This past weekend, Wolfgang Kaufmann competed in his season’s second marathon twice round the clock for modern cars, after the 24 Hours at the Nürburgring. With his team mates Nicolas D’iteren, Lionel Catala, Laurent Lalmand, and Pierre Lalmand he drove a Porsche 996 GT3 Cup for team Scuderia M66 from Aachen.
As early as the free practice sessions, the quintet made its presence felt at the head of the GT-2 class. In qualifying, Kaufmann only took part in one of the three timed sessions, his best lap being a 1.39,69mins. This was good enough for pole position in class and 6th position overall on the 49 car grid. „It was a great success for the team“, Kaufmann rejoiced, „our 996 is somewhat less powerful, and of course older than the other teams‘ Porsche 997s, but it is superbly prepared. To qualify this far up a field this strong is fantastic!“
Kaufmann got the initial race stint done while it was still dry, and kept that class lead. However, looming rain clouds in the distance made the team call an early pit stop and change to rain tyres. Only minutes later, the rain came down and confirmed the team’s tactical decision. During his second stint behind the wheel of the Scuderia M66 Porsche, Kaufmann went speed-boating round the track and fought his way back into the Top 10. “we lost a bit of time at the first stops, as the refuelling is not done by the team, but by marshals at conventional fuel pumps, and our pump simply shut itself down a few times.”
With the rain increasing in intensity in this early phase of the race, race control finally sent out the Safety Car: “It was absolutely the right decision”, commented Kaufmann, “standing water was high on a few sections of the track, the car immediately started aquaplaning.”
Following his long double stint, his team mates took the wheel, before the professional from Westerwald got back in the cockpit during the early morning hours. This time the tyre situation called for the opposite decision. Kaufmann began his stint on rain tyres, then changed back to slicks at his next stop. Lap times kept dropping and times during the night hours, he was the fastest man on the 4 kilometer long track.
Sunday saw the team hold station among the Top 10, and reliably going the distance. Right at the end they lost a position due to a necessary fuel stop, but Kaufmann’s team mate D’ieteren managed to get the spot back on the very last lap, and take the flag in 6th place overall, and as winner of the GT-2 class.
“Cars and drivers were perfectly reliable over the whole race distance”, Kaufmann summed up, “we had no unscheduled repairs, just refuelling, tyre changes, and a change of the front brake pads. None of us found the gravel trap, it was perfect teamwork! I am tremendously happy for the team in what was its first participation in a modern endurance race. They are experienced historic racers, and led us to success with a lot of fun but also very professional work.”
Kaufmann will follow up this away game within less than 14 days with a home game at the Nordschleife – a return to the VLN with the newly rebuilt Porsche 997 KR of Team Porsche Kremer Racing.