It's just one week to go until Season 2 of the V10 R-League is underway!
We can't wait to see the new teams, drivers, circuits and how the new format will shake-up the competition.
Part of the change in format is that there are now two groups where the teams will compete in to start the tournament. We believe that BMW and the McLaren Shadow team will have an intense rivalry, at least at this stage of the competition.
Why exactly is this? Keep reading to find out!
All the hallmarks of rivalry
Group B contains a wide variety of teams, from Season 1 runners-up Williams to the giant-killers JAESA Suzuki. We spoke before about how the title battle could be between Williams and Redline again, but there's plenty of other grudge matches in both groups.
McLaren Shadow and BMW were both drawn in Group B. They will battle it out against each other, along with Williams, Fordzilla and JAESA Suzuki for a place in the quarterfinals. Whoever finishes top will get a bye to the semi-finals. While McLaren or BMW could finish first, if you go off last season's form, Williams will take it.
That leaves McLaren and BMW fighting it out for second and third in Group B. Of course, JAESA Suzuki or an improved Fordzilla could throw a spanner in their works, but McLaren and BMW are the favourites to qualify in these positions.
Finishing second is a huge advantage over third, as it gives you an easier opponent to face in the quarterfinals. Depending on how Group A shakes up, that could mean the difference between facing Aston Martin or R8G instead of Red Bull.
Who will come out on top?
BMW came a respectable fourth place in Season 1 of the V10 R-League. While they usually beat the teams below them, the Beemers struggled to beat the outfits above them. Losses to Redline, Red Bull and Williams put pay to any chances of them challenging for the title.
To improve upon their results from last season, BMW have retained both Kevin Siggy and Michael Romanidis as two of their lead drivers. They're joined by Alen Terzic for Season 2, so clearly they're aiming for more this campaign.
BMW have the advantage when it comes to experience in the V10 R-League, but McLaren Shadow arguably have the better drivers.
James Baldwin and Isaac Gillissen both made cameo appearances in the V10 R-League last season and make their full-time debut with McLaren Shadow in Season 2. Elvin Smith completes McLaren's regular trio of drivers to make it three very fast racers.
Who will come out on top could hinge on when the two outfits face each other. McLaren Shadow could take a few race meetings to get up to speed, while BMW will be ready to go from day one.
Whoever comes out on top, this will no doubt be a rivalry to watch out for in Season 2 of the V10 R-League!
For a more in-depth at each team, check out our team guides for McLaren Shadow and BMW.
How to watch
V10 R-League Season 2 kicks off on Monday, 12 April.
Viewers in the UK can watch all the action from the best matchup of the week on BT Sport every Monday, with the remaining matches shown throughout the week!
Fans in the Middle East and North Africa can get all the action through StarzPlay. ESPN will be showing the races to all those in the USA, Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Oceania.
Make sure to check local listings and video-on-demand services for exact times!
