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Round 1 rollercoaster triggers sensational comeback drive for Chadwick

Published

3 years ago

June 28, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Reigning champion feels ‘mixed emotions’ after early contact and fightback to P6 during restart drama

The 2021 W Series season got underway this weekend (25-26 June) at the high-speed Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. Reigning champion Jamie Chadwick lined up alongside Brazilian rookie Bruna Tomaselli as Veloce Racing made its foray into single-seater racing for the first time.

Qualifying was held on Friday afternoon in the Styrian countryside but was far from straightforward for the fledgling W Series outfit. Chadwick was in the hunt for pole from the outset, setting eye-catching lap times throughout the session. However, a cracked pipe put pay to her efforts and meant she would spend the remainder of qualifying on the side-lines, with a time good enough for eighth place.

Tomaselli, meanwhile, acclimatised to a new series and team with ease, swiftly getting up to speed and qualifying just outside the top ten with the 11th fastest time.

Almost as soon as the lights went out in Spielberg, drama began to unfold. The reigning champion was swiftly on the attack making up ground on the opening lap, as the field reached turn one on the second tour, disaster stuck. Racing X’s Jessica Hawkins locked up under braking, careering into the back of Chadwick, leaving the 23-year-old facing the wrong way, and tumbling down the order.

Chadwick re-joined in 16th position with the bit between her teeth, recording the fastest lap of the race so far and setting about closing the gap to the #3 driver of Gosia Rdest. Once she had bridged the gap to the Pole, she made several lunges up the inside of the first corner as the pair battled it out lap after lap.

Further up the order, Tomaselli was embroiled in a tooth and nail battle for a place inside the top ten, putting everyone firmly on the edge of their seat going three abreast into turn three. Ultimately, she conceded the positions and dropped to 11th, before settling into a rhythm and held station comfortably.

At two-thirds race distance, the safety car was deployed to ensure Marta García’s stricken Puma car could be recovered safely. At the restart, Chadwick was all fired and looked to take advantage as chaos ensued further up the grid. Contact for Tomaselli at turn three spelt disaster for the Brazilian who subsequently fell down the timesheets, while sensational race craft amid the carnage helped the reigning champion Chadwick navigate her way to a seventh-place finish on the road.

Hawkins was eventually dealt a 30-second post-race penalty following her early contact with the Veloce car, this elevated Chadwick and Tomaselli to sixth and 11th respectively.

Jamie Chadwick, Driver, Veloce Racing said:

“I’m feeling mixed emotions after that race. Firstly, I’m happy to get points on the board but massively disappointed at the same time, I had a really good start and first lap but then got spun around.

“We got a bit lucky with the carnage that unfolded after the safety car but I think it was damage limitation today given the circumstances we found ourselves in. Our potential was much more than that this weekend. Luckily there isn’t long to wait so we’re already looking ahead to the next race.”

Bruna Tomaselli Driver, Veloce Racing said:

“From my side, I think the race was good. We were fast at the beginning to the middle of the race but at the restart, someone touched my rear and it put me out of the fight, these things happen. I know I was quick, and I know where I can improve to help bring better results, so I will try to be more consistent for the next race.”

Rupert Svendsen-Cook, Team Principal, Veloce Racing said:

“That was an entertaining race for the neutral but very stressful for Veloce! Jamie had an excellent start and pulled some blinding moves to progress on the first lap but was very unlucky to be punted out to the back.

“It looked likely there is still a straight-line speed issue which makes her recovery from last back to sixth even more impressive. We will get things fixed for next weekend and we’re excited to put our best foot forward.

“Bruna also showed her raw speed and with some more racing experience under her belt, we have every confidence in her ability. It’s great to see the W Series back in action at an F1 weekend and it’s certainly going to be a season of attrition based on today’s race.”

The drivers will have little time to catch their breath as W Series returns for the second instalment of the Austrian double-header in just seven days (3-4 June), Chadwick and Tomaselli will no doubt be looking to build on their promising pace from the opening round.

Africa

BGaming debuts in Africa with Premier Bet

Published

30 mins ago

May 17, 2024

George Miller

bgaming-debuts-in-africa-with-premier-bet

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Popular iGaming content provider BGaming has signed a multi-brand content deal with African licenced operator Premier Bet, marking another major market entry.

Through this new collaboration, BGaming has delivered a selection of its games to Premier Bet’s platform. Titles such as Fruit Million, Wild Cash X9990, Bonanza Billion, Aztec Clusters and Merge Up are all available to the operator’s registered players across several African markets.

Premier Bet dates back to 1997 and currently operates in 17 countries on the continent. It is one of Africa’s biggest betting companies, offering gaming and business opportunities to people across the west, east, centre and south of the continent.

Africa has always been an epicenter for innovation and resilience, and one industry exemplifying its dynamism in recent years is gambling. This latest market expansion demonstrates BGaming’s exponential global growth and lays the foundations for further success in the thriving region.

Olga Levshina, CCO at BGaming, said: “BGaming continues to penetrate international iGaming markets, with its fresh approach to online casino proving a hit with a wide demographic of players. With this partnership, we have added some of our most appealing titles to Premier Bet’s games line-up as it seeks to expand its player base.”

Karen Hope, Director of Casino at Premier Bet, added: “We are pleased to partner with BGaming to drive this next phase of Premier Bet’s development across several key African markets. The studio’s vibrant games add variety to our casino games collection.”

BGaming is a fast-growing iGaming content provider converting gambling into gaming. Thanks to an expert team and a player-driven approach, the studio creates innovative and engaging products featured on reputable platforms and 1,100+ online casinos worldwide. BGaming is the world’s first to support cryptocurrencies and offer Provably Fair games. Today the brand’s portfolio includes 150+ products with HD graphics and a clear user interface for every device. The studio is also known for its brand exclusives created in partnerships with leading operators in the industry.

The post BGaming debuts in Africa with Premier Bet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Playnetic strengthens European presence with licence to operate in Sweden

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

George Miller

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

Playnetic, the new immersive B2B iGaming provider has announced that it has been granted a Swedish licence, following regulatory approval from the Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen.

The licence allows Playnetic to launch its catalogue of innovative iGaming titles in Sweden, enabling the company to finalise partnerships with prominent operators across the country.

This significant milestone marks a major step forward in supporting Playnetic’s ambitious growth plans, which include increasing its foothold in other European markets, as well as continued expansion in regulated markets across the globe.

Dan Phillips, Playnetic CEO said: “Since launching in early 2023, Playnetic has been exploring expansion opportunities in Europe to penetrate new markets and we are thrilled with achieving this milestone.

“Thanks to our experienced compliance team, we were able to obtain this licence promptly, which is a huge positive as the market entry lines up perfectly with our regulatory roadmap for 2024. We are looking forward to launching our innovative suite of games which feature captivating themes and mechanics to players and operators in Sweden.”

The post Playnetic strengthens European presence with licence to operate in Sweden appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Balkans

Wazdan adds to Croatian presence with SuperSport tie-up

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

George Miller

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

Wazdan, the gain-focused developer behind some of the world’s most rewarding casino game experiences, has gone live with SuperSport, expanding its foothold in Croatia.

As part of the agreement, an initial tranche of games go live with the operator, including its top-performing hits such as 9 Coins™ Grand Gold Edition, 9 Lions, 12 Coins™ and Burning Sun™, with more titles set to be uploaded in batches at a later stage.

Thanks to the new deal, SuperSport’s players can now enjoy the provider’s renowned mechanics including Cash Infinity™, Sticky to Infinity™ and Hold the Jackpot™, which deliver proven results to operators.

With over 20 years of experience in the betting and gaming industry, SuperSport’s online platform is a market leader in Croatia and is now set to benefit from Wazdan’s pristine titles.

The Balkans have remained a key growth area for Wazdan as it continues to expand across regulated markets worldwide.

Radka Bacheva, Sales and Business Development at Wazdan: “Marking another step in our growth strategy, the Balkans have quickly emerged as one of the most exciting markets in Europe and we are delighted to bring our dynamic titles to SuperSport, a market leader in Croatia.

“Through our engagement-boosting features, we can guarantee an unmatched gaming experience to its players and can’t wait to see how they react.”

Robert Milic, Head of Games at SuperSport said: “Wazdan’s award-winning features and titles add real value to our offering, so we are thrilled to bring an influx of its games to our players.

“As a market leader in Croatia, it is imperative that our content remains of the highest calibre and genuinely excites players. By forging agreements with providers such as Wazdan, we can achieve this whilst elevating our position in the industry to new heights.”

The post Wazdan adds to Croatian presence with SuperSport tie-up appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.