Phoenix Racing Press Release
Phoenix Racing’s home race and
finale of the Blancpain-Endurance-Series (BES) at the Nürburgring ended for
Phoenix Racing with tenth place for the #6 Audi R8 LMS ultra with the Swiss
Harold Primat, Briton Oliver Jarvis and the German Christopher Haase.
As a result, Phoenix Racing was the best placed Audi team. Team Boss Ernst Moser was, however, dissatisfied because the second Phoenix-Audi, the #16 R8 with the Belgians Enzo Ide and Anthony Kumpen and the German Markus Winkelhock, finished the six-hour race 17 minutes before the checkered flag due to a gearbox defect.
As a result, Phoenix Racing was the best placed Audi team. Team Boss Ernst Moser was, however, dissatisfied because the second Phoenix-Audi, the #16 R8 with the Belgians Enzo Ide and Anthony Kumpen and the German Markus Winkelhock, finished the six-hour race 17 minutes before the checkered flag due to a gearbox defect.
“Without the retirement, we would have had both cars in the top ten,
the best car in fifth place. That would have been okay,” said Ernst Moser. “The
balance of performance has indeed been adjusted, it is better but still isn’t
enough to be able to aim for the podium.”
The big Blancpain-Endurance finale – the 1000-kilometer race at the
Nürburgring – started very promisingly for Phoenix as both R8 cars ranked
around the top ten during free practice and in pre qualifying. The
disappointment followed when the fight for grid positions began: 19th position
for the #16 Ide/Kumpen/Winkelhock and 28th position for the #6
Primat/Jarvis/Haase. Markus Winkelhock: “In free practice we were among the
quickest, but in qualifying I had a lot of traffic on my first attempt and in
the second attempt I didn’t put a lap together. Two tenths faster and we would
have been sixth instead of 18th. The championship is incredibly close.”
Christopher Haase had a similar experience: “I knew that a position in the top
ten was possible. I started my run late, but just couldn’t find a clear lap.”
Under the watchful gaze of Miguel Molina, Audi DTM driver for Audi
Sport Team Phoenix, it was Markus Winkelhock in the red-white R8 LMS ultra who
made a particularly good start and immediately slipped into the top ten. “The
start was really good, but the Audi’s top speed is still not good enough, so
that several cars overtook me again on the straight.” Nevertheless, the #16
gradually made its way up the leader board and after two of the six hours the
trio held seventh position. “Before I returned to the pits after my second
stint we were even leading for a while,” reported Winkelhock. A top five
position was within reach, as the gearbox temperature started to climb. As a
result, Enzo Ide, who drove the final stint, was fighting with his hands tied
behind his back, and could eventually no longer change gear and parked the Audi
in the pits 17 minutes before the checkered flag. “Everybody did a great job
since we moved up from 19th to fifth place. My first stint was really good, in
the second stint the gearbox broke at the end. These things happen – that’s
racing,” said the Belgian. His compatriot Anthony Kumpen was obviously
disappointed. “That was really bad luck, especially as our pace was really okay
in the race.” Markus Winkelhock’ summary: “A great shame for the team to lose a
top five finish just before the end of the race. And a shame that there were
not more spectators at the Nürburgring to watch this fabulous race with a
unique field of 50 GT3 cars. They missed something really special.”
Starting from 28th on the grid, the road to the front was even further
for the second Phoenix R8. “The start was difficult; you really had to be
careful in this extremely packed field. I think I made up about ten positions,
but overtaking is only possible with great risk. And then on the straights we
are too slow and lose one or two places again.” After an hour, the #6 held 18th
position, after three hours tenth place. Primat/Jarvis/Haase ran as high as
eighth place. Having to change brake pads, however, cost valuable time even
though the team completed the job in record time. “Furthermore, after steering
wheel was misaligned after contact with another car and the car didn’t handle
so well afterwards,” said Christopher Haase. The black-white Primland R8
finally crossed the finish line in tenth place and ninth in the Pro Class after
six hours of racing. “We knew that we were faced with a tough race from 28th on
the grid. The better balance of performance didn’t really gives bring us a step
forward. We did our best and managed to finish in the top ten in the end. It’s
okay that we were the best Audi as a result.” Oliver Jarvis saw things the
same: “That was a hard job. The team did a fantastic job, the pit stops were excellent
and when all is said and done the result is good when you take into account the
circumstances. The best Audi in tenth position – need I say more? The rules
made our life very difficult.”
“All the drivers and the entire team did an excellent job. We made up
time thanks to our strategy and fast pit stops, the team deserve huge credit
for this,” said Team Boss Ernst Moser after the BES finale. “2013 was not,
however, Audi’s year in the Blancpain Endurance Series. There are such years,
but the cards are shuffled again for 2014 and then I hope that we can fight
again on a level playing field for podium places.”
Photo credit: Phoenix Racing
