With a €5,000 prize pool on the line, and under a month until the GT500 final – to be broadcast live at the upcoming ADAC SimRacing Expo event – it was Jarno Koch who headed the standings leading into the fourth round.
This time, Circuito de Navarra was the venue for two races, using the venerable Mazda MX-5s.
In qualifying, it was Round 1, Race 1, winner Sven Haase who claimed the pole spot, just 0.2s ahead of the aforementioned Koch. Aday Coba Lopez and Simone Marceno rounded out the top four positions.
Haase held the lead at the start of the 10-lap Race 7, but just behind, Marceno battled fiercely for second. Ultimately, after going side-by-side for several corners, Koch held on and Lopez reclaimed third.
The battling opened the door for Pablo Espes, passing the Italian for fourth during the opening lap – Merceno ultimately spinning out of contention.
Onto the second tour, Lopez moved up to second, diving down the inside of the points leader at Turn 1.
One lap later, leader Haase went wide at Turn 3, allowing the Spanish driver to draw alongside. Haase held on, but the bunched pack witnessed Espes overtake Koch for the final podium spot.
At the halfway point, Lopez would strike again, this time taking the lead. It lasted until the start of the penultimate lap, previous race winner Haase sweeping around the outside of the opening three corners, bringing Espes with him.
Following an intense battle, things came to a head at the final corner on the final lap, with Espes and Haase colliding – the former bounding off track and down to seventh. The German driver lost momentum, with Lopez taking the win at the line by a scant 0.072s.
ADAC SimRacing Expo GT500 Race 7 result
- Aday Coba Lopez – 10 laps
- Sven-Ole Haase +0.076
- David Bozga +0.187
- Jarno Koch +0.271
- Simone Passoni +0.440
With the top 20 positions from the first race of this round reversed to set the grid for Race 8, that meant Dino Lombardi would be on pole position.
The Italian made a break early on ahead of Adam Isaksson. Further back in the pack, Espes was making up for the unfortunate contact while trying to win the opening, up to a staggering sixth place by just the second lap.
This would be fifth by three laps later. Meanwhile, at the front, Isaksson dived by Lambardi for the lead into Turn 1 with five laps completed.
Espes’ charge through the field would result in second place one lap later – passing Luis Beilicke at Turn 2, while ahead Lombardi and Lorenzo Manfredotti collided. The erstwhile race leader ended up facing backwards and dropped down the order.
The shenanigans left Isaksson with a clear run to victory ahead of Espes and Manfredotti. Race 7 podium finishers Haase and Koch would finish fifth and sixth respectively.
ADAC SimRacing Expo GT500 Race 8 result
- Adam Isaksson – 10 laps
- Pable Espes +0.547
- Lorenzo Manfredotti +1.670
- Luis Beilicke +3.140
- Sven-Ole Haase +4.825
The final round will be during the 2024 ADAC SimRacing Expo, 20th October.
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