Aston Martin gets FIA-backed Gran Turismo Manufacturer Series title
Aston Martin clinched the FIA-certified Gran Turismo Championships Manufacturer Series win in Paris after finishing first in the final race of four
The unexpected title came after it had qualified 10th of the 12 teams on Friday, but Aston Martin managed to claw its way to the top by virtue of Yoshiharu Imai's climb to seventh in the opener.
His team-mate Thomas Compton-Mcpherson blazed his way through to second in the following race before a second successive podium gave Aston Martin the platform to take Nissan on in the final, trailing by just four points in the standings.
In the final race of four, a double points encounter, Marcell seized the lead from Nissan's Igor Fraga at Barcelona's Turn 1 to take the lead on the first lap of 17.
The Mitsubishi team led by Shogo Yoshida took over the race lead on lap three, running the soft compound compared to the medium tyres of Aston Martin.
But second place would still be enough for Aston to seal the title, and it was bolstered by Nissan falling down to 10th early on after an incident with Chevrolet.
BMW - who were third overall entering the final race - started last out of the 12 teams in a further boost to Aston's title hopes.
While Mitsubishi had created a gap of over 10 seconds to second-placed Aston Martin during the second stint having run a faster compound, the gap was slashed to five seconds after the final pit stops.
With Aston Martin on the soft compound and Mitsubishi on the hard tyres, it was not long until Aston Martin took over the lead of the race with two laps remaining, going on to secure the Manufacturer Series victory overall.
The chance of victory looked slim for the Aston Martin team, having qualified down in 10th out of the 12 teams on Friday.
The FIA GT Championships returns on Sunday at 1pm UK time for the Nations Cup event. You can watch live and find out more information here.
FIA-backed Gran Turismo Championships to kick off 2019 in Paris
Rubilar wins Paris Gran Turismo Nations Cup Esport round
Brown: F1 won't suffer from "complete mess" triggered by FTX crypto collapse
Formula 1 will weather the storm caused by the "complete mess" of the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the contagion it triggered, says McLaren boss Zak Brown.
BTCC greats rate a reimagined Super Saloons tussle
Steve Soper and Robb Gravett are two British Touring Car Championship legends who aren’t shy in reliving memories of glory days in creative ways. That’s how the new set from Scalextric – Super Saloons made for a perfect fantasy mini battle
Gran Turismo hopeful of FIA partnership, bigger World Series events in 2023
On the eve of the Gran Turismo World Series Nations Cup World Final, gaming series producer Kazunori Yamauchi clarified its current relationship with the FIA and its virtual motorsport plans for next season.
DTM champion Sheldon van der Linde wants "bucket list" Le Mans, Bathurst outings
Sheldon van der Linde wants to tick off Le Mans 24 Hours and Bathurst 12 Hour from his bucket list after winning the 2022 DTM title with the M4 GT3.
Analysis: How an unlikely tie-up won sim racing's biggest race
An unlikely partnership between LMP1 privateer Rebellion Racing and Williams Formula 1's successful sim racing team yielded victory in the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. Here's how it triumphed in the biggest sim race ever staged
How poor driving standards ruined IndyCar's golden opportunity
The chaotic end to the virtual Indy 175 might be dismissed as "just a game," but the insulting actions of two IndyCar stars may have serious real-life consequences
Why Leclerc's Virtual GP annihilation deserves great credit
The introduction of Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon, George Russell and Antonio Giovinazzi to Formula 1's Virtual GP last weekend meant it was a step above the franchise's debut two weeks ago. But a dominant performance from Esports newcomer Leclerc stole the show
How the hidden side of being fast has been exposed
'Natural talent' is one of the biggest misnomers going in motorsport, and that is being proven by the way real life racers aren't immediately getting on the pace with the sim racing experts in virtual contests. To change that, they are having to apply the same tools required to be quick in real life
Why F1’s pantomime Virtual GP is fun but unsustainable
F1 Esports' inaugural Virtual Grand Prix last weekend provided brilliant entertainment to those tuning in to watch a mix of F1 drivers and celebrities battle on track, but was a missed opportunity for marketing its own Esports stars. A change of approach is needed if it is to successfully fill the void until the resumption of proper racing
The latest Red Bull exile to return in Esports
Since he was ejected from the programme at the end of 2006, the latest Red Bull junior driver brought back into the fold to race in Formula 1 - in a virtual sense for the inaugural Virtual GP - has had quite the career journey. From ADAC GT Masters and Porsche Supercup to Le Mans and the DTM, here's how a works pro got to relive a long-forgotten dream
Mercedes can be toppled in F1's other title race
Mercedes has not only set new standards in Formula 1, but it's also created a benchmark in Esports. Now its rivals have scrambled to catch up, there's a chance the Brendon Leigh-fronted Mercedes can be stopped
Why World's Fastest Gamer is returning to real-world racing
World's Fastest Gamer is a spiritual successor to the famous GT Academy. After a successful first year, it's returning to the Nissan programme's roots by targeting the real world of racing