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Defending Porsche Esports Supercup champion Sebastian Job won both races at Spa-Francorchamps after his nearest title rivals crashed into each other.
It means Job has closed down the points gap to 2019 champion Josh Rogers in the hunt for the largest share of the $200,000 prize pool.
It was a good start to the event for the top two drivers in the championship as Rogers took the maximum 10 points for taking pole position while fellow Coanda Simsport driver Mitchell deJong was second fastest and earned eight points.
Red Bull Esports’ Job was fourth fastest in qualifying and so dropped a further six points further away from Rogers in the championship – and started the race behind another Coanda driver as Charlie Collins lined up third on the starting grid.
On the first lap Job cleared Collins for third on the run down to Eau Rouge. But he was unable to find a gap to get ahead of either deJong or Rogers ahead of him.
The three drivers were running line astern towards Bruxelles when deJong turned in front of Job just before the braking zone, meaning Job was unable to avoid contact with deJong and rear ended him, which caused the American to spin into race leader Rogers.
#PESC – "They're in the gravel trap at Bruxelles!!"
MEGA drama at the start of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup! Come watch the action: https://t.co/Cpyl5yk6HQ@PorscheRaces | @TAGHeuer pic.twitter.com/KOTFqRzkpd
— iRacing.com (@iRacing) March 13, 2021
Contact between the Coanda drivers meant they dropped to 34th and 36th in the order and were unable to climb back up to the top 20 before the chequered flag was waved – therefore neither of them scored any points in the sprint race.
With the aid of the slipstream Collins took first place away from Job on the second lap down the Kemmel straight, but Job bided his time and pulled off exactly the same move back on Collins to take the lead of the race back on the final lap.
Job scored 25 points for winning the sprint race, with Collins and Alejandro Sanchez who completing the podium places.
The double length feature race wasn’t without contact either as the front three of Zac Campbell, Jeff Giassi and real-world Porsche Supercup driver Ayhancan Guven all went side by side into Les Combes.
Contact between the trio caused Guven to spin on entry to the chicane and he went into the side of Giassi and Dayne Warren to cause a pile up.
Last year’s champion Job avoided the first lap crashes and benefitted from them to move up to second despite starting the feature race from eighth place.
On the second lap Job cleared Sanchez to take first place before Collins slipstreamed past both of them in the three-way fight for the race win.
However a lap later Collins straight-lined the Les Combes chicane after what appeared to be contact from Job behind, causing Collins to be given a slow-down penalty and fall to ninth in the running order.
Despite an attempted move by Sanchez at the Bus Stop chicane at the end of the race, Job won both races at Spa-Francorchamps for the second year in a row.
#PESC – Let’s replay the Main Race finish of round 7 of the #Porsche @TAGHeuer Esports #Supercup. As always, @CircuitSpa delivered some stunning #911GT3Cup action. The sprint from the final corner to the line decided in favour of winner @G2Sebi @iracing pic.twitter.com/AFQ4rxJZK3
— Porsche Motorsport (@PorscheRaces) March 13, 2021
Rogers crossed the line in 13th place yet still maintains the championship lead, while deJong scored a single point for crossing the line in 25th and therefore fell behind Job in the championship standings.
Australian Rogers still has a 99 point advantage with three rounds to go and a maximum of 85 points up for grabs at any one event.
DeJong is a further five points behind Job and third in the standings but is still 27 points clear of Kevin Ellis Jr in fourth.
