AA_MEJG TRIUMPHS IN JAPAN AS ALPINE CONTINUES TO DOMINATE

The A1881 League delivered another electrifying race in Round 3 at the iconic Suzuka Circuit, Japan. The championship fight heated up, but it was AA_Mejg who once again rose above the field, securing a commanding victory for Alpine. Following him were Bhavish in Mercedes and Endru in VisaRB...

Champion Mejg had a relatively easy one, after retirement of his rival Jordan and extended his lead in championship. He was to be reached for the interview after 24 hours of partying, and told these:

Mejg: I'm happy to take the win and the fastest lap today, especially considering how it benefits me in the championship standings now that my closest rivals had a tough day. I started on the front row on the hard tires. I knew it would be tough to keep up with Jordan on mediums in the first few laps, but was hoping to have a strong last stint later on in the day. However, the first safety came out at the wrong time so all of us who started on hards were in a bad spot since our new mediums would not make it to the end. It was pedal to the metal, a flat out push until the second safety car came out. It helped my race a lot. All of a sudden I was in the best spot on the grid only having to overtake Endru on old hard tires. I pulled a gap to the drivers behind and managed it all the way to the checkered flag. It felt great to bounce back after my PS5 shutting off mid-race in Portugal when I was fighting for the lead last time out.

Bhavish, driving for Mercedes, celebrated a remarkable second place, reaching an impressive podium after his long break from racing. Endru, representing VisaRB, completed the top three, capping off a stellar recovery drive after being eliminated in Q1 during qualifying. His consistency is proving pivotal in VisaRB’s strong constructors’ campaign.

NaeDangerDavid finished fourth in the second VisaRB, displaying solid pace and teamwork to bolster their championship hopes. Rian, overcoming a qualifying ban, showcased his resilience by climbing to fifth place in the other Alpine. Alpine’s dominance in the constructors’ standings seems unshaken after yet another strong showing.

Dunce secured sixth for Aston Martin, continuing his consistent season, receiving big help from his teammate to defend against Rollie in last lap. Rollie drove a determined race for Ferrari to claim seventh, finishing ahead of Aston Martin’s rothNz, who ended up in eighth. Rollie is told to make the  fallen GOAT rethink his simracing career—drawing parallels to the infamous Altan retirement saga...

Tvoje_mamkacz brought his Mercedes home in ninth, while Gordini rounded out the top ten for McLaren. However, Gordini’s performance was once again overshadowed by controversy. The Swede collided with compatriot Jordan into Turn 1, forcing Jordan to retire early in his Williams. This marked Gordini’s second consecutive week of involvement in a title contender’s retirement, following Rian’s crash in Portugal.

Slowfiveohh and Keon finished eleventh and twelfth, respectively, for RedBull, showcasing decent pace but struggling to match the midfield leaders. TarkanGino and Crunchypancake brought both Haas cars home in thirteenth and fourteenth, continuing to search for the performance needed to challenge higher up the order.

Inginne, driving for KICK Sauber, finished fifteenth, being involved in major incidents to give him damage, but showing improvements in pace once again. Sir_Ibbo crossed the line in sixteenth for Williams, making him the last driver alive on track once more.

The race saw four retirements. Justin, after having strong pace and with the leading pack for most of the race, tried hard to dnf himself on track but the game didnt let him and saved him from a penalty next race, forcing him to retire in pits as needed. Dan, reserving for Mirko in the Ferrari, had his race cut short due to yet another Codemasters bug, marking an unfortunate end to his return to racing. Selecta, in the McLaren, also retired early, while Jordan’s clash with Gordini brought an abrupt end to his race. The Williams driver’s frustration was palpable as he left the circuit.

With three rounds complete, AA_Mejg continues to lead the drivers’ standings with 109 points, while Alpine retains a firm grip on the constructors’ championship with 151 points. VisaRB and Aston Martin remain in close pursuit, but Alpine’s consistency might prove difficult to overcome. As the championship heads into Round 4 on Canada, the grid is brimming with tension and anticipation for what’s shaping up to be a thrilling season...

You can find the stream of the race with Ironghost commentary, in the below link:

https://www.youtube.com/live/GjM5q_9eVUU?si=Wlb29HEQNH7eIBGe&t=4375