V10 R-League Final: Aston Martin vs BMW - Who will take home the championship?


It all comes down to this.

Months of practice and preparation, weeks of competing and battling. Two teams remain in the V10 R-League, with the lion's share of £120,000 on the line.

Aston Martin Cognizant Esports Team and BMW Sim Racing Team square off in the purpose-built V10 single-seater car that has become synonymous with action-packed races.

Which team will come out on top?

The Green Machines

Group A: 2nd

Quarter-Final: 4-0 vs Williams Esports

Semi-Final: 2-2 vs McLaren Shadow

Aston Martin's road to the final has been a frenetic one that has crafted the team into a battle-hardened unit.

From a brutal 4-0 defeat to Red Bull and then 2-1 loss to Redline in Group A, they turned on the magic against Williams in the Quarter-Final and then produced a comeback for the ages against McLaren Shadow in the Semi-Final.

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The trio of Lucas Blakeley, Daniele Haddad, and Shanaka Clay has been nearly flawless in their teamwork all year. It's not a surprise as the trio has been working together for a year now across multiple championships.

They all have superb pace behind the wheel of the V10 beast, but Blakeley has been one of the standout stars of this season, putting in performances that have left the field just a speck in his wing mirrors.

Resiliant BMW

Group B: 2nd

Quarter-Final: 2-2 vs YAS Heat

Semi-Final: 3-1 vs Team Redline

The German team started in fine form in Group B, claiming victory in their first three matches, but then they hit a huge speed bump in the shape of McLaren Shadow. The new boys beat BMW 4-0 and dropped them down into second place in the group.

It would have been so easy for the team to get deflated and then crash out early in the playoffs, but instead they bounced back against the impressive YAS Heat crew and snuck through on pole position countback.

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Then came the Semi-Final against Season 1 champions Redline, while a controversial decision decided the tie for BMW, they were already 2-0 up and had done enough to deserve a final spot anyway.

Led by superstar Kevin Siggy and new-arrival Michael Romanidis, the German side has been deadly when given an opportunity and forceful when they have needed to seize the initiative.

Siggy vs Blakeley?

The Final of the V10 R-League will see the teams do battle at Silverstone and then Yas Marina.

The two tracks have provided plenty of entertainment over the course of the season, and should offer a lot of opportunities for drivers to shine.

Will it just be about the two star drivers in the final, or will the rest of the field have their say?

While it is tempting to see this as a mano a mano battle between Siggy & Blakeley, neither can win the crown without their teammates putting strong performances too.

The nature of the relay races in particular requires pin-point teamwork and strong pace from all three drivers. One weak link and the point will be lost.

Prediction: Aston Martin 3-1 BMW

How to watch

The final of the V10 R-League airs on 24 May on BT Sport 2 at 8pm BST.

For those in the USA, it will be shown on ESPN3 at 6pm EST.

ESPN subscribers in the Netherlands, Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Oceania will be able to see it the following day. Check local listings for exact times.

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