Nicki Thiim wins on the Norisring, Porsche Junior Cairoli on second 27.06.2015: Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, race 6, Norisring The Nuremberg’s Norisring became the stage for Nicki Thiim (KÜS

Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, race 6, Norisring




The Nuremberg’s Norisring became the stage for Nicki Thiim (KÜS Team 75 Bernhard): on Saturday the 26-year-old Dane won the sixth of 17 races on this year’s Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland calendar. “Twenty-six years ago my father won the DTM race on the Norisring, now I’m proud that I’ve done it in a Porsche.


On every single lap you have to concentrate 110 percent, because if you make a mistake on this circuit you pay dearly. It’s simply fantastic to win on this race track,” said Thiim. Positions two and three went to Porsche Junior Matteo Cairoli (I/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1) and the current leader of the championship Philipp Eng (A/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1).


Thiim, who competes for Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard’s team, took up the race from pole position in his 460 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Cairoli lined up alongside him on the first grid row. Both pilots away cleanly at the start and held tight to their top positions.


 Thiim, as a seasoned specialist, drove his race unperturbed to cross the line first, with 19-year-old Cairoli calmly fending off the opposition with a faultless performance to bring home second place. “I’m totally happy with my first podium in the German Carrera Cup. It can continue like this,” said the youngster who came to the German brand trophy series as the reigning champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Italia.


Starting from the fourth grid spot, Eng at first became entangled in the start melee on the narrow circuit and lost one place. The 25 year old, however, waited for his chance and worked his way up into third. “Matteo and I achieved a super result for the Project 1 team with two podium places.


The car ran beautifully and I posted the fastest race lap. Plus I extended by championship lead,” explained Eng. Porsche Junior Connor de Phillippi (USA/Land-Motorsport) eventually had to let the Austrian pass, but fourth place for the 22-year-old American still earned him valuable points towards the championship.


“Thanks to my good start I managed to go from fifth to third. But unfortunately I then experienced gearshifting problems. It’s a shame to be on course for a podium result and then to finish in fourth,” said de Phillippi.


Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing) saw the flag as fifth after 26 laps ahead of Jeffrey Schmidt (Lechner Racing Middle East) from Switzerland. Alex Riberas (The Heart of Racing by Lechner) from Spain took the flag in seventh, relegating Michael Ammermüller (D/The Heart of Racing by Lechner) and Porsche Junior Sven Müller (D/Lechner Racing Middle East) to positions eight and nine.


 “In the really tight corners I damaged the front side of the car which made it harder to drive afterwards. On Sunday I start from fourth and I’d like to use that as a starting point to get ahead,” explained Müller.


Just how strong the field is in this year’s Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland is underlined by the fact that from four race weekends, four different winners have emerged as winners.


Engelhart won both races at the Hockenheim season-opening weekend, victory on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife went to Porsche Junior Müller, Eng claimed both victories at the Lausitzring and now at the Norisring it was Thiim’s turn. In the overall standings Eng leads with 96 points, ahead of Schmidt (76 points) and Riberas (71 points).


Race seven of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland takes off on Sunday at 12.25 hours on the Norisring in Nuremberg.




Result race 6:

1. Nicki Thiim (DK/KÜS Team 75 Bernhard)
2. Matteo Cairoli (I/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1)
3. Philipp Eng (A/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1)
4. Connor de Phillippi (USA/Land-Motorsport)
5. Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing),
6. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Lechner Racing Middle East)
7. Alex Riberas (E/The Heart of Racing by Lechner)
8. Michael Ammermüller (D/The Heart of Racing by Lechner)
9. Sven Müller (D/Lechner Racing Middle East)
10. Robert Renauer (D/Herberth Motorsport)



Points’ standings after 6 of 17 races:

Driver classification

1. Philipp Eng (A/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1), 96 points
2. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Lechner Racing Middle East), 76 points
3. Alex Riberas (E/The Heart of Racing by Lechner), 71 points
4. Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing), 69 points
5. Michael Ammermüller (D/The Heart of Racing by Lechner), 65 points



Rookie classification

1. Richard Charles Goddard (AUS/TECE MRS-Racing), 8 points
2. Pepe Massot (E/KÜS Team 75 Bernhard), 5 points
3. Alexander Toril (E/Market Leader Team by Project 1), 3 points



Amateur classification

1. Wolf Nathan (NL/Land-Motorsport), 104 points
2. Rolf Ineichen (CH/Konrad Motorsport), 100 points
3. Ralf Bohn (D/Herberth Motorsport), 70 points




Team classification

1. Team Deutsche Post by Project 1, 146 points
2. The Heart of Racing by Lechner, 136 points
3. Lechner Racing Middle East, 123 points




Oliver Hilger- photos Porsche