SRO E-Sport GT Series - Bad luck for Tonizza

David Tonizza gave it his best shot in the final round of the SRO E-Sport GT Series, but he was unable to take the title. The Ferrari Driver Academy Hublot Esports Team driver finished 16th in the final round, run on the South African Kyalami circuit layout, mainly because of a penalty when he was fighting for a podium position, which might have seen him take the title. 

Start. The race got underway in driving rain, with Tonizza, from eleventh on the grid, dropping a place, while team-mate Enzo Bonito made up two from thirteenth. In short order, the two FDA Hublot Esports Team Ferrari 488 GT3s closed on Mike Nobel in the Bentley, but Bonito got a drive through penalty for colliding with him. Tonizza quickly moved up the order, also making the most of some incidents ahead of him to close on the Lexus of Alexandre Vromant, in seventh. 

The outcome. Shortly before half distance, David managed to pass Vromant and get in behind Giorgio Simonini in the Porsche, while Jan-Marcel Dietrich, also in a Porsche in third, was given a drive-through penalty for colliding with Kamil Franczak in a Lamborghini. David was fourth at this point and could have fought for the title, but he found himself behind backmarker Will Tregurtha, team-mate to the race leader Jesus Sicila in the Aston Martin. Tonizza had a collsion with him and picked up a drive-through penalty which put him out of the running for title honours. The championship thus went to Sicilia, while Enzo Bonito retired. 

Pro Class. In the category for professional drivers, Chris Froggatt (Sky Tempesta Racing) and Maksim Yefanov (Fasttuning) did not take part, while David Fumanelli (Kessel Racing) was ninth and David Perel (Rinaldi Racing) was 12th after being involved in a collision after the start. Nicolas Hillebrand (Buttler-Pal Motorsport) was thirteenth and Nicklas Nielsen in the Ferrari Competizioni GT 488 GT3 was 22nd.