VLN: Snowfall causes early stop

On the second lap, race control interrupted the second round of the VLN 2019 due to incipient snowfall. From Fuchsröhre to Bergwerk, the snow remained on the hard shoulders. For the afternoon, the weather forecast announced further precipitation and snow. In consultation with the stewards and the organizer, the race organizers decided not to restart the race about an hour after it was stopped.

Right decision
The qualifying session was held on Saturday morning in partly sunny conditions and temperatures just above freezing. According to statements of the starting drivers, the introductory lap was still okay, but the track was already wet after the start. In the course of the second lap, the snow became so heavy that the race organizers had made the absolutely right decision by stopping the race. In view of the danger, some teams had already radioed their drivers to the pits before the red flag for safety reasons.

One race less before the 24 hours
Due to the short distance covered, the second race will not be scored. Since 1977, 423 VLN races have been completed, only 14 times there has been no result. For half points, more than 80 minutes would have had to be completed in the 4-hour race, for full points more than 160 minutes.

181 teams, many of which were competing with a view to the 24-hour race in June, had qualified for the race. As the best Swiss, Philip Ellis was on the sixth row of the grid with a Mercedes-AMG GT3. This car, of all things, spun in the precarious conditions and hit the guard rails.

The third round of the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring - the last before the 24-hour race - will be held on April 27.

vln.com