Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup
Source: www.audir8cup.de
Hot battle for victory in the Audi R8 LMS sports Seyffarth Cup (Nurburgring) goes to Leonard Hoogenboom
Two victories for Hoogenboom: Round three of the Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup season that was held as part of the supporting program of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring was dominated by Leonard Hoogenboom. The Dutchman won both races on the weekend from pole position and additionally set the fastest race lap twice. In the first heat, leader of the standings Robin Rogalski and Rudolf Rhyn completed the podium lockout and in the second race, Mike Hesse finished runner-up while Rogalski came third.
Leonard Hoogenboom, who is also in the European Le Mans Series goes this season to the start, completed within the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring his second run in the Audi R8 LMS sports Seyffarth Cup - and with maximum success. The 19-year-old Dutchman secured after a thrilling duel with the one year old Tim Reiter victory and also won the extra points for pole position and the fastest race lap. Leader Robin Rogalski and Rudolf Rhyn occupied on the 4.638 kilometers long circuit layout of the Nürburgring, the second and third places.
In the first qualifying session, Leonard Hoogenboom began towards the middle of the session at the top of the standings, displacing the hitherto leading Tim Reiter in second place. Robin Rogalski and Rudolf Rhyn completed the first two rows. At the start of the first race of the weekend but Hoogenboom could not use his advantage and lost the first position to riders. Who held first place until lap two independently first and then Tom Spitzenberger Christian Wicht smashing into the barriers and were eliminated. The wrecked vehicles to clear away, the race director sends the safety car onto the track.
The neutralization was not until the twelfth round, then the buzz has been released. Reiter found himself immediately under pressure from pursuers Hoogenboom again that afforded a heated battle with the leader. Side by side they drove through some curves of the Nürburgring and touched it even until Hoogenboom finally pushed past riders. A little later, the Swabian fell due to a puncture right rear back and was ultimately considered one lap behind in eleventh.
Also, the positions behind riders and Hoogenboom was fought well in the closing stages, so that viewers were entertained. Rhyn was happy at the end on the third place Jedrzej Szczesniak, Mike Hesse and Max Zschuppe, who took sixth place his best result. Seventh Holger Harmsen was allowed to receive the trophy for Best On-pilot, he outpaced his rivals Am Tobias Seyffarth at position eight. Both starters made their debut in the Audi R8 LMS sports Seyffarth Cup in the shadow of Nürburg. Local hero Patrick Schneider and Matthias Fighting completed the top ten.
Leonard Hoogenboom: "I started from the first starting position number one but could not keep. My start was not good, but I do not know why this was so. I think this may just happen. After the restart, I had a close duel with Tim Reiter, which was hard and where we had even slightly touched us. but I think the fight was fine. "
Robin Rogalski: "Unfortunately we did not have many laps at race pace, but it was all the more exciting with lots of jockeying for position at the end. For me it was important that I came to finish ahead of Tim Reiter, Rudolf Rhyn and Jedrzej Szczesniak that this trio I consider my main rivals for the title. Leonard Hoogenboom is not a full-time starter, making it in the title race currently less dangerous for me. As such, I am happy because I gained important points. "
Rudolf Rhyn: "First of all it was a pity that the accident happened at the beginning and we had to drive so long behind the safety car. The start of the race was very tight and I came very close to the wall. I had to back off, had it lost ground, but then can repeat my positions. When the race was re-enabled after the safety car period, I was able to overtake Tim Reiter. In my view, is of course a pity that Robin Rogalski crossed the finish line ahead of me, because I'm in the standings no closer to him ran. Good, however, was that I have collected more points than Jedrzej Szczesniak and was able to at least catch up to him. "