Erhan Jajovski was victorious in the first Formula E Accelerate esports race and is leading the way to get the largest share of the €100,000 prize pool and a real-world test drive in a Gen2 Formula E car.
Run on rFactor 2, the first of six races was held at the Red Hook New York track and the addition of attack mode – which did not feature in Formula E’s 2020 esports series – played a crucial role in the race.
World’s Fastest Gamer finalist Jajovski was the fastest in qualifying, pipping Manuel Biancolilla to pole position by eight thousandths of a second.
Graham Carroll lined up third on the grid and one place ahead of Formula E Race at Home challenge winner Kevin Siggy.
The fastest driver in the open qualifiers before the event, Frederik Rasmussen, set the sixth fastest time but, with his quicker lap coming on his second attempt in the one-lap shootout, he was demoted to 16th on the grid.
Even in the 25 minute race no one was able to challenge Venturi driver Jajovski as he led from start to finish and won by over six seconds.
Biancolilla was an early victim of the newly implemented attack mode as he dropped to fifth place when Carroll, Siggy and Vegas eRace winner Bono Huis all passed him with the aid of it.
Siggy used his second attack mode immediately after his first to move up to second place and ahead of Carroll before they swapped positions back again later in the race as Carroll got back in front at the exit of the Turn 10 hairpin for his eventual finishing position of second.
Those who saved their final attack mode until the end of the race were able to battle for the final podium position with Huis initially taking the position away from Siggy with little over three minutes to go.
Audi driver Biancolilla saved his final boost of power until the final two laps and used it to get back in front of Siggy and Huis to move up from fifth to third place.
There's nothing like an intense THREE CAR BATTLE for the podium with just seconds of the race left ⚡️#FEAccelerate pic.twitter.com/04otPVe8nf
— ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (@FIAFormulaE) January 28, 2021
Just before then a diving move up the inside of the first corner put Siggy in front of Huis for what would go on to be fourth place.
Marius Golombeck was sixth across the line and one position ahead of 2020 F1 Esports champion Jarno Opmeer.
F1 Esports driver Rasmussen worked his way up to 10th place in his first competitive event on rFactor 2.
