Honda: These are the best SimRacers in Switzerland 🎥
PREMIERE New format and new champions in every category. Nothing stays the same at the Swiss Simracing Series 2022 as it was last year. The best example is the new TCR Swiss Virtual Series powered by Honda.
Of the 129 drivers who made it through to the next round by pre-qualifying deadline, 48 pilots competed for the title in the final at Auto Zürich. In Hall 7 of Messe Zürich, the first champion was sought and found for the newly created class. The finalists from the quarter to the semi-final and finally in the all-decisive final delivered SimSport at its best.
No easy fight for the favorites
After a long day of quarterfinals and semifinals, the favorites Thomas Schmid (Swiss Champion 2020 and 2021), Leonard Heidegger, Julian Ammann, Kevin Hablützel and eight other drivers competed in the final at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. Among the non-favorites, Beat Schmid was able to put himself in the limelight beforehand, as he won the second semi-final both in qualifying and in the race ahead of Leonard Heidegger.
Exciting race for the spectators
The 10-minute qualifying session was hard to beat due to the density of strong drivers as well as the driving characteristics of the Honda Civic TCR: on the last lap Thomas Schmid (#4) was able to take the lead with a lap of 2:00:595 minutes ahead of Simracing Series newcomer Lino Spengler (#23).
Shortly afterwards, Leonard Heidegger (#1) followed suit with a time of 2:00:599 minutes and took second place, just four thousandths behind. In the live interview before the race, Heidegger said that he now wanted to go "full on attack", although overtaking Thomas Schmid seemed "almost impossible" to him. The spectators could therefore look forward to an exciting race.
Spectacular maneuvers in the curves
In the 20-minute race, all drivers got off to a clean start and, after another briefing from race director Alex Maag (Auto Sport Schweiz), adhered to the fairness rules in racing. Thomas Schmid was able to narrowly defend his position in turns 1 and 2 ahead of Heidegger, who now wanted to try his luck in turn 3. Lino Spengler sensed the aggressiveness of the second-placed driver from Geneva and braked right next to him in a spectacular maneuver in turn 3, leaving the spectators hoping for another exciting race.
In the following 19 minutes, silence returned to the field of contenders for victory - instead, the spectators were able to enjoy an exemplary duel between Kevin Hablützel and Jan Offner in 8th and 9th place.
Thomas Schmid is the winner of the new series
It seemed as if places one to three were sealed: Thomas Schmid led constantly with a respectable gap of one second, while Heidegger was rarely able to provoke his man in front. Only on the last lap in the penultimate corner (after a long intermediate straight) did Heidegger surprise his rival with a late braking point and sit next to him on the inside, just as Spengler did on lap 1.
Door to door, they entered the final chicane before the start and finish, but Heidegger was able to prevail due to the momentum he had taken with him and was deservedly allowed to climb the higher podium as the new runner-up.
Thomas Schmid is the deserved first Swiss champion in the new TCR Swiss Virtual Series powered by Honda and can now look forward to a test day in the real Honda Civic TCR. The Jonschwil native is now Swiss champion in simracing for the third time in a row and is steadily building on his Swiss championship titles in real racing.
The complete Ranking list you can find HERE
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