PSGL: Butcher secures maiden victory in Spa-Francorchamps

Haas’ Alfie Butcher has secured his maiden victory, in the Premier Sim Gaming League PC F1 division, after he snatched the lead away from Alfa Romeo’s Nicolas Longuet.

How the race unfolded…

It was a great start from Longuet who cut across the circuit to defend from Williams’ Ulas Ozyildirim. After the opening corners, Longuet led the race ahead of Ozylldrim and Haas’ Dani Bereznay. 

By the end of the first lap, everyone completed the first tour of Spa-Francorchamps without issue as Longuet cleared DRS range over Ozyildirim with a second in-hand over the Williams driver.

Of the opening stints, it was a complete mix of tyre strategies as a number of drivers opted for a mix of soft, medium and hard compounds. Race leader, Longuet led the soft tyre runners as the remaining top five were on the mediums.  

On lap four, Aston Martin’s Fabrizio Donoso lost rear-grip as the pack raced through the Les Combes chicane, at turn six, after he made contact with Alpha Tauri’s Jake Benham. Following the contact, Benham continued to run in 12th while Donoso peeled into the pit lane to swap over his used soft tyres for a fresh set of hards. 

Ferrari’s championship leader, Bari Broumand, Mercedes’ Jarno Opmeer and McLaren’s defending F1 Esports champion, Lucas Blakeley, came together into La Source (T1), at the beginning of lap six. However, all three drivers were able to continue on without issue, 

Alfa Romeo’s Brendon Leigh, who remained in contention for the PSGL championship, was the first driver to peel into the pit lane of the top runners. The British driver was quickly followed by Haas’ Alfie Butcher and Ozylldrim who all pitted to exchange their medium tyres for the hards. Longuet quickly followed suit, a lap later, to avoid an undercut from Leigh and the early pitters. 

When Longuet returned to the circuit, he was quickly met by Leigh as the two went wheel-to-wheel through Eau Rogue and Radillion. By the end of the Kemmel Straight, Leigh lost four positions to Ozyildirim, Butcher and Longuet. 

It wasn’t long before Longuet regained the race lead. Ozyildirim had the net-race lead down the Kemmel Straight but he was quickly swallowed up by both Butcher and Longuet as the latter moved ahead of both Ozyildirim and Butcher by turn five.  

Of the drivers in championship contention, it was Leigh who had the favourable track position, in 10th, after he completed a move on Ozyildirim. Championship leader Broumand sat in 12th while Opmeer sat just behind the Ferrari driver in 13th. 

Opmeer and Ronhaar made contact at La Source, on lap 17, as the race went into its dying ambers. On the run down into turn one, Ronhaar outbroke himself into the first corner and tagged Opmeer through the corner. Despite the contact, Opmeer still held onto track position – in seventh – ahead of Ronhaar who occupied eighth. 

However, this was not the end of the battle between Opmeer and Ronhaar as the Alfa Romeo took P7 down the pit straight. The former F1 Esports champion was on the gearbox of Ronhaar through Radillion and outbroke Ronhaar into Les Combes to take seventh place. 

The fight came to its inevitable conclusion at turn eight, Rivage, as Ronhaar attempted a move down the inside of Opmeer but the Alfa quickly made contact with the Mercedes rear tyres and spun around. Ronhaar quickly retired from the race after the contact.

With two laps to go, the fight for victory intensified as Longuet led the 21st lap but he was quickly overtaken by Butcher down the Kemmel Straight by Butcher ad Ozyildirim.

However, on the final lap, Longuet regained second place against Ozyildirim into Les Combes. The fight between the Frenchman and the Turkish driver allowed Butcher to have some breathing space as he went on to secure his maiden victory.

That’s it for the article; PSGL: Butcher secures maiden victory in Spa-Francorchamps!

Read more Esports here!

• PSGL: Longuet fights for maiden victory despite pressure from Opmeer in Suzuka
• EA F1 23 to release June 16 featuring Las Vegas Circuit and return of Braking Point
• Opmeer realistic of championship hopes after Suzuka crash
• F1 Esports: Longuet wins as Opmeer crashes out
• F1 Pro Championship: Blakeley leads five-way battle in season finale
• F1 Esports Pro Championship: Blakeley dominates in Zandvoort

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.