Three Seat Leon Titles for Black Falcon 03.11.2009: With Thomas Marschall’s title win already assured in Dijon, the Black Falcon team made it all perfect at the season finale at Hockenheim. The new entry in the Leon Supercopa swept the championship and runner

With Thomas Marschall’s title win already assured in Dijon, the Black Falcon team made it all perfect at the season finale at Hockenheim. The new entry in the Leon Supercopa swept the championship and runner-up titles, the team championship and the rookie ranking – a triumphant success for the Falcons.

While “Mr. Brand Cup,“ Thomas Marschall, was completely relaxed due to his uncatchable point lead as he headed into the two final races, there was still a great deal at stake for Christer Joens.  With the vice champion title within his reach, this exceptional young talent kept his nerve during practice. With a top time, the 22-year-old took the pole position and defended it during the start phase. But a short time later, the safety car set the further course of the race. A collision forced race organizers to skirt the area near the scene of the mishap. 

After his already successful start to the race, Joens was now concentrating on race control’s release of the race. The young driver managed the restart error-free as well. While Joens subsequently built up his lead in a controlled fashion, teammate Marschall, who had merely started the race in the fifth row, fought his way ahead position by position. For many of his younger colleagues, the perfection with which the now-three-time Seat champion acquitted himself was a lesson of a special sort. The 45-year-old veteran quickly found himself back with the field’s leaders. With a spectacular overtaking maneuver, he made up the last two spots separating him from Joens.

Exemplifying the course of the entire season, the Black Falcon team again drove to a double victory. The points won in the Saturday race were already enough to give the Ingelheim student the vice championship title.  Joens also claimed first place in the rookie rankings for 2009.

Even a less than perfect race on Sunday wasn’t able to diminish the great delight of the Kelberg race team.  Team chief Marc Schramm: “We came into the Cup as absolute newcomers.  In just a few races, our rivals knew they had to reckon with us.  I have to give our drivers, and, above all, our mechanics crew a great deal of praise. Everyone did a tremendous job throughout the season.”

Before the newly minted champions moved onto the season party, Thomas Marschall let the season pass in review. 

“We have achieved the maximum for having a newly formed team going into the season. My internal team duel with Christer Joens was a major challenge. I am certain that we will hear more from this young man in the future. Even if the Supercopa 2009 resulted in “just” a vice champion title for him – it did fit right in with the championship title in the VLN for 2009.

While the highly successful Seat Leon Supercopa season has come to an end within the DTM’s framework, the Falcons are heading into the last race of the 2009 season – in the form of the tenth race of the BFGoodrich Championship – this coming weekend.  With a boisterous team and championship celebration, the most successful Black Falcon season in the team’s history ends on Saturday evening.
   

Alexander Grützner,photos Thomas Urner-