Experience counts in thriller
NLS NURBURGRING (DEU) 23 APRIL ROUND 2/8
Brazilian BMW veteran Augusto Farfus combined with Briton Nick Yelloly and American Connor De Phillippi to head a marque 1-2-3 in the last Nordschleife battle before the all-important Nurburgring 24 Hours, after a last-minute thriller to end the four-hour race.
While De Phillippi qualified the Rowe Racing M4 GT3 on pole, it was the Junior Team trio run by EX-DTM team RMG who looked as though they might take victory. Dan Harper, Max Hesse and Neil Verhagen lost half a minute, which would later prove crucial, when they served a mid-race stop/go penalty for a pitstop that was one second below the minimum allowed time.
Farfus, who coaches the Juniors, took the lead with a couple of laps remaining, but got delayed in traffic heading into the Dottinger Hohe straight on the final lap. Hesse challenged, and skimmed the grass, but Farfus held on by 0.582 seconds. One minute behind in third was the Walkenhorst Motorsport M4 of Christian Krognes,
Andy Soucek and Sami-matti Trogen.
Top non-bmw was the Toksport WRT Porsche of Julien Andlauer, Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet in fourth, while the TF Sport Aston Martin claimed seventh spot.