Five things we learnt from the Brazilian Grand Prix

Optiminal without regular drivers – and yet the same result

Optiminal Esports competed in Brazil for the first time this season without both of its regular drivers.

Sven Schubert was still on his way back from England, while Heiko Kolvenbach gave priority to his ice hockey club, the Kölner Haie. So Rouven Meschede and Alex Woitala stepped in.

Expectations were correspondingly muted – but the result could hardly have been more impressive:

Meschede dominated the race and secured a victory that was never in doubt, while Woitala shone in the rain and secured third place with a fantastic performance.

Optiminal has not yet confirmed either Schubert or Kolvenbach for 2026. Is this result a sign that the Dutch are less dependent on their regular drivers than they themselves thought?

Give the VFC rain – and chaos ensues

Rain had been forecast repeatedly in the run-up to the race. After the first pit stops, it finally arrived: the heavens opened and the track became more challenging with every lap. The result: three safety car phases in a row.

Many drivers switched to intermediates too early and lost valuable time. Others, however, made the right decisions: Tim Hauck and Alex Woitala in particular took advantage of an unscheduled stop, made setup adjustments and then ploughed through the field in the wet conditions.

In the last five laps, the rain increased again – much to the delight of Michael Falkenhain and Jörn Dicks, who finished in P6 and P7 (before penalties). With a few more laps, both would have been serious podium contenders.

The battle for sixth place in the Constructors' Championship

The most exciting duel of the season finale took place in the midfield – in the battle for sixth place in the Constructors' Championship.

• Simspark Racing: 77 Points

• SVL Racing: 77 Points

• Ottimale EM: 74 Points
  

In the end, a subsequent penalty against Michael Falkenhain decided the race for sixth place. Without this penalty, Ottimale would have been level on points with Simspark – and would have prevailed thanks to Meschede's second place in Zandvoort, which gave him the better individual result.

The battle in the midfield was close and exciting until the very last minute – a worthy season finale.

Interlagos – a perfect comeback after two years

After a two-year hiatus, the VFC 2025 returned to Interlagos – and how! The modernised sections of the track impressed drivers and officials alike, which is why the race was chosen for the season finale.

The decision proved to be spot on: we saw one of the most exciting races of the year, marked by chaotic weather, strategic misfortune, courage, mistakes and moments of genius.

No wonder, then, that Interlagos will once again host the season finale in 2026.

Obrigado, Brazil!

Final act of the VFC season 2025

Brazil marks the end of one of the most successful seasons in the recent history of the VFC.

• Eight out of ten teams finished on the podium at least once.

• Thirteen different drivers secured a podium finish – a new record!

• The level of performance was higher than ever before.

  
  

The series has thus created an excellent foundation for the future. The first mod tests for 2026 have already been completed, and there is great anticipation in the paddock.

We would like to thank you all for your loyal readership and enthusiasm. See you next year – bring on the VFC 2026!