Thomas Preining scores fourth win of the season at the Nürburgring

Preining (BWT Lechner Racing) crossed the finish line first against 43 rivals at Sunday’s race on the Nürburgring, which was contested together with the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia. As a result, he slashed the gap to the championship leader Michael Ammermüller (D/BWT Lechner Racing) to just nine points. “I won the sprint to the first corner at the start and that was decisive. Shortly before the flag I had to lap some slower competitors, but I stayed focussed and I didn’t let it stress me out,” said Preining. Behind the 20-year-old’s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Ammermüller took the flag in second place, with third place going to Jaap van Lagen (Förch Racing) from the Netherlands.

The German and Scandinavian one-make race series lined up on the grid together this weekend. In sunshine and a temperature of 25-degrees Celsius, the 44 drivers from eleven countries treated fans to some gripping race action in the hilly Eifel region. Preining took up the race from pole position and defended his lead to the flag. Over the entire 19-lap distance, the Austrian race driver from Linz refused to relinquish his front spot and crossed the finish line two seconds ahead of Ammermüller. The talented youngster received the trophy for his fourth win of the season from the former WRC champion Stig Blomqvist. Preining’s teammate headed into the race from the third grid spot and with a catapult start beat van Lagen in the sprint to the first corner. The German race driver then proceeded to gradually pull clear of his competitors. “My start was great. Afterwards I tried to keep up with Thomas Preining but he was simply too fast,” said Ammermüller.

Van Lagen reached the flag 4.7 seconds behind the 32-year-old. “Ammermüller drove to the outside after the start and so he was on the better line in the second corner. Still, two podiums in one weekend is a super result,” said van Lagen. Marius Nakken (MRS GT-Racing) celebrated his best result of the 2018 season. The Norwegian secured fourth place on Germany’s tradition-steeped racetrack after successfully fending off ten Voorde (Team Deutsche Post by Project 1). Although the Dutchman put Nakken under increasing pressure in the final laps, the 24-year-old gave him no chance to overtake.

Sixth place on the 3.629-kilometre sprint track of the Nürburgring went to Henric Skoog (Raceunion) from Sweden, with Robert Lukas (PL/Förch Racing) claiming seventh ahead of Toni Wolf (D/Car Collection Motorsport). Gustav Malja (S/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1) was the best rookie on ninth place. Igor Walilko (Raceunion) from Poland rounded off the top ten. The best driver in the amateur class was Carlos Rivas (Black Falcon Team TMD Friction) from Luxembourg. Behind him came the two German drivers from the Cito Pretiosa team, Stefan Rehkopf and Jörn Schmidt-Staade.

After two wins from six races, Ammermüller still holds first place in the championship with 123 points. Preining lies second nine points behind. Ten Voorde ranks third with 80 points. The best driver in the rookie category is Dylan Pereira (L/Lechner Racing) with 109 points. Schmidt-Staade leads the amateur classification after earning 136 points.

“It felt great to dominate the race. Starting from pole position and getting away well off the line proved decisive, and I managed to defend my lead against the 43 other competitors,” said Preining (A/BWT Lechner Racing). Second place on the Eifel racetrack went to Jaap van Lagen (Förch Racing) from the Netherlands. His compatriot Larry ten Voorde (Team Deutsche Post by Project 1) completed the podium after clinching third in his 485 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

After the legendary Porsche Carrera World Cup in 2011, the German one-make cup was joined by the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia for the second time. 44 drivers from eleven countries treated motor racing fans in the grandstands to gripping duels and many overtaking manoeuvres. In sunshine and a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, Preining converted his pole position into the lead. Over the course of the race, the youngster from Linz in Austria gradually pulled clear from the rest of the field. After 19 laps, Preining swept over the finish line 5.9 seconds ahead of van Lagen. The 20-year-old was handed the trophy on the podium by the former WRC champion Stig Blomqvist. Porsche specialist van Lagen took up the race from the second grid spot and defended his position to the flag. “My plan was to overtake Thomas Preining at the start, but I didn’t get off the line as well and afterwards Thomas was too fast. I’ll attack again on Sunday,” said van Lagen.

Spirited charges

Dutch racer ten Voorde celebrated his third podium result so far this season. The 21-year-old crossed the finish line 2.8 seconds shy of van Lagen. “Unfortunately I made a mistake at the start and lost two positions. The gaps amongst the midfielders were tight. I kept pushing and managed to take back third place,” said ten Voorde. Fourth was occupied by Michael Ammermüller (D/BWT Lechner Racing). Taking up the race from ninth, the current leader of the champion made up five places over the course of the race. Sweden’s Henric Skoog from Team Raceunion came fifth.

Dylan Pereira (L/Lechner Racing) also put in a spirited charge: The 21-year-old started from twelfth on the grid and concluded the race on sixth place. This makes Pereira the best rookie on the 3.629-kilometre sprint track of the Nürburgring. Seventh place went to 24-year-old Marius Nakken (MRS GT-Racing) from Norway, followed by Robert Lukas (PL/Förch Racing) on P8. Carlos Rivas (L/Black Falcon Team TMD Friction) took first place in the amateur class, with Jörn Schmidt-Staade (D/Cito Pretiosa) on second and his German teammate Stefan Rehkopf on third.

In the championship, Ammermüller still ranks first after five races. After two victories, the 32-year-old has earned 103 points. Preining sits second 14 points in arrears. Third place is occupied by ten Voorde. The driver from Boekelo in the Netherlands has 69 points to his credit.