Race 10
“My first victory, and in the 400th Carrera Cup race – I’m at a loss for words,” said Alexander Tauscher, struggling to contain his emotions. Tackling the race from pole position, the 22-year-old from Bavaria won the sprint to the first corner against his Dutch teammate Larry ten Voorde. He continued to pull away from the field seemingly effortlessly and extended his lead to just under three seconds. Then, on the 16th of 21 laps, he made a braking error. “That immediately prompted flashbacks to Saturday’s race, when I lost a podium result due to a similar mistake,” recalled Tauscher. This time, however, the slip-up did not end in the gravel and only cost him about a second.
Larry ten Voorde had his work cut out for him. The reigning Carrera Cup champion had to fend off his Dutch compatriot Robert de Haan throughout the race. Several of the 18-year-old’s attempts to overtake failed – with ten Voorde backing off at just the right moment to avoid contact. “I had to have eyes in the back of my head today and that helped,” joked the 27-year-old. “Without that, neither of us would’ve made it to the finish line.” In the final phase of the race, ten Voorde held back and settled for a second-place finish. “Alexander really deserved the win: he was fastest in qualifying and controlled the race,” he said in praise of his younger teammate, whom he also supports as a coach.
Harry King, the winner of Saturday’s race at the Nürburgring, crossed the finish line behind Robert de Haan. The British Allied-Racing driver outpaced Janne Stiak from northern Germany, who drives for Team75 Bernhard, and Frenchman Marvin Klein from the Target Competition squad in the chasing pack. This result increased King’s gap to championship leader Larry ten Voorde to 24 points. Robert de Haan has moved up the rankings to now sit third overall, winning the Rookie classification in a repeat of yesterday’s result. Dutchman Flynt Schuring (Proton Huber Competition) and German Colin Bönighausen (CarTech Motorsport) rounded out the Carrera Cup Rookie podium.
Among the ProAm drivers, championship leader Sören Spreng (GP Elite) did not finish. Michael Essmann secured victory ahead of his CarTech Motorsport teammate Kai Pfister and guest driver Angelo Fontana (EST1 Racing) from Venezuela. “That makes the second half of the season really exciting again,” said a delighted Essmann, who slashed the gap to Spreng to ten points.
“With two very diverse races, the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland managed to provide a silver lining for the spectators at the Nürburgring who experienced less-than-ideal weather. Congratulations to Alexander Tauscher on his maiden victory in our one-make cup. The title duel between Larry ten Voorde and Harry King is intensifying even more. In any case, all signs point to some suspenseful racing for our next two races at the Sachsenring,” commented Thorsten Rückert, Project Manager Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland.
The Sachsenring hosts rounds eleven and twelve of the one-make cup season with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup on the weekend of 6 to 8 September 2024.
Award ceremony for the “Azubi-Challenge 2024” at the Nürburgring
The winners of the “Azubi-Challenge 2024” were honoured during the Nürburgring races of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland. In this competition, apprentices from 57 German Porsche Centres were pitted against each other. They mastered tasks they set themselves, ranging from the restoration of a historic Porsche to a concept for recruiting new trainees.
Six winning teams from Porsche Germany’s sales regions experienced the motorsport atmosphere up close at the Nürburgring. Almost 40 apprentices received their winners’ trophies from Karsten Sohns (Chief Financial Officer Porsche Germany), Hurui Issak (Regional After Sales Manager) and Salvatore Lumia (Manager After Sales Strategy & Sales).
Result race 10, Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland, Nürburgring (D)
1. Alexander Tauscher (D/Proton Huber Competition), 21 laps
2. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Proton Huber Competition), +1.351 seconds
3. Robert de Haan (NL/Team75 Bernhard), +3.713 seconds
4. Harry King (UK/Allied-Racing), +7.059 seconds
5. Janne Stiak (D/Team75 Bernhard), +7.912 seconds
6. Marvin Klein (F/Target Competition), +8.782 seconds
Drivers’ standings (after 10 of 16 races)
1. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Proton Huber Competition), 193 points
2. Harry King (UK/Allied-Racing), 169 points
3. Robert de Haan (NL/Team75 Bernhard), 127 points
Full results and championship standings:
motorsports.porsche.com/germany/de/category/carreracup/psccd-2024-results
Race 9
The Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland thrilled spectators at the Nürburgring with an eventful race from the first to the very last lap. Driving for the Allied-Racing team, Harry King won the ninth round of the one-make cup season with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. The 23-year-old Englishman raced following the mantra: When two people quarrel, the third rejoices.
For the majority of the 19-lap race, Larry ten Voorde from the Proton Huber Competition team and Robert de Haan, driving for Team75 Bernhard, battled for the lead. The two Dutchmen exchanged positions several times – not always without some contact involved.
On lap 15, Harry King capitalised on one of those moments and snatched the lead. He held his position until the chequered flag and clinched his third win of the season. “For some laps, I got stuck in fourth place behind Alexander Tauscher. It wasn’t until he retired that I got closer to Larry and Robert. When I saw the opportunity, I went for it,” summarised King.
“We definitely put on a great show for the fans. The fact that I couldn’t convert my pole position into a win is obviously less than ideal. But I’ll do all I can to win from third on the grid on Sunday,” said Larry ten Voorde looking ahead to the second Nürburgring race. He now lies only 17 points ahead of his British pursuer in the overall standings.
Bad luck hit Alexander Tauscher, who had maintained third place for more than half of the race. In the midst of the turmoil, the 22-year-old Bavarian ran over a bollard and damaged the front splitter of Proton Huber Competition’s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. As a consequence, he lost downforce on the front axle. “Because I didn’t realise the extent of the damage, the front wheels locked up when I braked for the next corner and I slid into the gravel trap,” reported Tauscher.
As a result, third place finally went to Robert de Haan. “I was in the lead, then in second place, dropped back to fourth and ultimately finished third – it was a rollercoaster of a race today,” said the Dutchman from Team75 Bernhard. With this, he secured victory in the Rookie classification.
The final phase of the race was also unfortunate for Flynt Schuring. One week after his 18th birthday, the Dutchman briefly found himself in third place at his guest start for the Proton Huber Competition team. “On the last lap, I hit some gravel on the racing line. I lost positions in the final few metres, which is frustrating,” he said. Nonetheless, he still managed to secure a second-place result in the Rookie classification ahead of German Colin Bönighausen (CarTech Motorsport).
With his sixth season victory in the ProAm classification, Sören Spreng (GP Elite) extended his lead in the standings. The businessman from Germany had started the race from the 14th position – his strongest qualifying result to date. “Unfortunately, I lost that position on the very first lap when I got squeezed by two other cars,” said the 38-year-old. “But despite the bent steering, I managed to hold onto the top spot in the ProAm classification – that’s the most important thing.” With Spreng, the two CarTech Motorsport drivers Michael Essmann and Kai Pfister climbed onto the ProAm podium.
“A super exciting race – that was the Carrera Cup as its best. It was impressive how the race organisers kept their perspective over this turbulent race. Congratulations to Harry King on his victory,” commented Karsten Sohns, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Porsche Deutschland. He witnessed the race from the Race Control and presented the winners’ trophies.
Winners of the “Azubi Challenge” visit the Nürburgring
With the ‘Azubi Challenge’, the German Porsche Centres promote the commitment of their trainees. The interns set themselves tasks that they then solved themselves. Teams from 57 Porsche Centres participated in the ‘2024 Azubi Challenge’. The winning teams from Porsche Deutschland’s six sales regions visited the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland at the Nürburgring this weekend and presented their projects in the paddock.
The talented youngsters also got a glimpse behind the scenes of a racing team at Manthey Racing, multi-time winner of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and technical partner of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland. As passengers in Porsche, they experienced the track from the cockpit and celebrated Harry King’s victory in the ninth race of the one-make cup season with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
Rain forecast for the tenth race of the season on Sunday
Race ten of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland season will also take place at the Nürburgring tomorrow, Sunday (18 August 2024). Rain has been forecast for the start time at 11:20 am. This could work in favour of championship leader Larry ten Voorde: The Dutchman celebrated an impressive victory in the pouring rain last season. Alexander Tauscher, Saturday’s unlucky driver, will start the race from pole position.
Result race 9, Nürburgring (D)
1. Harry King (UK/Allied-Racing), 19 laps
2. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Proton Huber Competition), +1.732 seconds
3. Robert de Haan (NL/Team75 Bernhard), +3.311 seconds
4. Theo Oeverhaus (D/Bonk Motorsport), +4.067 seconds
5. Flynt Schuring (NL/Proton Huber Competition), +4.369 seconds
6. Ariel Levi (IL/Uniserver by Team GP Elite), +5.358 seconds
Drivers’ standings (after 9 of 16 races)
1. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Proton Huber Competition), 173 points
2. Harry King (UK/Allied-Racing), 156 points
3. Theo Oeverhaus (D/Bonk Motorsport), 114 points
Full results and championship standings:
motorsports.porsche.com/germany/de/category/carreracup/psccd-2024-results
Preview
With the summer break now over, the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland launches into the second half of the season this weekend (16 to 18 August 2024). The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars will line up on the Nürburgring to contest races nine and ten of the season, which will again be held as part of the DTM support programme.
Dutchman Larry ten Voorde travels to the Eifel as the series leader. The reigning champion competes for the German team Proton Huber Competition. His closest rival is Harry King from Allied Racing. At the halfway point of the season, the Englishman sits 32 points behind ten Voorde. Third place is occupied by Germany’s Theo Oeverhaus, driving for the Bonk Motorsport team.
“The last two races in Budapest were less than ideal for me,” recalls Larry ten Voorde, who had to settle for second and sixth place coming off the back of three consecutive victories at the Hungaroring. “But my team and I will do everything to return to our former strength.” History is on his side: in the 2023 season, the three-time champion celebrated two victories on the Nürburgring.
Two newcomers to the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland won at the previous doubleheader event in Budapest: Frenchman Marvin Klein from the Italian Target Competition team and the Dutch driver for the Uniserver by Team GP Elite, Kas Haverkort. As a two-time champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup France, Klein no longer fulfils the criteria to be classified as a rookie in the German one-make cup. The 25-year-old currently occupies fifth place in the drivers’ standings. Haverkort, who is five years younger and has switched from single-seater racing to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, on the other hand, leads the standings for Carrera Cup rookies.
In the ProAm classification, German Sören Spreng from GP Elite heads to the Nürburgring weekend as the overall leader. Proton Huber Competition ranks first in the team standings.
“Following the summer break, drivers and teams travel to the Nürburgring with their batteries recharged. What’s more, the weather in the Eifel often has a couple of surprises in store. In any case, I’m looking forward to two thrilling races to kick off the second half of the season,” says Thorsten Rückert, the new Project Manager of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Winners of the “Azubi Challenge” experience Porsche racing first hand
Over the past few months, Porsche Deutschland has once again organised the “Azubi Challenge”. Particularly committed apprentices from around 60 Porsche Centres throughout Germany have mastered various challenges. The tasks they set themselves ranged from the restoration of a classic Porsche 924 to the artistic design of an original Porsche spare part.
The more than 50 winners of the “Azubi Challenge 2024” are guests of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Germany as part of the DTM race at the Nürburgring. Their programme includes rides in a Porsche on the race track and a visit to Manthey Racing, multiple winner of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and technical partner of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland. The trainee teams also compete against each other in the pitstop competition, which is all about speed when changing tyres. They also experience the races of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Germany and the DTM live.
Nürburgring
In its original layout, the Nürburgring, which opened in 1927, measured around 28 kilometres. Ex-Formula 1 driver Jackie Stewart gave the extremely demanding undulating track in the shadow of the Nürburg castle its distinctive nickname; “Green Hell.” Since its reconstruction in 1984, the former “mountain, race and test track” has been divided into the modern Grand Prix circuit and the historic Nordschleife. The two are combined for the 24-hour race, for example, making it the longest permanent race track in the world.
The Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland holds its races on a variant of the Grand Prix Circuit: The so-called short loop reduces each lap to 3.629 kilometres.
The Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland on the internet
Fans can follow all the races live on YouTube. The Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland channel provides English commentary. Aside from the race weekends, fans and media representatives can also stay up-to-date on the one-make cup via the social networks Instagram (@CarreraCupDe) and X (@CarreraCupDe).
Schedule Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland
Round 5, Nürburgring, Nürburg (Germany)
Friday, 16 August
12:10 – 13:10 hrs Practice
17:25 – 18:00 hrs Qualifying
Saturday, 17 August
11:20 hrs Race 9 (30 minutes plus 1 lap)
Sunday, 18 August
11:20 hrs Race 10 (30 minutes plus 1 lap)
Overall standings Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland (after 8 of 16 races)
1. Larry ten Voorde (NL, Proton Huber Competition), 163 points
2. Harry King (UK, Allied-Racing), 131 points
3. Theo Oeverhaus (D, Bonk Motorsport), 101 points
4. Robert de Haan (NL, Team75 Bernhard), 95 points
5. Marvin Klein (F, Target Competition), 79 points
Full results and championship standings:
motorsports.porsche.com/germany/de/category/carreracup/psccd-2024-results
2024 Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland calendar
19 – 21 April: Imola (I), FIA World Endurance Championship WEC
26 – 28 April: Oschersleben (D), DTM
7 – 9 June: Zandvoort (NL), DTM
21 – 23 June: Budapest (HU), International GT Open Championship
16 – 18 August: Nürburgring (D), DTM
6 – 8 September: Sachsenring (D), DTM
27 – 29 September: Red-Bull-Ring, Spielberg (A), DTM
18 – 20 October: Hockenheimring (D), DTM