- WORLD FINALS
- Igor Fraga (IOF_RACING17) Loses on His Home Course as Japan's Tomoaki Yamanaka (yamado_racing38) Takes Race 2!
- FIA Gran Turismo Championships 2018 World Finals/Nations Cup
- 11/25/2018
Race 2 took place at Interlagos, which is the home circuit of the Brazilian, Igor Fraga (IOF_RACING17). And, as expected, Fraga (IOF_RACING17) made the perfect start, building on his Race 1 victory by taking pole position in his F-Type Gr.3.
On the front straight of Lap 2, Japan's Tomoaki Yamanaka (yamado_racing38), driving a BMW M6 GT3, used the slipstream of the Honda NSX driven by Adriano Carrazza (CRT-Didico15), to move up to 2nd place, while Australia's Cody Nikola Latkovski (Nik_Makozi), in an Aston Martin Vantage GT3, occupied 3rd place.
Yamanaka (yamado_racing38) and Latkovski (Nik_Makozi) were involved in a fierce battle for 2nd place. Latkovski's aggressive moves trying get past the Japanese driver had put a strain on his tires, and his tires' grip began to degrade. The Porsche 911RSR of Spain's Coque López (Williams_Coque14), who was just behind him in 4th place, filled up his mirrors.
The leaders pitted on Lap 4, with Fraga (IOF_RACING17) being the first one to leave pit lane; but he came out at precisely the wrong time, as he immediately got caught up in traffic and saw his big lead slowly vanish.
Yamanaka (yamado_racing38) saw his chance, and was right on Fraga's (IOF_RACING17) tail.
While both drivers had switched to medium-compound tires at the same time during their pit stop, the tires of race leader, Fraga (IOF_RACING17), were wearing out quicker than that of Yamanaka's (yamado_racing38), because Fraga was taking a defensive line in warding off the Japanese driver.
The decisive moment came on the final lap. On Turn 7, Yamanaka (yamado_racing38) made his move when Fraga (IOF_RACING17) went a bit wide through the corner. The Japanese driver dove to the inside and got past the Brazilian in a brilliantly-executed pass.
Things would get worse for Fraga (IOF_RACING17), as he was caught and passed by both López (Williams_Coque14) and Latkovski (Nik_Makozi), ultimately finishing the race in 4th place.
Yamanaka (yamado_racing38) had beaten Fraga (IOF_RACING17) on his home circuit, a feat not so easily accomplished. The crowd went wild as Yamanaka (yamado_racing38) took the lead over the heavily-favored Brazilian and clinched the win.
