Belgium's Maxim Dirickx earns strong double podium in Italy to race into championship lead

Michelin 24H SERIES organiser Creventic reveals Prototype Cup Europe

The sun shone on the second free practice session for the Prototype Cup Germany at the Red Bull Ring. Riccardo Leone Cirelli (17/ITA) and Mattias Bjerre Jakobsen (18/DEN, both BWT Mücke Motorsport) coped best with the conditions: they were 0.452 seconds faster than Sven Barth (44/Eberbach) and Maxim Dirickx (21/BEL, both Aust Motorsport). Danny Soufi (22/USA) and Pavel Lefterov (27/BUL, both Konrad Motorsport) climbed into the top three at the last minute. 

First podium for Alexzander Kristiansson. Danny Soufi and Pavel Lefterov extend their lead at the top of the table. Michael Herich has his nose in front in the Trophy competition.Danny Soufi (22/USA) and Pavel Lefterov (27/BUL, both Konrad Motorsport) impressed with another victory in race nine of this season’s Prototype Cup Germany at the Nürburgring. That win saw the two Konrad drivers extend their lead in the overall standings. Second place went to Mattias Bjerre Jakobsen (18/DEN) and Riccardo Leone Cirelli (17/ITA, both BWT Mücke Motorsport), ahead of Oscar Tunjo (29/COL) and Alexzander Kristiansson (25/SWE, both Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsport). “After the pit stop I was second and had to put my foot down, in order to close the gap to Riccardo in the lead,” said Lefterov. Once in his rival’s slipstream, the Bulgarian did not hang about and attacked him immediately. “Pavel’s manoeuvre was really courageous,” said Soufi, full of praise for his partner. The rest was a mere formality, as Lefterov went on to complete a commanding victory. Jakobsen and Cirelli picked up the trophy for the best Juniors; the fastest Trophy starter was Michael Herich (48/Brühl), who finished eight alongside his new team-mate Mikkel C. Johansen (38/DEN, both Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsport). The first stint saw Soufi and Tunjo racing round the sprint circuit at the Nürburgring at similar speeds in first and second place. “It was a repeat of qualifying, when Oscar and I were again almost exactly as quick as each other,” said Soufi, referring to the slender margin of just 0.002 seconds between the same pair in the weekend’s opening qualifying session. After the driver changeover, Soufis partner Lefterov found himself in second place, hunting down Cirelli, who had taken over from Jakobsen. Lefterov quickly closed in on the Mücke car, passed it relentlessly, and went on to take the chequered flag 5.787 seconds ahead of Cirelli. Tunjo and Kristiansson finished third and celebrated the Swede’s first podium in the German LMP3 series, which the Scandinavian earned with a successful overtaking manoeuvre against Maksymilian Angelard (18/POL). The team-mate of Mattis Pluschkell (21/Elmenhorst, both BWT Mücke Motorsport) was also unable to prevent Maxim Dirickx (21/BEL) from passing him to take fourth place. Dirickx and Sven Barth (44/Eberbach, both Aust Motorsport) eventually crossed the finish line in fourth place ahead of Angelard and Pluschkell. Sixth place in the Eifel Mountains went to Zino-Ferret Fahlke (18/Hergiswil, Konrad Motorsport), ahead of Jacob Erlbacher (24/Böblingen) and Jérémy Siffert (22/SUI, both Badischer Motorsport Club), Herich and Johansen, and Thomas Ambiel (45/Eppingen, Rinaldi Racing). The drivers return to action on Sunday with the second qualifying session at 09:35. Race two then gets underway at 16:40. Both qualifying and the race will be streamed live on the youtube.com/adacmotorsports channel. Mattias Bjerre Jakobsen (runner-up): “My start was good and I managed to get in front of our sister car with Mattis at the wheel in turn one. I was then able to keep the gap to Danny at about three seconds, which was important, as Danny and Pavel had to wait six seconds longer than us in the pit lane, due to their success at the Norisring.” Riccardo Leone Cirelli (runner-up): “The tyres were still okay for the first two laps of my stint, but then they started to deteriorate – particularly the rear tyres. The car started to skid a lot and it even became difficult to control the throttle. To be honest, I had no chance against Pavel’s attack. It is obviously not nice when you drop back from first place to second, but we still managed to pick up some valuable points.” Oscar Tunjo (third): “Thank you to the team, who gave us a good car, and congratulations to Alex on his first podium in the Prototype Cup Germany. Although this is the first time I have shared a car with him, we have been working together for a long time as team-mates at Gebhardt. Alex is a good guy, who is hungry to learn and listens well. I am really pleased with our first podium together.” Alexzander Kristiansson (third): “It feels great to stand on the podium for the first time. I was a bit nervous before a got into the car, as I had never taken over in fourth place before. Then I went and stalled, but when I knew that I had the pace I was happy. I was able to overtake Maksymilian and then drove a clean race through to the finish.”

The second qualifying session in the Prototype Cup Germany at the Norisring saw Oscar Tunjo (29/COL, Badischer Motorsport Club) beat Pavel Lefterov (27/BUL, Konrad Motorsport) by the smallest of margins. In temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius, the Columbian was just 0.003 seconds faster than the Bulgarian, ensuring that he and his team-mate Valentino Catalano (19/Westheim, Badischer Motorsport Club) have so far finished on top in every session at the street circuit in Nuremberg. Third place in the second qualifying went to Mattias Bjerre Jakobsen (18/DEN, BWT Mücke Motorsport). Tunjo was happy with his morning’s work: “It was a good qualifying, as the Norisring is a real challenge and I managed to secure pole position for race two. I am now hoping that we can have as good a race this afternoon as we did yesterday. I think it is definitely going to be interesting, because Pavel was also really fast in qualifying.” Tunjo is sharing his car in the Prototype Cup Germany with Catalano for the first time, and is happy with his partner. “Valentino is younger than me and brings that youthful exuberance, while I bring the experience. Plus, our driving styles are similar, which obviously helps. Valentino is also among the drivers to beat, particularly at the Norisring.            +52    Lefterov was torn after his second place. “I knew I had to deliver in qualifying, but was slightly concerned, as I am still not that experienced when it comes to driving on fresh tyres. I am ultimately happy with my performance, but when you miss out on pole position by 0.003 seconds, it is also a little disappointing.” His sights are now set firmly on victory alongside Danny Soufi (21/USA, Konrad Motorsport) today. “Yesterday, we did not have a chance due to our longer pit stop time, as a result of winning at the Lausitzring. Today, Oscar and Valentino will have to be stationary for longer than us, because they did better than us in yesterday’s race.” Jakobsen ended the second qualifying in third place, and was pleased to back up his third place together with team-mate Riccardo Leone Cirelli (17/ITA, BWT Mücke Motorsport) in yesterday afternoon’s opening race. “It was not all perfect in qualifying, as I hit traffic and so was unable to take full advantage of the tyres’ peak. However, I still think it was a good session. It is also important for Riccardo and me to find a good rhythm again after the disappointing weekend in Lusatia. We have managed to do that so far, with the podium in race one.” Behind Jakobsen, Mattis Pluschkell (20/Elmenhorst, BWT Mücke Motorsport) qualified fourth, ahead of Jérémy Siffert (21/SUI, Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsport), Sven Barth (44/Eberbach, Aust Motorsport), Alexzander Kristiansson (25/SWE, Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsport) and Thomas Ambiel (45/Eppingen, Rinaldi Racing). Race two of the Prototype Cup Germany at the Norisring starts this afternoon at 16:55 and will be streamed live and free of charge at youtube.com/adacmotorsports.