I dont think it's inevitable, at all, at least in the 'space filling empire' sense of OTL.
European powers will vassalize/conquer states they can easily reach, especially if they have valuable resources. But projecting power inland is blasted expensive, and why bother, mostly.
Note that many of the claims to the interior didnt get established until late in the century.
Mind you, I do think a Scramble was LIKELY. But I dont think was inevitable.