Team Zakspeed from Niederzissen rose to a new challenge this past weekend: with Sebastian Asch, Luca Ludwig and Nikolaj Rogivue, the team from the Eiffel completed the three-hour final heat in the Blancpain Endurance Series and ended up in 13th place overall. However, this placement in no way reflects the actual performance of Team Zakspeed.
With the guest performance, Team Zakspeed is setting the direction for the 2017 racing sport season: next year team leader Peter Zakowski and his squad have both the Blancpain Endurance and the Sprint Series on their racing agenda. The guest performance on the Nürburgring therefore served as a dress rehearsal for the coming season.
Fastest Mercedes team in training
Last year’s championship team in the ADAC GT Masters posted surprisingly respectable results even in the first training session: with the eleventh-fastest lap time, the team nearly broke into the top ten for the first time and thereby clearly indicated it can keep pace with the leading teams in the long-distance series. The three fast Zakspeed drivers Asch, Ludwig and Rogivue picked up the pace on Saturday evening and took fifth place in the second training session – making them the fastest Mercedes team in the field.
Fog chaos during qualifying prevents top placement
Heavy fog took the Blancpain field consisting of 55 vehicles by surprise on Sunday morning. The first two qualification sessions were cancelled due to safety regulations. Only 15 minutes therefore remained to qualify for the starting position with a fast lap time. Having started on rain tyres, Team Zakspeed switched to tyres for dry conditions at top speed. Sebastian Asch posted the fastest time in the first sector of the 5.148-kilometre track, putting him on course for pole position. However, a mistake by a competitor put a premature end to the lap so Asch was unable to complete it. The result: starting position 18 for the race. “We started out quite well, the potential is definitely there,” said Asch. “Our pace was good from the outset. In training and in qualifying. Unfortunately we had to start the race in 18th place because qualifying ended early.”
Pursuit to catch up in the three-hour race
As one would expect from a successful racing team, the Zakspeed squad did not allow the qualifying result to discourage them. Luca Ludwig piloted the Mercedes AMG GT3 at the start and was able to overtake several competitors directly and was at the eighth position. “A lot was possible on the weekend, but unfortunately we were not able to realise 100 percent of that potential,” Ludwig said after the race. “Qualifying was crucial. You have to be at the front in such a large starting line-up. Major battles were fought at the start and that costs time.” In the midst of the skirmish, Bonner failed to see a yellow flag, prepared to pass and was given a drive-through penalty. He passed the wheel to Nikolaj Rogivue in ninth place after racing for an hour. The subsequent racing performance of the Swede under Swiss license was solid and convincing. First the youngster asserted himself in a battle among four drivers and then he posted the team’s fastest lap time. “I was already fast in training and was able to repeat that,” said the 20-year-old with satisfaction. “My battle against three other drivers was excellent and I am happy with the final result.”
Sebastian Asch was last to take the wheel. He was flushed down to 21st place because of the drive-through penalty but was able to fight his way ahead again quickly. After a fast-paced pursuit to catch up, he ultimately crossed the finish line in 13th place. “We started out quite well, the potential is there,” said Asch. “With better luck we would have ended up among the top five.”
Peter Zakowksi: “We performed at a high level”
Fastest Mercedes team in training, a fast-paced pursuit to catch up and 13th place notwithstanding a drive-through penalty. Team leader Peter Zakowksi proves satisfied after the racing weekend: “I am very satisfied with the weekend, notwithstanding the result. At times we were the fastest Mercedes team, and we performed at a very high level. We were unlucky with the red flag in qualifying, but that is part of motorsports. Naturally this made it clear to me that we would take some hits during the initial skirmish. The drive-through penalty was aggravating as well. Yet I have to say that I am very happy with the team and the drivers. The competition is very stiff and we were able to hold our own. We learned everything we set out to learn and feel very well prepared for next year.”