After finishing surprisingly far down the order in 16th in the first round of the multi-game Esports Racing League, one of sim racing’s best, Coanda Esports, struck back on Le Mans Ultimate, defeating Team Nitro 2-0 in the final. Nitro will still lead the standings as a result, while Coanda only climb to 11th provisionally.
Heats
Daire McCormack was Virtus.pro’s standout driver on Assetto Corsa Competizione in Round 1, as you’d expect, but he also came into Le Mans Ultimate with bags of pace, seizing the first of three pole-to-win performances in the three heats.
Charlie Collins of Coanda Esports and Niklas Houben of Team Nitro did the same to see those teams comfortably through.
None of the big names even landed themselves in the Second Chance race this time, a welcome difference for R8G Esports and Coanda, especially, who were out by this stage already last time out.
Though it wasn’t without scares for the big teams. Kevin Ellis Jr. spun on lap one of his heat for Virtus.pro, and Nikodem Wisniewski fell afoul of the intricate cut-through section of the unusual Bahrain Outer layout, but neither really came close to the danger zone.
Second Chance
Lukas Mateja sealed pole for the Second Chance race, but a great opening lap move from Aidan Walsingham around the outside put him in prime position to advance with Veloce Thrustmaster.
Marco Lomi of Gladius Competitions had the best shot of passing either for the all-important second place, but spun in his attempt at turn one, allowing Samatha Tan Esports to reach the Quarter-Finals for the second time in two rounds.
Quarter-Finals
The remaining 12 teams were split into two groups of six, and in the first group, R8G Esports locked out the front row for the first time in 2025. With Team Nitro locking out row two, it was a scrap for third, and Dominik Blajer’s unforced error at the final corner put Williams Sim Racing out, and BS+ Competition through.
Virtus.pro had a similar stranglehold over the second group, taking first and third in qualifying despite Vojtech Fiala’s struggles.
RAFA ERA Esports’ star driver Jernej Simončič was caught up in the melee of lap one, but went on an extraordinary rampage back through the field to 11th throughout the rest of the race. With teammate Michal Smidl winning, TC Esports’ middle-order top 10s were no longer enough, and RAFA advanced with Coanda and Virtus.pro.
Semi-Final
Jakob Ostermann started on pole for BS+ Competition, but despite controlling much of the race, they were knocked out with his teammates 13th and 16th. R8G Esports didn’t stand a chance after lap one either, when both Marcell Csincsik and Erhan Jajovski were caught up in incidents.
It was between Nitro, Coanda and Virtus.pro for the final two spots, but Daire McCormack’s uncharacteristic error halfway through the race settled the debate, and put Nitro in their second final in two rounds.
Final
Race one would be defined by the first team-mate contact of a final this season – Bastian Richter hit by Tobias Gronewald into the final corner from a decent position, handing Coanda race one victory.
Coanda commanded race two from the start, with Collins and Gabriel Salomon running 1-2. Salomon put up a defence from Niklas Houben for a while, but despite that, and an Elliott Vayron penalty, Coanda Esports had enough to win the final 2-0.
It was a ‘turning back the clock’ moment for Coanda Esports, as they refound some form after a disastrous opening round. They’re still only 11th in the standings provisionally, so there’s a lot more work for them to do before they can guarantee their place at Sim Formula Europe in 2026.
Esports Racing League Round 2 results
- Coanda Esports
- Team Nitro
- BS+COMPETITION
- RAFA ERA Esports by EMM
- Virtus.Pro
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