GTWorldChEu 2022: Hockenheim Race
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
With 49 cars on the grid for a 4.574 km race track, it was clear that the race would be disrupted by several FCY and safety cars. It indeed happened in the opening lap as the #38 JOTA McLaren was eliminated in an accident!
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
At Turn 3 Rossi did a mistake and went on the gravel losing 10 positions.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
After 25’ minutes racing a new safety enabled all cars to regroup behind Weerts with Team WRT Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #32.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
At the restart, Rovera with Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 #71 was still second but not for long as his teammate Calado driving Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 #51 misjudged its braking entering the stadium section pushing #71 in the gravel who was eliminated.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Calado could restart dropping from P7 to P44 losing any chance of a strong result.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
With the two Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 eliminated from the top 10, it was all benefit for Drudi with Tresor by Car Collection Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #12 moving from P3 to P2, Sainteloc Junior Team Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #25 from P8 to P6 and Klaus Bachler with Dinamic Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R #54 moving from P16 to P14.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
After 50’ racing, Weerts (Team WRT Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #32) went off the road enabling Drudi (Tresor by Car Collection Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #12) to take the lead and and Jack Aitken (#63 Emil Frey Racing Lamborghini) P2. A bit later, Kelvin van der Linde took over from Charles Weerts but had to retire one lap later.
At mid-race, with the first pit stops around the hour, the top 10 has changed somewhat:
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
P1: Christopher Haase, Mattia Drudi, Luca Ghiotto with Tresor by Car Collection Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #12.
P2: Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Steijn Schothorst in AMG Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 #2.
P3: Christopher Mies, Patric Niederhauser, Lucas Legeret in Sainteloc Junior Team Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #25.
P4: Konsta Lappalainen, Mick Wishofer, Stuart White with Emil Frey Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo #14.
P5: Markus Winkelhock, Kim Luis Schramm, Dennis Marschall in Attempto Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #66.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
P6: Raffaele Marciello, Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounonin AMG Team AKKODIS ASP Mercedes-AMG GT3 #88.
P7: Klaus Bachler, Matteo Cairoli, Alessio Picariello in Dinamic Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R (991.II) #54.
P8: Frederic Vervisch, Nico Müller, Valentino Rossi Team WRT Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #46.
P9: Christian Klien, Vincent Abril, Dennis Lind with JP Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 #111
P10: Jack Aitken, Albert Costa, Mirko Bortolotti with Emil Frey Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo #63.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
During his stint, Mies (#25) took over from Schothorst (#2) to get P2 and hunt Ghiottos (#12).
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
With the third wave of pit stops, Niederhauser (#25) took the lead from Haase (#12).
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
With 13 minutes to go, Haase (#12) dropped one more position to the benefit of Marschall on board of Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #66.
Full of misfortune, Christopher Haase, Mattia Drudi, Luca Ghiotto drove Tresor by Car Collection Audi #12 had to be pulled into the pits a bit later.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
The race would end in that order with Christopher Mies, Patric Niederhauser, Lucas Legeret on board of Sainteloc Junior Team Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #25 winning
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Markus Winkelhock, Kim Luis Schramm, Dennis Marschall with Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #66 ended second.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Klaus Bachler, Matteo Cairoli, Alessio Picariello with Dinamic Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R #54 progressively but efficiently moved from P14 at the start to the last podium spot.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Steijn Schothorstdriving AMG Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 #2 have always been on the go in the top 6 ending fourth.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Rossi’s teammates Fred Vervisch and Nico Muller steered the Team WRT Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #46 to fifth.
Emil Frey Racing got their two Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo in the top 7 with
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Jack Aitken, Albert Costa, Mirko Bortolotti in #63 sixth.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Konsta Lappalainen, Mick Wishofer, Stuart White in #14 seventh and first of Silver Cup.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Silver Cup Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #99 driven by Marius Zug, Nicolas Schöll, Alex Aka ended eighth and second in Silver Cup.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, Benjamin Goethe, Thomas Neubauer on board of Team WRT Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 #30 clinch Endurance Silver Cup crowns (Drivers and Teams) with podium finish (3rd) in class, tenth overall.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
The BMW Junior Team Dan Harper, Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen started the race from 22nd place in the #50 ROWE BMW M4 GT3 and worked their way gradually up to finish ninth overall.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Hockenheim 2022.
Nick Catsburg, Augusto Farfus and Nick Yelloly in sister car #98, moved up from 28th to 11th place.
