The final chance had arrived. Saturday evening brought the main season of the ROKiT Racing Star F4 Esports Competition UK to a close with its fifth and final round before the Grand Finals located in Bolton, England.
Across both genders, stars had been discovered such as Monica Boulton Ramos and Dylan Warren amongst others.
As those two, in particular, could look ahead to the LAN event safe in the knowledge of their qualification already being confirmed, others still needed a good result at the Hockenheimring. There was no more trying, simply doing or not doing in the quest to secure a real-world drive.
Girls’ qualifying
It was a sad sight to see the Girls’ grid diminish down to just five drivers although the lack of any more rookies essentially confirmed all participants’ presence at the Grand Finals. Macie Hitter would claim her second consecutive pole position ahead of Spa race winner Boulton Ramos.
The timing sheets suggested a one-on-one front row duel with Ella Wrigley some distance back in third. Jaz Shaw and Charlotte Bell rounded out the diminutive grid.
Girls’ race
Sadly for Bell, she wouldn’t even make the start leaving just four cars to scrap down towards the Nordkurve as she began her race from the pitlane.
An uncharacteristic error from Boulton Ramos saw her spin out, unsettling Hitter ahead who herself was experiencing the anomaly of a strong launch. Wrigley played the situation well but was unable to wrestle the early lead away from the pole sitter.
The red machine kept the pressure on throughout the opening lap but ultimately cracked out of the final corner, spinning up the rear tyres and allowing Shaw a taste of second.
Seeing her rivals close up significantly was all the incentive Boulton Ramos required to reclaim her starting position over the course of one lap. By this point, however, Hitter was comfortably sitting on a seven-second advantage.
Wrigley escorting Shaw out of the podium places would be the last overtake of the contest as it died down into five cars lapping far apart from each other. Hitter was untouchable, completing her strong string of results to end the season ahead of a distant Boulton Ramos and Wrigley some fifty seconds back.
- Macie Hitter – 30:19.234
- Monica Boulton Ramos +9.444
- Ella Wrigley +51.479
- Jaz Shaw +1:20.393
- Charlotte Bell + 1 Lap
Boys’ qualifying
Last race winner Deagen Fairclough was a no show for Boys’ qualifying and thus gave plenty of hope to those on the cusp of reaching the Grand Finals to snag a top place finish.
Warren was back on pole position in Germany ahead of the high potential yet inconsistent duo of Theo Micouris and Kai Bachini.
A big session for Jack Badger saw the red car up in fourth ahead of Nathan Clifford who took a podium in Monza.
Boys’ race
A really clean start for all was satisfying and for Clifford, he made good on his launch passing Badger early on.
Micouris wasn’t waiting around, catching Warren down at the Turn 6 hairpin and taking the lead without much fuss. Bachini, who was one of those who needed a good round, spun of his own accord on the exit of the same corner.
This forced Clifford into avoiding action, dropping him behind both Badger once again and the storming Tenuk Rodrigo.
Sadly this would be as high as Rodrigo would run. Clifford was ahead through the hairpin on the following lap and on the next visit Marcus Luzio would also demote him a place. Adam Alderton was up next launching a cavalier effort into the Mercedes Arena; a successful one at that.
Luzio had found fine speed, making short work of both Badger and Clifford following a short stint closing the gap to both. This would only be the beginning of a fantastic scrap between all three. The multiple exchanges of positions to come would invite Alderton to the party with half the race left to run.
As much as the battle for third was on, so was the battle for the lead. The final ten minutes was a tense affair with Micouris holding on for dear life against the resurgent Warren.
Although a long time coming, the result was worth it as the Boys’ championship leader sold a dummy into the hairpin before switching back to an inside lunge. The lead was his on the exit.
Disaster would strike Warren with just a minute remaining. What was originally thought to be overly cautious defensive lines transpired to be compensating for a technical issue. A wild line into Turn 1 on the final lap gifted Micouris the lead and indeed the race win. In the war for third, Luzio was victorious fending off a rabid Badger.
- Theo Micouris – 31:22.146
- Dylan Warren +1.810
- Marcus Luzio +8.208
- Jack Badger +8.352
- Adam Alderton +9.757
- Nathan Clifford +9.878
- William Young +10.069
- Kai Bachini +12.782
- Oliver Bunn +13.266
- Thenuk Rodrigo +13.746
