Shaun Arnold triumphed at Brands Hatch, his first win with new team JOTA esports. Completing 86 laps in just 2 hours and 2 minutes, he wasted no time in showing his talent. Arnold is already qualified for the final to be staged in France, during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Runner-up Tobin Leigh pockets a ticket to Le Mans. In the final, the 18-year-old professional gamer will be pitting his wits against Kamikaze110 and F4hrevz, who represent Asia and America respectively. Leigh announced that he is joining eSport Lazarus and will be competing in the Forza RC (with Forceone and Rossi).

Isaac Price lay second for a while and was in a position to win the race but decided to hang back. The first gamer to lap in less than 1’24, Price preferred to join his team, Williams esports, for the final rather than form a team with the other players in the qualifying round. The Briton displayed admirable speed, despite worn tyres. A former G2 driver, Price showed he has the means and the will to win, but elected to form an all-Williams eSport team for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Did he make the right choice? “I’ve accomplished the mission that was set for me. I clocked the best lap time, I was in the lead and I decided to do what was best for the team. I’m proud of the way I ran the race."

The French contingent had mixed fortunes. In the seventh lap, Aurélien Mallet (G2 Laige) crashed into M3llish  who had spun on the last corner. Damaged suspension meant a spell in the garage. Williams Seven had brake system issues and a steering/pedal reset set him back two laps.

The group of ten online qualifiers clocked the fastest times in the worldwide competition in Birmingham, emphasising that for this round at least, the best players are in Europe.   

The next qualifying round is Sebring, in February. Keen gamer? Enter the competition to qualify for the final at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. https://www.lemansesports.com