Maiden victory for FK Performance Motorsport in ADAC GT4 Germany. Best result of the season for runners-up Marek Böckmann and Anton Paul Abée. Enrico Förderer and Jay Mo Härtling lead at halfway point of season.
First win of the season for BMW in ADAC GT4 Germany: Gabriele Piana (38/ITA) and Berkay Besler (25/TUR) produced a commanding driver to win Sunday’s ADAC GT4 Germany race at the Nürburgring. It was also the very first success for their team FK Performance Motorsport in the ADAC’s GT4 championship. Marek Böckmann (28/Lautersheim) and Anton Paul Abée (28/Hamburg, both Prosport Racing) finished second in the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4. Enrico Förderer (18/Leuterod) and Jay Mo Härtling (22/Sprockhövel, both SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm) completed the podium in third place. That was enough to ensure the two Mercedes-AMG GT4 drivers end the first half of the season at the top of the table. They will now travel to the Sachsenring as championship leaders when the series resumes at the end of August.
Marek Böckmann started the race from pole position and came out on top at the start. However, he then skidded on a wet patch on lap two and dropped several positions. That left BMW driver Piana free to take the lead, ahead of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 of Max Rosam (20/Taunusstein, Razoon - more than Racing). As the race continued, Piana gradually pulled clear of the rest of the field and opened a lead of roughly ten seconds. Behind him, Rosam, his team-mate Emil Heyerdahl (23/NOR, Wimmer Werk Motorsport), Förderer and Böckmann were embroiled in an exciting and lengthy battle for second place.
Böckmann’s team-mate Abée eventually took second place with a perfectly timed pit stop. He then set off in pursuit of Piana’s partner Besler. However, the Turk was able to manage the lead and went on to take victory. With roughly 20 minutes remaining, Härtling, who had replaced Förderer behind the wheel, pulled off a skilful overtaking manoeuvre to pass Rosam’s team-mate Denny Berndt (20/Berlin) and take third place. That also meant victory in the Junior competition for Härtling and Förderer. Berndt ultimately ended the race in sixth place. Emil Heyerdahl and Raphael Rennhofer (18/AUT) were fourth. Completing the top five in another BMW were Linus Hahne (21/Oelde) and ADAC Stiftung Sport driver Thomas Rackl (17/Berching, both ME Motorsport).
Seventh place went to Alon Gabbay (21/ISR) and Thomas Gore (20/JAM, both AVIA W&S Motorsport) in a Porsche, ahead of the BMW duo of Joseph Ellerine (21/ZAF) and Benjamin Sylvestersson (18/FIN, both FK Performance Motorsport), and Oskar Lind Kristensen (19/DNK) and Lachlan Robinson (21/AUS, both AVIA W&S Motorsport) in another Porsche. Laurenz Rühl (19/Friedrichsdorf) and Maximilian Tarillion (20/Vienna, both Razoon - xAutomotive Racing) came home tenth, earning BMW driver Rühl victory in the Rookie competition.
Gabriele Piana – winner for FK Performance Motorsport: “Finally our first win of the season. I was a little fortunate at first, as Marek skidded off on some liquid ahead of me. That allowed me to pass him easily and take the lead. After that, I simply pulled away at the front. I am obviously thrilled with the result.”
Berkay Besler – winner for FK Performance Motorsport: “Gabriele set it up superbly. I just had to manage the lead and enjoyed a few great laps of the beautiful Nürburgring. It was obviously important to keep an eye on the tyres. The team gave us an excellent car and we were able to maximise the result.”
Marek Böckmann – second place for Prosport Racing: “I am super happy with the result. I think that was the best we could have done, as the BMW was simply too strong today. I won the start, but then skidded on a patch of oil. However, I did manage to catch the car and then to work my way back through the field a bit. Anton then managed everything perfectly.”
Anton Paul Abée – second place for Prosport Racing: “Second place is a super result. Marek did a top job before me, but unfortunately had a bit of bad luck. When I got into the car, all I had to do was look after second place. I am mega happy. Thank you to everyone.”
