Only at the very last of 17 races of this season’s Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland could Kévin Estre (Attempto Racing) finally take home the title. On the Hockenheimring in pouring rain, his win ahead of Christian Engelhart (D/Konrad Motorsport) and Alex Riberas (E/Attempto Racing powered by Motorvision) earned him the decisive points. Estre is now the new champion, who can look back on an impressive season with nine victories. “Winning the Carrera Cup Deutschland is a dream come true for me. This is my third championship title in a race car and by far my most treasured,” stated the beaming Estre after receiving the championship trophy from Matthias Müller, the Chairman of the Board at Porsche AG.
For the season finale, Estre had posted pole position in his 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup which is based on the legendary 911 GT3 RS street model. His closest pursuer Engelhart shared the front grid row with him. Despite the adverse weather conditions, Estre made a clean start and enjoyed a relatively calm race up until the tenth lap. At that time, however, the safety car was deployed when Connor de Phillippi (USA/Förch Racing by Lukas Motorsport), who ranked second at times, spun from the track and out of contention. This allowed the pursuers to close the almost nine-second gap that Estre had built up. But the 24-year-old kept his cool and got the jump in a brilliant restart. Engelhart was no longer able to maintain contact, and Estre swept to his first title in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Porsche junior Alex Riberas also gave a brilliant performance. After he had already underlined his potential with pole position on the Nürburgring, the youngster sealed a podium spot at the season finale with third place, making it the best result of his career by now. “Third place under such conditions is great. I’m really thrilled about my first podium in the Porsche Carrera Cup,” explained the Spaniard. His junior colleague De Phillippi, who had taken off from the third grid spot, pulled clear of Engelhart at the start, only for 20-year-old American to bury his hopes of his first podium result in the gravel trap: “The track was unbelievably slippery. I simply couldn’t hold on to it. I’m so annoyed. But basically I’m pleased with my first season in the GT car. I would now like to build on these results.”
De Phillippi won the rookie classification as the best newcomer to the series with 116 points ahead of Jeffrey Schmidt (105 points) and Riberas (85 points). Already on Saturday, Rolf Ineichen (CH/Konrad Motorsport) had claimed the title in the B-classification with 284 points. Second went to Dominic Jöst (D/Attempto Racing, 225) in front of Wolf Nathan (NL/FE Racing by Land-Motorsport, 195). Victory of the team classification goes to Attempto Racing with 468 points followed by Konrad Motorsport (328) and Förch Racing by Lukas Motorsport (259).
In 2014, the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland will be contested with the new 911 GT3 Cup based on the 991 model, which was already fielded in this year’s Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Next season, the Carrera Cup celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Result race 17:
1. Kévin Estre (F/Attempto Racing)2. Christian Engelhart (D/Konrad Motorsport)
3. Alex Riberas (E/Attempto Racing powered by Motorvision), 69
4. Nicki Thiim (DK/Attempto Racing)
5. Jaap van Lagen (NL/FE Racing by Land-Motorsport)
6. Philipp Eng (A/Logiplus MRS-Racing)
7. Norbert Siedler (A/Aust Motorsport)
8. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1)
9. Pieter Schothorst (NL/Team Bleekemolen)
10. Bas Schothorst (NL/Team Bleekemolen)
Points’ standings after 17 of 17 races:
Driver classification
1. Kévin Estre (F/Attempto Racing), 249 points
2. Christian Engelhart (D/Konrad Motorsport), 239
3. Nicki Thiim (DK/Attempto Racing), 217
4. Norbert Siedler (A/Aust Motorsport), 167
5. Philipp Eng (A/Logiplus MRS-Racing), 166
6. Sean Edwards (GB/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1), 162
7. Jaap van Lagen (NL/FE Racing by Land-Motorsport), 159
8. Robert Lukas (PL/Förch Racing by Lukas Motorsport), 134
9. Connor de Phillippi (USA/Förch Racing by Lukas Motorsport), 116
10. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1), 105
Amateur classification
1. Rolf Ineichen (CH/Konrad Motorsport), 284
2. Dominic Jöst (D/Attempto Racing), 225
3. Wolf Nathan (NL/FE Racing by Land-Motorsport), 195
4. Daniel Allemann (CH/Team GT 3 Kasko), 188
5. Thomas Langer (D/Highspeed Racing), 166
Rookie classification
1. Connor de Phillippi (USA/Förch Racing by Lukas Motorsport), 116
2. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1), 105
3. Alex Riberas (E/Attempto Racing powered by Motorvision), 85
4. Pieter Schothorst (NL/Team Bleekemolen), 79
5. Fabien Thuner (CH/Attempto Racing powered by Motorvision), 55
Team classification
1. Attempto Racing, 468
2. Konrad Motorsport, 328
3. Förch Racing By Lukas Motorsport 1, 259
