After thousands of Hot Laps and two demanding Semi Finals, the Motorsport UK Karting Esports Finals were to be an exciting affair on Thursday evening (16 April). The virtual PF International circuit was to be the host of the finals for the Motorsport UK and Motorsport UK under 12 classes and the Motorsport UK Open category – open to non-licence holders, with several drivers from around Europe taking place.
First-up, the Motorsport UK Under 12 Repechage race – a chance for two drivers to join the back of the main final. This last chance saloon for twenty hopefuls saw Chase Fernandez take a lights to flag victory with Max Horlor following in hot pursuit – with the pair speeding into the final.
The final itself was to be the highlight of the meeting as the drivers under 12 would all be in the same rental kart on the Kart Sim game. This was to produce exciting racing as the field produced a fast train – with all drivers line a stern in the pursuit of the top spots. As the time elapsed, Nathan Tye and Henry Joslyn enjoyed a good scrap for the win. In the high-speed game of chess, the pair swapped positions with Joslyn edging ahead on lap four. Working together to pull clear of the rest of the pack it was gloves off on the final lap. Tye sold Joslyn a dummy and slipped past him in the final few corners of the 15-lap race. Blake Ticehurst rounded out the rostrum while a big shout out must also go to Chase Fernandez who came from the back row to eighth overall.
In the Motorsport UK class it was to be Joe Fowler and Marcus Littlewood from the front row with the chasing pack in hot pursuit. As the pair tried to break away, they collided at the end of the first lap, allowing Lewis Bickers to inherit the lead and steal the march. As Fowler and Littlewood licked their wounds, they tried to fight their way back up the order. Fowler would clinch eighth at the end as Littlewood faired slightly better on his way to fourth at the flag.
Lewis Bickers with a commanding two second lead marched off into the distance, but it wasn’t to be plain sailing as Ted Bradbury was lurking in his shadow. Corner, by corner Bradbury chipped away but could only get the gap down to eight tenths of a second behind an ecstatic Bickers – who enjoyed a mature controlled drive. Taking the final position on the inaugural podium was Brandon Williams who steered clear of the drama around him to seal a fine finish in the Easter Series.
Like the Motorsport UK Licence holders class, the Open category would also use the rapid X30 Kart around the challenging virtual PF International venue. A chaotic start saw a crash under the bridge on the opening lap – taking out several competitors. Kieran Shanks avoided all the carnage and was on a mission as he eked out an advantage – pushing a tenth of a second every lap to win the race by the best part of five seconds. While Shanks scampered away, there were plenty of battles behind, with exciting wheel-to-wheel action throughout the Open class. Brandon Williams took a superb second – his second podium of the night, while Ryan Elliott rounded out the rostrum positions. Keeping the best part of a thousand viewers online enthralled was the dice between Max Tadd and Ryan Elliott who fought tooth and nail for fourth. Tadd made a superb move under the bridge to slip past Tyler in the closing stages of the race – but both can be pleased with a top five in the first British Esports competition for karting.
image ©