V10 R-League Quarter-Final Preview: Aston Martin vs Williams


The playoffs are here in the V10 R-League, and the pressure is ramping up.

After five weeks of battling, the field of 10 teams has been trimmed down to 6, and all have their sights set on the lions share of that £120,000 prize fund.

The first playoff match sees BMW face off against YAS Heat. Who will be able to advance?

Battle-hardened

Aston Martin has gone through trial by combat to get to this stage. Facing off in hard-fought battles against Redline, Red Bull, and YAS Heat, they have come through fire and seem harder for it.

Their pace has only gotten stronger, and the lineup of Lucas Blakeley, Daniele Haddad, and Shanaka Clay is more in rhythm than ever.

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They haven't always been successful, with two wins and two losses in Group A, but they've always been competitive and haven't once looked out of their depth.

Back to their best?

Williams meanwhile has had a turbulent run to the Quarter-Finals. Season 1 runners-up, they were roundly beaten by both BMW and McLaren Shadow in Group B and only scrapped through to the playoffs in the final week of action.

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Martin Stefanko, Nikodem Wisniewski, and Kuba Brzezinski are all solid drivers and rarely make mistakes, but they all seem a slight step off the elite pace of drivers like Blakeley, Baldwin, and Siggy.

That missing "star power" could end up costing them here. The trio will need to be in perfect sync in this one, and even execute some careful rear-gunner driving if they are to progress.

Prediction

It's always hard to predict an Aston Martin match. Blakeley has been putting in star-making performances this season, but he also has a tendency to dip a wheel into the grass & gravel as he pushes the limits.

No driver has improved as much from Season 1 to Season 2 as him, and yet that 10% chance of a mistake could scupper Aston Martin in the playoffs.

Clay and Haddad have the pace to compete with Williams, and that should be a fierce battle in every race. If Blakeley is on form though, this could be an ugly one for Williams.

Prediction: Aston Martin 3-1 Williams

How to watch

Fans in the UK & Ireland can watch the match on Wednesday 17 May on BT Sport 2 at 8pm BST.

Those in the USA can watch the same day on ESPN3 at 6pm EST.

Thanks to their expanded coverage, ESPN subscribers in the Netherlands, the Caribbean, Canada, Latin America, and Oceania will be able to watch the match the following day.

Check local listings for exact times!

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