Oct 19, 2010 8:21:24 PM
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Chris Harris GT3 video: Carrera Cup qualifying lap...
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, round 9 in Hockenheim... (guest driver Chris Harris)
Stuttgart. If the final qualifying session is any indication of how the race will run, then the finale of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland will be a real thriller. In a wet qualifying with various drivers on provisional pole, René Rast (Germany) dominated on the drying track shortly before the end. The former Carrera Cup overall winner and reigning champion of the international Porsche Mobil1 Supercup snatched pole position in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Farnbacher Racing PZN with a top time of 1.43.362 minutes.
Setting the second quickest time, Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport), who ranks second in the points, held on to his chances of winning the championship. But points’ leader Nicolas Armindo (Hermes Attempto Racing) also secured a good starting position for the title race with fifth. After three wins this season, the Frenchman holds a five-point lead over the Briton heading into the ninth and final round of the series. Although Tandy has seen the flag as winner five times this year, he brought home poor results from two rounds. Should Tandy win the 22-lap sprint, Armindo would need to finish third to win the title.
Guest starters, however, cannot hold the balance of power in the gripping finale, as they are not eligible to earn points. Behind Tandy, another guest driver Jan Seyffarth (Germany, SMS Seyffarth Motorsport) posted the third quickest time. Like Rast, the former Porsche-Junior and vice-champion of the 2008 Carrera Cup contested the Supercup this year. Adding to the suspense of the situation is the fact that René Rast and Nick Tandy were arch rivals for the title in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup. Old-hand Rast eventually won there, with rookie Tandy taking home vice-championship honours.
Claiming the fourth spot on the grid, Sean Edwards again confirmed his good form this season. Having only contested seven of the nine rounds, the Briton driving for Team Deutsche Post by tolimit ranks a decent fifth in the overall classification. Taking up the race behind him on the third row is points’ leader Nicolas Armindo ahead of Christian Engelhart. Competing for MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg, the German managed to qualify in the top ten from seven sessions, but only yielded top results with two fourth places and one fifth from the races. He currently sits ninth overall in the series. For the ex-Porsche-Junior Martin Ragginger (Schnabl Engineering), seventh in qualifying was a disappointing result for the final race, after the Austrian set the fastest times of the 26-strong field during both dry free practice sessions yesterday.
Taking up the last race of the season from 18th is the youngest pilot in the field. Receiving support as a “Porsche Motorsport Talent”, youngster Ferdinand Stuck (Germany, Farnbacher Racing PZN) paid the price for his inexperience on a wet and extremely slippery track with the 450 hp Porsche. As did some guest starters...
At his Carrera Cup debut, British journalist Chris Harris posted 24th in qualifying. In the rain early on in the session he was running 15th but a journey into the gravel trap with the black VIP-Porsche put a halt to any improvements on this time...
Chris Harris demonstrates some impressive slip angles in the wet during qualifying...
Chris Harris was one of the winning trio that celebrated a sensational 13th overall at the Nürburgring 24 hour race in May at the wheel of a standard 911 GT3 RS.
René Rast (pole-sitter): “The whole qualifying went well for me. We held off a bit until the track started drying out. I was in third with my first set of tyres, but with the second set I pulled out all stops and it was enough to set pole. I’m expecting a calm race tomorrow because Nick next to me is going for the championship and I can’t take any points away from him.”
Nick Tandy (second in qualifying): “A perfect start into the weekend – I’m in front of Nicolas Armindo. It was really difficult getting a good lap in on the slippery circuit. René did the best job, I did the second best. I’m happy with that.”
Jan Seyffarth (third in qualifying): “I made the most of the situation. As a guest driver, third is not bad. I threw away the chance of a better position in the Motodrom but I could have easily won the Drift Challenge with my sideways antics. In any case, I’ll be keeping out of any trouble in the fight for the championship. It’s only fair that Nicolas and Nick fight it out amongst themselves.”
Qualifying result:
1. René Rast (D), Farnbacher Racing PZN, 1.43.362 minutes
2. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, + 0.302 seconds
3. Jan Seyffarth (D) SMS Seyffarth Motorsport, + 0.490
4. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 0.574
5. Nicolas Armindo (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 0.595
6. Christian Engelhart (D), MRS Team PZ Aschaffenburg, + 0.642
7. Martin Ragginger (A), Schnabl Engineering, + 0.979
...
24. Chris Harris (GB), Porsche Motorsport (Evo magazine)
Source: Porsche Motorsport
