Yağız Avcı Makes Stunning Return to V1 with Victory

Yağız Avcı came out on top in a fiercely fought Lassa V1 round, contested with VOLKICAR race cars and attracting 22 drivers. Vetrina driver Yağız Avcı, back in V1 this season, laid down a marker in the opening race. The battle between Avcı and Can Tolon, champion for the last two seasons, gave the first signs of how exciting the season is going to be. With the race broadcast live on NTV Spor, viewers at home were also able to follow the action closely. Starting from pole position on the strength of qualifying, Can Tolon comfortably won the 12-lap first race, but what happened in the second race decided the outcome of the day.

THE INTENSITY OF THE RIVALRY STEPPED UP

The fierce fight between 22 drivers, the largest entry yet for a single-make cup in Turkey, led to a number of crashes. In the second race, which started with the grid in reverse order of the qualifying results, the battle between Franke driver Göksun Erkek and Kadir Akça ended with Kadir Akça being excluded by the stewards, while MANN-FILTER driver Koray Muratoğlu was another to be excluded after contact with a rival. Fahir Talib, who started from the front of the grid in this race, led for a long time before being passed by Yağız Avcı near the end of the 12-lap race and finishing second. Seven drivers failing to finish showed just how intense the competition was; Burak Sohtorik, Önder Erdem, Armağan Arabul, Serhat Çoksayar, Ayhancan Güven, Mert Aytuğ and Bahadır Durukan were the drivers who did not see the chequered flag.

MASTERS AND JUNIORS DRAW BIG INTEREST

The Master Cup, for drivers over 40, and the Juniors Cup, for drivers under 20, also provided a fight as big as the overall classification. In the Master Cup, last year's winner Özgür Gür kept hold of first place, with Burak Ertem second and Burak Sohtorik, who has started competing in Lassa V1 this year, third. In the Juniors classification, VOLKICAR's most experienced driver Toprak Candan let no one take the win, with Ayhancan Güven second and Ali Türkkan third.

RECORD PRIZE MONEY ADDS TO THE EXCITEMENT

Another factor raising the excitement in V1, which lifts the bar every year, was the prize money! In Lassa V1, Turkey's first championship with prize money, 10,000 TL goes to the winner of each race, 4,000 TL to second place and 2,000 TL to third. This prize fund heightens the competition in the championship and helps offer spectators a race worth watching. Always rewarding successful drivers, Lassa V1 continues to be the championship of choice for drivers.

Avcı leads the standings on 20 points, followed by Can Tolon on 17 points. ISS driver Burak Çukurova has 15 points. The second round of Lassa V1 will be held at the İzmir Ülkü circuit on Sunday 31 May.