On a rain-soaked track, the 28 year old from Bavaria has turned the two fastest laps in his 460 hp Porsche 911 GT3. “What an incredible debut with my new team, MRS. We’re all pleased with this great qualifying effort,” said Engelhart.
In the 35-minute qualifying of the German Porsche makes cup, Engelhart relegated Ben Barker (GB/Land-Motorsport) and Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Lechner Racing Middle East) to positions two and three on the grid for race one on Saturday. For Sunday’s grid lineup, Engelhart is joined on the front row of the 23-strong field by Schmidt, with Barker on the third spot. The fastest time determines the starting positions for Sunday’s race, and the second fastest time for the starting positions on Saturday.
Season-opener according to plan for the Porsche Juniors
For the Porsche Juniors, the season-opener on the 4,575 metre long Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg circuit ran according to plan. In his first qualifying session in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, 18-year-old Matteo Cairoli (I/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1) posted the eighth quickest time (for Saturday) and fourth (for Sunday). “I’m happy with my qualifying results. My times were good on the first set of tyres, afterwards I had a few problems. Now I’m looking forward to the races,” summed up the champion of the Italian Porsche Carrera Cup.
The American Porsche Junior Connor de Phillippi – for whom 2015 marks his third season in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland but his first race for his new team, Land Motorsport – takes up Saturday’s race from fifth on the grid and from seventh on Sunday. “Under such rainy conditions it was an interesting qualifying. We are not quite where we want to be yet, but let’s see how we go in the races. I’m fit and I like the track,” said the 22 year old. The third Porsche Junior Sven Müller also normally contests the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, but this weekend is demonstrating his skill at the Sports Car World Endurance Championship (WEC) in Spa, Belgium.
Round one of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland takes place on Saturday at Hockenheim from 12.45-13.10 hrs.
Qualifying results
Grid lineup for race 1:
1. Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing)
2. Ben Barker (GB/Land-Motorsport)
3. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Lechner Racing Middle East)
4. Alex Riberas (E/The Heart of Racing by Lechner)
5. Phillip Eng (A/ Team Deutsche Post by Project 1)
Grid lineup for race 2:
1. Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing)
2. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Lechner Racing Middle East)
3. Ben Barker (GB/Land-Motorsport)
4. Matteo Cairoli (I/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1)
5. Phillip Eng (A/ Team Deutsche Post by Project 1)