Tag: GP2

Report: Qualifying Brno

Ingo Gerstl (Toro Rosso STR1)

Ingo Gerstl heats up to the unofficial lap record in the Automotodrom with over 200 km/h average speed. Salvatore De Plano was the fastest FORMULA pilot on his return to BOSS GP.

Sixth qualifying, sixth pole position: Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) is on his way to the next championship title. The fact that he doesn’t slow down despite his dominance is proven by the qualifying best time of 1:35.155 min. Since the engagement of tyre supplier Pirelli the lap records have tumbled, but a possible new track record (1:36.065; Ingo Gerstl last year) only counts during the race.

In addition to Gerstl, Phil Stratford (USA, Penn Elcom Racing) will start the 20-minute first race from the front row this afternoon (starting time: 14:50 local time) in the 1997 Benetton. Wolfgang Jaksch (DEU, F Xtreme Racing) in the Super Aguri had to start in Q2 once again, but still managed a strong time despite traffic. In the race a duel for 2nd place with Stratford is quite possible.

Salvatore De Plano (MM International)

Salvatore De Plano (MM International)

 

Salvatore De Plano (ITA, MM International) makes his racing comeback after a five-month break and has lost nothing of his speed. The fast Italian with a time of 1:45.751 is only three tenths behind the slowest OPEN car. Florian Schnitzenbaumer (DEU, Top Speed) is the leader of the FORMULA standings. Schnitzenbaumer qualified ahead of his fiercest competitor for the title Andreas Fiedler (DEU, Fiedler Racing). Bernd Herndlhofer (AUT, H&A Racing) is a former BOSS GP champion De Plano and the two Germans. A thrilling four-fold fight for the podium places in the FORMULA is to be expected for the races.

Veronika Cicha (H&A Racing)

Veronika Cicha (H&A Racing)

 

The two Speed Center drivers Christian Eicke and Peter Göllner will follow in positions 8 and 9. Local Veronika Cicha made it into the Top Ten. Nicolas Matile (MCO, ZIG-ZAG) finished behind her. Like his team mate Marc Faggionato (no time in qualifying due to clutch damage), he also participates in a BOSS GP weekend for the first time this year.

Nicolas Matile (ZIG-ZAG)

Nicolas Matile (ZIG-ZAG) and Bernd Herndlhofer (H&A Racing)

 

The fast and technically demanding track in the Czech Republic claimed its victims in qualifying, with Armando Mangini, Walter Steding, Nicolas Matile and others spinning. However, all drivers were able to continue the qualifying without damage.

 

Pictures: Michael Jurtin/BOSS GP

Full racing line-up: BOSS GP in Brno

Fastest woman in BOSS GP

At the Masaryk Racing Days almost everything that has wheels is on the track. The main event in the Czech Republic are the Big Open Single Seaters.

With a track length of 5.403 kilometres, Brno is the longest challenge in the BOSS GP 2018 racing calendar. The track is most famous for the MotoGP Grand Prix every year, nevertheless the track is also popular for drivers in Monoposti. On the one hand, it offers many smooth and fast corners that alternate with a technically demanding part, and on the other it is one of the safest race tracks on the calendar. Engine power is also important at the penultimate stop of the BOSS GP 2018, as the Czech roller coaster (9 right and 6 left turns) climbs steeply in the last third of the track.

Salvatore De Plano is back on track

Salvatore De Plano is back on the track in Brno

 

The fastest boys and girls
Ingo Gerstl (Top Speed) holds the lap record on the largest Czech racetrack. The Austrian and three-time BOSS GP champion drove round the track last year in only 1:36.065 min, faster than any other driver in the 30 years since the opening of the circuit. Gerstl (Toro Rosso STR1, 3 litres, 10-cylinder Cosworth) could already secure his third consecutive OPEN title in Brno: If he scores four points more than his opponent Phil Stratford (Penn Elcom Racing), he will already be champion before the final in Spielberg (21-23 September 2018). The US-American Stratford delivers consistently good performances this year and makes hardly any mistakes. The technique of his Benetton B197 (4 litres, 10-cylinder Judd) works better and better, which increases the driving pleasure and extends the driving time.

As third starter in the faster OPEN class Wolfgang Jaksch drives a Super Aguri SA06 (3 litres, 10-cylinder Cosworth). The German with Swiss license was the only one who could win a race this year except Gerstl. However, several retirements in the championship threw him far back, good individual placings are now the goal.

In the FORMULA class all eyes are on Veronika Cicha (H&A Racing). The Czech racer is currently the only woman in the BOSS GP and most recently took her first podium in Assen. The former hill climb racer has been driving in the BOSS GP since 2015, and many guests will support the Czech at her home race.

The FORMULA is also about the championship and a possible preliminary decision. 34 points separate leader Florian Schnitzenbaumer (Top Speed) from rival Andreas Fielder (Fiedler Racing). Both had a DNF at the last event in the Netherlands. Everything is still undecided, 25 points are awarded for a victory, four races are still on the calendar.

You should also keep an eye out for the comeback of Salvatore De Plano (MM International). In the first race of the season he injured himself in an accident in the fight for victory. After a long-forced break, the fast Italian is back in the race car. Marc Faggionato and Nicolas Matile (both ZIG-ZAG Motorsport Service) are also back after a long BOSS GP break. Matile starts with a Lola-Zytec from the Auto GP, making him the only non-GP2 pilot.

Masaryk Racing Days in Brno 2017.

Brno has produced many good BOSS GP races throughout the last years

 

Masaryk Racing Days: Quite busy
The race days in September are the second largest circuit racing event in the Czech Republic after the Motorcycle Grand Prix. In addition to the headliner BOSS GP, other racing series will run from Thursday to Sunday: FIA Central Europe Zone for sports cars, touring cars and formula cars, ESET V4 Cup with TCR, Suzuki Swift Cup Europe, Chevrolet Cruze Eurocup, Renault Twingo Cup and various historic racing classes (HAIGO).

The weekend ticket costs 300 Czech crowns (=13 Euro), at the entrances to the race track there are ticket counters. Children under 14 and seniors over 67 have free entry. The BOSS GP cars are in the pits between 2-11, Andreas Fiedler is placed behind them in the paddock.

 

Timetable: BOSS GP at Masaryk Racing Days

Friday, September 7, 2018

11:35–12:05: Free Practice 1
16:00–16:25: Free Practice 2

Saturday, September 8,2018

10:00–10:30: Qualifying
14:50–15:25: Race 1 (distance: 20 minutes)

Sunday, September 9, 2018

12:15–12:50: Race 2 (distance: 20 minutes)

 

Participants: BOSS GP

The OPEN class is for type Formula 1 car built from 1997, Champ Car and IndyCar built from 1997. Engine is free; numbers from 1 to 99.

Starting No.
Name Team Nat. Car
1 Ingo Gerstl Top Speed AUT Toro Rosso STR1
7 Phil Stratford Penn Elcom Racing USA Benetton B197
26 Wolfgang Jaksch F Xtreme Racing Team DEU Super Aguri SA06

 

FORMULA is open to GP2/Formula 2, GP3 (13/16), Auto GP, A1GP, Formula Acceleration 1, Superleague Formula, World Series by Renault, World Series by Nissan, F3000 cars build from 2002. Only the original engine is allowed, organisation committee can make an exception in the classification of a car according to the performance data of the car; Numbers from 100 to 999.

Starting No.
Name Team Nat. Car
100 Thomas Jakoubek Top Speed AUT Dallara GP2
101 Peter Göllner Speed Center SUI Dallara GP2
116 Nicolas Matile ZIG-ZAG Motorsport Service MCO Lola Auto GP
129 Marc Faggionato ZIG-ZAG Motorsport Service MCO Dallara GP2
221 Bernd Herndlhofer H&A Racing AUT Dallara GP2
222 Veronika Cicha H&A Racing CZE Dallara GP2
321 Andreas Fiedler Fiedler Racing DEU Dallara GP2
323 Armando Mangini MM International ITA Dallara GP2
505 Walter Steding Inter Europol Competition DEU Dallara GP2
555 Christian Eicke Speed Center SUI Dallara GP2
888 Florian Schnitzenbaumer Top Speed DEU Dallara GP2
999 Salvatore De Plano MM International ITA Dallara GP2

 

Photos: Michael Kavena/BOSS GP

Report: Race 2 Monza

This race was not for the faint-hearted: Wolfgang Jaksch (Super Aguri) wins surprisingly, in the FORMULA classification Armando Mangini (Dallara GP2) still wins today.

It took six races until Ingo Gerstl (Top Speed) was not on the podium of the OPEN classification for the first time this year: Wolfgang Jaksch (F Xtreme Racing) is the big surprise winner of the second race day in Monza. The German won his second BOSS GP race after Assen in 2017.

Right at the start, the German benefited from an unfortunate manoeuvre by the pilots in front of him. While Jaksch overtook Armando Mangini (MM International) at the start, the first three of the starting group headed for the first corner: Ingo Gerstl was the first to turn into the Prima variante, but the Toro Rosso was hit by Phil Stratford‘s Benetton (Penn Elcom Racing). Stratford had to avoid Rinus van Kalmthout (Mansell Motorsport) when braking. The Dutchman had made a mistake with cold brakes – the chain reaction led to the retirement of Ingo Gerstl (rear right puncture) and Phil Stratford (broken snout).


Starting incident with Gerstl, Stratford, Van Kalmthout andJaksch

After two laps behind the safety car Van Kalmthout overtook the leader Jaksch. The duels behind were Florian Schnitzenbaumer (Top Speed) against Andreas Fiedler (Fiedler Racing) and David Moretti (Griffith’s). Once again the race was interrupted by a mistake of Christian Eicke (Speed Center). He had parked his WSbR-Dallara in the gravel bed of the Variante Ascari.

When the race was resumed, Van Kalmthout, who was in 1st place, entered the pits. He parked his car a little later. Jaksch took the lead after the bad luck of the last races and days. The later winner caused a moment of shock only once when he grazed the gravel at the end of the second Lesmo curve.

10 minutes before the end of the 25-minute race Andreas Fiedler crashed into the rear of his front man Florian Schnitzenbaumer. Schnitzenbaumer spun into the gravel bed, Fiedler hit the tyre stacks of the Ascari variant frontally. The German could not get out on his own and had to be brought to the Medical Center in an ambulance. According to initial information, he hurt his back. We wish him all the best!

 

OPEN:

  1. Wolfgang JAKSCH (SUI) Super Aguri FA SA06 Cosworth 9 Laps
  2. Rinus van Kalmthout (NED) Dallara GP2 Judd + 3 Laps

Fastest lap: Rinus VAN KALMTHOUT – 1:37.058 min

FORMULA:

  1. Armando MANGINI (ITA) Dallara GP2 Mecachrome 9 Laps
  2. Marco GHIOTTO (ITA) Dallara GP2 Mecachrome + 0.452 sec
  3. David MORETTI (FRA) Dallara GP2 Mecachrome + 1.054 sec

Fastest lap: Marco GHIOTTO – 1:39.693 min

While Wolfgang Jaksch won the OPEN class, two Italians won the two biggest trophies in the FORMULA class: Armando Mangini was victorious ahead of Marco Ghiotto. Ghiotto, yesterday’s winner of the FORMULA class, stopped at the pre-start. The Italian started from the pits and was the last to follow the field, he benefited from the retirements in the race. David Moretti was ranked third, the Frenchman was on the BOSS GP podium for the first time. Walter Steding (Inter Europol Competition) finished fourth in the FORMULA classification ahead of Veronica Cicha (H&A Racing). “Piter” also scored many points on his first visit to Monza in sixth place. Wolfgang Jordan‘s race was unlucky: The German spun in the warm-up lap and was thrown away. Karl-Heinz Becker (Becker Motorsport) had his first problem-free race weekend of the year in mind. Shortly before the end of the Red Flag race, however, he rolled out.

Quotes after the race:

OPEN winner Wolfgang Jaksch: “I let Rinus pass because he was pushing. The plan was to hang on to him and maybe because I have a little more power, I can pass him in the last lap. I had a good pace today, felt much better in the car than yesterday. Once I got into gravel, it was brutal, but luckily I still caught the car. I wanted to win the race today. Hats off to Ingo (Gerstl, note) yesterday. “What times he’s able to set is sensational.”

FORMULA winner Armando Mangini: “That was Grande Casino today. I don’t even know how I got through it.”

 

The next race of the BOSS GP 2018 will be the highlight of the season. For the first time, the BOSS GP will be part of the Formula 1 World Championship. 25 BOSS GP cars are expected for Hockenheim (July 20 to 22).

Photos: Michael Kavena/BOSS GP

Weekend for speed freaks: BOSS GP in Monza

Speed is not only a term here, but it can be felt – so is the danger. In the Royal Park of Monza, the BOSS GP is once again making a stop this weekend, in the best weather and with excellent food.

Third stop: through the park
The Big Open Single Seaters are coming after Hockenheim and Spielberg on another traditional race track: the Monza Eni Circuit, as the track has recently been called, was an uninterrupted part of the BOSS GP Series from 2011 to 2016. This year the track is back as headliner of the Peroni Race Weekend.

Autodromo Nazionale Monza: Temple of Speed
The 5.793-kilometre circuit in the Royal Park of Monza is one of the most impressive racing facilities in the world. It is one of the last high-speed tracks in the world and one of the most challenging tracks in Europe for drivers.

Located just 15 minutes by car northeast of Milan, it is located in the metropolitan area of Italy’s second largest city. Many drivers and fans combine their visit with an excursion to the city centre and to nearby Lake Garda.

The 688 hectare park (twice as large as Central Park in New York, by the way) has been the home of the Autodromo since 1922. After Brooklands and Indianapolis, the circuit was the only third permanent racetrack in history built specifically for motorsport. The steep curves of those days still exist today and are a popular visitor point.

 

Hans Laub in his 1996 Forti will start again in this year's edition of the Monza race

Hans Laub in his 1996 Forti will start again in this year’s edition of the Monza race

 

Participants: BOSS GP
The unchallenged OPEN class leader Ingo Gerstl (Top Speed) will face competition from Rinus van Kalmthout. The 17-year-old Dutchman contests the Indy Lights series in the USA. In the Dallara-GP2, equipped with a Judd engine (8 cylinders, 4 litres displacement), he wants to collect more kilometers in a powerful racing car in Monza. Already last year he showed extraordinary performances. Wolfgang Jaksch will also be back. The German didn’t get his Super Aguri running at Hockenheim, but now everything is supposed to work for Monza. At the last second Hans Laub also announced a Formula 1 car for the OPEN. With the Forti FG 03 the German has a rare racer from 1996 under his butt.

Start-No.
Name Team Nat. Car
1 Ingo Gerstl Top Speed AUT Toro Rosso STR1
7 Phil Stratford Penn Elcom Racing USA Benetton B197
11 Rinus van Kalmthout Mansell Motorsport NED Dallara GP2 Judd
22 Hans Laub Speed Center DEU Forti FG 03
26 Wolfgang Jaksch F Xtreme Racing Team DEU Super Aguri 06

12 starters are registered in the FORMULA class, among them some returners: Wolfgang Jordan and the two Italians David Moretti and Marco Ghiotto. For FORMULA leader Florian Schnitzenbaumer, Andreas Fiedler could be the most dangerous in the absence of Bianca Steiner, Johann Ledermair and Salvatore De Plano. Armando Mangini is the third Italian to compete in the home race.

Start-No.
Name Team Nat. Car
100 Thomas Jakoubek Top Speed AUT Dallara GP2
105 Wolfgang Jordan H&A Racing DEU Dallara GP2
111 “Piter” Ray-Ban FRA Dallara WSbR
150 David Moretti Griffith’s ITA Dallara GP2
210 Marco Ghiotto Ghiotto ITA Dallara GP2
222 Veronica Cicha H&A Racing CZE Dallara GP2
321 Andreas Fiedler Fiedler Racing DEU Dallara GP2
323 Armando Mangini MM International ITA Dallara GP2
411 Karl-Heinz Becker Becker Motorsport DEU Dallara WsbN
505 Walter Steding Inter Europol Competition DEU Dallara GP2
555 Christian Eicke Speed Center SUI Dallara GP2
888 Florian Schnitzenbaumer Top Speed DEU Dallara GP2

 

Monza is not only interesting because of the Autodromo

Monza is not only interesting because of the Autodromo

 

Timetable: BOSS GP at Peroni Race Festival

Friday, 29 July 2018

10:40–11:10: Free Practice 1
16:15–16:45: Free Practice 2

Saturday, 30 June 2018

10:35–11:05: Qualifying
16:40–17:00: Race 1

Sunday, 1 July 2018

11:30–11:55: Race 2

 

Free entry and open paddock
Peroni has become the very heart of Italian motorsport. The bustling organisers of the Gruppo Peroni Race thus also attract a large number of spectators to the race track. Free admission during the three days of racing in Monza is a special offer. You can visit the paddock to get a rare insight into the work of the teams. There is a free choice of seats in the stands. If teams grant access, the boxes may also be viewed. The BOSS GP teams are in the garages with numbers 51 to 60, Andreas Fiedler (Dallara-GP2) pitched his tent in the paddock again, at the same level as the other BOSS GP teams in the paddock. Parking for motorcycles costs 5 Euro, for cars 10 Euro. Access is Viale Vedano 5 in Monza.

Other racing series on this race weekend are the German sports car series DMV GTC, the Northern European Formula Renault 2.0 and the Renault Clio Cup Italy. Historic cars compete in the Campionato Italiano Auto Storiche, the Alfa Revival Cup and the FIA Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior cars. All in all, a mix of jewellery from the recent and older motorsport past worth seeing.

Report: Race 2 Hockenheim

Man of the Race: Andreas Fiedler

At almost 30 degrees Celsius hot duels at the Hockenheimring were obligatory: Gerstl wins the OPEN class confidently, Schnitzenbaumer the FORMULA class.

The chronology of the race:

Preliminary start: 13 drivers and two female drivers entered the second race of the weekend, which demanded everything from both the drivers and the Pirelli tyres. The Austrian Thomas Jakoubek (Top Speed) did not participate like yesterday, Salvatore de Plano had to stay in hospital overnight after his crash in race one. The Italian had injured his back, but is on the road to recovery. Bernd Herndlhofer (H&A) and Wolfgang Jaksch (F Xtreme Racing Team) had already retired before qualifying, so there were only two starters left in the top class.

Start: From the start Ingo Gerstl set the pace. 1:25.5 min at the beginning of the race proved that there is nothing to win here for Phil Stratford in his Benetton. Gerstl said after the race: “I wanted to show at the beginning what I could do.” They stayed within a six-second margin for the whole race, at the end Gerstl crossed the finish line three seconds ahead. Stratford was pleased with Gerstl’s pace: “I’m happy to follow and feel the air turbulences, the aerodynamics, when I can drive so close to Ingo’s Toro Rosso”.

Lap 1: John Reaks had to brake across the grass, but the Briton could continue and finish last, four laps behind the leaders.

Florian Schnitzenbaumer (Top Speed), yesterday’s FORMULA winner, had less work today. His equal opponent de Plano was missing, so the German set the pace in the smaller class. Armando Mangini was able to keep up with Schnitzenbaumer’s speed for a while, driving 1:21 times – the Italian did not have the consistency of the German, even though Schnitzenbaumer’s shoulder hurt: “In the middle of the race I felt uncomfortable due an old operation”.

Manfred Loach wanted to bring a good result home today after retiring early yesterday due to an increased oil temperature. After a bad start the Austrian fought his way forward place by place.

Lap 2: “Piter” in the white Dallara from the World Series had to fight with the same difficulties as yesterday. Twice he stopped after the slowest part of the course, accelerating out of the hairpin – twice he was able to continue. But after four laps he drove into the pits.

The man of the race was German Andreas Fiedler in GP2, who started from 10th place and passed FORMULA driver Bianca Steiner, who had previously finished third, who was targeting on a podium as she did yesterday. A self-error led to a spin in the first race, today she made no mistakes and finished 4th in the FORMULA. “We had too much tyre pressure. At the end of the race I come closer again on Andreas. One more lap, maybe then …” Fiedler thus reached his first podium. The German with the GP2-Dallara machine became third FORMULA driver behind Schnitzenbaumer and Mangini.

Lap 6: Veronika Cicha got stuck in fourth gear, on the approach to the hairpin with almost 200 km/h. She touched the tyre bundles with her nose, but was not injured.

Lap 7: Shortly afterwards Peter Göllner parked his car in turn 2-3. The marshals worked quickly, so the safety car was able to stay in the pits today.

Last lap: Loach bets 8th in the fight to attack Walter Steding (Inter Europol Competition) and spun. It was the last retirement of the race. Karl-Heinz Becker finished seventh and the almost 75-year-old achieved a sensational result.

The results of the second race of BOSS GP 2018:

OPEN

  1. Gerstl
  2. Stratford

FORMULA

  1. Schnitzenbaumer
  2. Mangini
  3. Fiedler
  4. Steiner
  5. Becker
  6. Steding
  7. Eicke
  8. Kindler
  9. Loach
  10. Reaks

Report: Qualifying Hockenheim

Not surprisingly, the Austrian Ingo Gerstl takes pole position. De Plano and Schnitzenbaumer in the FORMULA only seperated by two hundredths of a second.

OPEN:
Only two of the four registered cars could start into qualifying today: Ingo Gerstl in his Toro Rosso and Phil Stratford in the Benetton, which the technicians managed to repair overnight. Bernd Herndlhofer and Wolfgang Jaksch had to pack their cars yesterday.

With 1:25.2 min Stratford improved his times in comparison to the previous day noticeably, against the ten years younger STR1-Cosworth of Gerstl of course no cure grew. The Austrian managed to finish under 1:20 with 1:19.664 min.

 

Phil Stratford's Benetton is repaired and back on track

Phil Stratford’s Benetton is repaired and back on track

FORMULA:
This is where the music plays, especially when it comes to the excitement of the race: The fastest times were set by the drivers in Qualifying 1, which is reserved for the five fastest drivers from yesterday’s practice. Florian Schnitzenbaumer in the Dallara-GP2 of Top Speed led until shortly before the end of the only eight-minute session. Salvatore de Plano, who set the best time in the first free practice yesterday, beat the German in the penultimate lap and improved his time from 1:29 to 1:27.9 min. Only two hundredths of a second separated the two FORMULA pilots. De Plano was annoyed about a mistake in the first flying lap in the braking of the second corner, which almost cost him his pole. Schnitzenbaumer expects a close race between the two GP2 drivers.

Armando Mangini (MM International) is already in third place in the FORMULA class by far, but still very satisfied. On the track at Hockenheim, which he did not like, the Italian managed to get a good starting position for the first race this afternoon.

The second qualifying group was disturbed by interruptions. Martin Kindler stopped in the Mercedes Arena, a wheel nut had come loose – the car was towed away.

Shortly after the release Manfred Loach and Andreas Fiedler collided in the warm-up lap. Understandably Fiedler ran badly into the top speed pits. Loach damaged his front wing and also had to park his car at the side of the track, so the fast Austrian only starts from 13 at his BOSS GP debut; Fiedler has to start far more back from 16. Bianca Steiner (Top Speed) did a better job, she came close to the FORMULA front runners; behind de Plano, Schnitzenbaumer and Mangini she is fourth in the FORMULA class.

Best non-GP2 of the FORMULA racers was Karl-Heinz Becker, who got his red Worldseries car ready right before the qualification and will start later as tenth.

The first race starts today at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Race 2 starts Sunday at 13:20.

Right before they collide: Manfred Loach in front of Andreas Fiedler

Right before they collide: Manfred Loach in front of Andreas Fiedler

Report: Free Practice 2 Hockenheim

John Reaks and "Piter" in their World Series cars

Ingo Gerstl (Top Speed) was fastest in his V10-Toro-Rosso for the second time; Florian Schnitzenbaumer was first in FORMULA this afternoon.

The victory in the OPEN class leads – this is to be expected – over BOSS GP champion Ingo Gerstl, also because of the struggeling competitors:

  • Bernd Herndlhofer already had to have his Arrows A22 packed, after yesterday on the day of testing everything was still running smoothly, today nothing worked at all. Troubleshooting will continue at home and another attempt will be made at the second race at the Red Bull Ring (18-20 May).
  • Wolfgang Jaksch is still hopeful to participate in the qualifying tomorrow (10:35 a.m. local time). The Super Aguri Cosworth suffers from heart disease, at least the fuel pump could be brought meanwhile to run.
  • The fourth entered in the OPEN class, Phil Stratford (Penn Elcom Racing), was just ahead of the first FORMULA driver with 1:30.621 min. After he stopped in the morning, the mechanics continue to search for the cause in the afternoon.
Ingo Gerstl fastest in his Toro Rosso

Ingo Gerstl twice fastest in training on Friday at Hockenheim

 

  • With only one interruption, the BOSS GP came through the afternoon session. Bianca Steiner (Top Speed) spun at the branch of the new track, but with the help of the marshals she could continue.
  • The Frenchman “Piter” improved his time by three seconds compared to the morning (1:34.5 min) – despite a performance deficit compared to the GP2-Mecachrome he keeps up well with his World Series Renault.
  • Andreas Fiedler (Fiedler Racing) complained that the track “gives less” than last year. But with 7th place he is right in the middle of the very close FORMULA field. Only two and a half seconds lie between positions 4 and 9. Considering that some were still on the road with old tyres today, the most excitement can be expected here.
  • The fastest FORMULA pilot of the morning Salvatore de Plano (MM International) had to miss the second session. Increased engine oil temperature prevented the car from leaving the pits. Instead, Florian Schnitzenbaumer was fastest in Dallara-GP2, with 1:30.922 he was almost seven seconds behind his team mate Gerstl’s Formula 1.
  • Last, but happy was John Reaks at Speed Center. At 68, the Briton is second oldest in the field and for the first time at Hockenheim: “You learn lap by lap”, he said after the training. The fastest man of the team from Germany was Peter Göllner in 7th place.
  • Karl-Heinz Becker from Germany would also have liked to learn, but the engine did make that impossible. His engineer was contacted in Japan – but so far he could not help by remote control either.

Pictures of today’s practice sessions available here:

Hockenheim Historic 2018

Report: Free Practice 1 Hockenheim

Salvatore de Plano war schnellster FORMULA-Fahrer

Ingo Gerstl (Top Speed) set the best time in his Toro Rosso STR1, Salvatore de Plano (MM International) in his GP2 was the fastest FORMULA driver.

25 minutes of practice were on the schedule, but some red-flag interruptions shortened the driving time in the first free practice session. Due to the tight schedule, the clock continues to tick even during a red flag.

  • Salvatore de Plano sets the first time under 1 minute 30 seconds. In the end the Italian from MM International was second fastest behind Gerstl, and with 1:29.158 the fastest FORMULA pilot. “One second faster is possible”, last year’s runner-up said after the first practice session.
  • Phil Stratfords Benetton B197 stranded in the middle of the session in the hairpin bend, the mechanics suspect problems with the battery. Previously, he had finished second in the FORMULA classification.
  • H&A Racing and F Xtreme Racing are very busy: Both Wolfgang Jaksch‘s Super Aguri and Bernd Herndlhofer‘s Arrows had to visit the pit after only a few laps due to technical difficulties. Veronika Cicha was the only one in the team who could do a normal training – but she complained about the used tyres.
  • At Top Speed all eyes are on the three rookies: Manfred Loach completed fewer laps than planned, the red flags also stopped him – the Austrian could continue after a spin.
    Bianca Steiner came through the training without a spin, she came 5th in the FORMULA class and is considered an insider tip for the races.
    Debutant Thomas Jakoubek spun in his first lap at the Motodrom, at the end of the penultimate corner. After the engine stalled, the Austrian had to get out and the car was towed away.
  • The Swiss Peter Göllner (Speed Center) spun just after tipping the throttle in the hairpin bend and his GP2-Dallara also had to be towed away. Three minutes before the end, the session was released again after the second interruption.
  • The fastest driver of the morning session was Ingo Gerstl (Top Speed) with 1:22.122 min. His newly revised V10 engine was only tried for the first time yesterday on the race track.

Ready for the ninth season: The BOSS GP 2018

Europes fastest racing series starts into an exciting year next weekend at the Jim Clark Revival at Hockenheimring with 19 starters.

First stop: classic meets modern
The season for the Big Open Single Seater begins traditionally at Hockenheim in Southern Germany. Next weekend (April 20-22), two races of the spectacular BOSS GP are scheduled in a setting that could hardly be more beautiful: Bosch Hockenheim Historic, in honour of Jim Clark, who died in Hockenheim on April 7, 1968, attracts tens of thousands to the Hockenheimring every year. Jim Clark’s 50th anniversary of his death is commemorated this year with numerous exhibitions and special tours commemorating the Formula 1 legend. In addition, more than 500 cars from all classes and epochs will gather in the Motodrom. Open doors await the spectators everywhere, as the ticket includes free access to the paddock, the exhibition pavilion, the pit roof and the pits themselves.

Podium of race 2 of the OPEN class in Hockenheim.

2017 podium in Hockenheim: f.l. Stratford, race winner Gerstl, Jaksch

 

Entries: BOSS GP
Four Formula 1 cars are listed, all of them eligible to compete in the OPEN Class: BOSS GP Champion Ingo Gerstl from Austria with the very first F1 Toro Rosso, the American Phil Stratford in the light blue and white Benetton from 1997, Bernd Herndlhofer (Austria) with Arrows A22 and the German entrepreneur Wolfgang Jaksch in the popular Super Aguri. There is no engine capacity limit in the open class – ‘anything goes’ is the motto here.

Starting No
Name Team Nat. Car
1 Ingo Gerstl Top Speed AUT Toro Rosso STR1
7 Phil Stratford Penn Elcom Racing USA Benetton B197
21 Bernd Herndlhofer H&A Racing AUT Arrows A22
26 Wolfgang Jaksch F-Xtreme Racing Team GER Super Aguri SA06

15 cars are competing for points in the FORMULA Class, which has a maximum engine capacity of 4.2 litres: Four World Series racing cars and eleven GP2 racing cars complete the field of participants at Hockenheim, including the GP2 cars from the three BOSS GP rookies Bianca Steiner, Thomas Jakoubek and Manfred Loach from Austria. Loach’s racing machine is probably the most striking car in the field – the Dallara is painted in pink due to the sponsor.

Manfred Loach im pink-lackierten GP2-Dallara beim Vorsaison-Test in Brünn

Pink Panther: Manfred Loach in Brno for the first test in his eye-catching Dallara GP2

In addition to Jaksch, four more Germans will race at this first BOSS GP race weekend 2018: Karl-Heinz Becker, Florian Schnitzenbaumer, Andreas Fiedler and Walter Steding.

Starting No Name Team Nat. Car
100 Thomas Jakoubek Top Speed AUT Dallara GP2
101 Peter Göllner Speed Center SUI Dallara GP2
110 Bianca Steiner Top Speed AUT Dallara GP2
111 “Piter” Ray-Ban FRA Dallara WSbR
181 Manfred Loach Top Speed AUT Dallara GP2
212 John Reaks Speed Center GBR Dallara WSbR
222 Veronika Cicha H&A Racing CZE Dallara GP2
321 Andreas Fiedler Fiedler Racing DEU Dallara GP2
323 Armando Mangini MM International ITA Dallara GP2
411 Karl-Heinz Becker Becker Motorsport DEU Dallara WSbR
430 Martin Kindler Kindler Motorsport SUI Dallara WSbR
505 Walter Steding Inter Europol Competition DEU Dallara GP2
555 Christian Eicke Speed Center SUI Dallara GP2
888 Florian Schnitzenbaumer Top Speed DEU Dallara GP2
999 Salvatore de Plano MM International ITA Dallara GP2

Schedule: BOSS GP at Bosch Hockenheim Historic
The 4.5-kilometre Grand Prix circuit and the supporting events compete, so to speak, for the spectators’ favour. On each of the three days of the event from 9.00 a.m. on the race track is literally round-the-clock. The BOSS GP series runs two 25-minute training sessions, one half-hour qualifying session and two 20-minute races. Testing takes place on Thursday (April 19) throughout the day.

Friday: April 20, 2018

10:00 am-10:25 am: Free practice 1
16:15-16:40: Free practice 2

Saturday: April 21, 2018

10:35 am-11:05 am: Qualifying
17:00-17:20: Race 1

Sunday: April 22, 2018

13:20-13:40: Race 2

The schedule featuring all racing series can be found under this link

Phil Stratford im 1997er-Benetton in Hockenheim 2017

Phil Stratford in his 97′ Benetton drives around a corner in the famous Motodrom

 

Tickets for fans: Bosch Hockenheim Historic
There’s an introductory offer for ten euros on Friday. A day ticket for Saturday or Sunday costs 30 euros each, 45 euros for the weekend. Wheelchair users and children up to 14 years have free entry – paddock and free choice of seats included.

Tickets can be ordered on site, via the online ticket shop or by calling the hotline +49 6205 950-222.