Smyth Champion On Race Win Countback - RTA F4 Spa Francorchamps Review

By Evan Dalton

Jason Smyth has won his 5th RTA Virtual Motorsport championship on countback as he finished the season tied on points with rival Ronan Doherty. 


The two protagonists in a season filled with drama, controversy and unbelievable on track action both finished on 519 points after 24 races [8 weeks], and the championship was decided on race wins, Smyth beating Doherty by seven.  


Heading into the season finale, Doherty was positioned 27 points behind Smyth when drop rounds were calculated. He needed all the help he could get from his Team DDR stablemates, and it started well with Dylan McClements taking his second pole position of the season. 


Heat 1 

Smyth took the race lead from McClements on the opening lap, as Doherty gained numerous positions to break into the top 10. A rare error saw Jordan Kelly have to head to the pitlane for repairs. 


The long ‘Kemmel Straight’ just after the famous ‘Eau Rouge/Radillon’ complex gave drivers plenty of opportunities to make overtakes with the slipstream, and these were well taken. Both Dylan and Sean McClements, Brandon McCaughan and Smyth all took turns leading. 


On the penultimate lap however, Sean McClements was hit by Smyth, sending him off into the gravel. This opened the door for Dylan McClements to attack and go for the win. Jason Smyth was handed a post race 15 point penalty for this incident, which would of course change the narrative later on. 


Despite the onslaught from the field behind though, Smyth took his 11th win of the season. Doherty came home just behind, with Dylan McClements in third. 


Heat 2 

Heat 2 is where Team DDR really came out to play. Doherty took the race lead early, and Dylan McClements acted as his rear gunner in second. Sean McClements had work to do, but managed to work his way past McCaughan and Jason Cooper to get in front of Smyth. 


Cooper tried to get back past McClements heading into ‘Les Combes.’ McCaughan got too close into the braking zone and tagged the Swift Cooper car, sending him into a vicious airplane crash. Cooper’s race was unfortunately done. 


Then the team tactics came into play. As Doherty ran away up front, the McClements brothers boxed Smyth in heading into that same ‘Les Combes’ chicane. Smyth didn’t lift off, ending up touching the grass and going across the corner. A mistake was forced, and Smyth’s chance of a podium in this heat had gone. He ended up fighting with Miles Wragg and crucially got back past on the last lap. 


Doherty kept things alive, just, with thanks to his teammates. 


Heat 3 

On a night where teams were of the utmost importance, it was RTA’s third resident team, the slightly inactive VRA Racing who looked out the front row. Kelly led the early laps ahead of Peter McCann. 


Doherty managed to join them at the front, and he and Kelly took turns leading. Dylan McClements joined in, and the top four all managed their race pace.  


The championship leader Smyth was in no man's land in fifth, a perfect position where he kept things clean and drove his car home. 


As the top four approached the line, Kelly pulled out of the way and let his teammate McCann through to finish on the podium. McCann’s streak of podium finishes at the season finale now extends to five. Doherty took his fourth win of the season, but it was not enough. 


After post race stewards drama, with Smyth picking up the aforementioned 15 point penalty, the championship was a tie. Smyth was crowned champion as he won more races this season. The overtook on the last lap in Heat 2 on Wragg was the deciding factor, otherwise another RTA title was heading to Antrim. 


RTA will return with the Motorsport.ie British Touring Car Championship in two weeks time, driving TCR machinery. Drivers can sign up now on RTAVirtualMotorsport.com, and fans can get ready for another brilliant eight weeks on GantryTV. 

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