The Malta National GT3 Esports Championship 2022

The 3rd round of the Malta National Virtual F4 Championship at the Red Bull Ring once again delivered everything that makes this series one of the most tense championships ever hosted filled with chaos, breathtaking battles, heartbreak, and moments of pure brilliance. From the first qualifying laps, it was clear the drivers were pushing to the absolute limit. Team Eversio entered the round prepared to continue their dominant form, but Intercomp VMD Simsport’s Aaron Debattista stole the spotlight early with a stunning pole lap of 1:32.283, six-tenths faster than championship leader Jake Sammut, and seven-tenths clear of Ilan Dimech Ghirxi. With less than three minutes left in the session, the tension was sky-high but no one could touch Debattista’s pace. As soon as the lights went out in race 1, Debattista, Sammut, and Ghirxi launched perfectly, immediately setting the pace for a tense 15-minute sprint. Sammut wasted no time, making a clean move past Debattista in the opening corners to reclaim his usual place at the front of the pack. Behind them, Steve Axisa Farrell, Ghirxi, and Andrew Ellul formed a fierce top-five train, swapping positions lap after lap in some of the most intense wheel-to-wheel action seen so far this season. At one point, four cars ran side-by-side, just to show both their sim racing level of performance. Sammut’s consistency shone through as he clocked the fastest laps of the race, keeping Debattista at bay despite relentless pressure. A brief touch between the two sent Debattista wide, but he skillfully recovered, staying in the fight. With five minutes remaining, Ghirxi came alive, setting the fastest lap and showing pace to match the leaders. Then came the heartbreak with a slight mistake from Debattista allowing Ghirxi and Farrell to slip through, dropping Aaron to fourth. Despite pushing hard until the end, he couldn’t regain the lost ground. Sammut took the win, followed by Axisa Farrell and Ilan Dimech Ghirxi in third. With the grid reversed for Race 2, the pressure was on and it didn’t take long for chaos to erupt. After two laps, a heavy collision involved Debattista and Farrell, ending their hopes early. Meanwhile, Jayden Ellul took the early lead, defending fiercely from Ghirxi and Sammut, who had already climbed from ninth to third in just a few laps. Ghirxi’s persistence paid off as he passed Jayden for the lead, but Sammut wasn’t far behind. The reigning leader was flying, setting fastest laps and hunting down both drivers ahead. Unfortunately, Debattista’s nightmare weekend continued with multiple incidents and three drive-through penalties in total, a painful sequence for a driver who started the round with so much promise. Midway through the race, Andrew Ellul seized his moment, climbing steadily after an incident between Debattista and Farrell. With ten minutes remaining, Andrew was fighting for his first-ever podium, maintaining incredible pase under pressure. In the final laps, Sammut closed the gap to Ghirxi with just half a second separated them heading into the last lap. Ghirxi’s heart rate must have been sky-high, but his defense was flawless, holding off the unstoppable Sammut to take his first victory in the championship followed by Sammut in second and Andrew Ellul's first podium in third. After another breathtaking round, Jake Sammut now sits comfortably at the top of the table with 125 points, while Ghirxi, Farrell, and Debattista are tied on 98 points. With just two rounds remaining, the fight for the runner-up spot, and possibly the title, is far from over. This is what the drivers had to say during the post race interviews: “I’m very happy with the result. The only thing I was not happy about was qualifying, as I didn’t reach my target. But I can say I’m satisfied with the races as I could show my capabilities and this proves my level. In Race 2, I managed to gain all positions and reach Ghirxi, who’s very close to my pace. I can confidently say this round I was the best in pace and performance. Two rounds are coming up, and I’ll tackle them one by one. Today’s race wasn’t my preference, and next round at Tsukuba will be quite competitive, but we’ll see how it goes.” Jake Sammut “I’m very excited and happy with my result. The first race wasn’t the best, but I took the most out of it. In the second race, my dream came true. I’ve been working hard for this, and getting my first win feels amazing. Seeing the difference between Race 1 and Race 2, I’m proud of my pace. It won’t be easy to fight for the title, but I’ll do my best.” Ilan Dimech Ghirxi “To be honest, as for pace I knew I wasn’t up to speed. I made a few mistakes, but given my lack of preparation for this round and the fact that this isn’t my favourite track, I accept third position. Ahead of the last two rounds, all I can do is practice more and push harder for better results.” Steve Axisa Farrell What a round. What a show. The Malta National Virtual F4 Championship continues to raise the bar for sim racing in Malta. From blistering qualifying laps to last-lap duels, this series once again proves that Maltese virtual motorsport is world-class in talent, determination, and entertainment. This is Malta’s sim racing level! https://youtu.be/vEiutkndr3A?t=2320

Last Saturday, the third round of the Malta National GT3 Championship 2025, organised in collaboration with the Malta Motorsport Federation, powered by Enemed, and supported by Gaming Malta and Motorsport Malta, unfolded at the virtual Red Bull Ring. While not among the most favoured circuits for many competitors, it remained a crucial round in the five-race national calendar, with every point now critical as the championship moves into its final stages. The weekend opened with Team Eversio once again showing pace early in practice, though as always, the team and other drivers appeared to hold back, a known tactic to conceal their true performance before qualifying. In the short yet intense 10-minute qualifying session, the battle for pole quickly became a three-way contest. Aaron Debattista initially set the benchmark lap, but soon found himself under threat as Mikhail Mercieca and Brandon Bonello traded fastest laps, with Ilan Dimech Ghirxi lurking close behind. As time ticked away, Mercieca momentarily reclaimed provisional pole with a 1:29.171, but in a dramatic final lap, Bonello crossed the line with a stunning 1:29.087, edging out his teammate by just 0.084 seconds. Dimech Ghirxi followed in third, clocking 1:29.508, while Debattista’s run left him disappointed in fourth. The rolling start saw Bonello launch perfectly, maintaining control of the field as the 30-minute race got underway. Teammate Mercieca tucked in behind, while Debattista made an early move on Dimech Ghirxi to secure third place. However, the race soon turned challenging for Ghirxi, who ran wide just three minutes in, an uncharacteristic mistake that cost him valuable time and opened the door for Goran Andreevski and Jean Pierre Caruana to slip through. Andreevski, in particular, impressed with his race craft, holding off Ghirxi for several laps through firm yet fair defensive driving. But eventually, Ghirxi’s persistence paid off as he reclaimed fourth place. At the front, Bonello continued to dictate the tempo. His smooth, consistent rhythm gradually built a small but comfortable gap over Mercieca, who remained within 1.5 seconds but never quite close enough to mount a serious attack. Further back, Debattista regrouped after his early off-track moment, holding steady in third and securing critical championship points despite not being on top form. In the end, it was another dominant victory for Brandon Bonello, his calm and calculated approach proving once again that he’s the driver to beat this season. Mikhail Mercieca followed in second, with Aaron Debattista rounding out the podium. "I honestly don’t know what happened today. The pace wasn’t there, and that’s not acceptable at this level. I need to evaluate what went wrong. Two rounds left and I have to win." Aaron Debattista “After qualifying, I knew it would be a calm race. Bonello was quicker in sector two, and I couldn’t stay close enough to challenge without risking too much. Debattista was five seconds back and a mistake would’ve cost everything. It’s going to be a tough fight until the end.” Mikhail Mercieca “It wasn’t an easy one. There were moments where I had better pace, but Mercieca stayed close, sometimes under a second, so I had to stay fully focused. Sector one was his strength; I maximised my advantage elsewhere. Two rounds to go and I’ll keep pushing to maintain the streak.” Brandon Bonello While this round lacked the chaotic action seen in Imola, it underlined the strategic nature of top-level GT3 racing. With only two rounds remaining, the Malta National GT3 Championship 2025 is entering its decisive phase. Bonello’s continued form places him as the favourite for the national title, but with Mercieca close behind and Debattista determined to strike back, the battle for the title is far from over. https://youtu.be/WRovJ_MZoUo?t=2072

The second round of the Malta National Virtual Karting Championship, organised in collaboration with the Malta Motorsport Federation AC Karting, and Gaming Malta unfolded last weekend at the virtual South Garda Karting Circuit. With two of the leading drivers, Kian Gauci and Zak Scicluna, absent due to international racing commitments, the event was set for a fresh shake-up in the standings, and the competition did not disappoint. From the early practice sessions, it was evident that the grid was fired up. Ayrton Jon Tonna, Benjamin Borg Irimia, and Timothy Zarb immediately showed strong pace, hinting at the battle to come. In qualifying, the fight for pole went down to the wire. Tonna initially led the timing sheets until Borg Irimia snatched pole position in the closing seconds with a stunning 47.322s, just ahead of Tonna’s 47.392s and Zarb’s 47.723s. Eli Tonna followed with 48.456s, while Joelle Desira, the only female competitor, clocked 51.051s which is an impressive effort that drew well-earned respect from her fellow racers. The first of the 10-lap races began with an explosive start as Ayrton Jon Tonna surged into the lead, chased closely by Borg Irimia and Zarb. However, an early mistake from Eli Tonna saw him spin but rejoin to continue the fight. The front pack delivered intense action, with Tonna and Borg Irimia engaged in a fierce battle that eventually led to contact between the two. Seizing the opportunity, Timothy Zarb slipped past to take the lead, but the relentless Borg Irimia soon reclaimed it with a clean overtake. Meanwhile, at the back, Eli Tonna pushed hard to recover lost ground, while Ayrton regrouped to climb back into podium contention. Borg Irimia crossed the finish line first, followed by Zarb and Ayrton. However, race control reviewed the incident between Tonna and Borg Irimia and issued a five-second penalty to the latter, altering the results. The revised classification crowned Timothy Zarb the winner, Ayrton Jon Tonna second, and Eli Tonna third, a deserved reward for his performance. The second race began with a restart after a misaligned grid formation, reflecting the realism of the virtual series’ race regulations. But luck was not on Eli Tonna’s side once again, as an early incident sent him to the back. At the front, Ayrton Jon Tonna took immediate control, building a commanding gap of over three seconds on Borg Irimia and six on Zarb. His pace was unmatched, his lines clinical, and his confidence clear with a near-perfect drive that secured him victory in Race 2, ahead of Borg Irimia and Zarb, who completed the podium. Everything came down to the final race, with valuable championship points at stake. Ayrton again launched into the lead but was instructed by race control to yield the position to Borg Irimia after a close opening exchange. The pressure intensified as both drivers pushed to the limit, trading lap times within tenths of each other. A dramatic collision saw Borg Irimia go off track while Ayrton continued, setting the tone for a tense final few laps as officials monitored the situation. Meanwhile, Joelle Desira showcased her progress, defending firmly and putting on one of her best performances yet. Despite the tension, Ayrton Jon Tonna maintained composure and pace to take victory in the final race and, ultimately, the overall round win. After reviewing the incident by race control, Ayrton Jon Tonna was handed a 5 second penalty, yet kept his position and officially won the round. His celebration, broadcast live on TVMSport captured pure joy, his parents cheering proudly behind him. Borg Irimia finished second overall, with Zarb completing the podium in third. Eli Tonna recovered to fourth, while Desira rounded out the top five. Overall championship points now have changed with Benjamin Borg Irimia now leading the championship with 52 points, followed by Ayrton Jon Tonna with 46 points, and Eli Tonna in third with 38 points. With two of the strongest competitors, Gauci and Scicluna returning for Round 3, the next event promises even more drama and close racing. But Round 2 proved that the grid is full of hungry, talented drivers ready to step up when opportunity knocks. The Malta National Virtual Karting Championship continues to serve as a bridge between virtual and real-life motorsport, sharpening driver skill and racecraft in a professional, competitive environment. As the championship progresses, one thing is certain that the fight for the title is far from over. https://youtu.be/Y2AZL4ZuEIQ?t=1857

A perfect weekend for the Project Eversio driver with pole, sprint, and feature race wins in Round 2 of the 2025 season. The second round of the Malta National F4 Championship 2025 delivered everything fans could hope for with action, drama, and pure racing intensity. Returning to the legendary Imola Circuit, drivers faced one of the most technical and demanding tracks of the season, where focus and consistency were key. Before lights out, several drivers shared how challenging Imola’s slippery surface can be, especially when pushing an F4 car to its limits. With a short 10-minute qualifying session on such a long circuit, every lap counted, and once again, Project Eversio’s Jake Sammut set the pace early. Sammut immediately hit the track to maximize his laps, clocking a 1:45.288, three tenths clear of Ilan Dimech Ghirxi and half a second ahead of Aaron Debattista. The session was far from easy, but Jake’s pure pace secured him a dominant pole position. [caption id="attachment_2161" align="aligncenter" width="1189"] Off the line, Sammut launched perfectly, with Debattista and Ghirxi right behind. The first lap already saw Jake building a 2-second gap which was a sign of what was to come. Meanwhile, action brewed behind him with Ghirxi overtaking Debattista and Steve Axisa Farrell waiting to pounce.[/caption] Imola’s strict track limits and slow-down penalties quickly became a nightmare for many. Debattista was one of the drivers most affected, losing valuable time and positions. Ghirxi continued to show strong pace, impressing in his debut national championship appearance, while Andrew Ellul and Jayden Ellul put on a brilliant battle for the midfield spots. As the laps unfolded, Sammut stretched his lead with relentless pace and consistency, setting fastest lap after fastest lap. The final moments saw more chaos as Jayden Ellul spun on the last lap, losing his hard-fought position, while Jake crossed the finish line with an 11-second gap over the field, followed by Ilan Dimech Ghirxi in second and Intercomp VMD Simsport driver, Aaron Debattista in third. The feature race promised more fireworks and it didn’t disappoint. With the top eight reversed on the grid, chaos erupted at turn 1 as Tiashan and Debattista made contact, forcing the latter into yet another recovery drive. Matthias Scerri briefly led before Steve Axisa Farrell took control, while Andrew Ellul climbed up to second with an impressive start. Moments later, a spectacular four-car battle for second between Ghirxi, Ellul, Debattista, and Jayden Ellul ended in contact, shaking up the order once again. Amid the chaos, Sammut calmly picked his way through the pack and began hunting down Axisa. Lap after lap, the Project Eversio duo traded fastest laps, but ultimately, Jake’s pace was too strong. With just minutes to go, he took the lead and pulled away to another commanding margin. Behind him, Axisa held firm to secure second, while Debattista fought back to clinch a hard-earned third after a weekend filled with setbacks. A clean sweep for Project Eversio and another statement from Jake Sammut, who dominated from qualifying to the final flag. Round 2 at Imola had everything, from overtakes, penalties, collisions, and incredible comebacks. The championship is heating up fast, and if this weekend was any indication, the battle is only going to get more intense as the grid heads to Red Bull Ring for Round 3, continuing with pure drama and cinema! https://youtu.be/T72AZV1Q88s?t=2360