Gabriela Jilková and Robert Haub battled with their repaired Mercedes AMG-GT4 and still managed to score some points after a difficult weekend at Sachsenring. It was a weekend to forget for Victoria Froß as well; a bumpy day for both the women of the German series.
The sun greeted the morning for a new day of racing at the Sachsenring, and the second ADAC GT4 Germany qualifying session was again opening the day. Both Gabriela Jilková (Robert Haub/Team Zakspeed) and Victoria Froß (Franjo Kovac/Besagroup Racing Team) got behind the wheel of their Mercedes AMG-GT4 machines.
And it was no easy session for Jilková. "My mechanics did a great job rebuilding the car for Sunday" Gabriela told us. "I went out and came right in to have the car checked, if there are leakages for example. After I got going again, I heard a noise and came to the pits again." - she explained. "So with the time passing, the tires were were not in best conditions".
In the end, the it was a P21 to set the starting position for the second race of the weekend.
"The car was set up well after the rebuild, but the new parts need to settle a bit until they feel the same again." - continued the Czech racer. "There will be some overtaking to do in the race!" - 'Quick Gabi' tried to find the positives.
Just like on Saturday, Victoria Froß battled with a clearly flawed car and qualified in P25 with a significant margin off the leader and pole sitter Heinemann (Kronberg/W&S Motorsport), who lined up ahead of Schrey (Piana/Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport) and Jöns (Dontje/Dörr Motorsport).
Heinemann started the race from pole and immediately pulled away from the rest of the field, while Jilková made one place at the start and was able to pass other cars up to P18.
Phil Hill lost his car in the fast downhill right-hander and crashed into the tire barrier, calling out the Safety Car.
At the restart, positions were unchaged for the front runners, but Jilková had to defend her position in a battling group of four to five cars and was pushed off the track by the #98 KTM of Pavlicek (Marioneck/RTR projects). She went wide through the gravel and lost all the well-made positions, dropping back to P20. Gabriela did everything possible to make up time and Robert Haub was sent back on track in P18 after the driver change to give it all for the last half of the race.
Up front, Kronberg took over from Heinemann, as well as Piana from Schrey. Piana passed Kronberg soon after, followed by Lenerz (Dreyspring/Schubert Motorsport). But there was another duo chasing that last podium spot: coming from seventh on the grid, the second Zakspeed Mercedes of Marschalkowski/Nouet passed Kronberg first, and then also Lenerz for second. They would eventually finish behind Piana/Schrey but ahead of Lenerz/Dreyspring.
Victoria Froß and Franjo Kovac had another difficult race in their Mercedes by Besagroup Racing Team, not up to pace this weekend. They finished 23rd with a gap of three laps to the leader across the finish line.
After the driver change, Robert Haub had to face a group of cars and, on the track where overtaking is not easy at all, he again found on his way the #89 KTM. Marioneck had to give way at first, but with the +55kg additional weight on his #20 Zakspeed Mercedes, Haub lost aplace to the KTM close to the chequered flag, still finishing 16th in the second race at Sachsenring.
"It wasn´t our weekend, one of the worst this season to be honest, but we can´t wait to bounce back at Hockenheimring", Jilková said after the race on Sunday.
The duo is still 4th in the drivers' championship standings with four races and two weekends to go. Team Zakspeed leaves second in the teams' standings, with a 9 point gap to Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport.
The next round of ADAC GT4 Germany will take place at Hockenheimring, from 22nd to 24th October - in two weeks' time.
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