Corsa OPCs Shake Up Körfez

The first round of the Corsa OPC Cup, organised through a collaboration between Opel Türkiye and Safari Motorsport, was held at Izmit Körfez Circuit on 30-31 July. In the opening race of the season, some of the most ambitious and experienced drivers from the business world fought fiercely for the podium. After two races, Ali Başakıncı and Turgut Konukoğlu took the winners' trophies.
Fifteen Corsa OPCs, specially tuned to 230 horsepower, gave motorsport enthusiasts an action-packed weekend at Izmit Körfez Circuit. In Saturday's qualifying, Ali Başakıncı took pole position with a time of 56.264s, while Mehmet Ali Baldaner retired after a crash.
Sunday's first race saw a tight battle between Ali Başakıncı and Korgun Şengün. After 15 laps, Başakıncı took the chequered flag with a time of 14m 19.113s, about a second ahead of Şengün. Artuğ Aysal finished third with a time of 14m 53.567s.
The results of the second race showed that the OPC Cup will provide fierce competition throughout the season. Turgut Konukoğlu, who said this was the first motorsport event of his career, beat his experienced rivals with a time of 14m 13.731s. Cem Aşık and Ragıp Dönmez took second and third. First-race winner Ali Başakıncı finished fourth, while Korgün Şengün was unable to finish the race after a crash.
At the trophy ceremony after the races, the drivers received their trophies from Opel Türkiye Istanbul Regional Manager İsmail Takım and Opel Motor Sport Chairman Yüksel Erdemir.
Safari Motorsport Director Hakan Dinç said: "We are delighted to have kicked off the Corsa OPC Cup, which we have been preparing for six months. As the first two races showed us, a season of fierce competition awaits us. All of our drivers are strong contenders and there is no favourite for any race. I would like to thank all our sponsors, above all Opel Türkiye, and our team for supporting us in bringing this enjoyable event to life, and I invite all motorsport enthusiasts to share in this excitement."
Corsa OPC Cup Season Calendar
13-14 August: Izmit Körfez Circuit
27-28 August: Serres Circuit, Greece
1-2 October: Izmir Pınarbaşı Circuit
22-23 October: Motorsport Festival
5-6 November: Izmit Körfez Circuit