MEJG BACK ON TOP IN NETHERLANDS OPENER, INGINNE FINISHES 100% RACE WITHOUT MELTING UNDER RAIN...

The 20th season of A1881 kicked off at the Netherlands GP with a dramatic opener that had it all: an unexpected pole from Javinwain, a mid-race downpour, and a return to winning ways for AA_Mejg in his VisaRB. After a strong but sometimes inconsistent Season 19, Mejg wasted no time showing he intends to be a frontrunner again. Joining him on the podium were Cajoco in the Ferrari, marking a powerful return after his year at Kick Sauber, and Dunce in the Aston Martin, who impressed from the very first laps...

The race, spanning 72 laps, began under dry skies with Javinwain’s Williams starting from pole, followed by Dunce’s Aston Martin and Rollie's Alpine. Mejg, starting fourth, faced an uphill climb after an early extra pit stop before the rain hit. But as the track turned treacherous, he carved through the field and reeled in both Cajoco and Dunce, crossing the line five seconds clear to open the season in style.

AA_Mejg's interview will be added later.

Behind the podium trio, Endru brought home the second VisaRB in fourth after a steady recovery drive from 16th on the grid, making VisaRB the early team to beat with 64 points already on the board. Rollie secured fifth for Alpine after a strong start from third, while Mercedes duo Keon and Gordini showed consistency to claim sixth and seventh.

The biggest charge of the day came from Tbran in the Kick Sauber, stepping in for Naedanger, who blasted from 20th on the grid to eighth and earned Driver of the Day honors. Haas newcomer SV5 marked his debut with ninth, though a few clumsy moments while filling in for Rian hinted at some nerves. Selecta, starting way back in 19th due to his quali ban, clawed up to round out the top ten in his Aston Martin.

Wildcard driver Energetic, filling in for reigning champion Jordan, delivered a strong performance and was running in ninth place until a crash on lap 71. Even so, he was classified P11 and crucially brought Jordan points to start his title defense season on the board.

Further down, Kast1908 added to Ferrari’s tally with 12th, while Inginne became the story of the rain-soaked second half. Not only did the Red Bull driver finally finish a race with 100% rain running, but he also pulled off a Verstappen-like save at Turn 1 that had fans—and likely his own heartbeat—skipping. Crunchypancake in the McLaren followed home in 14th, ahead of his teammate Sir_Ibbo in 15th, giving the team valuable points early in the season.

Williams, however, suffered heartbreak. Javinwain, despite starting from pole, retired before mid-distance when the rain shuffled strategies. His teammate Bards also failed to finish, leaving Williams still chasing their first points of the season. Red Bull’s SCR_FTronc and Haas’s SDRS_Racing shared the same fate, with reliability gremlins biting just as the conditions worsened. Tvoje_mamkacz’s Alpine, despite some spirited running early on, also dropped out before the finish.

The Constructors’ Championship picture after Round 1 is already heating up. VisaRB leads with a crushing 64 points thanks to Mejg and Endru’s top-four lock, while Ferrari and Aston Martin are tied on 40. Mercedes is lurking just a point behind on 39, and Kick Sauber already sits fifth with 24, largely thanks to Tbran’s storming drive. Alpine, despite Rollie’s strong result, lost ground with Tvoje’s retirement, and Williams remain stuck at the bottom. Jordan’s team, meanwhile, opened their account thanks to Energetic’s classified finish.

With just one round in the books and nine still to go, the Netherlands opener has set the tone for what promises to be another unpredictable A1881 season. It was also a treat to have Ironghost back on comms, even for only last 20 laps...

https://www.youtube.com/live/RPg_vZOCrDE?si=yxZvP40ECdQNKWeY

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