With fourth place, Audi Sport Team Car Collection’s #22 just missed a podium finish at the 24h race at the Nürburgring. The sister car of Team Lionspeed by Car Collection with #24, which was already on the podium in the qualifying race three weeks ago, finished shortly behind in sixth place. For the #23 from Team Lionspeed by Car Collection, a good fourth place in the PRO-AM class and a 13th overall place were recorded in the end.
The three Audi R8 LMS evo II GT3 cars entered by Car Collection Motorsport completed the qualifying sessions without any problems, so that the whole team could prepare perfectly for the big race. Before that, however, the top-20 individual time trial on Friday evening was on the agenda, for which all three cars had already qualified in advance thanks to their good performances in the first races of the season. Christopher Haase in the #22 put in a brilliant performance on the Eifel asphalt and finished fourth as the best Audi driver. The #24 finished eleventh on the grid, while the #23 competing in the PRO-AM class was to start the 24-hour race from 19th place.
Already in the starting phase it became clear that full throttle was the order of the day for the entire field right from the start this year as well. Christopher Haase, who drove the start in the #22, was able to stay in the leading group from fourth on the grid despite fierce battles. The same was achieved by the drivers of the sister cars, who also got through the first hours without any problems. Even during the night, when many of the favorites stumbled, all of the Car Collection drivers held their own.
Until a few hours before the end, the #22 from Audi Team Car Collection was within podium range when a time penalty for a speeding offense dropped the driver quartet back to fifth place. The four Audi Sport drivers Christopher Haase, Nico Müller, Patric Niederhauser and René Rast gave everything to fight for a podium position after all. In several rain showers the strategists proved to have a good hand as well and always put on the right tires. Shortly before the end, Haase experienced another moment of shock when an opponent went off into the guardrails directly in front of him, almost taking the Car Collection Audi with him. Haase saved the situation confidently and continued to attack. However, another time penalty of over 30 seconds sealed the fate of the #22. Despite great driving effort, the driver crew just missed the podium and crossed the finish line in fourth place.
The #24 from Team Lionspeed by Car Collection initially held steady in the top 20. In the course of the race, the drivers Patrick Kolb, Mattia Drudi, Christopher Mies and Patric Niederhauser made up position after position and were able to work their way deep into the top 10. Especially in the last third of the race, the drivers fought their way to the front with strong performances and flawless drives and finished sixth in the end.
The #23, also entered under Lionspeed by Car Collection, competed in the PRO-AM class. Except for a minor technical problem during a pit stop, which cost some time, the race went smoothly for this car as well. Against strong competition in the class, the driver crew consisting of Dennis Fetzer, Klaus Koch, Dennis Marschall and Simon Reicher held their ground in the top 5. In contrast to some competitors, the drivers remained faultless even in difficult track conditions and thus secured fourth place in the PRO-AM class in the end.
Foto Credits: Christopher Otto, 1Vier