Defending champion Devin Braune has started the new World eX season with two more race wins, while Bodo Kräling shone in the AM class at the season opener in Motegi, Japan.
The RCCO World eX Championship is back with new community members and a slightly revised race format. Free practice and qualifying will now be followed by a 12-minute sprint race and a 24-minute main race.
The unique sim racing community has grown during the winter break.
Three new drivers joined the World eX for the season opener at Motegi:
– Professional Sim Racer and Sim Racing Coach Alessandro Ottaviani
– Race Clutch Manager Jurgen van Bergen from the Netherlands
– and Hungarian Patrik Barbulescu, performance engineer for ABT Sportsline in the DTM.
Each eX Prix continues to start with a Bizz Talk. This time, Perrinn 424 founder Nico Perrin gave community members an interesting insight into his attempt to break the Nürburgring-Nordschleife track record with an electric hypercar.
World eX rookie Alessandro Ottaviani had shown blistering pace in the eX ZERO in pre-season testing at Motegi, but the Italian had to settle for P2 in qualifying behind defending champion Devin Braune.
With the top 8 of qualifying starting in reverse order, both had their work cut out for them in the sprint race. Braune eventually took the lead, narrowly beating his good old friend Nicolas Hillebrand and Alessandro Ottaviani.
Bodo Kräling took a commanding win in the AM class, finishing fifth overall just behind Chris Overend. Patrik Barbulescu finished on the AM podium in his first World eX outing after an intense battle with team-mate Thomas Voigt.
This season the starting grid for the main race is based on qualifying results. Devin Braune took a lights-to-flag victory from pole position. Alessandro Ottaviani kept up with the champion for a while before touching a wall on lap six. Despite damaging his eX ZERO the Italian still managed to finish second ahead of Chris Overend, Julius Martin and Steffen Walter.
Bodo Kräling took another commanding win in the AM class in P6 overall.
A misunderstanding and subsequent contact between Nicolas Hillebrand and Thomas Voigt saw Patrik Barbulescu take P2 in the AM class and Björn Skottke P3.
After the first of 10 rounds, Devin Braune leads the standings ahead of Alessandro Ottaviani and Chris Overend, while Bodo Kräling has a commanding lead in the AM class.
Round 2 of World eX will be held at the Zandvoort Formula 1 circuit in the Netherlands, where the first official eX ZERO race was held in 2021.
2024 Motegi eX Prix Results
Qualifying
1 #42 Devin BRAUNE (PRO/Rocket Simsport) 1:30.648
2 #88 Alessandro OTTAVIANI (PRO/Ottaviani) 1:31.144
3 #94 Julius MARTIN (PRO/Martin Racing Team) 1:31.385
4 #17 Steffen WALTER (PRO/T17 E-Speed) 1:31.404
5 #46 Chris OVEREND (PRO/T17 E-Speed) 1:31.695
6 #43 Markus MARTIN (PRO/Martin Racing Team) 1:31.736
7 #3 Bodo KRÄLING (AM/bspowersports) 1:31.760
8 #71 Nicolas HILLEBRAND (PRO/Biela Racing Team EURONICS) 1:31.813
9 #96 Patrik BARBULESCU (AM/tv racing) 1:32.242
10 #7 Thomas VOIGT (AM/tv racing) 1:32.377
11 #4 Björn SKOTTKE (AM/bspowersports) 1:32.553
12 #23 Dominik HEUSSEN (AM/T17 E-Speed) 1:32.906
13 #21 Jurgen VAN BERGEN (PRO/Race Clutch) 1:33.095
14 #8 Johannes MEINCK (AM/Martin Racing Team) 1:33.257
15 #85 Hamish EASENER (PRO/Hamish Easener Racing) 1:33.606
Sprint
1 #42 Devin BRAUNE (PRO/Rocket Simsport) 8 laps in 12:21.323
2 #71 Nicolas HILLEBRAND (PRO/Biela Racing Team EURONICS) + 0.605
3 #88 Alessandro OTTAVIANI (PRO/Ottaviani) + 0.851
4 #46 Chris OVEREND (PRO/T17 E-Speed) + 3.858
5 #3 Bodo KRÄLING (bspowersports) + 4.693
6 #17 Steffen WALTER (PRO/T17 E-Speed) + 5.005
7 #43 Markus MARTIN (PRO/Martin Racing Team) + 7.908
8 #94 Julius MARTIN (PRO/Martin Racing Team) + 8.244
9 #96 Patrik BARBULESCU (AM/tv racing) + 9.824
10 #7 Thomas VOIGT (AM/tv racing) + 11.385
11 #4 Björn SKOTTKE (AM/bspowersports) + 11.582
12 #23 Dominik HEUSSEN (AM/T17 E-Speed) + 15.134
13 #21 Jurgen VAN BERGEN (PRO/Race Clutch) + 43.700
14 #85 Hamish EASENER (PRO/Hamish Easener Racing) + 51.465
15 #8 Johannes MEINCK (AM/Martin Racing Team) 5 laps, DNF
Fastest Lap: #42 Devin BRAUNE 1:31.605
Race
1 #42 Devin BRAUNE (PRO/Rocket Simsport) 16 laps in 24:31.945
2 #88 Alessandro OTTAVIANI (PRO/Ottaviani) + 6.087
3 #46 Chris OVEREND (PRO/T17 E-Speed) + 12.500
4 #94 Julius MARTIN (PRO/Martin Racing Team) + 15.453
5 #17 Steffen WALTER (PRO/T17 E-Speed) + 17.134
6 #3 Bodo KRÄLING (AM/bspowersports) + 18.988
7 #43 Markus MARTIN (PRO/Martin Racing Team) + 24.492
8 #96 Patrik BARBULESCU (AM/tv racing) + 24.564
9 #71 Nicolas HILLEBRAND (PRO/Biela Racing Team EURONICS) + 26.197
10 #4 Björn SKOTTKE (AM/bspowersports) + 27.021
11 #7 Thomas VOIGT (AM/tv racing) + 32.605
12 #23 Dominik HEUSSEN (AM/T17 E-Speed) + 36.504
13 #85 Hamish EASENER (PRO/Hamish Easener Racing) + 39.722
14 #21 Jurgen VAN BERGEN (PRO/Race Clutch) 14 laps, DNF
15 #8 Johannes MEINCK (AM/Martin Racing Team) 14 laps, DNF
Fastest lap: #88 Alessandro OTTAVIANI 1:31.044
Standings after 1 of 10 Rounds:
1 #42 Devin BRAUNE (PRO/Rocket Simsport) 36
2 #88 Alessandro OTTAVIANI (PRO/Ottaviani) 24
3 #46 Chris OVEREND (PRO/T17 E-Speed) 20
4 #94 Julius MARTIN (PRO/Martin Racing Team) 13
5 #17 Steffen WALTER (PRO/T17 E-Speed) 13
6 #3 Bodo KRÄLING (AM/bspowersports) 12
7 #71 Nicolas HILLEBRAND (PRO/Biela Racing Team EURONICS) 10
8 #43 Markus MARTIN (PRO/Martin Racing Team) 8
9 #96 Patrik BARBULESCU (AM/tv racing) 4
10 #4 Björn SKOTTKE (AM/bspowersports) 1
