Race Report RU1, RU2 & RU3 | Event 2

2026 RU1, RU2 & RU3 CHAMPIONSHIP | RACE REPORT | EVENT 2

Date: 22 March 2026

Location: Zurich City / Madrid / Munich

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RU1 | ROUND 2 | BARCELONA

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PODIUM RESULTS: P1 Coque López | P2 Siro Zambra | P3 Janik Pletscher

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Home hero Coque López delivered a commanding performance from pole position at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, reigniting his 2026 RU1 Championship title charge in style. López, one of seven Spanish-based drivers on this year’s grid, edged out reigning champion Michal Šmidl to secure pole — setting the tone for a dominant display.

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At lights out, López held firm under pressure from the fast-starting duo of Šmidl and Siro Zambra, maintaining the lead into Turn 1 after the 600-metre charge. Behind him, Zambra launched an ambitious move on Šmidl into the opening corner, but the reigning champion held his ground as the pair battled side-by-side through Turn 2. Just behind, Janik Pletscher capitalised on the early chaos, moving ahead of Angelo Michel as a dramatic opening lap unfolded.

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As the race settled, strategy came into play — particularly the use of Push-to-Pass (P2P), with each driver allocated eight activations. The question quickly became: who would blink first? By Lap 6, López had already built a 1.5-second advantage over Šmidl, who found himself under relentless pressure from championship leader Zambra. Out front, López began to edge away, controlling the race beautifully, while the battle behind intensified. Zambra remained glued to Smidl before making his decisive move on Lap 25, using P2P on the run into Turn 1 to snatch second place.

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That move left Smidl exposed - and Pletscher was ready to strike. With electric pace in the closing stages, the Swiss driver timed his final P2P activation to perfection, overtaking Smidl on the penultimate lap to secure a podium finish. Up front, however, there was no stopping López. The Spaniard cruised to a comfortable victory, firmly establishing himself as Zambra’s closest title rival heading into next month’s round at the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

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Speaking after his first RU1 victory of the season, López told Racing Unleashed: “It was a very nice one. After a so-so first round where I didn’t have the best consistency, I felt I had the pace but couldn’t put it together. “Now I think I’m back where I should be, especially with the amount of time I’ve been practicing. I’m happy to win this round and I’m looking forward to the next ones.”

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RU2 | ROUND 2 | BARCELONA

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PODIUM RESULTS: P1 Néstor García | P2 Patrick Dubach | P3 Tim Potzmader

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Néstor García continued his flawless start to the 2026 RU2 Championship with another commanding victory in Barcelona. García made it back-to-back wins with a dominant display at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, further underlining his early title credentials. In a weekend that saw continued success for the Madrid lounge, García was once again in a league of his own, crossing the line over six seconds clear of the field.

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Melvin Leuppi looked to be his closest challenger in the opening stages. After qualifying just over a tenth behind García, the Zurich City driver showed strong early pace, applying pressure as the pair traded fastest laps. However, Leuppi’s pursuit proved costly. A mistake at the final corner saw him lose control of the car, dropping from contention down to fifth and handing second place to Patrick Dubach, with Adrian Gómez moving into third.

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Dubach held firm under increasing pressure from Gómez in the closing stages, securing second place behind the dominant García. Gómez crossed the line in third, but post-race drama reshuffled the order. A five-second time penalty for avoidable contact with Norik Lehocki dropped him down the classification. This promoted 2025 RU3 Fall Champion Tim Potzmader into third, securing his first podium finish of the 2026 season. Leuppi’s troubles did not end there, as he was later handed a drive-through penalty for excessive track limits violations, ending his chances of a top 10 finish.

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RU3 | ROUND 1 | DONINGTON PARK GP & VALLELUNGA

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RACE 1 PODIUM RESULTS: P1 Unai Maroto | P2 David Sobreiro | P3 Lukas Egger

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RACE 2 PODIUM RESULTS: P1 Unai Maroto | P2 Julian Ammann | P3 David Sobreiro

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Following a fiercely competitive Qualifiers period across the Racing Unleashed lounge network — open to drivers of all abilities — the grid was set for the opening round of the 2026 RU3 Spring Championship. RU3 welcomed a new wave of talent into the RU Esports Series ecosystem, with drivers beginning their journey on the pathway towards RU2 and ultimately RU1.

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It was a familiar story at the front, with Madrid asserting its dominance across both races. Spanish star Unai Maroto delivered a clinical performance in the opening race at Donington Park GP, securing maximum points with pole position, fastest lap, and victory. David Sobreiro emerged as Maroto’s closest challenger, quickly establishing themselves as early championship contenders. Lukas Egger impressed with a strong drive to third, although finishing over 12 seconds adrift of the lead.

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Race 2 at Vallelunga saw Maroto once again come out on top — but this time, he was pushed all the way. Sobreiro raised the level, securing pole position and crossing the line first.

However, the Portuguese driver’s celebrations were short-lived. A five-second post-race penalty for contact with Julian Ammann dropped him down the order, promoting the Zurich City driver to second after an impressive performance. The penalty handed Maroto his second victory of the day, completing a perfect start to the season and giving him a 17-point lead over Sobreiro after the opening round.