Mazda MX-5 Cup: Timo de Graaff wins Mazda’s first thrilling race

If the opening round of the BetCity Mazda MX-5 Cup is any indication of the rest of the season, then it promises to be another great year. As usual in this Cup, there was a fiercely competitive group from start to finish, with the decisions coming from the final corners. Finally, Timo de Graaff, who started from ninth place, beat Marcel Dekker at the finish line by 0.03 seconds and Daan de Graaff took third place 0.2 seconds behind his brother. Jordy van der Eijk, who led for most of the race, had to settle for fifth place behind Leon van Verseveld on the final lap.

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After early afternoon qualifying, it’s time for the BetCity Mazda MX-5 Cup at 5.40pm for the first of three races scheduled during the Hankook Spring Race at Circuit Zandvoort. The starting order for the first race is the top ten from qualifying. This puts Filip Wojtowicz in a good position with one in a row, Wouter Jansen. In row two Matej Sikhart and Jordy van der Eijk, followed by Delano De Ketele, András Király, Marcel Dekker and Leon van Verseveld, and in row five the two fastest riders from qualifying, brothers Timo and Daan de Graaff. Will the two brothers, who work well together in qualifying, be able to get ahead quickly?

At the start, Wojtowics makes a good start from pole and immediately takes the lead, while Jansen manages to maintain second place. All riders go through the first corners without any problems. At the first crossing there is already a whole group of people crossing the line next to each other.

Van der Eijk leads with Jansen second, Wojtowics third and immediately behind Dekker, Sikhart and Kiraly.

The start is now being investigated because some drivers may have started shipping parts too early. However, this does not result in severe punishment.

De Ketele hits Sikhart, causing the latter to spin and immediately have to give up. De Ketele shortly afterwards will be given a penalty of two places in the result.

Up here, the war continues unabated. In the third pass, Van der Eijk leads, but still has Dekker, Kiraly, Timo de Graaff, Jansen and Daan de Graaff on his goal within a second. Although the leading group rides next to each other more often than behind each other, everything goes well and, as always with Mazdas, remains fun.

Even after six laps, Van der Eijk is still in the lead, but he is unsure of Dekker on his rear bumper. Timo de Graaff has moved further into third place.

Kiraly seems to be forced to leave a gap in fourth place followed by Daan de Graaff, Van Verseveld and Jansen, who has passed De Ketele.

It’s another true Mazda Cup race with no difference at the top of the field. At four years old, Kiraly also joins the competitive top three of Van der Eijk, Dekker and Timo de Graaff.