His teammates Charlie Collins and Dayne Warren also made it to the top twelve. With one round to go before the Esports World Cup in Riyadh and with 117 points to his credit, Rogers sits ahead of his hottest pursuers Kevin Ellis Jr. (UK, 116) and Slovenian Kevin Siggy (107).
The path to the final was straightforward for three of the four Porsche works drivers: Collins finished second in the quarter-finals, Rogers drove from pole position to third place and Warren won his heat. A collision robbed Mitchell deJong of his chance to progress into the next heat. Rogers again won the qualifying for the semi-final, only to drop back to fifth place after a tussle, while Collins finished third. This put them both in the final alongside Warren, who just made the cut with a sixth-place finish in his semi-final.
Rogers started the final from fourth on the grid. By the time he was through the first corner, he had already advanced to second place. He snatched the lead on lap three and ran with it. In the end, the Australian crossed the finish line 1.5 seconds ahead of Czech Jiří Toman and was delighted to secure his 33rd victory in the ESL R1. After tackling the race from seventh place, Collins and his brand colleague Enzo Bonito swapped paint, which relegated the Englishman back to the penultimate position. Warren benefited from this. After grappling with an issue in qualifying, he had started the race from the last spot but advanced to seventh place.
Comments after the race
Nina Braack (D, Manager Esports at Porsche Motorsport): “With his second victory, Joshua Rogers once again put in a mega performance – which means we’re now leading the championship. For the first time this season, we’ve had three drivers in the final at the same time. This, of course, also boosts us in the overall standings and puts us in a good position for the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.”
Jörn Jens (D, Performance Coach Porsche Coanda Esports Racing): “Road Atlanta is famous for its bumps and numerous high curbs. That makes things a bit tricky for our digital 911 GT3 R. With that in mind, our drivers had take more risks, otherwise we would have found ourselves in the midfield. In the end, we’ve got three drivers into the final for the first time this ESL R1 season. That gives us a points advantage.”
Joshua Rogers (AUS, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing): “I achieved strong results in the qualifying sessions, but initially lost places in the races. That was not my game plan. I’m particularly frustrated by my mistake in the semi-final. But, in the final when it really counted, everything fell into place. I regard the championship lead to be less important – the ultimate decision will be made at the World Cup. In the last race before then, I want to rake in as many points as possible to put myself in a good starting position.”
Road Atlanta (USA), Result of the final
1. Joshua Rogers, Porsche 911 GT3 R (AUS, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing)
2. Jiří Toman, Audi R8 GT3 (CZ, Vitality)
3. Kevin Siggy, BMW M4 GT3 (SLO, Team Redline)
7. Dayne Warren, Porsche 911 GT3 R (AUS, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing)
11. Charlie Collins, Porsche 911 GT3 R (GB, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing)
Drivers’ standings after two of three races
1. Joshua Rogers (AUS, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing), 117 points
2. Kevin Ellis Jr. (UK, Apex Racing), 116 points
3. Kevin Siggy (SLO, Team Redline), 107 points
9. Charlie Collins (UK, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing), 81 points
15. Dayne Warren (AUS, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing), 46 points
24. Mitchell deJong (USA, Porsche Coanda Esports Racing), 21 points
ESL R1 – Brief overview
• The unofficial sim racing premier class is contended on the “Rennsport” platform.
• The cars fielded are based on GT3 regulations, including the 911 GT3 R.
• Like in real racing, the Balance of Performance (BoP) ensures a level playing field.
• 12 teams consisting of 4 drivers each compete in a team and driver championship.
• The drivers qualify for the final live event through the online events.
• 500,000 US dollars in prize money up for grabs in ESL R1 and Esports World Cup.
• The Porsche Motorsport Hub offers more information about the series.