Spa: Rookie Fach saves Swiss honor đ„
TURBULENT WRC RUN At the Spa 6-hour race, the Swiss sports car drivers were victims of technology or conditions after the abrupt change in weather. Only Alexander Fach was jubilant in the Porsche Cup Deutschland.
As the highlights of the second World Endurance Championship round show, the many thousands of spectators along the Circuit de Spa-Francochamps witnessed quite a turbulent race. It started in beautiful spring weather and turned into partly chaotic conditions as a result of the onset of rain.
Six racing hours in intervals
Toyota Gazoo Racing's two hypercars only started from the second row, while Glickenhaus took pole position for the first time with his car powered by a Pipo turbo engine from France.
After a total of three red flag stoppages and six caution periods due to rides and accidents involving various competitors, the Japanese nevertheless celebrated their sixth consecutive victory on the Ardennes circuit. Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and JosĂ© MarĂa LĂłpez completed only 103 laps = 720 kilometers - last year, in ideal conditions, the sister car with SĂ©bastien Buemi completed 1134 kilometers or 162 laps.
Annoyance for Buemi, jubilation for Alpine
This time the car of the Vaudois stopped on the track at the beginning of the second hour of racing with a problem in the hybrid system. After 15 laps of lead work by the Glickenhaus, the number #8 had taken the lead until the failure at the restart after the first race interruption.
As both Toyota teams have one retirement each after two races, the Alpine ELF team, which won at Sebring in March, extended its lead at the top of the world championship standings with second place. The French will therefore come to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in mid-June as leaders.
MĂŒller and DelĂ©traz in midfield
The LMP2 teams with Nico MĂŒller and Louis DelĂ©traz had chances of a class podium, but rides without serious consequences threw their cars back to 7th (DelĂ©traz) and 10th (MĂŒller). Class victory and third overall went to the successful Belgian team WRT with the Oreca driven to the finish by former DTM champion RenĂ© Rast.
In fourth place, aviation entrepreneur Thomas Flohr missed the podium in the LMGTE Am class with his two professional partners Castellazzi and Cassidy on the Ferrari by just 28.2 seconds.
Fifth in a private Porsche team, Niki Leutwiler scored his first ten points in the FIA Trophy for GT drivers. Under the most difficult conditions, his car even led the LMGTE Am class for a while.
Niki Leutwiler: "At one point of the track it was dry, at another it was raining cats and dogs. A short time later it was the other way around - I've never experienced anything like it."
Rahel Frey received two new partners at Iron Lynx at short notice due to the corona infection of a teammate, with whom the Solothurn driver finished 10th. Strongly fourth in qualifying, Christina Nielsen was already turned around in the first corner and handed to the end of the field. From there, the women's trio worked their way back up a few positions.
Two rookie wins for Alexander Fach
In the run-up to the FIA WEC, there were two 30-minute sprint races for the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. Alexander Fach had a brilliant start to the season. The 20-year-old from Schwyz finished 13th and 12th in the field of 32 Porsche 992 GT3 Cup cars and took victory in the hotly contested rookie classification on both occasions.
His Fach Auto teammate Lorcan Hanafin, among others, had challenged him for the title. After spinning in the first race on Friday evening (5th), the Briton of the same age made the double victory of the two Fach Juniors perfect on Saturday.
