Reuters
Formula One F1 – Austrian Grand Prix – Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria – July 4, 2021 Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel before the race Pool via REUTERS/Christian Bruna
Reuters
Formula One F1 – Austrian Grand Prix – Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria – July 4, 2021 Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel before the race Pool via REUTERS/Christian Bruna
Sebastian Vettel suffered a shocking defeat to sim racer, Lucas Blakeley during the first round of the Nations Cup at the ongoing Race of Champions.
Prior to the start of the race, the odds were fairly stacked up against Blakeley defeating a four-time world champion in Vettel. Of course, there is also Vettel’s abundant experience and dominance in ROC over the years that handed him a major early advantage.
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Massive congrats to sim racer Lucas Blakeley on defeating 4-time F1 champ Vettel. Surely the biggest moment in his life. #ROCSweden pic.twitter.com/yXJ8fzQane
— #ROCSweden (@RaceOfChampions) February 5, 2022
However, in the end, the result was the other way around as the Red Bull world champion ended up taking the blow instead after a close battle with the F1 E-sports star. Blakeley clocked the fastest lap with a 1:02:361. And while many anticipated a better lap time from Vettel, he ultimately fell short by 0.08s.
Team Germany defeat eROC All Stars
Despite Vettel failing to beat Blakeley in the first round, Team Germany will advance to the next round, thanks to his teammate, Mick Schumacher. The young German made sure that he puts up a commendable lap time against his opponent of the day, Jarno Opmeer, the 2020 & 2021 F1 E-Sports champion.
Hence, with Schumacher and Vettel’s average lap time better than that of the two E-sports drivers, the Formula One duo will face Team USA in round two.
After that early upset, Seb and Mick strike back and advance to meet USA in the next round. #ROCSweden 🇩🇪
Kudos to our eROC finalists @LucasBlakeley01 and @jarno_opmeer on a brilliant performance, they went down fighting! pic.twitter.com/dGPJ1XXtAv
— #ROCSweden (@RaceOfChampions) February 5, 2022
“After that early upset, Seb and Mick strike back and advance to meet USA in the next round. Kudos to our eROC finalists @LucasBlakeley01 and @jarno_opmeer on a brilliant performance, they went down fighting!,” ROC wrote on Twitter following the thrilling battle.
Tough competition ahead for Sebastian Vettel?
Certainly! The next opponents that await Vettel are IndyCar drivers, Jimmie Johnson and Colton Herta. And both are quite capable of halting Team Germany’s dream run in this year’s Race of Champions.
Getty
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JULY 15: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Aston Martin F1 Team and Mick Schumacher of Germany and Haas F1 look on as the prototype for the 2022 F1 season is unveiled during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone on July 15, 2021 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
If Vettel and Schumacher do manage to defeat the two Americans, they will then have to face either Team Finland or Team Great Britain; Both the teams possess at least a Formula One driver. While Finland has Mika Hakkinen, Great Britain has David Coulthard.
Hence, amidst a tough set of opponents ahead, can Vettel and Schumacher secure the Nations Cup for Germany win this year?
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