FlyQuest collapse at Budapest Major, exit Stage 2 winless

Try as they might, OCE squad FlyQuest could not convert their good form from last week into a Stage 2 win at the StarLadder Budapest Major.

Today's 0-2 (5-13, 11-13) loss to Astralis puts an end to FlyQuest's Budapest Major campaign, with the defeat off the back of a brutal opening day for Stage 2 where the OCE team managed just seven rounds in their best-of-ones against Natus Vincere (2-13) and 3DMAX (5-13).

It was particularly brutal for Declan "vexite" Portelli who, after topping the HLTV rating charts in Stage 1, crashed back to Earth recording a 0.55 across the four maps played — one of the lowest-rated players in Stage 2.

In their elimination match against Astralis overnight FlyQuest looked shaky on T-side Mirage but still emerged a shot, entering the break down 5-7 thanks to Justin "jks" Savage (1.04 rating, 10-11) and Joshua "INS" Potter (0.91, 9-14, 2 assists).

It's as close FlyQuest would come, however; Astralis turned up the heat on their own T-side and ended up completing a six-round run to deny FlyQuest any hope of a comeback on Mirage.

Overpass proved a different story. The teams couldn't be split at the break but FlyQuest led out with a pistol and conversion before breaking Astralis' economy after a gun round loss.

Crucial kills from Iulian "regali" Harjău (1.31, 20-12, 5.20% swing) saw FQ rebound and lead 10-7, then 11-10, but three straight site holds from Astralis denied the OCE squad a chance to push the series to Inferno.

It's not the end of the year FlyQuest was hoping for, but their three wins from Stage 1 over the Brazilian trio Fluxo, Imperial, and Legacy means a huge jump up the VRS — enough to secure the team in the top 30 for the early 2026 round of invites to the likes of BLAST Bounty and perhaps IEM Krakow.