Impressive pace and points at the 12h Mugello

A top position in qualifying and a strong pace in the race – Proton Competition made a promising start to the new 24H Series season. Despite technical issues, the team secured vital points and a healthy dose of motivation for the championship.

The 24H Series season in Europe kicked off last weekend (20–22 March) with the 12h Mugello at the picturesque circuit in Tuscany. Proton Competition fielded a Porsche 911 GT3 R for Jörg Dreisow, Manuel Lauck, Constantin Dressler and Dennis Marschall. Having won the GT3 overall title and the GT3 Pro-Am class last year, the team was aiming for another top result.

In qualifying, the team secured a strong third place on the grid for the five-and-a-half-hour first race on Saturday with their eye-catching orange-and-blue Porsche. In this race, the team delivered a consistent performance and finished in eighth place.

On Sunday, the team made their way towards the top five with fast lap times, undeterred by damage sustained in collisions. Around 90 minutes before the end of the race, a technical problem forced Dennis Marschall to stop on the track. Thanks to a quick repair by the crew, they managed to get the car back on the track and secure valuable points for the GT3 Pro-Am standings with sixth place. 

“Unfortunately, these are things that can happen in motorsport. We had a strong qualifying session and were able to confirm our pace in the race, as we always had one of the fastest cars. Even the collision damage couldn’t stop us. All of this makes us very confident for the upcoming races, for which we will now prepare thoroughly,” said Mihaly Kiss, who heads Proton Competition’s programme in the 24H Series.

The series’ second race weekend takes place from 17 to 19 April at Spa-Francorchamps, where the championship will hold its next 12-hour race. Robert de Haan, who won the German Carrera Cup title with the team last year, will be at the wheel there alongside Jörg Dreisow, Manuel Lauck and Constantin Dressler.