Nicholas Tandy dreams of a home victory at Silverstone
Holding
a clear points’ lead, René Rast from Germany takes off
into the second half of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup season on 11 July
on the time-honoured Silverstone Circuit. Driving a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
for Al Faisal Lechner Racing, Rast has scored four wins so far this
season. His trip to the British Isles brings back the very best
memories: In Silverstone last year, he celebrated his first ever
victory in the world’s fastest international brand trophy series. “With four wins so far we are really in a very good position for the title,” says the reigning vice-champion, who was only beaten at Barcelona this year. “But we can’t yet say the title is in the bag, our points’ advantage is simply not yet large enough.”
This could easily change in Silverstone. On the 5.898 kilometre race track, where the history of the Formula 1 World Championship began 60 years ago, Rast’s arch rival Jeroen Bleekemolen will not be competing. Instead, the title defender from the Netherlands and Rast’s team mate at Al Faisal Lechner Racing will contest the American Le Mans Series round at Salt Lake City in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. “This won’t make my job much easier,” says René Rast. “There are enough drivers capable of winning.”
One of them is Austria’s Norbert Siedler from the VELTINS MRS Racing squad, who enjoys his best season so far in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup. In Barcelona he claimed the first Supercup win of his career and underlined his good form recently with second place in Valencia. Slovakia’s Stefan Rosina (Lechner Racing), who has a very special relationship with Great Britian since studying Marketing Management in Oxford, is regarded as another potential winner after his strong performance during the first half of the season and his second place at the season-opener in Bahrain.
Nicholas Tandy has big plans for Silverstone. As local hero and Supercup newcomer the Konrad Motorsport pilot is always good for a surprise: he finished second in Monaco. Still, in Valencia he didn’t find his rhythm and lost second overall in the championship. At his home race Tandy is determined to make amends. “I’m not about to make it as easy for René as it was in Valencia,” says the Briton, who had to settle for eighth place in Spain despite his spirited charge through the field. “Racing in Silverstone has always been something very special. It would be absolutely awesome to win my first Supercup race here.”
Making their debut in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup in front of home crowds are Michael Meadows and Euan Hankey, two young hopefuls from the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain.
Television stations Eurosport 2 (11.45 hrs) and Sky Sport 2 (11.40 hrs) broadcast the race in Silverstone live on 11 July. In addition, Eurosport televises highlights on Sunday evening in its “Motorsports Weekend” programme.
Drivers’ classification after 5 of 10 races
1. René Rast (D), 88 points
2. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 74
3. Nicholas Tandy (GB), 68
4. Stefan Rosina (SK), 64
5. Norbert Siedler (A), 54
6. Jaap van Lagen (NL), 44
BBS Rookie classification after 5 of 10 races
1. Nicholas Tandy (GB), 68 points
Team classification after 5 of 10 races
1. Al Faisal Lechner Racing, 152 points
2. Konrad Motorsport, 109
3. Lechner Racing, 93
