Driver
Porsche 992 GT3 Cup #111
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"Jules"
Porsche 992 GT3 Cup #111
Birthday: April 1970
Domicile: Weybridge (GB)
Familiy status: married
Business: Entrepreneur
Hobbies: Mountain biking, racing„Jules" does 2023 his fifth year in the nuerburgring endurance series. In 2018 the Englishman competed in the RCN and had some successes. At the end of the year he finished inside the Top-3 of the rookie championship.
With the Frikadelli Racing Team "Jules" celebrated a brilliant entry into the NLS in 2019. Together with his driver colleague Hendrik von Danwitz, he was able to win the driver / team championship in the Porsche Cayman GT4 (Type 981). True to the motto "Never change a winning team", they competed again in this constellation in 2020/2021 and collected some podium successes in the Pro-Am category with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (Type 982).
In 2022, "Jules" took his next career step in motorsport and drove the new Porsche 992 GT3 Cup. Together with Klaus Abbelen, he took a strong third place in the AM ranking of the Porsche Endurance Trophy at the end of the year. In 2023, this result should be topped again.
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Klaus Abbelen
Porsche 992 GT3 Cup #111
Birthday: 15.09.1960
Domicile: Barweiler (DE)
Familiy status: unmarried
Business: Businessman
Hobbies: Motorsport, own racing teamKlaus Abbelen started his career in motorsports on two wheels. Between 1979 and 1986 the entrepreneur used to ride racing bikes. Not being afraid of heavy machinery, he even ended up third overall in the German road Racing Series’ Superbike class.
In the following years he was very much occupied managing his aspiring company. In 1998 however, he came back – this time in a racing car. P4 overall in the Ferrari-Porsche Challenge was a nice success in his maiden year. P2 and P3 in the next two seasons were followed by a championship win in his Porsche 911 GT2. Abbelen decided it was time to enter more professional racing series.
Accordingly he turned to the FIA GT World Championship 2003 and raced a Dodge Viper GTS-R alongside Dutchmen Arjan and Rob van der Zwaan. Second place in Donington and some more top-10 finishes were fine achievements in an otherwise character-building season. After five races in 2004, Klaus parted with Zwaan’s Racing and joined Konrad Motorsport to drive a Saleen S7-R in the 1,000 Kilometres Nürburging which then formed a part of the Le Mans Series.
For the 2005 season Abbelen returned to his beloved 911 and took part in eight races of the Porsche Supercup. Being a support race to Formula One grands prix, the series is dominated by professional racing drivers. Abbelen did very well in this highly environment and ended up 13th overall despite missing four races and retiring once.
At the same time, Abbelen formed his own team Frikadelli Racing. Together with his girl-friend Sabine Schmitz he tackled the Langstreckenmeisterschaft VLN, held on the Nürburgring. The duo used a modified version of the Supercup Porsche GT3 and became fourth overall in the series’ last two races of the season. The amateur musician, horse rider and chopper pilot had finally arrived on the Nordschleife. Since then, the Frikadelli Porsche has been an integral part of the NLS, so to speak, where a total of eight overall victories were achieved by 2021. In addition, there were a number of top finishes in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. In 2008, Abbelen even made it onto the podium himself.
In 2023, a whole new chapter on the Nordschleife begins for him and Frikadelli Racing with the Ferrari 296 GT3. The brand new vehicle will be piloted by four top drivers. Nevertheless, of course, a "frikadelli Porsche" should not be missing in the Green Hell. In a Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, Abbelen attacks together with the Brit Jules and tries together with him to win the AM championship of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring. Last year it was enough for the driver duo to achieve a strong third place in the year-end rankings. In addition, Abbelen continues to contest the Michelin Le Mans Cup with the Ligier JS P320.
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Hendrik von Danwitz
Porsche 992 GT3 Cup #111
Birthday: 21.05.1999
Domicile: Tönisvorst (DE)
Familiy status: unmarried
Business: Student
Hobbies: skiing, fitness, footballHendrik von Danwitz has motorsport in his genes. His father Herbert von Danwitz was a successful Touringcar-driver and passed his talent to his son. He began his motorsport career with some kart races in 2013. As he already was 14 at that point, he counted as an late entrant. But it didn't take long until he was successful. In 2014 he won the clubchampionship of the famous Kart-Club-Kerpen-Mannheim. Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel also celebrated their first achievements in this club.
After that he won several races in the ADAC Kart Masters, which is the most competitive kartingseries in Germany, and qualified for the finals of the european championship and of the german kart masters. Since 2017 Hendrik von Danwitz has been driving racing cars.
The switch proceeded perfectly: Besides some wins in the NES 500 he also established himself in the VLN pretty quick and achieved first successes. In 2018 von Danwitz became second in the rookie class of the Porsche Cayman GT4 Trophy, became fourth in the overall VLN championship and finished on a strong third place in his class in the 24 hour race on the Nürburgring.
In 2019 he switched to the Frikadelli Racing Team and, together with "Jules", was able to secure the driver / team championship in the Porsche Cayman GT4 (Type 981). In the two following years he drove the successor model, the Porsche Cayman GT4 (Type 718 Clubsport), in the Nürburgring endurance distance series at a few races; at the same time, Hendrik von Danwitz gained experience in the ADAC GT Masters in 2020 with an Audi R8 LMS from Aust Motorsport.
In the 2023 season, the Tönisvorster will celebrate his comeback at Frikadelli Racing and will support "Jules" and Klaus Abbelen in a few races. Von Danwitz already knows the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup very well, because last year he drove it at a number of events, including the 24-hour race.