ADAC GT Masters 2012 Round 3 - Sashenring

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neil
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Post by neil » Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:18 pm

Race report out:

Third-placed Maxime Martin (Belgium) also ran out of luck when he had to make an unscheduled pit stop due to a puncture.

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neil
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Post by neil » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:18 pm

Here's the ALPINA race debrief :

http://www.thealpinaregister.com/news/3039


ALPINA dogged by bad luck at the Sachsenring


Bitter experience for ALPINA during the third race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters. The BMW ALPINA B6 GT3 of Dino Lunardi (FRA) and Maxime Martin (BEL) was one of the fastest cars on the demanding track, fighting for podium positions in both races. But two punctures prevented ALPINA from scoring any points.

The weekend started good for ALPINA on the rollercoaster in Saxony, despite a curios incident in qualifying. After the accident of an Audi R8, the session was cancelled and the starting grid was set applying current championship standings. As a result Dino Lunardi started third into race one while Maxime Martin secured third as well during a normal qualifying session for the second race.

Lunardi had a great start on Saturday was in second position after the first corner. The Frenchman kept in striking distance to the leading Corvette. After the driver change, Martin continued to chase the Corvette, when he suffered a puncture with only nine laps to go. Due to the additional pit stop, Lunardi/Martin dropped down the positions eventually finishing 11th.

In Sunday’s race, Martin once again showed an impressive performance and was running in a strong third position, when he again suffered a puncture only 20 minutes into the race. After pitting for a new tire, the BMW ALPINA dropped to 30th position. But Martin/Lunardi didn’t give up, continuing to make-good more than a dozen positions to finish 16th.

`Unfortunately we had a puncture in race two, but it was a different type of puncture as the one in the first race` said a disappointed Maxime Martin. `The punctures were very unusual, possibly caused by a foreign piece of carbon fibre, that cut very deep into the tire tread. Now we hope for a better result at the next race at the Nürburgring.`

`We have always been very fast at the Sachsenring, but couldn’t turn our speed into a good result“, ALPINA´s Andreas Bovensiepen said. `As for the punctures, we are somewhat perplexed. The punctures were not typical, the tread separated from the steel belt. The right rear tire is very stressed at the Sachsenring, as there are many fast and long left turns, only a few right-handers and almost no straight, where the tire could relax. We need to analyse this now together with the tire partner. That`s racing and for sure we will not give up and work even harder for the next race. The season is still long, there are still many chances to come`.

In a second BMW ALPINA B6 GT3 ALPINA entered by customer team LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler, Florian Spengler and Johannes Leidinger finished 21st and 27th.

The next race of the ADAC GT Masters will take place from 13th to 15th July as part of the ADAC Truck Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.

ali
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Post by ali » Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:58 pm

Some great pictures you posted there Neil :)
Better luck for the troops in the next races
B3 3.3 Coupe #090
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