At the second race weekend of the season of TCR Germany, 24-year-old Jessica Bäckman kept momentum after her outstanding season opener and came home with a perfect weekend from the Red Bull Ring: two wins in two races. While it was not easy to come out in front in both races, the Swede was in a league of her own!
It really was a perfect weekend for Swedish race car driver Jessica Bäckman (ROJA Motorsport by ASL Lichtblau) at the second race event of the season at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
The weekend started strong with the free practice sessions in which Bäckman scored 3rd place and 1st place. She was already able to confirm her pace from the first round in April, when she took victory at Oschersleben.
In the Austrian qualifying, Bäckman scored 2nd place for the first race on Saturday evening. Due to mechanical issues, the pole-sitting driver Jonas Karklys (NordPass) had to start the race from the back of the grid and Jessica Bäckman was thus promoted to Pole Position and led the race at lights out.
Sadly, the start of the race went a bit too well for Bäckman, who jumped the start and was under investigation. She would receive a 5 second penalty that made her race a real thriller.
"I made it a little too exciting on Saturday, I was very focused on making a good start but then it became a little too good. Then I had to do everything in my power to try to pull away, but not easy on a track like Red Bull Ring where both brakes and tires take a beating early", Bäckman said.
And she did pull away. She managed to increase her lead and was able to cross the finish line with an amazing 7.6 lead. Minus the 5 second penalty, Bäckman was still 2.6 seconds ahead of the field, which meant she took her second victory of the season.
"When I then heard on the radio that I won I was in shock, such an amazing feeling“, Jessica Bäckman said.
Karklys - who started the race from the last row - managed to overtake 6 cars right at the start and finished in an impressive fifth place.
On Sunday, Bäckman started from fourth place, behind Martin Andersen (LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler), Szymon Ladniak (LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler) and Jonas Karklys, who was back on pole position.
Bäckman had once again a very good getaway, defended her position and caught up more and more to the top three. It was such a tight fight that the top four were only separated by milliseconds in the final stages of the race.
Due to a collision for Martin Andersen and his teammate Szymon Ladniak with only three laps to go, Bäckman was able to pass both and move into the lead, securing the second victory of the weekend.
"Race 2 on Sunday was tough to say the least, it was warmer in the air and warmer on the track and I had early problems with the brakes that got overheated, so I had to cool them on the straights", Jessica explained.
"I did everything in my power to get past my competitors, and understood that the last laps would be crucial, which they were. To be able to cross the finish line as a winner for the second race in a row just felt amazing", Bäckman said.
Robin Jahr, Jessica Bäckman‘s teammate, also had a really good race on Sunday. He started in 6th position, was able to keep up the pace and took advantage from the problems and mistakes of his competitors. He made the most of his chances and drove to second place, securing himself a spot on the podium. Adding to Jessica's double win- it truly was a fantastic weekend for the team.
With two wins this weekend, Jessica Bäckman has now claimed victories in three out of four races this year. She is also the first woman in TCR Germany's history to win two races and, to conclude the weekend, she is now in second place in the championship standings, only one point behind the leader Martin Andersen, who finished Sunday's race in 3rd position.
"In addition, a perfect weekend for the whole team, as we are now in the championship lead in the team championship", she added.
Jessica Bäckman and the ADAC TCR Germany will be back on track on 17th to 19th of June at the Salzburgring in Austria, where she hopefully will be able to continue the winning streak.
