Porsche Sports Cup Suisse – Paul Ricard (E)
Southern France; sunny and warm days one would expect. But far from it; it was cold, wet, and at best, occasionally, sometimes dry. Often the track was too dry for the rain tire and too wet for slicks, so you had to choose a setup in between.
The first two days of practice were intense due to the changing conditions, but the best practice I could have asked for; and on a track like Paul Ricard you can push a bit more than on other tracks.
The conditions were similar in qualifying on Saturday. I drove the Endurance Quali with a used rain tire in these semi-wet conditions. In this lottery I finished P4, which was a good starting position for the Endurance race.
In the Sprint Quali, the track was primarily dry despite the rain, so I decided to go for slicks. The whole qualifying was an exciting fight for a hundredth of a second, and the pole constantly changed between the top 4! Exciting for the spectators, a burden for the driver. Ultimately, I could secure P2 and missed the pole by 0.09s. Front row, what a feeling!
As so often at PSCS, the sprint start was once again a false start, which was not penalized, and I did not anticipate it fast enough. So I already lost one place in T2. Due to a mistake in the middle of the race, I had to let two of my opponents go and took too long to get back into my rhythm, and had to settle for P5, which didn’t quite meet my expectations.
The Endurance was really exciting. At the start we opted for slicks, assuming that it would dry off and hold. Then, when I looked at the sky with a trained eye during the warm-up, I decided to go for rain tires because I was sure it would rain within the next 20 minutes; a wrong decision, as it turned out later. Under wet-condition, we were two laps behind the safety car before the race was released. Unfortunately, my tire pressure on the left was much too high, and so I lost valuable time.
On the one hand, the car was barely drivable; on the other hand, the temperature was not allowed to rise any further, so I had to be careful with the tires. If this wasn’t enough, the radio didn’t work anymore either, so I couldn’t exchange to the pit. After 20 minutes, the pit window saved me, and I could at least release the pressure. But the conditions were still half wet, so we stayed on rain tires; second bad decision. When the track dried even more, my time loss became bigger and bigger, so we went on slicks again shortly before the end so that I could at least secure P6 in my class.
Unfortunately, both results were below my expectations; however, I’ve made the best out of it.
As usual, a few impressions from the pitlane and the cockpit:Porsche Sports Cup Suisse 2023 – Paul Ricard
Porsche Sports Cup Suisse 2023 – Season Start in Spielberg
The season’s first race took us to the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. After FP1 in changeable conditions, we lost two stints partially -the car was uncontrollable and bobbing at high speeds on the straights and in high-speed corners. It turned out later that the axle suspension was loose, which caused this bouncing. From FP4 onwards, I could attack and was always at the front in the practice sessions. Nevertheless, my Car Chief Marco and the BSL Racing Team had to check and re-measure half the car during the night to make sure that the car was ready for the second day of practice and the race; many thanks for your tireless efforts.
In qualifying, I was a bit unlucky due to my own mistake and missed the tire peak, so I had to start from the third row in P6. As so often in Spielberg, the start was rather “special”, but the outside line in T1 up the hill proved to be the right choice, and I was able to finish the race in P3 after exciting fights with Mottet (P4), Schetty (P2) and Boga (P1) – first podium of the season!
PSCS Spielberg 2023In the second race, starting from the second row in P3, I was less lucky. Before T1, I had a rough contact with the side of the car so I was almost standing still on the inside line before T1 and lost a few places. In lap 3 in T3, there was a small, actually unspectacular, collision in which the left radiator was damaged, and I, unfortunately, had to end the race prematurely.
Of course, I’m overjoyed about the first podium, but the second race could have gone better. But the season is still long, and I am already concentrating on the next race in Le Castellet.
Link to the Onboard Video: Porsche Sports Cup Suisse 2023 – Red Bull Ring
Porsche Sports Cup Suisse – Season 2023 (E)
After a highly successful 2022 season, preparations are now underway for the 2023 season. I enjoyed drifting on the ice for three days in Arvidsjaur (Sweden). It was a lot of fun and an excellent preparation!
(drifting in Swedish Lappland)
(unforgettable evening mood)
The next stop is Mugello, where we will do the first tests. Even if my new GT4 MR doesn’t look like it yet, the Racing Team is working flat out on the cars.
We are looking forward to the new season with excitement, and I am looking forward to exciting races in the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse. It will be challenging to repeat or beat the 2022 season – we’ll give it all!
Download: Porsche Times 2023/01
Porsche Sports Cup Suisse – Final Race Misano
The last races of the Porsche Sport Cup Suisse took place in Misano. In P2 in the overall standings, behind the driver duo Greiling/Richter, my chances of winning the title were theoretical only. The duo did not only show a top performance this season but also benefited from a rule change, hopefully, valid only for this year. If a duo competes in the same car for the entire series, one driver inherits the other’s points – a rather unusual and extraordinary rule. Richter is also a professional Porsche Racing Instructor – so my chances were slim in my second season to beat the strong duo on my own, but according my principle, “Chase what seems impossible” I fought until the end. Nevertheless, the duo Greiling/Richter took many victories, always finished all races and delivered a top performance. Congratulations on the well-deserved title!
In the qualifying, I was 0.6s behind Richter on P2 of my category, which was a good starting position. Unfortunately, I was held up in the race by the more powerful GT4 MRs, which cost me a lot of time. Richter was within sight distance but still out of reach.
In the second sprint race, my start was not optimal and I also had the misfortune of a false start behind me. This car then held me up again for laps, which cost a lot of time. After I passed another GT4 MR between Greiling and me and was behind the leading Greiling, the remaining two laps were not enough to beat him – the situation of Franciacorta repeated itself, and I finished just behind him. Greiling drove in a safe position, didn’t let himself be provoked into any mistake, and deservedly took the victory. So close to victory and yet so far. Again P2 in the end and therefore P2 also in the overall ranking of the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse.
My first night-race was very interesting and intense. In the first laps, we (with my instructor and teammate Tommy Kiefer) were in the second position until two car contacts forced me to the pits and later to retire. Both accidents were absolutely unnecessary, but that’s racing. The front right control arm broke after a little more than an hour, and we’re lucky that nothing more happened. The experience was terrific; at night, you seem to be in a world of your own in the vehicle.
A successful second season lies behind me, behind us. At 12 races, I was 10 times on the podium, except for the night race no accidents, just minor damage, and a lot of luck. A big thanks to the whole BSL Racing Team, which has shown a top performance, and my Car Chiefs Patrick Schäuble, Justin Hermann and Marco Muster for their tireless efforts. Big thanks also to Max Peckel and “Hagi” Philipp Hagnauer as team leader, our various sponsors, and Isabelle and Lorenz Nef as team principal.
Last but not least, my instructor trio Yannick Mettler, Mark Wallenwein, and Tommy Kiefer, accompanied me throughout the season and brought me to this level in the first place. We were a good team and will be again next season; it is a privilege for me to work with such experts on that level.
Press Release Porsche Schweiz (in German): Racing Report Misano 2022
Press Release Porsche Centre Basel (in German): Rollercoaster ride, night races and trophies in Misano
Porsche Sports Cup Suisse – Dijon Race (E)
The battle for overall victory in the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse continued this weekend in Dijon with two sprint races. After changeable conditions, we had to drive the qualifying in the rain, where I still had to get used to it. Unfortunately, the setup was not optimal, and I found myself in the rear midfield on P12 overall. After a successful start and the fight through the field, I was allowed to finish the race on P2 in my class. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of time in the midfield, so I didn’t quite make it to the front. In the second race, then a bad start; a turtle start, as we say, whole story again. Also this race I was allowed to finish on P2. What a series: 8 races, 6 podiums. It remains exciting in the championship!
- Race report BSL Racing Team : Rainaction in Mugello
- Media release Porsche Switzerland: Porsche Sports Cup Suisse
Porsche Sports Cup Suisse – Mugello Race (E)
What a weekend, what new experience! After I spent Thursday and Friday between vehicle, toilet, and bed with a violent gastrointestinal infection (top support from Dr. Jean-Daniel Etter, THANK YOU!), in the sprint race already, P2 could celebrate, the Endurance Race was on. Torrential rain in my first rain race… The race was then also marked by longer safety car phases and the one or the other accident. With a good portion of luck, I was able to finish the Endurance on P2 in my category, behind my teammate Pierre, who deserved to win (he loves to drive in the rain as he says). Big thanks to the whole Porsche Basel Racing Team (we got 6 out of 8 possible podiums this weekend), to my coach Tommy Kiefer and to my chief Marco Muster! You are the best!
- Race report BSL Racing Team : Rainaction in Mugello
- Media release Porsche Switzerland: Porsche Sports Cup Suisse
