Patches of the asphalt at the Red Bull Ring were still wet when the Prototype Cup Germany drivers took to the track for their final qualifying session of 2025. With mere seconds left on the clock, Keanu Al-Azhari (17/UAE, Mühlner Motorsport) moved to the top of the timing sheet and will thus start the afternoon’s race from pole position. Mattis Pluschkell (21/Elmenhorst, BWT Mücke Motorsport) took second place, ahead of Mattias Bjerre Jakobsen (18/DEN, BWT Mücke Motorsport) and Pavel Lefterov (27/BUL, Konrad Motorsport), who had already wrapped up the title ahead of the final race weekend.
Although Al-Azhari set the fastest time in the second qualifying session of his Prototype Cup Germany comeback, he did not find it easy. “It was tough to find the right balance between driving fast and not losing control of the car in the patches of the track that were still wet. At first I was still looking for that balance, but I found it towards the end and am really happy with my best lap in qualifying.”
Pluschkell had to settle for second place behind Al-Azhari. “The asphalt was slippery, which meant qualifying was not easy. However, I think I was coping well until just before the end of the session. Unfortunately, I made a mistake on my final lap, which cost me pole position. I am rally frustrated about that. However, we are still starting from the front of the grid, and our rivals for the Junior title are behind us.”
One of those rivals is the second Mücke car, which was third fastest with Jakobsen at the wheel in qualifying. Lefterov, who together with Danny Soufi (22/USA, Konrad Motorsport) has already been crowned champion in the 2025 Prototype Cup Germany, was the best-placed Ligier driver in fourth place. “That was not what I was hoping for, but I think the Duqueine chassis is simply better at the Red Bull Ring. We will still give it everything in the race; we want to end the season with a win.”
Behind Lefterov was Maxim Dirickx (21/BEL, Aust Motorsport). The Belgian, one of the drivers in contention for the Junior title, was subdued after qualifying: “Our tyre pressure was too low, which prevented the tyres from heating up. Unfortunately, our idea that the tyre temperature would be optimal towards the end of the session, when the track would largely be dry, did not work out. However, it is not over yet. Sven and I will really go for it in the race.”
In positions six to nine were Zino-Ferret Fahlke (18/Hergiswil, Konrad Motorsport), Mikkel C. Johansen (38/DEN, Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsport), Thomas Ambiel (45/Eppingen, Rinaldi Racing) and Miro Konopka (63/SVK, ARC Bratislava). The twelfth and final race of the season gets underway at 16:35 this afternoon.
