A convincing performance by Mercedes-AMG in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup at the Hungaroring: on the penultimate race weekend of the season, the #84 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport entry with drivers Dominik Baumann (AUT) and Maximilian Buhk (GER) scored an undisputed victory in the main race. One day earlier, Felix Rosenqvist (SWE) and Tristan Vautier (FRA) had already ensured a successful start of the race weekend by finishing second with the #88 car, run by AMG Customer Sports Team AKKA ASP.
Summerly temperatures reigned at the Hungaroring, the venue of the penultimate round of the 2016 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, this weekend. In these conditions, extremely demanding for both the drivers and their equipment, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 once again were able to impress. Following second place in the qualifying race by Felix Rosenqvist/Tristan Vautier with the #88 Team AKKA ASP car, the duo’s best Blancpain Sprint Series result to date, Dominik Baumann/Maximilian Buhk went on to secure a convincing victory in the main race with the #84 Mercedes-AMG GT3 run by AMG-Team HTP Motorsport.
Main race: Baumann/Buhk with a convincing performance
Numerous overtaking manoeuvres and many position changed marked the opening lap of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup main race at the Hungaroring. Having started from second place on the grid, Tristan Vautier initially took the lead with the #88 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG GT3. After tangling with an opponent and a brief off-track excursion, he found himself in fourth place. Behind the wheel of the #84 Mercedes-AMG GT3, Maximilian Buhk was able to benefit from the position fights out in front. In a calm and collected way, the driver of the AMG-Team HTP Motorsport used the opportunities to overtake that opened up in front of him and moved up into the lead. The 23-year-old also was able to hold on to his race lead after a full course yellow early in the race. After the pit stop with driver change, Dominik Baumann built on the strong performance of his team-mate and further extended the lead. Eventually, Baumann/Buhk scored a commanding win for the AMG-Team HTP Motorsport. Rosenqvist/Vautier went on to finish fourth. A fifth-place finish for Bernd Schneider (GER) and Jules Szymkowiak (NED) with the #86 HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 rounded out the strong performance by Mercedes-AMG.
Qualifying race: second place for Rosenqvist/Vautier
In bright sunshine and with summerly temperatures, a total of 34 cars, including six Mercedes-AMG GT3, took on the qualifying race at the Hungaroring on Saturday. Felix Rosenqvist/Tristan Vautier, who had finished second after a strong recovery during the Spa 24-hour race a few weeks ago, started the one-hour race from pole position. After a good start, starting driver Rosenqvist was first going into the first corner and was able to defend his position for the remainder of his race. After the pit stop at the halfway point, his team-mate Tristan Vautier rejoined the race in second position. The Frenchman put the race leader under pressure and tried everything to claim back first place. Eventually, they crossed the finish line in second position. For Rosenqvist/Vautier, this classification was their best Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup result to date. In fourth place, the #84 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport entry with Dominik Baumann/Maximilian Buhk was the second-best Mercedes-AMG GT3, followed by the #86 HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Bernd Schneider/Jules Szymkowiak in fifth.
The situation for Mercedes-AMG prior to the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup season finale at Barcelona (ESP) on 1 and 2 October is promising. In the teams’ standings, HTP Motorsport remains in the lead. In the Pro-AM standings, AKKA ASP held on to its second place.
In the overall Blancpain GT Series drivers’ standings, Dominik Baumann and Maximilian Buhk managed to keep their title hopes alive.
Maximilian Buhk, AMG-Team HTP Motorsport #84: “All in all, my start into the main race was okay. Once the cars in front of me ran wide just after the start, I got a very good opportunity to overtake, which I was able to use. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 simply was perfect. Driving here today was great fun.”
Dominik Baumann, AMG-Team HTP Motorsport #84: “The car was incredible. A few times, I did have problems in lapping slower cars, but apart from that, it was a perfect race for us. With his strong overtaking move on the opening lap, Maximilian laid the foundation for the win we took today.”
Felix Rosenqvist, AKKA ASP #88: “Apart from the pit stop, the qualifying race was a perfect affair for us. Unfortunately, that was where we lost the seconds that we were eventually lacking for victory. For us, second place is the best result we have achieved in the Blancpain Sprint Series to date.”
Tristan Vautier, AKKA ASP #88: “This weekend, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 was incredible. It is too bad that the qualifying race was decided in the pits, rather than on track. Nevertheless, second place is the best result in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup for us so far, so from that perspective, we can be very happy with our performance. Congratulations to the winners for a great race.”