Mitchell deJong delivered a remarkable performance to remain perfect in Porsche Esports Carrera Cup North America, making it four wins from four starts with a commanding and composed drive at Road America.
In a race defined by early chaos, constant slipstream battles, and relentless pressure, the Coanda Esports driver once again rose above it all, starting from pole and leading every lap to take victory ahead of Michael Janney and Antoine Lacharite.
The race began with immediate drama.
The field charged into Turn 1 nearly four-wide, with drivers fighting for position on the opening lap. Multiple contact incidents in turn one and again in turn three resulted in an early safety car to bring the field under control.
After returning to green with 30 minutes remaining, a pivotal moment came in the fight for the podium when Xander Reed made contact with Manuel Troncoso, who was running second at the time. The incident shuffled Troncoso down the order, dropping him several positions and out of podium contention in a race where track position was critical.
Race officials reviewed the contact and issued a penalty to Reed, forcing him to relinquish positions and drop back behind Troncoso. By that point, however, both drivers had lost significant ground, effectively ending their chances of fighting at the front.
DeJong avoided the trouble and charged ahead at the front. Behind him, Coanda Esports teammate Janney moved into second place in the second half of the race, while Lacharite quietly worked his way forward, avoiding the incidents that caught out others and putting himself in contention for a podium finish.
Out front, deJong remained composed, managing the gap and avoiding mistakes as the race reached its closing stages.
DeJong said the race demanded complete focus from start to finish, particularly with how aggressive the opening laps were.
“Every race so far has been a battle, but this one felt the most intense right from the start,” deJong said.
“You’re going into Turn 1 with cars all around you, and you know one small mistake can end your race. Once things settled down, it was all about managing the gap and not giving anyone an opportunity.”
Janney stayed within reach in the closing stages, ultimately finishing just under half a second behind after a strong, measured drive.
“I felt like we were in a good position for most of the race, especially with how important the draft is here,” Janney said.
“You’re always trying to time your runs and not get stuck in the wrong place. I was pushing at the end, but Mitchell didn’t give me a chance to get close enough to make a move.”
Lacharite completed the podium after keeping his race clean and capitalizing on the mistakes happening around him in the pack.
“A lot was going on, especially in the early laps, so the priority was just to stay out of trouble,” Lacharite said.
“Once the race started to spread out a bit, I knew we had the pace to move forward. Getting a podium from that kind of race feels really rewarding.”
Just behind the podium, Jaden Munoz and Troncoso completed the top five, with Troncoso recovering well after the earlier contact that dropped him out of contention for second.
Four races into the season, deJong remains perfect. Next up, the championship heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
All Porsche Esports Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube channel. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
RESULTS.
Qualifying
- Mitchell deJong #48
- Xander Reed #77
- Michael Janney #23
Race
- Mitchell deJong #48
- Michael Janney #23
- Antoine Lacharite #21
