd belongs to Mcgregor of Australia
A brilliant drive from Antunis. He made no errors, and stayed cool under pressure
And Turkey snatches the fastest lap and earns 2 bonus points!
Here are today’s final standings:
Which means that after 2 rounds, the championship looks like this:
That’s all from Brazil folks, join us next time in Laguna Seca, for another exciting round of the GPGNC.