Virtual racing at Spa-Francorchamps took a wet turn in Round 7 of the 2026 Sim Racing World Championship, offering strategic conundrums and a maiden victory for Ulaz Ozyildirim. Racing Bulls secured a historic 1-2 finish, adding fresh spice to the championship battle.
The 2026 Sim Racing World Championship made its way back to the virtual Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for an eventful Round 7. The action unfolded at the F1 Media and Technology Centre in Biggin Hill, where 18 top Esports drivers vied for supremacy under unpredictable weather conditions.
**Qualifying Drama** The qualifying session began with a surprise as reigning champion Jarno Opmeer found himself stuck at the bottom in Q1. Despite a promising purple sector, he was knocked out in P16. Meanwhile, rain played a pivotal role in Q2, catching out drivers like Thomas Ronhaar, Jake Benham, and Alfie Butcher, who didn't make it to Q3.
The final moments of Q3 saw a gamble that paid off handsomely. Three drivers switched to slick tyres on a drying track, securing the top three positions. Ulaz Ozyildirim from Racing Bulls clinched pole, a full six-tenths ahead of Williams' Istvan Puki, with Racing Bulls teammate Tom Manley completing the top trio.
**Race Day Antics** The race started under wet conditions, with all drivers opting for intermediates. The initial laps were relatively clean, though the Racing Bulls duo had a close encounter at Turn 1. As the race progressed, the track began to dry, and strategy became the name of the game.
Tom Manley was the first to pit for hard tyres on Lap 11, triggering a wave of stops. This strategic move allowed Ozyildirim to maintain his lead, while Puki fell to sixth after a chaotic round of pit stops. As the track dried further, Alpine's Otis Lawrence took full advantage, overtaking Puki with just four laps to go.
Despite a last-ditch effort by Manley at Les Combes, Ozyildirim held his nerve to claim his first victory, also marking Racing Bulls' inaugural 1-2 finish. Rasmussen rounded out the podium, leaving Puki to fend off challenges further down the field.
**Championship Shake-Up** The standings saw a shuffle as Opmeer's struggles dropped him to third in the Drivers' Championship, overtaken by teammate Rasmussen. Lawrence extended his lead to 14 points, and Ozyildirim's win brought him into the title conversation.
In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull managed to maintain a 13-point edge over Alpine, while Racing Bulls sits in a distant third, still 43 points adrift. With five rounds left, the battle lines are firmly drawn.
This round at Spa-Francorchamps was a reminder of the volatility and excitement that sim racing can deliver, with strategies as unpredictable as the weather, and room for both triumph and disappointment.