Kundakcioglu Wins FCP Euro GTWC America Esports Opener

Michael Kundakcioglu led a Mercedes-AMG sweep of the top five positions in the season-opening round of the FCP Euro GT World Challenge America Esports championship at the Nürburgring.

The Canadian started on the outside of the front row and immediately jumped to the lead as pole-sitter Philippe Simard dropped back in the opening sequence of corners.

While the rest of the field fought for position, Kundakcioglu built his lead to around six seconds and managed that gap throughout the duration of the 60-minute race, ultimately crossing the line 3.1150 seconds ahead of his closest pursuer Troy Barman.

Barman was followed by fellow Mercedes-AMG GT3 runners Lukas Müeller, Cody Blanton, and Hamza Gulzar. Drake Burgoon brought his Bentley Continental GT3 home in sixth, holding off the charging Bentley of Matthew Santiago in the final laps.

GT Rivals standout Bryan Heitkotter recovered to finish eighth after qualifying a surprising 16th in his Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3, while HPD Academy driver Karl Wittmer and the polesitter Phillipe Simard completed the top 10.

The GT4 class, reserved for sim racing drivers who qualified for the race in a pre-event competition, was won by Aenore Cavillon who led a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 sweep of the class podium.

Ludovick Daoust finished second in class followed by Simon Fisher, while Caleb John Lavender’s Audi R8 LMS GT4 and GT Rivals veteran JT Tami in a Maserati MC GT4 completed the top five.

Up next on the FCP Euro GTWC America Esports schedule is a six-hour endurance test at Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, November 15. Catch all the action live on YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and Twitter starting at 1 p.m. ET.

RESULTS: Round 1