CFD 2026 Round 2 Vesoul Part 2: Médéric in top 8, Sofiane stopped on breakage

Médéric arrived in Vesoul ahead of schedule to prepare the two cars and install a few modifications for the night: interior lighting, push to pass, and some early adjustment work on the mapping. Sofiane joined him the next morning, rested and determined. His strategy was clear from the introduction: go all out, with no handbrake, from the very first pass. i've thought my strategy through very carefully," he says, "I'm going all out and I won't use the handbrake

Both drivers know the La Voulte circuit from the simulator. Both worked on it late into the night before the weekend. Sofiane also knows the track from having driven there the previous year. They both arrive with their bearings, but Vesoul always has its surprises in store in real conditions.

The first training sessions confirmed that both cars were at ease on the track. Sofiane is stringing together lead passes, working on his fluidity and gradually removing the handbrake to gain a natural rhythm. Médéric, on the other hand, is concentrating exclusively on the chase, developing his ability to read opposing trajectories and manage proximity. Wally telemetry was installed on both cars simultaneously for the first time, enabling runs to be compared in real time and identifying precisely where points were being gained or lost.

However, the weekend was marked by a major logistical constraint: tyre management. Both cars consumed tyres quickly, and the team quickly found itself with limited stock even before qualifying. The sessions were adjusted accordingly, with each run having to be as cost-effective as possible.

Sofiane also broke his front left wheel during contact with Ricardo in training. It was quickly repaired and back on track. at this stage, both cars were drivable and the weekend was on course.

It was during the final warm-up before the night qualifying session that everything changed for Sofiane Yazid. In the middle of the run, the crankshaft exploded. The car came to a standstill. The engine died, along with the gearbox and flywheel. The verdict came quickly: it was a total breakdown that could not be repaired in the time allowed.

No qualifying. No points. A blank round for the number 2 driver, third in the championship before this weekend. The frustration was immense, especially as the car was running well and Sofiane was in good form. The team briefly considered transferring parts from Salim's car, but the option was quickly ruled out: too complex, too time-consuming, and risky for both programmes.

Sofiane spent the rest of the weekend in the pits, supporting Médéric and the team. The next round at Val d'Argenton immediately becomes an absolute priority.

While Sofiane's breakage mobilises the team, Médéric prepares for the night qualifiers. The conditions are identical to those for Salim: invisible ground markings, smoke, stadium floodlights as his only reference points. A mental exercise in itself for a rookie in the Elite category.

The first run was clean but a little slow: Médéric went into the release too early and didn't push far enough in the clips. He knew this immediately when he got out of the car. The second run was more committed, with a more energetic release and better clip action. He finished qualifying 14th. A solid result for a rookie, good enough to break into the top 32 and continue the weekend.

On Sunday, Médéric went into the daytime battles with his bearings firmly in place. The top 32 was handled with application. In the top 16, he faced Bryan and delivered a clean, committed battle: strong release, assertive angle, close chase. He passed.

It was in the top 8 that the weekend came to an end.

His opponent in the top 8 is Elio Surace. A name Médéric knows well: last season at Calmont, Surace tipped the scales in his favour in a tight battle. This round 2 at Vesoul was a chance for revenge.

The runs were committed. Médéric threw himself into the smoke in the chase, briefly lost visibility on the rear lights of Surace's E30, threw the car away a little early on a run and left a gap. In the lead, the driving was clean but Surace stuck to his guns and gave nothing away. The verdict fell in Surace's favour. Médéric finished in the top 8.

Revenge awaits Val d'Argenton.

For Médéric, the results are positive: a top 8 in the Elite category for a rookie, on an open circuit in night-time conditions, is a result that counts. The progress between sessions is visible, the Wally telemetry provides concrete data to keep working, and the rivalry with Surace gives a clear objective for the future.

For Sofiane, Vesoul was a round he lost through mechanical failure, without any driver error. The car will be rebuilt and the points lost will not be lost. Val d'Argenton is coming up fast, and he's not one to let a weekend like this go by unanswered.

Team Shiftech left Vesoul with two contrasting results, an engine to rebuild for Sofiane, and motivation intact for round 3.

What was Médéric Isker's result at the CFD round 2 in Vesoul?