Home Esports Visser and Kimilainen split wins again in W Series Esports at COTA

Visser and Kimilainen split wins again in W Series Esports at COTA

by Craig Woollard

Photo: W Series

Beitske Visser and Emma Kimilainen shared the wins again in the second W Series Esports League event at Circuit of the Americas.

Visser took pole for race one but had a slow start – as did fellow front-row starter Caitlin Wood – and dropped behind Marta Garcia.

About halfway through the 15-minute race, Visser was able to get back past Garica while lapping Vicky Piria, and from then on did not look back.

Garcia held on for second, and Nerea Marti held off a charging Alice Powell at the end of the race to round out the podium. After recording no time in qualifying due to track limits abuse, Irina Sidorkova was able to work her way up to finish ninth.

A chaotic reversed grid second race started with Piria on pole, but she came off worst in a four-wide scrap for the lead heading into the hairpin down the back straight. That left Bruna Tomaselli in first place, but she dropped down the order after contact with Abbie Eaton.

Kimilainen then made her way from 13th into the lead, and had a comfortable advantage after Belen Garcia and Marti (who had charged up to third from the back) both pitted following damage.

Jessica Hawkins held second for a while, before being hunted down by Sidorkova – who had come from the back again lap one contact – and Powell.

Kimilainen was able to resist Sidorkova to take her second reversed grid win in succession, while Visser finished sixth.

Visser – who also won the first and third races at Monza – was once again on pole for race three, ahead of Tasmin Pepper. She controlled the race from the start to take a fourth win and extend her points lead.

The final podium spots were taken by Wood – who was finally able to translate strong qualifying pace into a race result – and Sidorkova, who started fifth.

Pepper spun at the final corner on lap one, but was able to recover to fourth ahead of fellow spinner Marti and Marta Garcia.

The most entertaining battle was over ninth, which Hawkins took from a damaged Ayla Agren.

Reigning W Series champion Jamie Chadwick was absent, and is currently testing ahead of a switch to Formula Regional European Championship. Miki Koyama took her virtual plae for the final race of the event.