Not the best of weekends, this past one, for the FDA Esports Team. In rapid succession, David Tonizza and Giovanni De Salvo tackled a Sprint Cup race set at Misano Adriatico and then the penultimate round of the Endurance Cup, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Nurburgring.
Misano. In qualifying for the Sprint Cup on Italian soil, David Tonizza produced another classy performance to tackle the problems, managing to set a great third fastest time, despite the 30 kilos of balance his car had to carry. “Tonzilla” was just 117 thousandths off the poleman James Baldwin (McLaren Shadow) his main rival in the title fight. Ahead of the Italian was Eamonn Murphy (Yas Heat) while Giovanni De Salvo was eighth in the number 4 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020.
Race. The first blow to the FDA Esports Team’s aspirations came at the star as De Salvo had a software problem and took no further part in the race. Tonizza however got away well and stayed third throughout, apart from during the pit stop. Baldwin won from Murphy, with “Tonzilla” fighting off the attentions of Daire McCormack (Williams Esports) in the closing stages, bringing home 15 useful points as he continues to head the standings on 114 points, with Baldwin on 90 and Kevin Siggy (Team Redline) on 73, having finished fifth at Misano. Despite not taking part, De Salvo is still fifth on 53 points.
Nürburgring. The penultimate race of the SRO GT World Challenge Esports Endurance Cup did not go at all well for the FDA Esports Team. It was clear the race would be tough and the wet conditions introduced for the Nurburgring certainly didn’t make like any easier for Tonizza, De Salvo and Amos Laurito. Right from qualifying they had a difficult time of it, with the Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 doing no better than sixth, three and a half tenths off pole, secured by Pfeffer-Simonini-Adam in the Sainteloc R8G number 157 car.
Race. Disaster at the start: the number 62 (BMW Sim Racing G2 Esports) ran into the 191 car of Siclari-Schinz-Erbrich in the wet, sending it spinning. Tonizza was right behind and could see nothing and crashed into the Racing Line Motorsport car, sustaining heavy damage. After a long stop for repairs the 51 Ferrari was back on track and got as high as thirteenth place, while the 191 car won the race. It means that, with one race to go, FDA Esports Team has seen its lead reduced to just 12 points over the Racing Line Motorsport car. The championship ended at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit on 16 October.