Zandvoort Early end for Jiri Janak in Zandvoort

The Sunday at the weekend for the 6th round of the Porsche Carrera Cup in the Dutch Zandvoort took a disappointing course for the Team Schnabl Engineering. In front of about 50.000 spectators the Czech had to retire from the race on the 4.307 kilometre in the dunes already in the first lap. Hannes Plesse ended up with more luck. Despite most difficult conditions the German finished the race with his Porsche on 19th Position.

"I can’t believe it. Somehow the track here in Zandvoort seems to be not one of my favourite ones. Last year I only made it to the first corner, this time my race was over after only a few curves more", Jiri Janak appeared to be disappointed after his retirement.

"Despite the wet track most of us decided to start on slicks into the race, but somehow Philipp Wlazik, the driver in front of me, didn’t cope with the difficult conditions. He got into trouble, spun right in front of my car and I had no chance to get by and avoid the contact with his car", the Schnabl Engineering Pilot described the reason for his out.

After qualifying 12th for the race in the timed session on Saturday, the Czech still felt confident. "For sure it would have gone a lot faster today. Unfortunately numerous yellow flags throughout the session as well as rain later on have prevented a better starting place for me." For the next round the 24-year-old hopes that the bad luck finally comes to an end. "It’s not a matter of the car, because we had worked out a really good setup. I simply wish to have a race without troubles now. I am sure, we than also claim some matching result."

Hannes Plesse, driving the second Porsche GT3 Cup entered by Schnabl Engineering, could primarily show a good performance on Friday. "In the first meeting, I still had a couple of problems, but in afternoon it went really fine for me. Position 16 does not really sound incredible, but I had a fault in my fastest lap which has cost me at least 3/10 of seconds. So my car is prepared quite good for the qualifying", he felt confident.

On Saturday the yellow flags and the starting rain wrecked his hopes, though. Started into the race from 26th position, the 24-year-old caught a contained beginning. On the wet track driving slicks on my Porsche, I have been careful in the first laps, but after all it was enough to finish on 19th position."

"I was very confident, that we can start the journey back home with a good result in our baggage, but it looks as if I was mistaken", Sven Schnabl was disappointed after the race. "The Qualifying was a kind of a gamble. Due to the numerous yellow flags and the rain later on, we have been out on the track for only seven laps, but even with that, Jiri Janak managed 12th position", the team manager says and goes on.

"However, in the races the bad luck still sticks at our boots. I hope we can get rid of this for the rest of the season and finally end up having a Sunday without any troubles."

1. C. Mamerow 1:42.967 min
2. M. Holzer 1:43.108 min.
3. J.Seyffarth 1:43.138 min
4. R. Rast 1:43.170 min
5. N. Armindo 1:43.342 min
12. J. Janak 1:43.981 min
26. H. Plesse 1:47.223 min

1. J. Seyffarth 28:31.417 min
2. C. Mamerow + 7.962 sek
3. R. Rast + 11.774 sek
4. U. Alzen + 13.752 sek
5. J. Hardt + 13.965 sek
19. H. Plesse + 62.057 sek -- J. Janak Ausfall

1. R. Rast 100 Points
2. C. Mamerow 92 Points
3. J. Seyffarth 76 Points
4. N. Armindo 70 Points
5. J. Hardt 62 Points
6. J. Janak 46 Points
29. H. Plesse 0 Points

Carrera Cup – Team standings

1. Herberth Motorsport 117 Points
2. MRS Team 116 Points
3. Mamerow Racing 106 Points
4. SMS Seyffarth MS 79 Points
5. ARAXA Racing 76 Points
6. UPS Porsche JT 76 Points
8. Schnabl Engineering 45 Points

13.04. Hockenheim GER
20.04. Oschersleben GER
04.05. Mugello ITA
18.05. EuroSpeedway GER
29.06. Norisring GER
13.07. Zandvoort NEL
27.07. Nürburgring GER
21.09. Barcelona ESP
26.10. Hockenheim GER

Infos about the Carrera Cup www.racecam.de  www.schnabl-engineering.de  

- Ralph Monschauer, auch Photos