Carrie Schreiner takes class podium at 12H of Hockenheimring after impressive comeback

From 10 laps down overnight to a class podium: Carrie Schreiner had a charging second half of the 12H of Hockenheim to claim third in the 992 class, despite losing time for a technical issue overnight.

Photo credits: 24H Series

While the first outright victory for a female driver made headlines all over the world after the CREVENTIC Mugello 12H, female entries continued also at the following 12H of Spa and at last weekend's 12H of Hockenheimring, Germany. Reigning champion Samantha Tan missed the round due to her incredibly busy 2022 schedule across the Atlantic, but three more women featured on the entry list at Hockenheim: German racing star Carrie Schreiner, TCR specialist Jasmin Preisig and Lithuanian Ernesta Globyte, also returning to the TCR category. Schreiner joined Plusline-Racing-Team by Terting&Müskens for her home round in a 992-class entry, sharing the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup with her life partner Peter Terting, as well as Philipp Gresek and Harald Geisselhart. Carrie will also share a Mercedes AMG GT3 with Terting in the final 5 rounds of the NLS championship. Jasmin Preisig was third in TCR in Mugello, but then had a rough weekend in Spa, as the #116 Wolf-Power Racing Audi RS3 TCR hit trouble and was fourth in class, missing out on a TCR podium. The Swiss team, though, had an even tougher time at Hockenheim: starting from third in class, Preisig's teammate collided with the Maniack Racing Mercedes AMG GT4 within ten minutes to the start of the race. In the accident, a wheel was detached and a fire broke out - which caused significant damage to the gearbox. With no available spare part in location, Wolf Power Racing had no chance but to retire the #116 Audi of Preisig/Danz/Menden. Second in class at Spa Francorchamps, the GSR Motorsport VW Golf GTi TCR SEQ of Ernesta Globyte, Rokas Kvedaeas and Mindaguas Liatukas also had a troubled weekend at Hockenheim. The Lithuanian squad started from fifth in TCR but had a wheel bearing failure in Turn 3 during the first part of the race. The VW Golf was retrieved without a wheel and, after repair, could continue - albeit from 7th in class. They had further trouble in the second part of the race on Sunday, first with a left rear suspension failure, and then with gearbox gremlins that saw the #105 Golf coming to a halt on track at Turn 1. Nevertheless, Globyte and her teammates could see the chequered flag after remarkable efforts from the team's mechanics and crossed the finish line in 6th place in TCE. Thai team BBR took another flawless class win in TCR - the third of the season - when Chariya Nuya, Kantadhee Kusiri, Kantasak Kusiri and Munkong Sathienthirakul cleared the competition and gained over a lap from its nearest rival in the final stages of Saturday's first half of the race. The #159 Cupra Leon Competición TCR - run in conjunction with Monlau Competicion - had a trouble-free run on Sunday and took victory and tenth place overall, ahead of the Holmgaard Motorsport's Cupra Leon - at its first participation in the series - and the pole sitting Lestrup Audi RS3 LMS TCR. In the 992 class, Carrie Schreiner, Peter Terting, Philipp Gresek and Harald Geisselhart claimed the class pole position and Terting led comfortably in the first stages of the race. Unfortunately, a technical issue within the first hour of racing put the colorful #905 Porsche on the back foot and the Plus-Line Racing entry dropped to sixth in class. The problem required overnight intervention - which meant that Schreiner and teammates lost 10 laps as per rules. "We started from P1 into the race, after the first stint we had a technical issue with the car, that for we had to fix this issue after part 1", wrote Schreiner on Saturday evening. "Due to this reason we will not be able to fight any more for the podium", she continued, "but hopefully we can show what we are able to do today." That last sentence was about to get challenged on Sunday, when Schreiner and teammates put on an outstanding recovery to move into fourth place. When the second-placed #903 Red Ant Racing's Porsche 991 GT3 Cup of Ayrton Redant / Bert Redant / Yannick Redant came to a halt with driveshaft issues with just over an hour left on the clock, Schreiner's Plus-Line Racing by Terting&Müskens seized the opportunity and advanced to third - ultimately claiming an unexpected class podium. Schreiner will now switch her focus to the upcoming 24H of the Nurburgring. The Red Camel-Jordans Porsche driven by Ivo Breukers / Luc Breukers / Rik Breukers took its second class victory despite a puncture and finished fifth overall. At the wheel of the #904 Red Ant Racing Porsche, Philippe Wils / Tom Boonen / Sam Dejonghe were second after the sister car's retirement. Overall, it was an Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO dominant show, as the brand finished 1-2-3 in Hockenheim. The pole-sitting Car Collection Motorsport Audi of Kirchhoff, Edelhoff and Grimm completed the first half of the race in the lead, holding off the attacks of the CP Racing Mercedes during the opening hours. The battle for the win was later joined by the JUTA Racing Audi and the Phoenix Racing Audi. Starting Part 2 from fourth, it would be the Phoenix Racing outfit of Michael Doppelmayr / Pierre Kaffer / Elia Erhart / Swen Herberger to eventually claim victory, recovering from one lap down to the top step of the podium thanks to perfect driving stints and flawless pit strategy. The #18 Audi was able to defend from the Car Collection Motorsport and JUTA Racing Audis until a Code 60 which extended the leader's gap by a lap. The 24H Series will return to the track in two month's time, as Autodromo do Algarve will set the stage for the 24 Hours of Portimao on 08-10 July.

Photo credits: 24H Series