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Stuttgart. At the famous 24 hour race in Daytona/USA in a field stronger than ever before, pilots from the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup impressed with outstanding performances.
At his first attempt, René Rast (Germany), the Supercup champion of 2010 and 2011, won the long distance classic in Florida with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup together with Porsche works driver Richard Lietz (Austria) and Americans Andy Lally and John Potter.
Jeroen Bleekemolen from the Netherlands, title winner of the world’s fastest international one-make race series in 2008 and 2009, scored second place with Porsche factory pilot Wolf Henzler (Germany) as well as Marc Goossens (Belgium), Spencer Pumpelly and Steven Bertheau (both USA).
“A dream has come true with this victory,” said René Rast, winner of five Supercup rounds last year, including the Porsche Carrera World Cup on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In recognition of his outstanding achievements last season, Porsche gave Rast the opportunity of competing in Daytona.
Jeroen Bleekemolen stated:
“That was undoubtedly the most intensely competitive 24 hour race I’ve ever driven. To finish second here is a fantastic effort from the entire team.”
Jonas Krauss, Manager of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, was also very pleased with his drivers’ performances on the Daytona International Speedway.
“Our pilots have done an excellent job in this world-class field,” he said.
“The fact that René could win at his Daytona debut and Jeroen also climbed the podium in second clearly shows that some of the best GT pilots in the world are contesting the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and they can hold their own anywhere.”
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Other Supercup pilots in Daytona were Britain’s Sean Edwards and Nick Tandy, who finished in 18th place.
Position 24 was occupied by Frenchman Kévin Estre, the 2011 “Rookie of the Year” in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Porsche also gave him the chance to start in Daytona in recognition of his strong performance as the most successful Supercup newcomer by far.
The three Porsche works drivers Wolf Henzler, Richard Lietz and Marc Lieb, who shared the GT podium in Daytona with René Rast and Jeroen Bleekemolen, also first proved themselves in the Porsche makes cup series. Wolf Henzler was the Supercup champion of 2004, and Marc Lieb clinched the title in the 2002 Porsche Carrera Cup.
Stuttgart. The 24 hour race in Daytona remains Porsche territory:
At the cliff-hanger 50th anniversary of the long distance classic in Florida/USA, the Zuffenhausen sports car manufacturer celebrated a convincing triple triumph in the GT class against strong opposition from the likes of Audi, BMW, Corvette and Ferrari.
(l.-r.): Andy Lally, John Potter, Richard Lietz, Rene Rast
Victory went to Porsche works driver Richard Lietz (Austria) in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by Magnus Racing with teammates René Rast (Germany) as well as Americans Andy Lally and John Potter.
Porsche Factory Pilot Richard Lietz (Austria) – Magnus Racing
Magnus Racing – René Rast (Germany)
Magnus Racing – American Andy Lally
Magnus Racing – American John Potter.
#44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
After a thrilling finale in front of record crowds on the Daytona International Speedway, Lietz saw the flag 9.412 seconds ahead of his factory pilot colleague Wolf Henzler.
#67 TRG Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
The previous year’s winner from Germany shared the cockpit of TRG Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup with Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands), Marc Goossens (Belgium), Spencer Pumpelly (USA) and Steven Bertheau (USA).
Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands), Marc Goossens (Belgium), Steven Bertheau (USA), Factory Pilot Wolf Henzler, Spencer Pumpelly (USA)
Scoring third place was Porsche works driver Marc Lieb (Germany) with Americans Hurley Haywood, Leh Keen and Andrew Davis in the legendary starting number 59 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup run by the Daytona-winning squad Brumos Racing.
Porsche works driver Marc Lieb (Germany) with Americans Hurley Haywood, Leh Keen and Andrew Davis – Brumos Racing Team
“Today we all witnessed why Daytona is one of the world’s most fascinating races,” said Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG.
“For me that was a 24 hour sprint. The front-runners were incredibly close right to the flag. I’m very pleased to see that we had virtually no technical problems with our cars and the teams and drivers did such a magnificent job under difficult conditions.
Congratulations and well done to you all.”
Joerg Bergmiester, Patrick Long, Marc Lieb, Marco Holzer, Patrick Pilet, Wolf Henzler, Richard Lietz – Porsche Factory Pilots
Porsche’s head of motorsport, Hartmut Kristen, commented after this latest success:
“The 50th running of this classic was unbelievably exciting. For much of the time, there were ten GT cars in one lap. The spectators were again treated to some fantastic motorsport. And it’s great of course to celebrate an impressive victory in front of such spectacular crowds. The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup again brilliantly underlined its outstanding reliability at this extremely difficult race.”
With its latest win, Porsche has now scored 22 overall and 74 class wins, making it the most successful manufacturer in the history of this race.
The anniversary race of the endurance classic in Florida, at which the new Porsche 911 ran as the safety car, was stronger than ever before. In the GT class alone, 45 cars lined up to start.
“To beat so many great drivers, the crème de la crème of GT pilots, is simply awesome,” said the winner Richard Lietz.
“Winning this race for Porsche is a highlight of my career, comparable only to my two victories in Le Mans.”
His teammate René Rast, the two-time champion of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, to whom Porsche gave the chance to compete at Daytona in recognition of his excellent performance last season, said:
“Everything ran smoothly. We didn’t experience a single technical problem. That was only the second 24 hour race of my career and undoubtedly the toughest. During one of my stints I spent three and a half hours at the wheel. That was incredibly exhausting.”
In the gripping final phase, Wolf Henzler again pulled out all stops, but the leading Richard Lietz managed to stave him off to the flag.
Porsche Factory Pilot – Wolf Henzler
“He was just too quick today,” Henzler stated. “But to climb the podium again after my win last year is a huge success for me.”
With the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by Brumos Racing, which took off into the race from pole position, Marc Lieb pitted shortly before the flag for a ‘splash and dash’ refuelling stop.
Porsche Factory Pilot – Marc Lieb
Despite having led the race for long distances up until this point, he was unable to rejoin the fight for victory.
“We experienced a bit of bad luck towards the end with our race strategy,” he said. “But although I was rather disappointed initially, it’s still a great team effort to come third against such an incredibly strong GT field.”
Andrew Davis, Leh Keen and Marc Lieb – Brumos Racing
Turning the fastest race lap of the entire GT field, Porsche factory pilot Marco Holzer (Germany) turned heads at the classic on the Daytona International Speedway.
Porsche Factory Pilot – Marco Holzer
Alex Job Racing #23
He didn’t, however, manage to reach the flag.
“Everything was running beautifully with our car until the retirement,” he commented.
“But we had a bit of bad luck under the yellow flag. Three times we came in to refuel just before a caution phase and lost laps because of it. That’s rough.”
Lady Luck wasn’t with Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) either.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Flying Lizard Motorsports
With the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Flying Lizard Motorsports, which they shared with American Seth Neiman and Mike Rockenfeller (Switzerland), they were holding their own with the front-runners early on, but fell back and had to settle for 15th place at the flag.
Bergmeister/Long/Neiman/Rockenfeller (D/USA/USA/D), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
“Early on in the race we were running in the top three,” said Patrick Long. “Our pace was very fast.
But Seth’s collision with a Daytona prototype put us out of serious contention.”
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Flying Lizard Motorsports
GT class
1. Lietz/Lally/Rast/Potter (A/USA/D/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 727 laps
2. Henzler/Bleekemolen/Bertheau/Goossens/Pumpelly (D/NL/USA/B/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 727 laps
3. Lieb/Haywood/Davis/Keen (D/USA/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 726 laps
4. Edwards/Bremer/Liddell (USA/DK/GB), Camaro GT.R, 726 laps
5. Beretta/Bertolini/Vilander (MC/I/SF), Ferrari 458, 726 laps
6. Franchitti/Bomarito/Hinchcliffe/Tremblay (GB/USA/CAN/USA), Mazda RX-8, 722 laps
7. Pilet/Farnbacher/Keating/Simonsen (F/D/USA/DK), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 721 laps
11. Armindo/Curtis/Lewis/Sofronas/Willsey (F/USA/USA/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 713 laps
14. Avenatti/Faieta/Poordad/Sweedler/Wagner (USA/USA/USA/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 707 laps
15. Bergmeister/Long/Neiman/Rockenfeller (D/USA/USA/D), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 706 laps
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup strongly represented at Daytona
Five Supercup pilots contest the 24 hour classic
Stuttgart. The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup is strongly represented at the 24 hour race in Daytona. Five drivers from the world’s fastest international one-make race series tackle the spring classic in Florida/USA with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
In recognition of their outstanding performances last season, Porsche AG has given the double Supercup champion René Rast (Germany) and Frenchman Kévin Estre as “Rookie of the Year” the chance to participate in the 50th anniversary running of the legendary sports car race on the Daytona International Speedway.
“René and Kévin displayed extraordinary prowess during the 2011 season,” says Jonas Krauss, Head of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
“So with support from Porsche, they have earned the chance to prove themselves in the fiercely-contested GT class of this long distance classic against very strong competition.”
Other pilots from the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Daytona are Britain’s Sean Edwards and Nick Tandy as well as Jeroen Bleekemolen from the Netherlands.
Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Italien 2011
On the way to his second title after 2010, René Rast celebrated five victories last year, including races on the storied Grand Prix circuits of Spa and Silverstone.
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Türkei 2011
Moreover, the German won the Porsche Carrera World Cup on the famed Nürburgring-Nordschleife.
“For me, Daytona is a real highlight to kick off the new season,” says Rast about his Daytona campaign with Magnus Racing.
“It’s not every day a race driver gets the chance to contest such a prestigious 24 hour race with Porsche backup. This is really something very special.”
Kévin Estre was not only the most successful Supercup newcomer by far in 2011 – he also secured his first victory in this intensely competitive one-make series in the Royal Park of Monza. The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup has run as support to the Formula 1 World Championship since 1993.
Estre is excited about his debut in Daytona with TRG Racing.
“I thank Porsche for this unique chance,” he says. “I’ll do my best to justify their trust and to represent the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup well.”
Kevin Estre (F) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Italien 2011
Traditionally, the 24 hour race on the Daytona International Speedway is the first highlight of the motorsport season and year after year attracts the best pilots from all kinds of race series worldwide to the ‘Sunshine State’ of the USA.
Spearheaded by title defender Wolf Henzler (Germany), seven Porsche works drivers contest the strongly supported GT class. With 22 overall wins, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the history of the race.
The race
The endurance classic, which kicks off the Grand-Am Series season, started out in 1962 as a three hour race. At 1,250 miles in 1964, the race grew to double the distance of the classic 1,000 kilometre races of Spa, Monza and the Nürburgring. The maiden 24 hour event in Daytona took place in 1966. Due to the oil crisis in 1974 the race was not run. Taking their places on the winner’s list are Formula 1 champions like Phil Hill and Mario Andretti as well as legendary Porsche pilots like Hans Herrmann, Rolf Stommelen, Hurley Haywood and Bob Wollek.
The circuit
The Daytona International Speedway is one of the world’s most famous race tracks. The 24 hour race is contested on the 5.729 kilometre track combination of oval with banked corner and the infield. The circuit is also the venue for the famed NASCAR Daytona 500 race with over 250,000 spectators annually.
The Porsche drivers
In the traditionally very competitive GT class, seven Porsche works drivers have victory in sight with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup:
Title defender Wolf Henzler competes for TRG Racing, Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) line up for Flying Lizard Motorsports, their winning team from the American Le Mans Series. Alex Job Racing has Marco Holzer (Germany) onboard, with Patrick Pilet (Franc) taking the wheel of the second TRG-Porsche. Magnus Racing competes with Richard Lietz (Austria), whilst his teammate in the new World Endurance Championship, Marc Lieb (Germany), lines up for Brumos Racing.
One of the partners of the Porsche works driver is the US racing legend Hurley Haywood (USA). With five overall and six class victories, Haywood is the most successful pilot ever in Daytona. On 4 May he celebrates his 64th birthday.
US racing legendHurley Haywood (USA)
Also taking up the race with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is Audi factory pilot Mike Rockenfeller (Switzerland).
Audi factory pilotMike Rockenfeller (Switzerland)
In recognition of their brilliant performances in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Porsche AG gave the two-time champion René Rast (Germany) as well as “Rookie of the Year” Kévin Estre (France) the chance to compete at Daytona.
Two-time championRené Rast (Germany)
“Rookie of the Year” Kévin Estre (France)
What they said before the race
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport:
“Daytona is always a very special race for Porsche. Our Porsche teams have already yielded many great results here with the Porsche 911. And with 21 vehicles we are very well represented again this year. For teams like Brumos who compete in 2012 as title defenders of the Grand-Am Series, it is particularly exciting that the most important race of the year is also the start of the season. And it will be particularly interesting to see the new competitors who compete with modified and, in fact, more powerful GT3 vehicles.”
Jörg Bergmeister:
“After the long break over winter, this race is a great way to get ready for the new season. Porsche was always very strong in Daytona. I last won the race here in 2009 and I’m feeling quite confident that we’ll be good for a win again this year. The competition was never this strong. It’ll be a tough fight from start to finish.”
Joerg Bergmeister (Germany)
Patrick Long:
“Our excursion into the prototype class last year was an interesting experience. But now I’m looking forward to racing a 911 again in Daytona. The fact that our GT-class rivals are not only much stronger in sheer numbers makes the task for us and our team even more interesting.”
Patrick Long (USA)
Marc Lieb:
“Our tests ran well in Daytona and I’m sure that we’ll be competitive in the race. The 24 Hours of Daytona is always a cool event, and added to this is the unbelievably big grid for the 50th anniversary. I’m looking forward to driving for such a well established and successful team like Brumos Racing with the legendary starting number 59.”
Marc Lieb (Germany)
Wolf Henzler:
“When we tested I was really impressed by the strength of our competition. With 42 GT cars on the grid, it’ll certainly not be an easy race. I imagine things will get really tough right from the start flag. I’m driving again for TRG, the team with which I won last year. My teammates are very strong and of course I’ll do my best to repeat my victory from last year.”
Wolf Henzler (Germany)
Marco Holzer:
“It’s a fantastic challenge to start the season with a 24 hour race, and a classic like Daytona at that. I very much like this circuit. It’s demanding but real fun. We did a great deal of work on the car with my team Alex Job Racing. I’m quite optimistic for the race.”
Marco Holzer (Germany)
Richard Lietz:
“Great that the season finally gets underway. The GT class booms, the competition is stronger this year than ever before. That will surely be an interesting race. We always had a good car in the last years and we are keen to continue the success streak of Porsche in Daytona.”
Richard Lietz (Austria)
Patrick Pilet:
“Driving in Daytona is something very special for us all. This race is a legend and a great challenge, particularly in its anniversary year. Manufacturers send the best GT teams with very strong driver contingents to Daytona. The fight for victory is open like never before.”
Patrick Pilet (France)
Porsche successes
With 22 overall and 72 class victories, Porsche is by far the most successful manufacturer in the history of the Daytona 24 hour race.
The first overall win for Porsche was in 1968 with Vic Elford, Jochen Neerpasch, Rolf Stommelen, Jo Siffert and Hans Herrmann with the Porsche 907.
The latest win in 2010 went to Joao Barbosa, Terry Borcheller, Ryan Dalziel and Mike Rockenfeller with the Porsche-Riley. In 2003, Joerg Bergmeister, Timo Bernhard, Kevin Buckler and Michael Schrom clinched a sensational overall win with the near-standard Porsche 911 GT3 RS against more powerful Daytona prototypes.
In the previous year, Porsche works driver Wolf Henzler secured the GT class victory at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
The schedule
The 24 hour race in Daytona starts on Saturday, 28 January, at 15.30 hrs local time (21.30 hrs CET).
Other interesting facts
- Marking the longest winning streak in the history of the race, Porsche notched up a total of eleven overall victories between 1977 and 1987. Add the class victories to this and Porsche has 21 wins in succession between 1966 and 1987 (in 1974 the race was not contested due to the oil crisis).
- According to statistics, Porsche veteran Hurley Haywood has turned more than 18,800 laps from his 37 Daytona starts to date and with this has completed almost 110,000 kilometres – that’s far more than two and a half times the circumference of the earth. For this, the Porsche dealer from Jacksonville/Florida has spent 476 hours behind the wheel and used around 1,100 sets of tyres.
- Right behind front-runner Hurley Haywood with five overall wins (1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1991) in the all-time list of winners at Daytona are two further Porsche pilots: Rolf Stommelen (1968, 1978, 1980, 1982) and Bob Wollek (1983, 1985, 1989, 1991) each with four overall victories.
The calendar
Thirteen races in the USA and Canada make up the calendar of the Grand-Am Series for 2012:
28/29.01. 24 Hours Daytona/Florida
01.04. Birmingham/Alabama
29.04. Miami/Florida
13.05. Millville/New Jersey
03.06. Detroit/Michigan
10.06. Lexington/Ohio
24.06. Elkhart Lake/Wisconsin
01.07 6 Hours Watkins Glen/New York
29.07. Indianapolis/Indiana
12.08. Watkins Glen/New York
19.08. Montreal/Canada
09.09. Laguna Seca/California
28.09. Lime Rock, Connecticut
This year marks an important race in the manufacturer’s history because we will be celebrating 50 years at Daytona. As the most winning Marque of the Rolex 24, Porsche will be the official pace car of the 24 hour race, showcasing the new 911. Porsche Cars North America is excited to announce the return of the two-day customer hospitality program at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Each hospitality package is $300 and includes an official race ticket to the Rolex 24 and access to the Porsche hospitality tent Saturday (Jan 28) and Sunday (Jan 29) with the following amenities:
Food and Beverage (3 meals per day)
Lounge area
Track feed from the race
Team/Sponsor presentations
Driving Simulators for xBox
Gift bag
In addition to the Rolex 24 at Daytona, any additional customer hospitality programs that will be implemented later in the year will appear on the same website. Dealers, customers, and prospects are able to use this site to order any of the motorsport hospitality packages.
For more information on each of the events or to order hospitality packages please visit:www.porscheracingusa.com.
Stuttgart. His sunglasses are his trademark. White rims and coloured mirror glass – they could almost come from the hippy commune era.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
But René Rast, who celebrated his second straight title win in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Abu Dhabi on Saturday is anything but Mr Razzle Dazzle.
“I’m more of a quiet type. But if there is reason to celebrate I don’t hold back,” says the 25-year-old from Steyerberg in Germany. And he grins as cheekily as a student who places a drawing pin on his teacher’s chair and waits for him to sit down.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Ungarn 2011
At the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by VELTINS Lechner Racing, he took off into the season as the clear favourite.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
But the year started slowly. At the season-opener in Istanbul he finished fifth, and in Barcelona he had to settle for seventh.
“That was nothing like the start I imagined,” he says, “but it was no reason to panic. Perhaps we were too confident after winning the title in 2010.” Naturally he felt the pressure from the huge expectations – but he didn’t lose his composure. “I approach every race cool and calm, anything else doesn’t work.”
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
His patience paid off:
In Monaco he was back in force with his first win of the season. This success in the glamorous world of the rich and famous was well deserved with drivers having to change gears 34 times per lap through the twisting labyrinth of Monte Carlo.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast explains:
“That is an incredibly difficult task. But when you’re handed your trophy in the Royal Box you quickly forget about it.”
For the title defender, this success in the Principality on the Cote d’Azur was the spark he needed after such a slow start to the season. With his win on the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife, where the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup ran as part of the inaugural Porsche Carrera World Cup – the greatest Porsche race in history with 100 competitors from 25 countries – he celebrated the biggest success of his career.
“Winning this race was an unforgettable experience,” he says about his tour de force on the rain-sodden famed race track. “I’d never driven a Porsche on the Nordschleife prior to this and the conditions were really challenging. The key to success was that I didn’t make one mistake.”
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
After these two victories, René Rast was the hero of the hour in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. And in Silverstone as well he proved unbeatable: On the legendary race track in the British Midlands he celebrated his third consecutive win. This catapulted him into the points’ lead. When the world’s fastest international one-make series returned to the Nürburgring for the 200th race in its successful history, René Rast was again the man to beat, and in typical Eifel conditions he continued on his winning streak with victory number four.
“That was a perfect race,” he remembers. “With regard to the championship, that was a great weekend for us.”
One of his greatest strengths is his boundless confidence. Even in critical situations he rarely loses the overview.
“René is not someone who makes silly mistakes when he’s under pressure,” says Kuba Giermaziak, who fought him hard for the title right to the final race in Abu Dhabi.
That is something the new champion has over all his rivals. “I believe in myself and I know what I can do,” he says. “Inside I’m just as tense as my opponents, but I just don’t show it on the outside.”
René Rast (D), Nick Tandy (GB), Kevin Estre (F) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
That is typical of René Rast:
He doesn’t regard the fierce competition in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as a problem, but more as a challenge. And it was with this attitude that he competed as a tiny tot. At the age of four he contested his first race – in an electric car on a supermarket car park in Steyerberg. His opponents were good and twice his age, but still he won. Rast made a minor detour to motocross before his uncle put him in a kart. From this point on, he focused seriously on his racing career: 2003 and 2004 he contested the Formula BMW, 2005 he won the VW Polo Cup.
He climbed aboard a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for the first time in 2007, and a year later was crowned champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. In his first Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season he won most of the races, but concluded the year as runner-up. In 2010 he took home the championship.
On the way to successfully defending his title he was at times in the lead on the Hungaroring on the outskirts of Budapest, but technical problems with his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup forced him into retirement. Although he lost the points’ lead, he didn’t lose sight of the title.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Promptly at the race in Spa-Francorchamps, where he settled for second place (“if I don’t see a chance I’d rather leave it”), he was back at the top of the table.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast (D), Team Lechner Racing Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
And again in Monza he didn’t take any risks, saw the flag in second and was more than happy:
“Things look good for the championship,” he said. “Now we just have to be up near the front in Abu Dhabi and we should have it in the bag.”
He turned this comparatively simple tactic into deeds in the United Arab Emirates capital – and took home the title.
Hartmut Kristen, René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
In a review of the season in which he secured pole position three times and the fastest race lap twice, he comments on…
… successfully defending the title:
“I’m simply thrilled and relieved. It’s difficult to describe what it means to have won this championship two times in a row. This year was even tougher than last season because there were more drivers competing who were good to take the title. To do this despite experiencing a difficult start to the season is fantastic.”
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
… the key to success:
“That is undoubtedly our streak of four wins. These successes were an enormous boost for our team and rather sobering for our opposition. We earned so many points through these wins that we didn’t have to take unnecessary risks at every race, but could be satisfied with second place.”
… his most wonderful win:
“There are two victories that shine over the others: Monaco and the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Winning the race in Monaco in front of this unparalleled backdrop is something quite special for every race driver. And to be the first winner of the Porsche Carrera World Cup, the greatest Porsche race in history, will always be a highlight of my career. They were two extraordinary races this season that I won.”
… his VELTINS Lechner Racing team:
“It’s a team that every driver wishes for. We all clicked right from the start and we never had any real problems. And if things did get difficult, like at the beginning of the year when the first races didn’t go as we thought, we all found a way to overcome these hurdles. Now we know there are no problems we can’t solve.”
René Rast (D), Team Lechner Racing Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
… his strengths:
“My main strength is surely my consistency. I’m quick on all tracks. There is not one circuit where I would say it doesn’t suit me. Moreover, I don’t make many mistakes. I spend a lot of time analysing data. Often I’ll lie awake in bed and think about how I can become even quicker.”
… his dreams:
“To land a works cockpit is the dream of all race drivers, mine as well. I hope that this dream will be fulfilled one day.”
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
Stuttgart. The Motorsport Newsletter regularly provides information on Porsche Motorsport around the world.
French GT Championship: Beltoise and Pasquali are the champions
Pro-GT by Almeras: Laurent Pasquali, Anthony Beltoise
French GT-Championship
Anthony Beltoise and Laurent Pasquali brought their campaign to a successful end with their fifth win of the season at the 13th of 14 races during the final meeting in Le Castellet (29/30 October).
Pro-GT by Almeras: Laurent Pasquali, Anthony Beltoise
French GT-Championship
With this, the pair secured the French GT Championship title with the Porsche 911 GT3 R of the proven Pro-GT by Almeras squad.
Pro-GT by Almeras
French GT-Championship
At the last race of the year, the freshly-crowned champions clinched second. Patrick Bornhauser and Laurent Groppi wrapped up the season as third overall in a Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by Larbre Compétition.
Larbre Compétition: Patrick Bornhauser, Laurent Groppi
French GT-Championship
Spanish GT Championship: Strong finish earns title for Manuel Giao
Drivex-Team: Manuel Giao, Miguel Angel de Castro
Spanish GT-Championship
Victory and second place at the final round of the Spanish GT Championship on the Circuit de Cataluña near Barcelona (29/30 October) was enough for Portugal’s Manuel Giao to take out the title. Giao shared the cockpit of the 911 GT3 RSR run by the Drivex team (Madrid) with Spaniard Miguel Angel de Castro. Two wins at the penultimate race weekend in Jerez catapulted Giao (15/16 October) to the top of the points’ table.
British GT Championship: Trackspeed defends team championship
After Gregor Fisken and Tim Bridgman’s win in June with the Porsche 911 GT3 R of Trackspeed in Brands Hatch, fourth place at the final round of the British GT Championship in Silverstone (8 October) was enough for their British squad to retain the team title. The best Porsche pilot in the 2011 drivers’ classification is last year’s champion and owner of the Trackspeed team, David Ashburn, in third place.
US GT Championships: Porsche pilots net two titles
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Brumos Racing:
(l.-r.) Hurley Haywood, Leh Keen, Andrew Davis, Dan Davis.
Grand-Am GT, Lexington/Ohio
Andrew Davis and Leh Keen won the Grand-Am GT Championship with a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by the famed Brumos Racing team.
And another perfect result in the American World Challenge:
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: Patrick Long
World Challenge, Laguna Seca
Works driver Patrick Long won the GT Championship title driving TruSpeed’s 911 GT3 Cup, which handed the squad the team championship.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: Patrick Long
World Challenge, Laguna Seca
Porsche took home the manufacturers’ title.
Belcar Endurance Championship: Goossens and Soulet celebrate title with win at final
After 72 gripping laps, Marc Goossens and Maxime Soulet came out on top by a nail-biting five hundredths of a second over a Ferrari at the last race of the Belcar Endurance Championship in Spa (23 October). The Belgians had already taken the championship title early with a victory in Prospeed Competition’s Porsche 911 GT3 R on the first weekend in October at the penultimate round in Zolder.
International GT Open: Gianluca Roda crowned vice-champion
Autorlando Sport: G. L. Roda
International GT Open
Clinching vice-championship honours in the GTS class for GT3 race vehicles, the 2011 season ended successfully for Gianluca Roda.
Autorlando Sport: G. L. Roda, P. Ruberti
International GT Open
At the wheel of Autorlando Sport’s Porsche 911 GT3 R, Roda had won both races at the penultimate weekend in Monza.
P2, Autorlando Sport: (l.-r.) P. Ruberti, G. L. Roda
International GT Open
One point shy of the leader in second, he travelled to the finale on the Circuit de Cataluña near Barcelona (29/30 October), but his retirement from the second race after finishing the first in fourth robbed him of his title chance. Autorlando Sport ranks second in the team championship.
Japanese Super GT: Porsche 911 GT3 R on third
P3, Team Hankook KTR: (l. – r.)Masami Kageyama, Keiichi Suzuki, Tomonodu Fujii
Japan Super GT
Tomonodu Fujii and Masami Kageyama secured second place from the eighth and final event on the Twin Ring Motegi (15/16 October).
Team Hankook KTR: Masami Kageyama, Tomonodu Fujii
Japan Super GT
The pair took up the race from the pit lane after their Hankook KTR Porsche 911 GT3 R underwent repairs shortly before the start.
Team Hankook KTR: Masami Kageyama, Tomonodu Fujii
Japan Super GT
The squad and its drivers brought their first year of competition to a successful conclusion with an impressive third place in the championship.
Carrera Cup Asia: Keita Sawa champion after heart-stopping finale
LKM Racing: Keita Sawa
Carrera Cup Asia
Definitely not for the faint-hearted: At the twelfth and final race on the Shanghai International Circuit (23 September), 26-year-old Keita Sawa from Japan snatched third place and the championship title in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of LKM Racing with a difference of just one-point over Rodolfo Avila (Team Jebsen) from Macao.
R. Avila, A. Imperatori, K. Sawa
Carrera Cup Asia
Third overall in the fiercely-competitive Cup went to Alexandre Imperatori.
Carrera Cup Deutschland: Nick Tandy champion at second attempt
Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
With three wins, four other podium results, a fifth place and just one retirement, last year’s runner-up Nick Tandy from Great Britain (26) claimed the championship title in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup run by Konrad Motorsport.
Team: Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland 2011
Tandy is the first British driver to take home the title in the 22-year history of the German Carrera Cup.
René Rast (D), Sean Edwards (GB), Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
Vice-championship honours went to his compatriot Sean Edwards, whose performance contributed to his Deutsche Post by tolimit crew securing the team championship.
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
Carrera Cup France
Carrera Cup France: Ten straight wins earn Kévin Estre the championship title
AS Events: Kévin Estre
Carrera Cup France
From the guest appearance of the Carrera Cup France in Nogaro in the southwest of France late April to the final race in Le Castellet at the end of October (29 October), Kévin Estre pocketed ten consecutive wins in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by AS Events.
AS Events: Kévin Estre
Carrera Cup France
AS Events: Kévin Estre
Carrera Cup France
After this string of successes, the 23-year-old new champion from Lyon ranks 113 points ahead of second-placed Sylvain Noël. A total of twelve races made up the 2011 calendar.
Carrera Cup Great Britain: James Sutton reclaims the title
SAS/Redline: James Sutton
Carrera Cup Great Britain
After 19 races and second place at the final round in Silverstone (16 October), James Sutton (26) once again walked away with the championship.
The SAS/Redline pilot, who was also the champion of the Carrera Cup Great Britain in 2007, wrapped up a thrilling year with a seven-point lead over his teammate Michael Meadows, who was forced to pit with a faulty tyre during the decisive final round. SAS/Redline won the team title, Nick Tandy won the last race.
Carrera Cup Italia: Alessandro Balzan defends his title
EbimotorsAlessandro Balzan
Carrera Cup Italia
At the penultimate race weekend in Vallelunga (16/18 September), Ebimotors pilot Alessandro Balzan picked up an early title win.
EbimotorsAlessandro Balzan
Carrera Cup Italia
Still, with the second straight championship title under his belt, this didn’t prevent the 31-year-old from keeping up the pressure.
EbimotorsAlessandro Balzan
Carrera Cup Italia
Balzan pocketed victory number seven and eight at the final meeting in Monza (15/16 October). Marco Mapelli was crowned vice-champion.
Ebimotors: Alessandro Balzan
Carrera Cup Italia
Carrera Cup Japan
Carrera Cup Japan: Hideto Yasuoka wins all races to become champion
Garmin Porsche: Hideto Yasuoka
Carrera Cup Japan
Eleven wins from eleven races: With this immaculate balance, 28-year-old Hideto Yasuoka concluded the season on the Twin Ring Motegi (23 October) as the undisputed champion.
P1, Garmin Porsche: Hideto Yasuoka (m.)
Carrera Cup Japan
Garmin Porsche: Hideto Yasuoka
Carrera Cup Japan
Runner-up behind the Garmin-Porsche pilot, who took up the final round as poleman, was Akira Fujita. Fujita snatched the vice-championship trophy from Kazuyoshi Takamizawa in a last ditch battle at the final race.
Garmin Porsche: Hideto Yasuoka
Carrera Cup Japan
GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East: Abdulaziz Al Faisal leads after first race
GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East
Abdulaziz Al Faisal (m.)
An Austrian kicked off the new season of the GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East with a win on the Dubai Autodrome on the first weekend in November: Clemens Schmid won race one from pole position.
GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East
The two-time champion, Prince Abdulaziz al Faisal, came second, but nailed the points’ lead of the drivers’ classification after winning race two of the weekend. Next meeting: at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi (11/13 November).
Race notes:
Driving a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR for the Turin-based Victor Racing team, Victor and Giovanni Coggiola win the GT2 title of the Italian GT Championship after seven race weekends.
Victory for Lucas Luhr and Arno Klasen in Manthey Racing’s 911 GT3 R at round nine of the Nuerburgring Long Distance Championship (15 October).
With three wins from a total of ten races, Porsche draws level with Audi on the list of the very best. No other race car has turned the fastest race lap more than the 911 with four lap records.
The fight for the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup title is decided at the double-header finale on the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi as part of the Formula 1 weekend (12/13 November). Aside from points’ leader René Rast, title contenders are Kuba Giermaziak, Norbert Siedler and three other drivers.
Things go down to the wire as well in the Carrera Cup Australia, where New Zealander Craig Baird travels to the final in Sydney (2/4 December) holding a healthy points’ lead after three wins in Surfers Paradise (22/23 October) ahead of his second-placed compatriot Daniel Gaunt.
Nick Tandy claims championship title, Sean Edwards wins finale
René Rast (D), Sean Edwards (GB), Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
Stuttgart. It was a thriller for the championship title that couldn’t have been more gripping. In the end, third place was enough for Nick Tandy to win the prestigious trophy in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
This marks the greatest motorsport success in the career of the 26-year-old Konrad Motorsport pilot from Britain.
“I couldn’t be happier,” said the clearly emotional new champion. “This is for sure the best thing that has happened in my life to now.”
His toughest rival in the title bid, compatriot Sean Edwards, crowned his second season in Germany’s fastest one-make cup with a victory at the final round.
Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
With this, he secured vice championship honours and helped his Deutsche Post by tolimit team to win the team championship.
Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
The inaugural special classification for guest starters went to Raffi Bader (MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg) from Switzerland.
Bill Barazetti (D), Raffi Bader (CH), Heinz-Bert Wolters (D) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
Taking up the race from pole position, the initially cautious Nick Tandy let his rival Edwards and Förch Racing pilot René Rast (Germany) pass in the first race laps – after all, he had a twelve-point advantage in the standings over his closest pursuer Edwards.
Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
While Edwards could pull away after several laps, Tandy stuck to the bumper of Rast’s 911 with his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. In the tenth lap, the Briton overtook the German and set out to chase the leading Edwards – which obviously made his team boss Franz Konrad nervous.
The shock for the Konrad Motorsport squad hit home about four laps before the flag: Tandy’s pace slowed, Rast held tight to second. What was happening to Tandy? Sensing their chance to snatch a podium spot, three Carrera Cup specialists closed in from behind.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
Finally, despite a problem with the front left wheel, Tandy was able to bring home third place – and the championship title for the three-time race winner. Claiming second place at the final, René Rast moved one position up the points’ table to conclude the season in fifth place overall.
The old champion of 2010, Nicolas Armindo, saw the flag in fourth. Driving for Hermes Attempto Racing, the Frenchman concluded an extremely difficult season without any podium spots with a conciliatory result.
Fifth position for Zandvoort winner Jeroen Bleekemolen was reason to celebrate for the Dutchman, who turned 30 today.
As the second pilot of the Deutsche Post by tolimit team he secured third place overall in the German makes cup, which was characterised by an incredibly high level of competition this year. This position is all the more impressive by the fact that the double Supercup champion Bleekemolen had missed two Carrera Cup races due to his commitments in the American Le Mans Series.
For Christian Engelhart (Germany) the main priority as a guest starter for Konrad Motorsport was to assist the team in collecting points. And this worked. Engelhart came sixth, and Franz Konrad was rewarded with second place in the team classification.
Lausitzring winner Nicki Thiim (Denmark, Hermes Attempto Racing) was somewhat disappointed about his seventh place at the final round. At the penultimate round in Oschersleben, the son of the former DTM champion Kurt Thiim was still ranking third overall, but was shunted into fourth by Bleekemolen.
Eighth place out of the 30 competitors went to Austria’s Martin Ragginger.
Having taken up the 18-lap race from fourth, the Schnabl-Engineering pilot lost many places in the first lap. He winds up the season as seventh overall in the standings.
Positions nine and ten are occupied by Uwe Alzen (Germany, PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive) and his compatriot Jan Seyffarth (SMS Seyffarth Motorsport).
Sean Edwards (winner):
“I’m very pleased with my second Carrera Cup win and the vice-championship. Of course I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t win the title; my bad luck at the Nürburgring was the reason. But this weekend we showed that we have a winning car. I’m very happy with the result, and I’m particularly pleased that my Deutsche Post crew has won the team championship, they are over the moon. And congratulations to Nick – after all a Briton has won the title.”
René Rast (second):
“I’m really very happy to conclude the season with second place. Sean was too fast at the front, I didn’t have a chance. It’s also wonderful that we earned fourth place in the team classification for our Förch Racing team.”
Nick Tandy (third):
“We’ve been working for this for the last two years and now we’ve done it. I couldn’t be happier. This is the best time of my life. I’m so unbelievably thankful to all those in my team who contributed to this success. The race was obviously incredible. I didn’t have to win to claim the title, but my car was so good by midway through the race that I could have done it. After all, that’s what we are here for – to win races! Several laps before the end there was something wrong with my right front wheel, I don’t know what it was. But my heart fell into my boots. I’m so relieved and happy that it was enough to bring home the trophy.”
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On 28 October, TV station Sport1 televises the race review, interviews and reports of the finale from 17.30 to 18.00 hours in the “Carrera Cup Magazin” and broadcasts a one hour programme of season highlights of the Carrera Cup Deutschland on 29 October from 13.45 hrs.
Race result Hockenheim
1. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, 31:04.035 minutes (159.007 km/h)
2. René Rast (D), Förch Racing, + 1.426 seconds
3. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, + 3.769
4. Nicolas Armindo (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 4.674
5. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 5.094
6. Christian Engelhart (D), Konrad Motorsport, + 5.567
7. Nicki Thiim (DK), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 9.042
8. Martin Ragginger (A), Schnabl Engineering, + 9.241
9. Uwe Alzen (D), PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive, + 10.102
10. Jan Seyffarth (D), SMS Seyffarth Motorsport, + 10.618
Drivers’ classification after 9 of 9 races
1. Nick Tandy (GB), 138 points
2. Sean Edwards (GB), 130
3. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 96
4. Nicki Thiim (DK), 94
5. René Rast (D), 93
6. Jaap van Lagen (NL), 86
7. Martin Ragginger (A), 75
Team classification after 9 of 9 races
1. Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, 209 points
2. Konrad Motorsport, 173
3. Hermes Attempto Racing, 135
4. Förch Racing, 116
Stuttgart. It promises to be an unparalleled duel: Both remaining contenders for the title of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland take up the finale sharing the first row of the grid.
Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport
In a gripping qualifying, points’ leader Nick Tandy claimed the pole position in the very last minute at the wheel of Konrad Motorsport’s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit
The Briton lapped the 4.574 kilometre Hockenheimring in 1:41.506 minutes – and was a mere 33-thousandths of a second faster than his greatest adversary for the title, compatriot Sean Edwards (Deutsche Post by tolimit).
Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit
After three wins this season, Tandy leads the overall classification by twelve points over Edwards. At the final round in Hockenheim, eighth place would be enough for him to clinch the coveted title. Last year he took off into the final as the pursuer, but had to retire after an accident and concluded the season as vice champion behind Nicolas Armindo.
The other driver in the 2010 accident was none other than Sean Edwards. The arch rival from Britain, who celebrated his first Carrera Cup victory this year on the Norisring, must finish at least fourth tomorrow in order to have a chance at the title.
In the inaugural special category for guest starters, Raffi Bader from Switzerland (MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg) is in the lead.
Raffi Bader from Switzerland MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg
With a total of 30 vehicles competing, Germany’s fastest one-make race series is well-supported at the season final. And the qualifying for all participants again underlined the enormous competitiveness in this championship: 20 drivers qualified within one second.
Heading into the 18-lap sprint, which starts at 10.25 Sunday morning, is the champion of the international Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup René Rast (Germany, Förch Racing), and the former Porsche Junior Martin Ragginger.
René Rast (D), Förch Racing
Rast still has a chance to defend his title at the Supercup finale in Abu Dhabi. In the German Carrera Cup he will concentrate on bringing home a decent final result after a somewhat mixed season, in which the highlight for Rast was his win at the Carrera World Cup on the Nürburgring. However, third overall is still within reach for the German. Schnabl Engineering pilot Ragginger is also setting his hopes on a conciliatory close to the season. The Austrian takes up the finale ranking seventh overall in the standings.
Martin Ragginger (A), Schnabl Engineering
Sharing the third grid row are two other experienced Carrera Cup pilots. Robert Renauer (Germany, Herberth Motorsport) kicked off the season in May in Hockenheim with the pole position, but only contested selected rounds and is therefore out of contention for the title.
Robert Renauer (Germany, Herberth Motorsport)
The winner of last year’s Carrera Cup finale, Christian Engelhart (Germany), also missed some of the races this year due to his commitments in the Supercup where he has pocketed one victory.
Christian Engelhart (Germany)
Franz Konrad signed Engelhart on for the last two races of the German Cup to provide support for his title aspirant Tandy if needed – and to yield points towards the team classification.
Taking up the sprint from the seventh grid spot is the reigning champion Nicolas Armindo (France, Hermes Attempto Racing), which is a reflection of his difficult season. The Frenchman currently sits twelfth in the standings.
Nicolas Armindo (France, Hermes Attempto Racing)
Lining up alongside him is Robert Lukas (Förch Racing).
Robert Lukas (Förch Racing)
This season the Pole finished amongst the top ten four times. Surprisingly, a Carrera Cup newcomer finds himself on position nine: Philipp Eng (Austria, MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg) hails from single-seater racing
Philipp Eng (Austria, MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg)
and is supported by ex-Formula 1 driver Christian Danner. Tenth on the grid is occupied by Clemens Schmid (Austria, Herberth Motorsport).
Nick Tandy (pole-sitter):
“That was the first part of the weekend, the second and most important part is the race and the championship title. Sean has managed to set himself up in a good position for the race which should provide some excitement tomorrow. But I will be doing all I can to get a clean start which is something I’ve managed a lot this season. My goal then is to get away from Sean as quickly as possible.”
Sean Edwards (second in qualifying):
“I’m very happy with my second position in qualifying. Nick has more to lose than me so my plan for tomorrow is to attack. My car is well set-up and aside from my title ambitions I’ll be going all out to win the team classification.”
René Rast (third in qualifying):
“After not making any progress yesterday in the free practice I’m feeling very relieved today. When you look at how incredibly close the times are, third is not so bad. Starting behind Nick and Sean gives me a first row seat. Because the two are fighting for the championship, I even have a good chance to win the last race.”
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The race is broadcast live tomorrow on the offical website of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland from 11.20 hours (www.porsche.de/carreracup).
On 28 October, TV station Sport1 televises the race review, interviews and reports of the finale from 17.30 to 18.00 hours in the Carrera Cup Magazin and broadcasts a one-hour highlight programme of the Carrera Cup Deutchland on 29 October from 13.45 hrs.
Qualifying result:
1. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, 1:41.506 minutes
2. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 0.033 seconds
3. René Rast (D), Förch Racing, + 0.076
4. Martin Ragginger (A), Schnabl Engineering, + 0.202
5. Robert Renauer (D), Herberth Motorsport, + 0.224
6. Christian Engelhart (D), Konrad Motorsport, + 0.282
7. Nicolas Armindo (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 0.590
8. Robert Lukas (PL), Förch Racing, + 0.835
9. Philipp Eng (A), MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg, + 0.837
10. Clemens Schmid (A), Herberth Motorsport, + 1.326
Stuttgart. In a turbulent rain race, Kuba Giermaziak celebrated his maiden victory in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup on the Hungaroring near Budapest.
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP Ungarn 2011
With his win, the Pole goes down in the successful history of the world’s fastest international one-make race series as the 50th winner out of 201 races contested so far.
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP Ungarn 2011
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP Ungarn 2011
At the wheel of his 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, which is based on the lightweight 911 GT3 RS street sports car, the VERVA Racing pilot put in a brilliant drive to outpace Dutchman Jeroen Bleekemolen (Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit) by 18.783 seconds.
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP Ungarn 2011
Third place was enough for Bleekemolen’s British teammate Sean Edwards to snatch the championship lead.
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Kuba Giermaziak (PL), Sean Edwards (GB) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup
Kuba Giermaziak claimed the maiden win for a Polish and East European driver by a huge margin, very rarely seen in this fiercely-contested championship. Many young pilots have used the one-make series run as support to the Formula 1 as a launching platform for extremely successful careers in international GT racing and attracted attention with performances similar to that of the youngest driver in the field at 21 years. Taking up the sprint from fifth on the grid, Giermaziak immediately shot past the first rivals and already after one lap had moved into third place. In lap four he had snatched the lead.
During the first laps on the wet Grand Prix circuit, positions changed almost by the second. Kévin Estre, the French Supercup newcomer driving for Hermes Attempto Racing, made the most of his pole position and initially defended his lead.
Kevin Estre (F) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP Ungarn 2011
When he visited the gravel in the lap one, René Rast (Germany) took his place at the front. But under such difficult conditions the points’ leader from VELTINS Lechner Racing made several mistakes and fell back in the field. Over the course of the race, the title defender had to let more opponents past. With four laps to the flag, technical problems forced the German into retirement, which robbed him of his overall points’ lead.
Nick Tandy also came away from the seventh round with a disappointing result. Driving for Konrad Motorsport, the Briton spun in the second lap and lost touch with the front-runners. Crossing the finish line in ninth, last year’s vice-champion very likely has to bury his title aspirations completely.
Meanwhile at the front, Kuba Giermaziak continued to pull away from his pursuers. With his VERVA Racing team, he had previously tested in the rain on the Hungaroring. Team boss Timo Rumpfkeil could implement the insight gained from this almost 1:1 in the race.
Behind the leader, Sean Edwards and Kévin Estre managed to fend off any attacks for quite some time before the Frenchman made some errors and lost contact to the front-runners to finish in fifth. For the Briton, this didn’t bring much relief.
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP Ungarn 2011
His teammate Jeroen Bleekemolen put him under immense pressure from behind to finally pass him shortly before the finish in the final lap to snatch second. For the two-time Supercup winner, this marked his first podium result so far this season.
Behind the Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit duo, Norbert Siedler’s stunning chase through the field was rewarded with fourth place.
Taking up the race from tenth place after a poor qualifying, VELTINS Lechner Racing sent the Austrian as well as René Rast into the race on brand new rain tyres. With sixth, Robert Lukas yielded his best result this season behind his teammate Kévin Estre.
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP Ungarn 2011
Kuba Giermaziak (winner):
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP Ungarn 2011
“I’m absolutely delighted with my first victory in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, and my biggest thanks go to my team. It’s incredible how hard the boys work to put a perfect car on the track for us at every race. We tested here in Budapest, luckily in rain, and that paid off. We knew we’d do very well on the wet circuit, but we hadn’t anticipated that we’d do it with such a huge advantage. Despite the awful weather conditions I didn’t make any mistakes. I’m particularly pleased for the many Polish fans who came so far this weekend to support us. Thank you all very much.”
Jeroen Bleekemolen (second):
“What a great race. I started from seventh, struggled with grip at the start and lost two places. But I crawled my way up lap by lap with a couple of good overtaking manoeuvres – huge fun! I tried to be cautious with my tyres over the whole distance, even during the formation lap, and it proved very helpful at the end when the track dried up, particularly for overtaking Sean.”
Sean Edwards (third):
“Now that was one crazy race. I had a lot of fun. The grip wasn’t really great over the distance and I had to fight hard to defend my position. But there was nothing I could do about Jeroen. Still, I’m totally happy. Both cars from Abu Dhabi by tolimit on the podium, the first time this season – that’s a great result. I’m hoping we can continue like this at the next race in Spa. The championship is really exciting now.”
Race result
1. Kuba Giermaziak (PL) VERVA Racing Team, 30:12.507 minutes
2. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, + 18.783 seconds
3. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, + 19.449
4. Norbert Siedler (A), VELTINS Lechner Racing, + 21.931
5. Kévin Estre (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 23.112
6. Robert Lukas (PL), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 24.539
Drivers’ classification after 7 of 11 races
1. Sean Edwards (GB), 106 points
2. René Rast (D), 105
3. Norbert Siedler (A), 97
4. Kuba Giermaziak (PL), 90
5. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 86
6. Nick Tandy (GB), 79
Round 8 of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup takes place on 28 August as support to the Formula 1 race in Spa-Francorchamps/Belgium.
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
René Rast wins 200th Supercup race
Kuba Giermaziak (PL), René Rast (D), Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Stuttgart. The hero of the day in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup is René Rast.
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
At the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by VELTINS Lechner Racing, the title defender from Frankfurt in Germany won the 200th race of the world’s fastest international one-make series on the Nuerburgring.
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
This marks his fourth win so far this season.
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
In a gripping race under typical Eifel weather conditions, he relegated Poland’s Kuba Giermaziak (VERVA Racing Team) to second place and further extended his championship lead.
Start zum 200. Rennen – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
The anniversary race of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, which has run as support to the Formula 1 worldwide since 1993, started with a worried glance at the low-hanging clouds.
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
When the rain stopped shortly before the start, the majority of drivers opted for slicks – with Sebastiaan Bleekemolen (Team Bleekemolen) in position 12 on the grid selecting rain tyres.
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
On the partly wet track, the Dutchman fought his way through half the field in the first lap to promptly move into first place. But his blaze of glory was short-lived: The slowly drying circuit foiled any further plans.
Sharing this fate were Britain’s Nick Tandy and Frenchman Kévin Estre. The title aspirant from Konrad Motorsport and the Supercup newcomer driving for Hermes Attempto Racing had such a lively encounter in the second corner that they were thrown remorselessly to the back of the field and went home without any championship points.
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
This was particularly bitter for Nick Tandy, who as reigning vice-champion has yet to notch up a victory this season and for whom this setback is possibly decisive in his bid for the title.
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
At the head of the pack René Rast and the first-time pole-sitter Kuba Giermaziak delivered a tough fight for victory right to the flag. Still, the Pole drove a cautious race to clinch his best Supercup result so far.
Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Britain’s Sean Edwards, who eventually brought home third in his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup run by Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, posed no threat from behind.
Norbert Siedler (A) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Trailing the Barcelona winner, Austria’s Norbert Siedler (VELTINS Lechner Racing) secured fourth, but not before fending off a strong attack from Stefan Rosina.
Stefan Rosina (SK) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Driving for VERVA Racing, the Slovakian secured his best result to date with fifth ahead of Jeroen Bleekemolen (Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit), two-time Supercup champion from the Netherlands.
Kuba Giermaziak (PL), René Rast (D), Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Putting in their personal best Porsche Mobil1 Supercup performance to now at the anniversary race in the Eifel were William Langhorne and Mathias Lauda. The American, who races for SANITEC Aquiles MRS Racing, finished tenth with the Konrad Motorsport pilot from Austria and son of racing legend Niki Lauda in eleventh.
René Rast (winner):
“That was a perfect race. The conditions were unbelievably tough. First it was totally wet, then dry again. When you’re at the front it’s very difficult to predict what’s going to happen. You never know what to expect in the next second. It’s a lot easier for the guys behind me. They can just wait to see what I do. Towards the end I slowed the pace a little to bring my victory home safely. With an eye on the championship, this was a great weekend for us.”
René Rast (D) - Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Kuba Giermaziak (second):
“Congratulations to René. He drove a strong race under the most difficult conditions. As the track dried up I was quicker, in fact I could have won today. At least we had the speed. But René is not one to make silly mistakes when he’s under pressure. And I wasn’t prepared to risk anything. So now we just have to keep waiting for our first win, but I’m quite sure it’ll happen this season.”
Kuba Giermaziak (PL), René Rast (D), Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Sean Edwards (third):
“A great race. I started from seventh on the grid and finished in third – that’s not bad under such tough conditions. In the dry we simply didn’t have the speed to attack.”
Kuba Giermaziak (PL), René Rast (D), Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Race result
1. René Rast (D), VELTINS Lechner Racing, 30:00.552 minutes
2. Kuba Giermaziak (PL) VERVA Racing Team, + 1.001 seconds
3. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, + 5.288
4. Norbert Siedler (A), VELTINS Lechner Racing, + 8.042
5. Stefan Rosina (SK), VERVA Racing Team, + 8.628
6. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, + 9.964
Drivers’ standings after 6 of 9 races*
1. René Rast (D), 105 points
2. Sean Edwards (GB), 90
3. Norbert Siedler A), 83
4. Nick Tandy (GB), 72
5. Kuba Giermaziak (PL), 70
6. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 68
* It has yet to be decided if and when there will be a replacement for the cancelled Formula 1 race in Bahrain with two rounds of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup.
Round 7 of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup takes place on 31 July as support to the Formula 1 race in Budapest/Hungary.
First pole position for Kuba Giermaziak at 200th anniversary race
Stuttgart. At the 200th race in the successful history of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, Kuba Giermaziak from Poland starts from pole position on the Nürburgring on Sunday.
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
Kuba Giermaziak (pole-sitter):
“It couldn’t have been better. I’m so thrilled with my first pole position. But we already noticed in free practice that we had the speed. The entire team prepared everything brilliantly. The Nürburgring is my absolute favourite, in fact I’m always fast here. Achieving pole position is of course a fantastic effort. Now we will try everything to turn it into a fantastic race result.”
At the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by the VERVA Racing team, he turned the fastest qualifying lap for the first time. At 21, Giermaziak is the youngest driver in the series and currently sits seventh overall in the championship.
Stefan Rosina (SK) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Türkei 2011
Stefan Rosina (2nd in qualifying):
“A huge compliment to my team. With two of us on the first two grid spots, it shows just how well we prepared. The race will certainly not be easy, after all we have a couple of hot-shots breathing hard down our necks. But first we’re going to enjoy this wonderful result and tomorrow we’ll be ready to fight for a top place.”
His teammate from Slovakia, Stefan Rosina, secured the second grid spot with a gap of 0.295 seconds for the anniversary race of the world’s fastest international one-make series and rounded off a strong team performance.
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
René Rast (3rd in qualifying):
“I’m satisfied with third place. More important is that Nick and Sean are behind me. If I manage to beat them in the race then I can extend my points’ lead. But it looks like rain tomorrow, so in that case anything can happen.”
Behind the VERVA Racing team pilots, title defender René Rast from Germany had to settle with the third quickest time.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Driving for VELTINS Lechner Racing, the current points’ leader and winner of three race this season tackles the anniversary event on the circuit in Germany’s Eifel region alongside his British opponent and title rival Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport).
Norbert Siedler (A) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
Notching up the fifth fastest time, Austria’s Norbert Siedler (VELTINS Lechner Racing) secured a good starting position for Sunday, just like Patrick Huisman (Team Bleekemolen), the Supercup record winner from the Netherlands with sixth.
Patrick Huisman (NL) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Türkei 2011
Sean Edwards from Great Britain had to settle for the seventh grid position. Driving for Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, the current number two in the championship faces a tough task in his bid to make a dent in the points’ difference between him and front-runner René Rast.
Sean Edwards (GB) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
This also applies to his teammate Jeroen Bleekemolen.
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
The double Supercup champion from the Netherlands occupies the eighth spot ahead of Supercup newcomer Kévin Estre (France) and Robert Lukas (Poland), the Hermes Attempto Racing duo.
Qualifying result
1. Kuba Giermaziak (PL), VERVA Racing Team, 2:01.791 minutes
2. Stefan Rosina (SK), VERVA Racing Team, + 0.295 seconds
3. René Rast (D), VELTINS Lechner Racing, + 0.376
4. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, + 0.433
5. Norbert Siedler (A), VELTINS Lechner Racing, + 0.568
6. Patrick Huisman (NL), Team Bleekemolen, + 0.801
Stuttgart. The Porsche Mobil1 Supercup has reason to celebrate:
On 24 July,the 200th race of the world’s fastest international one-make series takes off at the Nürburgring. The series has run as support to the Formula 1 races since 1993. Some interesting facts and figures of a success story:
The first race was run on 25 April 1993 as support to the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola. Victory went to Uwe Alzen, who was eventually beaten in the fight for the title by Altfrid Heger.
Uwe Alzen (GER) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Norisring 2010
The closest title decision came in 1997. Patrick Huisman and Oliver Mathai both had 128 points to their credit. The title went to Huisman who had won three races, whilst Mathai triumphed just once.
Two records were set by Wolf Henzler, the champion of the 2004 season: His nine wins and ten fastest race laps are unrivalled.
Wolf Henzler
He posted pole position eight times, matching Joerg Bergmeister’s record from the 2001 season.
Joerg Bergmeister
The most successful VIP driver was Mika Häkkinen. The eventual two-time Formula 1 World Champion won the Supercup races in Monaco and Budapest in 1993.
The most victories were claimed by Patrick Huisman. To date, the Dutchman has won 24 races – the first in 1996 at the Hockenheim round, the most recent in 2007 at Spa. In 18 races he started from pole-position – more than any other driver. A total of 48 drivers have joined the list of winners from the 199 Supercup races contested so far.
The most titles were also secured by Patrick Huisman. From 1997 to 2000 he was crowned champion four times straight.
Richard Westbrook (Champion 2006, 2007)
Two championships have been clinched by Richard Westbrook (2006, 2007) and Jeroen Bleekemolen (2008, 2009).
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NDL) – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Abu Dhabi 2009
As the sole drivers, Dutchman Jeroen Bleekemolen (2009/13 races) and Frenchman Emmanuel Collard (1996/9) climbed the podium at every race of a season. They both took five wins.
The most successful Supercup countries are Germany and the Netherlands, each with six championship titles. Next comes France with three outright wins.
The youngest overall winner was René Rast who was 23 years old when he secured the title in 2010. The oldest was Frenchman Jean-Pierre Malcher: He was 45 when he took home the championship in 1995.
René Rast (Champion 2010)
The most Supercup races were held in Monaco. The Principality hosted the series 19 times, followed by Budapest and Silverstone (18 each) as well as Hockenheim (17). All in all, the Supercup has been contested on 19 race tracks around the world.
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Stuttgart. After a successful guest appearance at the Porsche Carrera World Cup, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup now returns for the second time this season to the Nürburgring on 24th July.
It’s the 200th race in it’s successful history and rather than on the Nordschleife it takes place on the Grand Prix circuit.
But the change of track doesn’t at all faze René Rast.
“We’re doing well at the moment,” grins the points’ leader driving for the VELTINS Lechner Racing squad. “I don’t really mind where I win.”
The title defender from Germany, who celebrated the greatest success of his career with the World Cup victory, is the man to beat in the world’s fastest international one-make race series.
Start, René Rast (D) vorne – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
His start to the season was somewhat bumpy until he turned the corner with his victory in Monaco. Recently on the storied Silverstone circuit, the home track of his arch rival Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport), he celebrated his third straight win.
This success saw his old self-confidence return:
“Earlier on we had a couple of hiccups, but now we’re back in force.”
Despite Rast’s winning streak, the fight for the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup title is still wide open before the anniversary race on the Nürburgring.
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Competing for the Abu Dhabi by tolimit team, Britain’s Sean Edwards secured his place amongst the hot favorites with his win in Barcelona. Although he lost the points’ lead at Silverstone, he hasn’t lost his faith in claiming the title.
“Despite this little misfiring we’re still looking good,” he says. “Now we just have to stick at it.”
Germany’s Christian Engelhart (Konrad Motorsport), winner of the season-opener in Istanbul, also has new hopes. After a lengthy lean spell he finally yielded a good result with fifth in Silverstone.
Christian Engelhart (D) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Fighting to keep up with the front-runners are two drivers that started into the season as keen title aspirants: Nick Tandy and Jeroen Bleekemolen. The Briton fell from the top of the points’ table after retiring from the Porsche Carrera World Cup. He finished four of the five rounds contested by now in second place, but is still waiting for his first win.
Ranking third overall, he needs every point to maintain his bid for the title, as does Jeroen Bleekemolen of Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, who lies behind Austria’s Norbert Siedler (VELTINS Lechner Racing) in fifth. Bleekemolen, the two-time Supercup winner from the Netherlands, experienced a slow start to the season.
With fourth place in Monaco as his best result to now he knows only too well that he has to pull out all stops if he doesn’t want to miss the championship boat.
“On the Nürburgring,” he says, “only a podium result can help. Obviously a win would be the best. But with the competition at the top so close it’s going to be tough.”
In light of the strong competition, the performance of Supercup newcomer Kévin Estre is even more remarkable. The French Hermes Attempto Racing pilot raised eyebrows in Silverstone with third in qualifying, which he turned into his best race result of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup season with fourth place.
His next goal?
“The podium,” he says confidently, “preferably on the Nürburgring.”
Team classification
1. VELTINS Lechner Racing, 148 points
2. Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, 130
3. Konrad Motorsport, 124
* It has yet to be decided if and when there will be a replacement for the cancelled Formula 1 race in Bahrain with two rounds of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup.
Start, René Rast (D) vorne – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, round 5 at the Formula 1 race in Silverstone/Great Britain
René Rast takes the points’ lead with third straight win
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Nick Tandy (GB), René Rast (D), Norbert Siedler (A) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Stuttgart. A change at the top of the points’ table in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup:
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
In Silverstone, Germany’s René Rast celebrated his third win in a row with his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by VELTINS Lechner Racing to snatch the points’ lead in the world’s fastest international one-make race series.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Behind the title defender on the time-honoured circuit, local hero Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport) secured second place, with Austria’s Norbert Siedler (VELTINS Lechner Racing) in third.
Norbert Siedler (A) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
In Silverstone of all places, René Rast made the most of the moment. After winning in Monaco and on the Nürburgring, he not only fended off his arch rival Nick Tandy, who last year secured his first victory in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup on his home track.
On the demanding Grand Prix circuit, he also profited from Briton Sean Edwards’ unlucky weekend. Driving for the Abu Dhabi by tolimit squad, the Barcelona winner and former points’ leader didn’t quite find his usual speed neither in the partly wet qualifying nor in the race in dry conditions and had to settle for tenth. In the overall classification he ranks second two points ahead of Nick Tandy, who has finished four of the five races to now in second place.
While René Rast again demonstrated his skill with a lights-to-flag win, despite flat-spotting two tyres in the first lap, Kévin Estre narrowly missed out on a big surprise.
Kevin Estre (F) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
The Supercup rookie from France took up the race from the second row for Hermes Attempto Racing, and salvaged his fourth place behind the leading trio with a mammoth effort after facing strong opposition from Christian Engelhart (Konrad Motorsport)
Christian Engelhart (D) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
and Jeroen Bleekemolen (Abu Dhabi by tolimit).
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
This marks his best result in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup so far.
Christian Engelhart (D) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Engelhart, the Istanbul winner from Germany, came fifth, with the double Supercup champion from the Netherlands yielding sixth place.
Stefan Rosina (SK) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Kuba Giermaziak (PL) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Finishing behind them were Slovakia’s Stefan Rosina and Poland’s Kuba Giermaziak of the VERVA Racing Team in seventh and eighth respectively, with the Supercup record-winner Patrick Huisman (Team Bleekemolen) from the Netherlands finishing in ninth.
Nick Tandy (GB), René Rast (D), Norbert Siedler (A) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
René Rast (winner):
“That was a tough race. I got away well at the start and was able to pull away a little, but then Nick got faster and faster. In the first lap I flat-spotted both front tyres, and I had to really fight with the car. Luckily I could hold on to my first place to the flag. It was a fantastic weekend for our team.”
René Rast (D) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Nick Tandy (second):
“Obviously it would have been great to win my home race. But second place isn’t bad. I caught up to René quicker than I thought after the start which just goes to show how great our car set-up was. But I was never in a position to really attack. In the last lap I tried again but went sideways a little off the circuit. And that was that. Now we’ll try our luck on the Nürburgring.”
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Norbert Siedler (third):
“My start was miserable otherwise I could have perhaps put René under pressure. But I think I can be very happy with third place in Silverstone.”
Norbert Siedler (A) – Porsche Mobil1 Supercup – GP England 2011
Race result
1. René Rast (D), VELTINS Lechner Racing, 25:38.805 minutes
2. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, + 0.691 seconds
3. Norbert Siedler (A), VELTINS Lechner Racing, + 2.415
4. Kévin Estre (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 10.928
5. Christian Engelhart (D), Konrad Motorsport, + 11.607
6. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, + 12.054
Drivers’ classification after 5 of 9 races*
1. René Rast (D), 85 points
2. Sean Edwards (GB), 74
3. Nick Tandy (GB), 72
4. Norbert Siedler A), 69
5. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 58
6. Christian Engelhart (D), 53
* It has yet to be decided if and when there will be a replacement for the cancelled Formula 1 race in Bahrain with two rounds of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup.
Round 6 of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup takes place on 24th July as support to the Formula 1 race on the Nürburgring.
Nicki Thiim (DK), Sean Edwards (GB), René Rast (D) Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Stuttgart. First Nick Tandy, then Jeroen Bleekemolen, Jaap van Lagen, Nicki Thiim, René Rast and now Sean Edwards.
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
At round six on the Norisring, the Carrera Cup Deutschland celebrated its sixth winner.
Right now, the competition in Germany’s fastest one-make race series is unrivaled. Under the most difficult track conditions, Edwards celebrated his first victory in the German championship on the Nuremberg street circuit with his 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
By winning the rain race, the Briton driving for the Team Deutsche Post by tolimit squad further extended his points’ lead.
Nicki Thiim (DK), Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Second at the thrilling racepacked with overtaking manoeuvres on a wet and extremely slippery track went to Lausitzring winner Nicki Thiim (Denmark, Hermes Attempto Racing).
Nicki Thiim (DK)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
After a rocket start, second qualifier Martin Ragginger (Austria, Schnabl Engineering) led the field into the Grundigkehre.
Ploughing through from sixth on the grid came Nicki Thiim, with Edwards in third.
In contrast, pole-sitter Nick Tandy (Great Britain, Konrad Motorsport) didn’t get away as well and by the first corner found himself lying fourth.
In the fifth lap, Sean Edwards in his yellow Post-911, got around the Grundigkehre-hairpin better than Ragginger to snatch the front position. The Briton, who had taken up the sprint from fifth on the grid, held tight to lead and never looked back.
René Rast (D)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
In the following laps, the Austrian fell victim to another opponent. This time it was René Rast (Germany, Förch Racing) to overtake Ragginger in the same spot. The winner of the Porsche Carrera World Cup initially thought he was in a secure second place, but towards the end of the race Nicki Thiim moved closer with consistent and slightly faster lap times. In the 31st lap of the race, the Dane finally nabbed the German and clinched his second best result of the season.
Jan Seyffarth (D)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Jan Seyffarth (Germany, SMS Seyffarth Motorsport) also experienced an eventful race that yielded fourth and his best result of the season. Taking up the sprint from third on the grid, the Carrera Cup vice-champion of 2008 at times fell back as far as eighth place, but worked his way up the field as the track dried. Far behind Seyffarth came Nick Tandy in fifth. The Briton, who secured five phenomenal victories in his debut 2010 season, had to fight to keep his 911 on the track.
With fifth place in Nuremberg, Tandy, who had led the points for the first four rounds this season, now sits 16 points shy of his compatriot Edwards.
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
And two points off Zandvoort winner Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands, Team Deutsche Post by tolimit) who saw the flag in Nuremberg in sixth place. Seventh, despite a damaged radiator, went to the Spielberg winner Jaap van Lagen. Shortly before the flag, the Land Motorsport pilot touched the rear of Norbert Siedler’s 911.
Driving for Aust Motorsport, the Austrian secured eighth ahead of his compatriot Martin Ragginger.
At his first race in the German one-make series, Supercup pilot Kévin Estre (France, Hermes Attempto Racing) crossed the finish line in tenth.
TV station Sport1 broadcasts race highlights, interviews and reports on 8 July from 23.30 hours until midnight in the Carrera Cup Magazin.
A one-hour report on the Porsche Carrera World Cup, the greatest Porsche race in history on the Nürburgring, is televised by Sport1 this coming Monday, 4th July, at 17.30 hours.
Sean Edwards (winner):
“I got too much wheelspin at the start so I didn’t get away well. But my teammate from last year, Sascha Maassen, shared a couple of tricks with me for the first corner and I profited from them. Martin Ragginger experienced traction problems, so it wasn’t hard getting past him. For a while I feared that Réne was closing in. But he became caught up in a duel with Nicki Thiim and that gave me room to breath. With three races left on the calendar we’re on top of the driver and team classifications – it doesn’t get better than that.”
Nicki Thiim (second):
“The race was great fun, what a highlight. I fought with many drivers, that’s the sort of racing I love. It proved difficult to get past René, but I did it in the end. If the race were only a couple of laps longer I might have overtaken Sean, too, but I didn’t want to take that risk. Second place is tremendous.”
René Rast (third):
“My start was average and I lost a couple of positions, but I made them up again. Sean took off at the front and managed to distance himself a bit. Towards the end of the race, Nicki Thiim came shooting up from behind. We fought each other for some time but then I had to let him pass, he was simply too fast. Third place was the maximum I could manage today, so I’m okay with that.”
Race result
1. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, 33:49.075 minutes (142.824 km/h)
2. Nicki Thiim (DK), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 1.507 seconds
3. René Rast (D), Förch Racing, + 3.370
4. Jan Seyffarth (D), SMS Seyffarth Motorsport, + 7.837
5. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, + 13.255
6. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 14.876
7. Norbert Siedler (A), Aust Motorsport, + 18.132
8. Jaap van Lagen (NL), Land Motorsport, + 20.327
Driver classification after 6 of 9 races
1. Sean Edwards (GB), 98 points
2. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 84
3. Nick Tandy (GB), 82
4. Nicki Thiim (DK), 59
5. Martin Ragginger (A), 59
5. Jaap van Lagen (NL), 56
7. René Rast (D), 54
Team classification after 6 of 9 races
1. Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, 154 points
2. Konrad Motorsport, 104
3. Hermes Attempto Racing, 64
Round 7 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland takes place on 7 August on the Grand Prix circuit of the Nürburgring.
Stuttgart. It doesn´t get much closer than this: With a mere 0.003-second advantage, Nick Tandy snatched his first pole position this season by a hair´s breadth.
Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 01 Hockenheimring 2011
The Briton driving for Konrad Motorsport lapped the 2.3 kilometre Norisring in 51.682 seconds and with this set a new record on the street circuit in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Tandy is the sixth different pole-sitter at the sixth race of the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
During the ten-minute final qualifying session to determine the top ten, the fastest times changed by the second on the shortest circuit on the race calendar. At the end, the six quickest drivers were separated by an incredible 0.021 seconds.
The second grid spot at the qualifying thriller is occupied by Martin Ragginger.
Martin Ragginger (A)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 02 Zandvoort 2011
For the Austrian competing for the Schnabl Engineering team, this marks his best qualifying result so far this season.
Martin Ragginger (A)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Jan Seyffarth also sees a light at the end of the tunnel with the third grid position.
Jan Seyffarth (D)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Driving for SMS Seyffarth Motorsport, the German was only 0.008 seconds adrift of the pole-setting time. After a rather mixed start to the season, the 2008 vice-champion only ranks eighth overall at the half-way point in the series.
Jan Seyffarth (D)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
René Rast (Germany) takes up tomorrow´s 35-lap sprint (start 15.10 hours) around the stone grandstands and along the Dutzendteich from the fourth grid spot.
René Rast (D)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
At one point the outstanding winner of the Porsche Carrera Cup on the Nürburgring also managed to clock the fastest time in his Förch Racing 911, but was unable to defend it.
René Rast (D)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
The same for Sean Edwards.
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Driving for the Deutsche Post by tolimit squad, the Briton tackles the Norisring race from fifth place.
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Recently Edwards shunted the former leader Nick Tandy from the top of the points´ table with his fourth place at the World Cup and now also leads the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup. Whilst he has already secured one pole position and a race win in the Supercup this year, he has not yet managed this in Germany´s fastest one-make series.
Behind the Briton on the grid are three winners this season.
Sixth in qualifying went to Nicki Thiim (Denmark, Hermes Attempto Racing), the winner on the Lausitzring.
Nicki Thiim (DK)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Seventh was snatched by the Spielberg victor Jaap van Lagen (Netherlands, Land Motorsport),
Jaap van Lagen (NL)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
with eighth going to van Lagen´s compatriot Jeroen Bleekemolen (Team Deutsche Post by tolimit).
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
Austria´s Norbert Siedler (Aust Motorsport) and Florian Scholze (Germany, Förch Racing) round of the top ten qualifiers.
TV station Sport1 broadcasts the Norisring race from 15.10 hours live and televises race highlights, interviews and reports in the Carrera Cup Magazin on the 8th July from 23.30 hours until midnight. Moreover, the street race is broadcast on the official website of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland on www.porsche.de/carreracup. A one-hour report on the Porsche Carrera World Cup, the greatest Porsche race in history on the Nürburgring, is televised by Sport1 this coming Monday, 4th July, at 17.30 hours.
Nick Tandy (pole-sitter):
“The lap times are so close this year that it´s just crazy. At last I managed my first pole position of 2011 at the sixth race weekend. I can´t say how happy I am about this, especially after the huge disappointment of my retirement at the World Cup.”
Martin Ragginger (second in qualifying):
“We knew from last year that our car is well set-up for the Norisring, because we are very good under braking. And you need that here where you have to decelerate drastically for the hairpins twice per lap. For sure lady luck was with us today. The times are so tight that you can´t talk about skill alone, you have to have luck on your side as well.”
Jan Seyffarth (third in qualifying):
“That was my best qualifying result this season. For this reason I´m pleased with third on the grid, but at the same time I´m a little disappointed. Towards the end of the qualifying I was the quickest in the first sector, then I drove my personal best in the second sector but I messed up the third. If you look at the gaps I can only say we´ve never seen it so close. The people can look forward to an incredibly exciting race tomorrow.”
Qualifying result:
1. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, 51.682 seconds
2. Martin Ragginger (A), Schnabl Engineering, + 0.003
3. Jan Seyffarth (D), SMS Seyffarth Motorsport, + 0.008
4. René Rast (D), Förch Racing, + 0.016
5. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 0.018
6. Nicki Thiim (DK), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 0.021
7. Jaap van Lagen (NL), Land Motorsport, + 0.129
8. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 0.156
9. Norbert Siedler (A), Aust Motorsport, + 0.866
10. Florian Scholze (D), Förch Racing, + 1.047
Kevin Estre (F)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
Title defender René Rast aims for third straight win
Stuttgart. The name alone is pure fascination: Silverstone.
Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
Nick Tandy’s eyes light up when he talks about the storied circuit.
“For a race driver this track is something very special, like Wimbledon is for a tennis player,” he says. “As a child I dreamed of driving in Silverstone at some stage in my life – and to win.”
And this dream has come true. With the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by Konrad Motorsport, he celebrated his first ever win in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup of all places in Silverstone.
And of course he is determined to follow this up with another one on 10 July – especially after slipping from the points’ table at the Porsche Carrera World Cup recently on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. While in hot pursuit of the leader he skidded from the track in torrential rain, hit the crash barriers and retired.
Profiting the most from his misfortune, however, was his compatriot Sean Edwards.
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
The Abu Dhabi by tolimit team pilot and Barcelona winner moved to the top of the points and now aims to defend this position at his home race.
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
René Rast, however, is keen to foil this plan.
René Rast (D)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
It took the reigning champion two races to get into the swing of the season – but his wins in Monaco and at the Porsche Carrera World Cup has restored his old self-confidence.
“I won two races in a row in Monaco and on the Nordschleife. To win on such a traditional circuit like Silverstone would fit perfectly into this pattern,” says the German.
With his brilliant performance at the Nürburgring, the VELTINS Lechner Racing pilot finally rejoined the fight for the title and now ranks in second place just five points shy of the leader. The slow start to his season is history. “We had a couple of hiccups at the beginning of the year, but now we’re back in force.”
The most successful Supercup driver in Silverstone is Patrick Huisman.
Competing for Team Bleekemolen, the Dutchman has finished first here four times. Ranking third overall, it’s no wonder that he is very much looking forward to traveling to the British Isles to race.
“Silverstone is a fantastic race track with a great tradition. You sense this everywhere,” he says.
Stefan Rosina is another who shares the enthusiasm of the seasoned campaigner.
Stefan Rosina (SK)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
The Slovakian, who competes for VERVA Racing, has a very special relationship with Silverstone after studying at nearby Oxford.
“For me it’s a home race,” he says, raving about the famous corners of Copse, Stowe and Brooklands.
Even though the circuit has undergone modifications over the last years, the Silverstone magic has not diminished.
In the bid for the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup title, no driver has managed to build up a clear advantage during the first half of the season.
This gives Jeroen Bleekemolen from the Netherlands hopes to secure his third championship title:
“We’re a strong team,” says the teammate of points’ leader Sean Edwards at Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit. “This makes us drivers stronger. I’m not about to give up that easily.”
The race in Silverstone on 10th July will be broadcasted live on TV stations Eurosport 2 (11.45 hrs) and Sky (11.40 hrs). Moreover, Eurosport televises highlights of the race at 20.45 hours in its “Motorsport Weekend Magazin” programme.
Points’ standings after 4 of 9 races*
Drivers’ classification
1. Sean Edwards (GB), 68 points
2. René Rast (D), 63
3. Nick Tandy (GB), 54
4. Norbert Siedler (A), 53
5. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 48
6. Kuba Giermaziak (PL), 42
Norbert Siedler (A)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
Stuttgart.Norbert Siedler takes up the eagerly anticipated premiere of the Porsche Carrera World Cup on Saturday on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife from pole position.
Norbert Siedler (A)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
At the fiercely contested qualifying session that delivered suspense from start to finish and determines the grid for the greatest Porsche race in history with competitors from 25 countries, the Austrian planted his VELTINS Lechner Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup on pole.
René Rast (D)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
Just 0.403 seconds shy of the fastest qualifier came his team mate René Rast (Germany) on the second grid spot.
René Rast (D)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
Third went to VERVA Racing team’s pilot Kuba Giermaziak from Poland with a gap of 0.63 seconds.
Kuba Giermaziak (PL)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
Kuba Giermaziak (PL)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
Changes at the top came thick and fast in the final 15 minutes of the qualifying on the legendary Eifel circuit. Renè Rast, the reigning champion of the Supercup, seemed to have the top time under his belt. His arch rival from Britain Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport) lay in second place.
Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
But then Norbert Siedler put in a perfect lap shortly before the end of the session, with Kuba Giermaziak following suit, effectively relegating Nick Tandy, the current points’ leader of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, to fourth place on the grid.
The third row is occupied by Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland pilot Nicki Thiim from Denmark (Hermes Attempto Racing)
Nicki Thiim (DK)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
and Christian Engelhart from Germany,
Christian Engelhart (D)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Türkei 2011
who has already yielded a victory for his Konrad Motorsport squad at the season-opening round of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup in Istanbul.
Sean Edwards from Great Britain (Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit) qualified seventh,
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
with Germany’s Lance David Arnold (Motopark Oschersleben) in eighth.
Lance David Arnold (D)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
The seasoned campaigner of Porsche makes cup, Uwe Alzen from Germany (PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive), and Frenchman Nicolas Armindo (Hermes Attempto Racing), the reigning champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, rounded off the top ten. The fierceness of the competition for the top grid positions was shown in the fact that less than ten seconds separated the first 17 positions on the 25.358 kilometre Nürburgring-Nordschleife.
In the VIP-car of Porsche AG, New Zealander Craig Baird, the most successful Porsche Cup pilot worldwide with 109 wins in Porsche brand trophy series, claimed the 31st spot.
Craig Baird (NZ)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
Craig Baird (NZ)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
America’s Melanie Snow, the only female in the field, moved up the field in the VIP-car fielded by Porsche Cars North America to rank 84th.
Melanie Snow (USA)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
Melanie Snow (USA)
Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
The inaugural Porsche Carrera World Cup is also the official championship round for the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup as well as the Porsche Carrera Cups of Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and Scandinavia.
Below are the pole-setters of their respective series.
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup: Norbert Siedler (1st place)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland: Nicki Thiim (5th place)
Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain: James Sutton (17th place)
Porsche Carrera Cup France: Lonni Martins (51st place)
Porsche Carrera Cup Italy: Marco Mapelli (19th place)
Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia: Robin Rudholm (18th place)
Result Qualifying
1. Norbert Siedler (A), VELTINS Lechner Racing, 8:35.809 minutes
2. René Rast (D), VELTINS Lechner Racing, + 0.403 seconds
3. Kuba Giermaziak (PL), VERVA Racing Team, + 0.663
4. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, + 3.002
5. Nicki Thiim (DK), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 3.834
6. Christian Engelhart (D), Konrad Motorsport, + 4.756
7. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, + 5.366
8. Lance David Arnold (D), Motopark Oschersleben, + 5.945
9. Uwe Alzen (D), PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive, + 6.397
10. Nicolas Armindo (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 6.893
Stuttgart. Motorsport fans around the world wait in eager anticipation for the 25th of June, 2011.
On this day, Porsche adds yet another superlative to the history of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife: At the Porsche Carrera World Cup, more than 100 participants from 25 countries contest the greatest Porsche race of all time on the legendary race track that is also dubbed the‘green hell’.
Nürburgring circuit map, taken at German Grand Prix 1964; the legend advises…
“No driving in the Eifel (mountains) without a lap on the Nürburgring”
The race on the legendary circuit in Germany’s Eifel region with a total of 88 corners (northern loop plus the Grand Prix circuit) runs over six laps (152.268 kilometres), and is not just a case for the ‘Guinness Book of Records’.
It also poses the greatest sporting challenge imaginable for Porsche Cup pilots.
“The Nordschleife is a very tricky track,” says Uwe Brettel, General Manager Motorsport Sales at Porsche.
He sums up the fascination of this race aptly:
“The Carrera World Cup is the link between two very successful motorsport platforms: Porsche’s one-make race series and the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.”
The Porsche Carrera World Cup, which takes off just prior to the 24 hour race, is not only unique because of its giant grid, but also because of the sporting significance. Quantity and quality – that was the whole idea. And it worked: The Porsche Mobil1 Supercup as the world’s fastest international one-make race series, and the well-supported Carrera Cups in Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and Scandinavia count this event as one of their regular championship rounds. Drivers will be classified for their respective series as well as for the Porsche Carrera World Cup. Also joining the action are guest drivers from other Carrera Cups and GT3 Cup Challenges around the world.
One of the most prominent competitors is Craig Baird.
Over the course of his outstanding career, the New Zealander has notched up 109 victories in Porsche one-make race series, making him the most successful Porsche Cup pilot in the world. Porsche AG invited him back to the Nordschleife, which he knows from two 24 hour races there, to drive the VIP-car with the starting number 200.
Craig Baird (NZ)
His Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is also a feast for the eyes. Its design is an artistic interpretation of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife as the ‘green hell’ with licking flames as well as a stylized world map representing the 25 nations from which the international grid comes to contest the greatest Porsche race on earth.
At the wheel of the second VIP-911 fielded by Porsche Cars North America, Melanie Snow celebrates her race debut on the Eifel circuit.
Melanie Snow (USA)
The mother of four is one of the most well-known racers in the USA and for many years has contested the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge where she won the Gold Cup class in 2009. At the Porsche Carrera World Cup the ‘world’s fastest mum’ is the only female in the field.
The field is divided into two classes: The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup with 3.6-litre engines from the 2007 to 2009 model years (400 to 420 hp) as well as the 3.8-litre version from the 2010 and 2011 model years (450 hp) are classified separately. Two sets of slicks and one set of wet tyres are permitted for each vehicle for the entire race weekend.
The starting groups, consisting of a maximum of 70 vehicles per group, take off on their journey into the “Green Hell” with a flying start (Indianapolis start). About two minutes separate each group.
So that the spectators can better recognize the vehicles, all start numbers have three-digits. The first numeral stands for the respective series from which the cars come. 0 stands for the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, the number 1 for the Carrera Cup France, the number 2 for the Carrera Cup Deutschland, number 3 for the Carrera Cup and the GT3 Cup Challenge Great Britain, 4 for the Carrera Cup Italia and 5 for the Carrera Cup Scandinavia. The second and third numerals are the original starting numbers with which the individual cars contest their respective series.
Prize money for the overall winner is 11,000 Euro. Second place receives 8,000 Euro, third 6,000 Euro.
“Since its market launch in 1998 we’ve built more than 2,200 units of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup which are fielded in 20 one-make race series worldwide,” says Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport. “With the Porsche Carrera World Cup on the Nordschleife, we want to offer our brand trophy series customers worldwide another highlight.”
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup: Nick Tandy hopes for first win of the season
Nick Tandy tackles the Porsche Carrera World Cup as the leader of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup. Driving for Konrad Motorsport, the Briton has notched up three second places this season, but is now hoping to bring home his first victory from the demanding Nordschleife.
Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Spanien 2011
Last year’s vice-champion has prepared himself well for the race, however the three winners of this season are experienced Nordschleife pilots: For his teammate Christian Engelhart, winner of the season-opener in Istanbul, the Eifel circuit is no less familiar turf as it is for Barcelona winner Sean Edwards of Abu Dhabi by tolimit
Sean Edwards (GB)
and the VELTINS Lechner Racing pilot and reigning Supercup champion René Rast, who dominated at the Monaco round.
René Rast (D)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Jeroen Bleekemolen from the Netherlands is also very much looking forward to the Porsche Carrera World Cup.
“This race is a great idea,” says the two-time Supercup winner driving for the Abu Dhabi by tolimit squad. Bleekemolen has yet to secure a victory this season. “If you want to be seriously fast on the Nordschleife you need to be gutsy. But that’s exactly what race drivers love. For me, this race marks the greatest challenge of the year.”
Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 01 Hockenheimring 2011
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland: Ideal start to the season
Unlike in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, Nick Tandy has already notched up one win from the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland this year – the points’ leader kicked off the new season perfectly with victory at the season-opener in Hockenheim. Jeroen Bleekemolen has also enjoyed a promising start: Competing for the Deutsche Post by tolimit team, the Dutchman won his home race in Zandvoort.
His compatriot Jaap van Lagen (Land Motorsport), winner at Spielberg,
Jaap van Lagen (NL)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 02 Zandvoort 2011
and Denmark’s Nicki Thiim (Hermes Attempto Racing), who last weekend celebrated his first Carrera Cup victory on the Lausitzring, are all determined to earn more championship points at the Porsche Carrera World Cup.
Nicki Thiim (DK)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Despite not having notched up any wins yet, Germany’s seasoned campaigner Uwe Alzen (PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive) belongs to the circle of favorites to win at the Porsche Carrera World Cup, thanks to his extensive Nordschleife experience.
Uwe Alzen (D)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 02 Zandvoort 2011
“I’ve already driven the Cup-Porsche on the Nordschleife and the handling of the car is very good,” says Uwe Alzen, an authority on Porsche one-make race series. “It’s going to be tight amongst the front-runners and facing so many good pilots at the top will be a tough nut to crack.”
Another race favorite is the Schnabl Engineering pilot from Austria, Martin Ragginger.
Martin Ragginger (A)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 02 Zandvoort 2011
Schedule Porsche Carrera World Cup
Thursday, 23 June 18.00 – 19.00 hrs Free practice
Friday, 24 June 15.25 – 16.25 hrs Qualifying
Saturday, 25 June 10.30 – 11.00 hrs Grid line-up
11.00 hrs Formation lap
11.20 – 12.35 hrs Race
TV station Eurosport broadcasts the Porsche Carrera World Cup on 25 June 2011 live from 10.45 hrs.
Start: Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, round 4 on the Lausitzring
Nicki Thiim (DK)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Nicki Thiim narrowly wins turbulent race
Nicki Thiim (DK)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Stuttgart. Fourth race, fourth winner – and 24 laps of high suspense: The Lausitzring race of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland was a real thriller. Cup-returnee Nicki Thiim from Denmark won his first race at Germany’s one-make series brilliantly but by a very narrow margin.
Nicki Thiim (DK)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Sean Edwards (GB), Nicki Thiim (DK), Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Only 0.3 seconds separated the Hermes Attempto pilot from Sean Edwards (Great Britain, Deutsche Post by tolimit) in second.
Sean Edwards (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Third place went to Nick Tandy. Driving for Konrad Motorsport, the Briton heads to round five – which takes place at the Porsche Carrera World Cup as the season highlight – as points’ leader.
Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
On 25 June at the Nürburgring, more than 100 competitors from one-make race series worldwide tackle the greatest Porsche race in history.
Fans were treated to gripping racing already at the start of round four on the 3.748 kilometre Lausitzing.
Sean Edwards (GB), Nicki Thiim (DK), Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Tandy, who started from fourth, took the outside line and in the first corner surprised pole-sitter Thiim and second in the qualifying, Supercup champion, René Rast (Germany, Förch Racing), by passing them. Behind the leading trio a turbulent scene developed. The first victim was reigning champ Nicolas Armindo. The Frenchman (Hermes Attempto Racing) became sandwiched between two opponents and landed in the gravel trap. Two laps later it was René Rast’s turn: out after a light nudge from Robert Renauer (Germany, Herberth Motorsport). Uwe Alzen (Germany, PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive) retired as a result of the collision with Armindo.
The fight at the top was extremely gripping.
At times, only six-hundredths of a second separated Tandy, Thiim and Edwards The leader was finding it increasingly difficult to fend off the two rivals. In the ninth lap came the crunch point. At the end of the back straight, Tandy ran with understeer too far to the outside, Thiim and Edwards slipped through and were able to pull away from Tandy.
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The current points’ leader then came under pressure from Zandvoort winner Jeroen Bleekemolen (Team Deutsche Post by tolimit) and Martin Ragginger (Schnabl Engineering). The Dutchman and the Austrian delivered a fair fight over much of the sprint, with Bleekemolen putting in an immaculate drive to hold the upper hand. Fourth at the flag put him in second overall, but he shares the same points’ tally as his tolimit teammate Edwards in third, followed by Ragginger in fourth.
Three Carrera Cup newcomers profited from the retirements. David Jahn from Germany finished sixth in the Lausitz, and brought home a better result than his team boss and colleague Uwe Alzen, and his second top ten result.
The 2010-rookie Stefan Wendt (Germany) planted his Attempto Racing 911 on seventh ahead of specialist Jan Seyffarth (Germany, SMS Seyffarth Motorsport). Two Cup debutants Philipp Frommenwiler (Switzerland, Attempto Racing) and Damian Sawicki (Poland, Förch Racing) celebrated their ninth and tenth place as if they were a victory.
Nicki Thiim (winner):
“The race was exciting. After Tandy snatched us both in the first corner I thought I wouldn’t regain my position. But then I noticed that he was experiencing problems so I stuck to him like glue and waited for a mistake. But at the same time I had to contend with huge pressure from Edwards. I’m so happy I’ve managed to bring home my first Carrera Cup victory!”
Sean Edwards (second):
“Great race! Even though I was obviously annoyed I missed out on my first Carrera Cup win by such a close margin. My car was perfectly set-up but it was not possible to get past Nicki unscathed.”
Nick Tandy (third):
“That was one of the most difficult races of my life. After a light nudge in the first corner with Nicki Thiim, my car no longer ran perfectly. I heard strange noises and it was very hard to control. Considering this, I’m pleased with third place and the points’ lead.”
Sean Edwards (GB), Nicki Thiim (DK), Nick Tandy (GB)
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 04 Lausitzring 2011
Race result
1. Nicki Thiim (DK), Hermes Attempto Racing, 34:50.590 minutes (143.739 km/h)
2. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 0.379 seconds
3. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, + 4.763
4. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 5.450
5. Martin Ragginger (A), Schnabl Engineering, + 5.810
6. David Jahn (D), PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive, + 15.781
7. Stefan Wendt (D), Attempto Racing, + 17.995
Drivers’ classification after 4 of 9 races
1. Nick Tandy (GB), 70 points
2. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 62
3. Sean Edwards (GB), 62
4. Martin Ragginger (A), 42
5. Jaap van Lagen (NL), 39
6. Nicki Thiim (DK), 38
Team classification after 4 of 9 races
1. Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, 124 points
2. Konrad Motorsport, 90
3. PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive, 47
Round five of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland takes place as part of the Porsche Carrera World Cup on 25 June on the Nürburgring (combination Grand Prix circuit/Nordschleife).
