- WORLD FINALS
- Lightning Strikes! European Ace, Mikail Hizal (TRL_LIGHTNING), Secures Victory in Semi-Final Group B!
- FIA Gran Turismo Championships 2018 World Finals/Nations Cup
- 2018/11/25
The Semi-Final Group B race took place at the DragonTrail Seaside II circuit, with the drivers battling it out in Gr.3 cars.
Japan’s Shogo Yoshida (gilles_honda_v12) started in pole position on soft-compound tires, hoping it would allow him to take an early lead and run away from the pack.
The winner of the Asia/Oceania group, Japan’s Ryota Kokubun (Akagi_1942mi), who was a bit under the weather since arriving in Monaco, overran Turn 12, giving Chilean driver Nicolás Rubilar (FT_NicoR) a chance to get by.
On Turn 6 of the second lap, Germany’s Mikail Hizal (TRL_LIGHTNING) dove to the inside of the corner, causing Australian Cody Nikola Latkovski (Nik_Makozi) to overrun the curve. This caused Latkovski (Nik_Makozi), who was tussling with two other cars, very little room to maneuver, slowing him down and dropping him down to 9th place.
On Lap 4, with his soft tires worn down, Yoshida (gilles_honda_v12) headed for the pits, giving up the lead to fellow countryman Kokubun (Akagi_1942mi) and Rubilar (FT_NicoR), who had both started out with medium-compound tires, which allowed them to stay out a bit longer.
After changing to the softer tires, Kokubun (Akagi_1942mi) was unable to keep a quick pace and gave up the lead on the approach to Turn 6 to Yoshida (gilles_honda_v12), who was now running on the medium-compound tires.
On Lap 7, Hizal (TRL_LIGHTNING) made his move, charging hard though the first corner to take the lead.
In the meantime, Rubilar (FT_NicoR) fell victim to the infamous "Chicane of Death."
His fortunes would not improve, as Brazilian Adriano Carrazza (CRT-Didico15) blocked Rubilar (FT_NicoR), leaving him nowhere to go but off the track, dropping him to 9th place.
In the end, it was Hizal (TRL_LIGHTNING) who was the first to cross the finish line, as his magnificent race strategy took him from 5th place all the way to the top. And despite not feeling 100 percent, Kokubun (Akagi_1942mi) finished in second place.
Rubilar (FT_NicoR) and Latkovski (Nik_Makozi) ended up going into the repechage after a turbulent ride through Group B.
