Jeddah Corniche Circuit

SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX

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March 14, 2019

 

The WTF1 Superleague returned from its winter break and it delivered a classic race, as the GPVWC's flagship series kick-started its 20th season of competition.
Evolution's Jannick Bock put on a defensive masterclass in the dying stages of the race as the German claimed victory in a sensational WTF1 Superleague season opener.

Defending champion Alex Siebel took second place ahead of Bock's Evolution Motorsports teammate Dennis Jordan - who rounded out an all German podium.

Hawkeye Racing's Liam de Waal started from pole and managed to control the first stint of the race nicely, with Bock finding just how hard the Dutch driver would defend. Siebel found his way through whilst the top two tussled their way through turns three, four and five.

By the time de Waal pitted on lap 13, the top three had bunched to within a second of each other. The early pit stop onto the ultra soft tyres would ultimately cost the pole-sitter, as two laps later, Bock would pit for softs and leapfrog the Hawkeye machine.

Siebel pitted a lap later, rejoining just in front his rivals. Bock went to the outside of the ACR Zakspeed driver, de Waal made it three wide into turn three. Siebel managed to hold off de Waal, but Bock pulled off the dramatic overtake and snatched the lead.

Fabio Sixta drove a superb final two stints to move his way up the order, followed by Maciej Mlynek and Daniel Brewer. Sixta's pace had put him in with an outside chance of a podium position come the end of the race.

Liam de Waal's strategy put him under pressure in the final stint. Sixta was flying on ultra softs whilst de Waal nursed his softs. The Red Archer man was fast enough, with the aid of DRS, to move up into fourth before the turning point for turn one.

Up front and Siebel was trying every line available to get past Bock. But whilst he knew there was no need to risk everything in race one, Bock's car positioning was nothing short of superb as he held on in the final five laps to just stay ahead Siebel and take victory.

Full Race Results: HERE

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