Twelve finalists competing in four races at two rounds, and three different race winners: it’s fair to say the 2019 MotoGP™ eSport Championship has lived up to its billing and brought excitement, drama and surprise in equal measure.
While each has impressed in different races, three gamers – AndrewZh, trastevere73 and Cristianmm17 – are separated by just seven points at the head of the championship table as the final round beckons.
It all began at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in September, the scene of the #SanMarinoGP, where the gamers took on Mugello and the Red Bull Ring for races one and two in the first round.
The opening race was a classic two-horse showdown between two of the star’s of this year’s series: Ducati Team’s AndrewZh and Team Suzuki ECSTAR’s Cristianmm17. In the face of unrelenting pressure, AndrewZh held his nerve to take the chequered flag 0.4 seconds ahead. Reigning champion trastevere73 was a distant third, 2.3 seconds behind.
The second, held in Austria’s stunning alpine setting, was as exciting as it was dramatic. After taking the lead on lap 1 at turn 3, Cristianmm17 produced a stunning performance, dominating proceedings to win by a comfortable 4 seconds.
With the Spaniard clear at the front, it was left to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Juan_nh16, class rookie Mereja (Pramac Racing Ducati) and trastevere73 to provide the entertainment in an all action fight for second. Juan_nh16 produced a brilliant performance to claim second as Mereja held off a last lap trastevere73 challenge for the final podium place.
The results meant Cristianmm17 took a 12-point lead over AndrewZh to the second round, held at Motorland Aragon during the #AragonGP.
On-track action was just as intense in this instance. The first of the evening’s two races was a vintage cat-and-mouse affair. Fighting back from an average start, AndrewZh grabbed the lead midway around the first lap. But trastevere73 soon found his way to second. From there, he began chipping away, tenth by tenth, at his fellow Italian’s lead.
But as seen during the first race of the Global Series, AndrewZh can maintain calm in the face of searing pressure. Despite trastevere73’s best efforts, the Ducati rider came home 0.8s in front to claim his second win in three races. Cristianmm17 was third, 6 seconds back.
Roles were reversed in a thrilling race two. Held over 10 laps, trastevere73 got the holeshot and led from the front while AndrewZh and the impressive rookie Wimp (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) gave chase close behind. The leading two soon broke clear, however and produced a grandstand finale, with the Ducati Team rider passing his rival before the final turn on the last lap. Not to be outdone, trastevere73 showed all his class to let the brakes off, and outmanoeuvre his rival to win his first race in this year’s Global Series and put himself back in the championship hunt.
Wimp took third and Cristianmm17 had to produce a thrilling fight back after crashing on the first lap. He recovered to sixth to keep his championship hopes alive.
The Ricardo Tormo Circuit outside Valencia in Spain will not only host the final round of the 2019 MotoGP™ season, but the exciting eSport Championship double-header as well. The final round will take place on Friday, 15th of November. Qualifying for the event starts on the day before.
Championship Standings ahead of Round 3
1st AndrewZh: 78 points
2nd trastevere73: 74
3rd Cristianmm17: 71
4th Juan_nh16: 50
5th adrianDP26: 42
6th Wimp: 41
7th EleGhosT555: 39
8th Mereja: 36
9th MOE: 31
10th Rllorca: 28
11th XxBoMbeR_45xX: 27
12th MrTftw: 19
