RACING EXPERIENCE SECURES FIRST WIN AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD IN THE ADAC PROTOTYPE CUP GERMANY
Wednesday, May 3rd 2023, Wormeldange-Haut
Last Weekend, the Prototype Cup Germany kicked off its 2023 season with Racing Experience entering two Duqueine D08 LMP3. While the #12 car of both bronze drivers Kevin Rohrscheidt and Wolfgang Payr was aiming for a trouble free race weekend and gaining experience and mileage, the #15 car of Markus Pommer and Gary Hauser were looking forward to fight for podium positions.
During a very rainy Friday, where one session needed to be cancelled due to the weather, Gary was able to set the fastest time of the day while our drivers in the #12 made their first experience in the wet in an LMP3 car. On Saturday morning, Markus managed to secure P3 in the first qualifying session of the year and in a very tight field at the front. Kevin started in the #12 and was able to qualify in P15.
In the race, Markus held his position during the first stint, following the #72 car of Gold rated and former ELMS champion Laurents Hörr closely, and handed the car over to Gary after the half of the race. After a perfectly timed pit stop, Gary came back out on track in P3 but immediately grabbed the first opportunity to overtake the #72 car and brought the car home in P2, achieving the best result of Racing Experience in the Prototype Cup Germany. Kevin and Wolfgang both had trouble-free stints annd improved their lap times continuously, bringing the car back home in P12.
During the second qualifying session, Gary qualified in the front row on P2 for the #15 car after the #77 DKR Engineering car of Valentino Catalano snapped the pole away by a tenth a few minutes before the end of the session. Wolfgang made significant progress in the #12 and qualified the car in P14.
After an action packed first lap, Gary held P2 and was following Catalano, current Asian Le Mans champion, all the way throughout his stint and brought the car to the pits after 30 minutes for the mandatory driver change. After coming back out of the pits, Markus went immediately onto the hunt of the #77 car and closed the gap within a few laps. After putting pressure on the leader lap after lap, Markus was finally able to take the lead of the race 4 minutes before the end and achieved the maiden win for Racing Experience for both drivers and the team in the championship. The #12 car had another incident free outing and Kevin was able to set his personal best lap of the weekend in the second last lap of the race and crossed the finish line in P13.
The #15 car now leads the Championship after the first of six rounds (45 points) in front of the #6 car of Oscar Tunjo and Julien Apotheloz, Saturday’s race winners (41 points).
Christian Hauser, Racing Experience Team Owner, said, “We are delighted with the results of the weekend and couldn’t have asked for more. I want to thank every single member of our team who worked until late in the night to prepare both cars and really played their part in this result. We still remained focused on the upcoming races and are already preparing the next rounds. I am also happy about the progress of Kevin and Wolfgang who brought the car home in both races and gained some valuable experience.”
Markus Pommer, Driver #15 Racing Experience said, “A perfect way to start the season with 2 podium places, a race win and the championship lead. A big thanks to the team for providing me a fast and reliable car and my teammate Gary for his job behind the wheel.”
Gary Hauser, Driver #15 Racing Experience said, “I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season and we maximized our results over the weekend and showed promising speed in every conditions. I want to send my biggest thanks to the whole Racing Experience crew who all together made this possible and to Marcus for his incredible performance!”
Wolfgang Payr, Driver #12 Racing Experience said, “I learned a lot over the weekend and am happy to have gained more experience and more confidence. A special thanks to my engineer who helps me understand how to further progress and also congratulations to our sister car for their performance.”
Kevin Rohrscheidt, Driver #12 Racing Experience said, “I have achieved all the goals that I had set myself for this weekend which were not to make any unnecessary mistakes and take as many experience and mileage as I could. I feel more confident and natural in the car with every lap that I finish.”
The next race of the season will take place in the course of the DTM on the 26th – 28th May 2023 in Oschersleben.
All races of the season will be live broadcasted on YouTube as well as on adac.de/motorsport.
The full calendar of the season can be found on racing-experience.lu. Stay updated by following Racing Experience on social media (Instagram: @racingexperience.lux and Facebook).