Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, round 6 at the Formula 1 race on the Nürburgring/Germany Strong rivals pursue points’ leader René Rast Stuttgart. After a

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, round 6 at the Formula 1 race on the Nürburgring/Germany

Strong rivals pursue points’ leader René Rast

Stuttgart. After a successful guest appearance at the Porsche Carrera World Cup, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup now returns for the second time this season to the Nürburgring on 24th July. It’s the 200th race in it’s successful history and rather than on the Nordschleife it takes place on the Grand Prix circuit. But the change of track doesn’t at all faze René Rast. “We’re doing well at the moment,” grins the points’ leader driving for the VELTINS Lechner Racing squad. “I don’t really mind where I win.”

The title defender from Germany, who celebrated the greatest success of his career with the World Cup victory, is the man to beat in the world’s fastest international one-make race series. His start to the season was somewhat bumpy until he turned the corner with his victory in Monaco. Recently on the storied Silverstone circuit, the home track of his arch rival Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport), he celebrated his third straight win. This success saw his old self-confidence return: “Earlier on we had a couple of hiccups, but now we’re back in force.”

Despite Rast’s winning streak, the fight for the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup title is still wide open before the anniversary race on the Nürburgring. Competing for the Abu Dhabi by tolimit team, Britain’s Sean Edwards secured his place amongst the hot favourites with his win in Barcelona. Although he lost the points’ lead at Silverstone, he hasn’t lost his faith in claiming the title. “Despite this little misfiring we’re still looking good,” he says. “Now we just have to stick at it.” Germany’s Christian Engelhart (Konrad Motorsport), winner of the season-opener in Istanbul, also has new hopes. After a lengthy lean spell he finally yielded a good result with fifth in Silverstone.

Fighting to keep up with the front-runners are two drivers that started into the season as keen title aspirants: Nick Tandy and Jeroen Bleekemolen. The Briton fell from the top of the points’ table after retiring from the Porsche Carrera World Cup. He finished four of the five rounds contested by now in second place, but is still waiting for his first win. Ranking third overall, he needs every point to maintain his bid for the title, as does Jeroen Bleekemolen of Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, who lies behind Austria’s Norbert Siedler (VELTINS Lechner Racing) in fifth. Bleekemolen, the two-time Supercup winner from the Netherlands, experienced a slow start to the season. With fourth place in Monaco as his best result to now he knows only too well that he has to pull out all stops if he doesn’t want to miss the championship boat. “On the Nürburgring,” he says, “only a podium result can help. Obviously a win would be the best. But with the competition at the top so close it’s going to be tough.”

In light of the strong competition, the performance of Supercup newcomer Kévin Estre is even more remarkable. The French Hermes Attempto Racing pilot raised eyebrows in Silverstone with third in qualifying, which he turned into his best race result of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup season with fourth place. His next goal? “The podium,” he says confidently, “preferably on the Nürburgring.”

TV stations Eurosport (11.45 hours) and Sky (11.40 hours) broadcast the race on the Nürburgring live on 24th July. Moreover, Eurosport telecasts highlights at 23.00 hours in its “Motorsport Weekend Magazin” programme.


Points’ standings after 5 of 9 races*

Drivers’ classification
1. René Rast (D), 85 points
2. Sean Edwards (GB), 74
3. Nick Tandy (GB), 72
4. Norbert Siedler (A), 69
5. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 58
6. Christian Engelhart (D), 53

BBS rookie classification
1. Kévin Estre (F), 50 points

Team classification
1. VELTINS Lechner Racing, 148 points
2. Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, 130
3. Konrad Motorsport, 124

* It has yet to be decided if and when there will be a replacement for the cancelled Formula 1 race in Bahrain with two rounds of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup.



Public Relations and Media
Motor and Sports Press
Oliver Hilger

Expressions 24 Hour Nurburgring: The biggest race in the world!!!

24 Hour ADAC Nurburgring 2011.


Expressions of the biggest race of the world: 24 Hours Nurburgring, track for big boys.

Photos: Nacho Hernandez-AmigosRacing.

Passion, Performance, Professionality, not aloud to make a mistake: 24 Hour Nurburgring/ Th Race to be!!!

VLN: 6h race duration: 50 percent more motor sport

6h race duration: 50 percent more motor sport

The 42nd Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy race is the first of two races in the VLN endurance racing championship at the Nürburgring which will cover not only the traditional 4 hours distance on 14th May. The race programme includes six hours exciting racing action at the most beautiful race track of the world. The organising MSC Adenau expects more then 200 participants for its home game. The start of the race will already be given at 11:30hrs. On the one hand, this shall provide the possibility for tourists to still drive at the Nordschleife after the 6 hour race and on the other hand, the prizegiving ceremony can be organised in due time after the race instead of in the late evening hours. The spectators may look forward to an event of a special kind as, due to the 6 hours race distance, they will enjoy 50% more racing action at highest level. As an exception, the timed practice session will take place between 08:05 and 09:35hrs. A 30 minutes summary of the opening round will be broadcasted in channel Sport1 on 21st May at 12:45hrs. The event will include the Formula Renault NEC on Friday and on Saturday as supporting races. More than 20 rookies, including Carlos Sainz, the son of the Dakar winner with the same name, will take part in these supporting races.

The Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus will come back for the third race of the year. The Italian team has for the second time entered the N.Technology P4/5 Competizione. Whilst the super sports car based on the Ferrari race car was still suffering some teething troubles at the opening round of the season, Mika Salo (Finland), Luca Cappellari, Nicola Larini and Fabrizio Giovanardi (all from Italy) will now attack again. The winners of the second race, Chris Mamerow (Castrop-Rauxel/ German) and Armin Hahne (Wimbach/ Germany) will be supported in their Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 race car for the Adenauer Rundstrecken-Trophy by sports car specialist Pierre Kaffer (Switzerland) to join the team in the gullwing race car entered by Mamerow-Racing as third driver. The Audi colours will be represented by Audi race experience. Florian Gruber (Aham/ Germany) will compete in both of the two cars entered. In the car with number 17, he will be assisted by Le-Mans winner Marco Werner (Switzerland), Chris Vogler (Neckarsulm/ Germany) and motoring journalist Holger Eckhardt (Erkrath/ Germany) and in car with number 18 by Josef Haider, Wilfried Wiedner (both from Austria) and Harald Büttner (Bernsheim/ Germany). “Back to the roots” is the motto of Manthey Racing. The team which is based in Meuspath near the Nürburgring has entered their Porsche 911 GT3 built in 2008 and well advance in years in class SP7 and the two Porsche factory drivers Marc Lieb (Ludwigsburg/ Germany) and Timo Bernhard (Dittweiler/ Germany) as well as Arno Klasen (Karlshausen/ Germany).

At the third championship round, three BMW Z4 GT3 of the team Need for Speed Schubert will make their debut at the Nordschleife. For the team which is based at Oschersleben, this will be the first participation of the updated Munich sports coupé which will amongst others be driven by the Nordschleifen experts Marko Hartung (Wallroda/ Germany), Jörg Viebahn (Engelskirchen/ Germany), Claudia Hürtgen (Aachen/ Germany) and Stian Sorlie (Norway). The GT3 race car of the team Dörr-Motorsport had already been entered for the second round in April. The team did not have any significant problems with the 2011 upgrade and finally finished into 19th position overall. At the last scheduled competition of the two M3 GT of BMW Motorsport before the ADAC Zurich 24h Race in June the race cars will be driven by Jörg Müller (Monaco), Augusto Farfus (Brazil) and Pedro Lamy (Portugal) as well as Andy Priaulx (Great Britain), Dirk Müller (Switzerland) and Dirk Adorf (Michelbach/ Germany).

Several classes have the potential as champions’ classes
On the main characteristic features of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring is the variety in the field. Due to the high numbers of competitors in several classes, these categories have the potential as champions classes because the number of points allocated depend on the number of participants in the corresponding classes. In the first place this refers to the Renault Clio Cup class Cup 3 where the about 25 French compact sports cars are fighting for the victory, followed by the classes SP3T (VLN Specials up to 2.000 cc cylinder capacity with turbo), SP7 (VLN Specials up to 4.000 cc cylinder capacity) and SP9 (GT3 vehicles) with about 20 participants each. After two of ten races, the championship leaders are Maik Rosenberg (Attendorn/ Germany) and Peter Terting (Börwang/ Germany). The duo in the Volkswagen Scirocco entered by LMS Engineering has scored two successes in class SP3T so far..

Rookies in the supporting races: Formula Renault NEC
Since its debut in the year 2006, the Formula Renault NEC has quickly developed to become one of the most renowned driving schools for ambitious rookies from all over the world. The series thus seamlessly follows up the long tradition of the Formula Renault which has since decades proved to be a stepping stone for a later career in Formula 1. The current Grand Prix stars such as world champion Sebastian Vettel and Lotus Renault GP driver Vitaly Petrov as well as Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen who has now moved to rally sports have attracted initial attention at the steering wheel of the Formula Renault race cars. As supporting event of the 42nd Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy, the rookies will participate in two races, one on Friday and one on Saturday, at the short version of the Grand Prix Circuit.

Timetable 42nd Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy
Friday, 13 May
Formula Renault Free Practice 08:00 - 08:45 hrs
Formula Renault Qualifying 1+2 10:45 - 11:20 hrs
Formula Renault Race 1 13:55 - 14:25 hrs

Saturday, 14 May
VLN Timed Practice 08.05 - 09:35 hrs
Formula Renault Race 2 09:55 - 10:20 hrs
VLN Starting Grid 10:50 hrs
VLN Race Start 11:30 hrs
VLN Finish 17:30 hrs
Common prizegiving ceremony in the Media Center at 19:00 hrs

INFO and Foto: VLN.de

DTM stars at wheel of the Audi R8 LMS

DTM stars at wheel of the Audi R8 LMS

 Ekström, Rockenfeller and Scheider contest 24-hour races
 Factory supported events at the Nürburgring and at Spa-Francorchamps
 Three top teams and high-caliber driver line-ups

Ingolstadt, April 5, 2011 – Audi tackles the two 24-hour races at the Nürburgring
(June 25/26) and at Spa-Francorchamps (July 30/31) with high-caliber driver
teams. DTM stars Mattias Ekström, Mike Rockenfeller and Timo Scheider also join
the grid for the two factory supported events with the Audi R8 LMS.
ABT Sportsline and Phoenix Racing each field a brace of Audi R8 LMS at the
legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife. After gaining valuable experience over the last
two years at the 24-hour race around the Nürburgring with the quattro GmbH GT3
sports car the two teams now receive full factory support from Ingolstadt and
Neckarsulm.
All four cars have first rate driver teams: competing for ABT Sportsline are Mattias
Ekström, Timo Scheider and Marco Werner as well as Christer Jöns, Luca Ludwig and
Christopher Mies. Christian Abt is nominated as support for both cars entered by the
DTM championship winning team from the years 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 and
2009. Frank Stippler assumes the “dual role” for Phoenix Racing. He supports Marc
Basseng, Marcel Fässler and Mike Rockenfeller and also Christopher Haase, Marc
Hennerici and Markus Winkelhock.
Like last year Phoenix Racing also contests the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps
(Belgium). Nominated to drive the two R8 LMS are Marc Basseng, Christopher Haase
and Frank Stippler and also Marcel Fässler, Andrea Piccini and Mike Rockenfeller. The
Belgian W Racing Team, which won the 2010 Belcar series championship title in its
debut season, fields two more cars on behalf of Audi. Driving for WRT are Mattias
Ekström, Greg Franchi and Timo Scheider and also Filipe Albuquerque, Bert Longin
and Stéphane Ortelli. Phoenix Racing and WRT are regarded as having intimate
knowledge of the Spa-Francorchamps race track and the Belgium 24-hour classic.



“The Audi R8 LMS was developed specifically for customer sport,” explains Head of
Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “With the two factory supported events at
the Nürburgring and at Spa-Francorchamps we aim to underline the positive image
that the R8 LMS has built up following its first two years of competition. I think we
are well positioned for this from the driver and team side.”
The quattro GmbH, under the direction of Werner Frowein and Romolo Liebchen,
took over marketing and further development of the GT3 sports car from 2011. A
further improved version of the Audi R8 LMS celebrated its debut at the beginning
of February with a one-two finish in the 12-hour race at Bathurst (Australia).
Among other features, the 2011 Audi R8 LMS is equipped with a modified engine
control for the 5.2 liter V10 power unit, modified suspension and a light-weight
motorsport clutch specifically developed for endurance races.
“The 2011 season started perfectly for the Audi R8 LMS with the one-two finish at
Bathurst,” says Werner Frowein, Managing Director of the quattro GmbH. “We want
to continue this. In the shape of Phoenix Racing we send a team to compete that has
accompanied the development of the R8 LMS for endurance races since the very
beginning and which has gathered the most experience in this area. ABT Sportsline
is the perfect choice for the Nürburgring, and WRT for Spa. As far as the drivers are
concerned you could hardly wish for better.”
ABT Sportsline and Phoenix Racing contest rounds of the VLN endurance
championship in preparation for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. WRT contests
the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2011 which also includes the 24-hour race at Spa-
Francorchamps.

The Audi teams contesting the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring

Phoenix Racing
Marc Basseng/Marcel Fässler/Mike Rockenfeller/Frank Stippler
Christopher Haase/Marc Hennerici/Frank Stippler/Markus Winkelhock

Team ABT Sportsline
Christian Abt/Mattias Ekström/Timo Scheider/Marco Werner
Christian Abt/Christer Jöns/Luca Ludwig/Christopher Mies

The Audi teams contesting the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps

Phoenix Racing
Marc Basseng/Christopher Haase/Frank Stippler
Marcel Fässler/Andrea Piccini/Mike Rockenfeller

W Racing Team
Mattias Ekström/Greg Franchi/Timo Scheider
Filipe Albuquerque/Bert Longin/Stéphane Ortelli

Audi Communications Motorsport Jürgen Pippig