Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, round 9 in Hockenheim Nick Tandy claims championship title, Sean Edwards wins finale

Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, round 9 in Hockenheim

Nick Tandy claims championship title, Sean Edwards wins finale

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. 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. With this, he secured vice championship honours and helped his Deutsche Post by tolimit team to win the team championship. The inaugural special classification for guest starters went to Raffi Bader (MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg) from Switzerland.

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. 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. 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.”

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

Porsche Motorsport Press.

Perfect: Audi clinches all DTM titles

Perfect: Audi clinches all DTM titles

• Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline wins team classification

• Mattias Ekström finishes championship as runner-up

• Champion Martin Tomczyk on podium again at the finale

Ingolstadt/Hockenheim, October 23, 2011 – It was a perfect 2011 DTM season

for Audi: After Martin Tomczyk’s early win of the drivers title, the brand with the

four rings at the Hockenheim finale in front of an impressive crowd of 120,000

spectators (throughout the weekend) secured the position of the runner-up in the

championship and won the team classification as well. Edoardo Mortara had

previously been determined as “Rookie of the year.”

“You can’t really wish for more than this,” commented Head of Audi Motorsport Dr.

Wolfgang Ullrich after the finish at the Hockenheimring. “It’s truly been a perfect

year for Audi. And today we clinched everything we still had on our agenda: the

runner-up’s slot for ‘Eki’ and the team classification win for Audi Sport Team Abt

Sportsline – my thanks go to everyone who has had a part in this great success for

Audi.”

In its 84th and – for the time being – last DTM race the Audi A4 DTM made another

strong showing. With Martin Tomczyk, Miguel Molina, Mike Rockenfeller, Mattias

Ekström, Timo Scheider and Oliver Jarvis on positions two to four and six to eight, six

Audi drivers scored points. In its career the A4 DTM, since 2004, has clinched five

out of eight possible champion’s titles, 44 pole positions, 31 fastest laps and 34

race victories

The decision at the finale at Hockenheim was made as early as at the start which

Mercedes driver Jamie Green decided in his favor, followed by a lonely race at the

front of the field. Similarly solid were the runs of Audi drivers Martin Tomczyk (Audi

Sport Team Phoenix) and Miguel Molina (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) that

ended on positions two and three.

Martin Tomczyk crowned his brilliant season with another podium finish. At all ten

races the new DTM Champion scored points and mounted the podium eight times.

The 29-year-old, who did not finish any event this year in worse than fifth place,

took three race victories.

“The finale here at Hockenheim in front of this fantastic crowd was brilliant too,”

said Martin Tomczyk, after receiving the champion’s trophy on the podium. “My A4

was perfect and my team did another great job. I wasn’t able to completely keep up

with Jamie’s (Green) pace but that was only secondary today.”

Another overjoyed driver was the Spaniard Miguel Molina who despite not having

been able to take advantage of his pole position at the start in the end managed to

celebrate third place and the first podium in his still young DTM career. “Being on

podium at the last race of the Audi A4 DTM is really special,” says the 22-year-old.

“I’m very happy – particularly because Audi has clinched all the titles. That’s

fantastic.”

Miguel Molina is thus the eighth Audi driver to have mounted the DTM podium this

year, which proves the performance strength of the 2011 driver line-up that gives

Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich a perfect base for the 2012 season.

Mike Rockenfeller and Mattias Ekström on positions four and six at the finale

secured the team classification for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline that has won this

title for the third time, after 2004 and 2007. Having started from position ten on

the grid Mattias Ekström’s sixth-place finish sufficed to clinch the runner-up’s slot

since the previous runner-up in ninth place scored no points.

“I’m even happier about the team classification than about finishing as the runnerup,”

said Mattias Ekström. “The guys deserve this. And this year, including at this

last race, we’ve learned a lot for 2012. I can hardly wait to drive the first race in the

new Audi A5 DTM.”

At the end of their first DTM season the three rookies Filipe Albuquerque (tenth

place), Edoardo Mortara (13th place) and Rahel Frey (16th place after jump starting)

finished out of the points. Nevertheless, all three left a good impression in their first

DTM year. Mortara had already secured the “Rookie of the year” title with a score of

21 points and ninth place in the standings before the final race.

Audi Sport.

WTCC: MENU EXTENDS CHEVROLET'S POLE STREAK

ROUNDS 19 & 20 - SUZUKA RACE REPORT MENU EXTENDS CHEVROLET'S POLE STREAK Alain Menu claimed his third pole position of the season and extended Chevrolet's invincibility in this year's qualifying sessions. The Swiss and his team-mates have won all the ten pole positions so far. Reigning champion and current point leader Yvan Muller set the second fastest lap, while his arch-rival in the title fight, Rob Huff could not achieve more than a fourth position on the grid for tomorrow's Race 1. Huff lost third to Robert Dahlgren in the final seconds of Q2 by only eight thousandths of a second. This was the second time Dahlgren managed to squeeze among the top three after he qualified second at Oschersleben. Q1 - The session kicked off under a threat of rain and yet most of the top drivers sat in their pits during the early stages. Tom Coronel posted a provisional fastest lap of 53.943 after three minutes, but immediately afterwards the red flag was waved for the first time when Mehdi Bennani's BMW got stranded at the outside of the East Shortcut. As action resumed Yvan Muller jumped on top with a lap of 53.893, leading a bunch of drivers who elbowed their way into the top ten: Rob Huff, Robert Dahlgren and Alain Menu. Gabriele Tarquini was among them, but failed to make the cut because of a small clash with Menu. Michel Nykjær improved the fastest lap to 53.725 and again the red flag was waved after Pepe Oriola's SUNRED crashed heavily at the exit of the last turn. Which also spoiled Tarquini's attempt once again. The session resumed for a four-minute spell in which Colin Turkington set the fastest lap (53.672) while Tarquini eventually managed to make the top ten. The last spot for Q2 - and pole position for Race 2 - was won by Darryl O'Young who kicked Javier Villa off. The following drivers advanced to Q2: Turkington, Nykjær, Tarquini, Menu, Dahlgren, Monteiro, Muller, Huff, Coronel and O'Young. Q2 - The second part of the session was not especially eventful. Most of the ten drivers managed to set their best time on the first lap out of the pits, with Menu (53.443) leading Muller (53.492) and Huff (53.520). Only Coronel and Dahlgren were able to improve on their last attempt. The Dutchman climbed to a provisional fourth position with a lap of 53.601 that eventually became the fifth when Dahlgren stopped the watches on the time of 53.512. This was good enough for him to qualify in hird, splitting the Chevrolet trio. Nykjær qualified in seventh position, best of the Yokohama Trophy. Fabio Ravaioli/Media Press Delegate.

WTCC: MENU EXTENDS CHEVROLET'S POLE STREAK

ROUNDS 19 & 20 - SUZUKA RACE REPORT MENU EXTENDS CHEVROLET'S POLE STREAK Alain Menu claimed his third pole position of the season and extended Chevrolet's invincibility in this year's qualifying sessions. The Swiss and his team-mates have won all the ten pole positions so far. Reigning champion and current point leader Yvan Muller set the second fastest lap, while his arch-rival in the title fight, Rob Huff could not achieve more than a fourth position on the grid for tomorrow's Race 1. Huff lost third to Robert Dahlgren in the final seconds of Q2 by only eight thousandths of a second. This was the second time Dahlgren managed to squeeze among the top three after he qualified second at Oschersleben. Q1 - The session kicked off under a threat of rain and yet most of the top drivers sat in their pits during the early stages. Tom Coronel posted a provisional fastest lap of 53.943 after three minutes, but immediately afterwards the red flag was waved for the first time when Mehdi Bennani's BMW got stranded at the outside of the East Shortcut. As action resumed Yvan Muller jumped on top with a lap of 53.893, leading a bunch of drivers who elbowed their way into the top ten: Rob Huff, Robert Dahlgren and Alain Menu. Gabriele Tarquini was among them, but failed to make the cut because of a small clash with Menu. Michel Nykjær improved the fastest lap to 53.725 and again the red flag was waved after Pepe Oriola's SUNRED crashed heavily at the exit of the last turn. Which also spoiled Tarquini's attempt once again. The session resumed for a four-minute spell in which Colin Turkington set the fastest lap (53.672) while Tarquini eventually managed to make the top ten. The last spot for Q2 - and pole position for Race 2 - was won by Darryl O'Young who kicked Javier Villa off. The following drivers advanced to Q2: Turkington, Nykjær, Tarquini, Menu, Dahlgren, Monteiro, Muller, Huff, Coronel and O'Young. Q2 - The second part of the session was not especially eventful. Most of the ten drivers managed to set their best time on the first lap out of the pits, with Menu (53.443) leading Muller (53.492) and Huff (53.520). Only Coronel and Dahlgren were able to improve on their last attempt. The Dutchman climbed to a provisional fourth position with a lap of 53.601 that eventually became the fifth when Dahlgren stopped the watches on the time of 53.512. This was good enough for him to qualify in hird, splitting the Chevrolet trio. Nykjær qualified in seventh position, best of the Yokohama Trophy. Fabio Ravaioli/Media Press Delegate.

WTCC: MENU TOPS TIGHT TEST SESSION IN JAPAN

# 41 - 21 OCTOBER 2011

MENU TOPS TIGHT TEST SESSION IN JAPAN Chevrolet driver Alain Menu set the fastest lap in today's test session at Suzuka. The Swiss was clocked at 53.605 with only a couple of minutes left in the half-an-hour session and ousted Volvo's Robert Dahlgren from the top of the standings. Only a few minutes earlier and at the end of an impressive learning curve, Dahlgren had posted a lap of 53.722 that was the provisional fastest one until Menu's exploit. This sudden change of leadership was only the peak point of the first session for the WTCC racers on Suzuka's East Circuit, and promised extremely close competition in tomorrow's qualifying. Rob Huff posted the third fastest lap of 53.861, followed by Tiago Monteiro (54.177), Yvan Muller (54.200), Tom Coronel (54.409) and Gabriele Tarquini (54.448). Rallyman Toshihiro Arai set a promising eighth best lap of 54.479 on his first outing in a WTCC car and emerged as the best of the Japanese contingent. Competition was equally tight in the Yokohama Trophy, with Darryl O'Young setting the pace (54.615) from Colin Turkington (54.643) and Michel Nykjær (54.721), the three of them covered by only one tenth of a second. The session was disrupted once by the red flag, after only five minutes, when Norbert Michelisz's spun off at the Anti-banked curve ripping his front bumper apart in the process.

Fabio Ravaioli/Media Press delegate.

Resultados y Fotos del primer Test DTM/Hockenheim .

Results: 1st test DTM/Hockenheim (last race 2011).

Pos.		Driver / Entrant	Laps	Time	Gap
1.		Martin Tomczyk Audi Sport Team Phoenix Schaeffler Audi A4 DTM	30	1:33.621
2.		Maro Engel GQ AMG Mercedes GQ AMG Mercedes C-Klasse	33	1:33.789	00.168
3.		Christian Vietoris Junge Sterne AMG Mercedes Junge Sterne AMG Mercedes C-Klasse	28	1:33.884	00.263
4.		Mike Rockenfeller Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline E-POSTBRIEF Audi A4 DTM	36	1:33.983	00.362
5.		Renger van der Zande stern AMG Mercedes stern AMG Mercedes C-Klasse	39	1:34.039	00.418
6.		Mattias Ekström Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Red Bull Audi A4 DTM	23	1:34.089	00.468
7.		Timo Scheider Audi Sport Team Abt AUTO TEST Audi A4 DTM	24	1:34.259	00.638
8.		Filipe Albuquerque Audi Sport Team Rosberg TV Movie Audi A4 DTM	32	1:34.337	00.716
9.		Susie Wolff TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Klasse	28	1:34.485	00.864
10.		David Coulthard Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Klasse	32	1:34.504	00.883
11.		Edoardo Mortara Audi Sport Team Rosberg Playboy Audi A4 DTM	32	1:34.511	00.890
12.		Bruno Spengler Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Klasse	27	1:34.553	00.932
13.		Miguel Molina Audi Sport Team Abt Junior Red Bull Audi A4 DTM	32	1:34.602	00.981
14.		Oliver Jarvis Audi Sport Team Abt Audi Sport performance cars A4 DTM	31	1:34.632	01.011
15.		Gary Paffett Thomas Sabo AMG Mercedes Thomas Sabo AMG Mercedes C-Klasse	34	1:34.747	01.126
16.		Jamie Green AMG Mercedes AMG Mercedes C-Klasse	33	1:34.819	01.198
17.		Rahel Frey Audi Sport Team Phoenix Glamour Audi A4 DTM	33	1:34.930	01.309
18.		Ralf Schumacher Salzgitter AMG Mercedes Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Klasse DTM.de/Acreditated Press.	34	1:34.986	01.365