Double victory for Frikadelli Racing in the dress rehearsal for the 24h race
10.05.2021
Just one week after the convincing double victory in the third round of the Nürburgring endurance series, Frikadelli Racing has once again made it onto the top two steps of the winners' podium. Patrick Pilet, Dennis Olsen, Maxime Martin and Frédéric Makowiecki secured the team of team principal Klaus Abbelen with the # 31 Porsche 911 GT3 R the overall victory in the 6h qualifying race in front of the sister car of Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet, Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy. For Frikadelli Racing it was a perfect dress rehearsal for the upcoming 24h race.
“To clinch a double victory on the Nürburgring Nordschleife for the second time in a row is really fantastic and only possible thanks to an excellent team performance. The team has made tremendous progress since the start of the season, and our pit stops are extremely good and fast. In addition, our eight drivers didn't make any mistakes on the track and got through without penalties. Many thanks to the entire team and to Sabine for the support from above, which gives us all additional strength. We will now do everything we can to build on this performance and successes in the 24h race, ”says Klaus Abbelen.
The 6h qualifying race offered the Frikadelli Racing Team and the assembled GT3 competition the last opportunity to prepare for the big season highlight under competitive conditions. In an extremely tight individual time trial for the best 30 vehicles from two previous qualifying sessions, Frédéric Makowiecki initially secured fifth starting position for the Barweiler team with the # 31 Porsche 911 GT3 R. His team mate Matt Campbell, who took over the free lap on the # 30 Porsche 911 GT3 R, placed it in 13th place.
The two Porsche works drivers were also supposed to take over the starting stint in the race and were able to put themselves in the limelight. While Makowiecki was able to move up to second place in the initial phase, Campbell fought his way up into the top 8 of the overall standings with the sister vehicle right from the start.
Frikadelli Racing collected the first kilometers in the lead on lap 12 when Makowiecki took the lead for the first time with the # 31 Porsche 911 GT3 R. His teammates Pilet, Martin and Olsen followed up on the flawless performance and successfully held the “fastest meatball in the world” in the race for overall victory over the entire distance. Around 30 minutes before the end of the 6h race, the strategy of the Frikadelli Racing Team finally turned out to be spot on. Final driver Olsen returned to the track as the leader after the last pit stop and defended his lead over the Porsche 911 GT3 R from Manthey Racing to the finish.
The sister car with starting number 30, which was driven by Earl Bamber in the final phase, crossed the finish line behind in third place overall. In his final stint, Bamber successfully withstood the increasing pressure of the Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS. Due to a later time penalty against the Manthey Porsche, they subsequently moved up to second place and thus made the one-two perfect. Frikadelli Racing is the first Porsche team to win the 6h qualifying race.
Driver voices:
Frédéric Makowiecki (# 31 Porsche 911 GT3 R): “It's really nice to see both cars at the front after the 6h race. The entire Frikadelli Racing Team has worked incredibly hard for it and once again made great strides in development. This result releases additional motivation for the 24h race."
Patrick Pilet (# 31 Porsche 911 GT3 R): “It wasn't an easy race today, especially because of the high outside temperatures. Nevertheless, we had very good pace and were able to finish the weekend with the best possible result. Now it is important to stay focused in order to also be successful in the 24-hour race. We are on the right track."
Maxime Martin (# 31 Porsche 911 GT3 R): “I'm extremely pleased with the result for the entire Frikadelli Racing Team and especially for Klaus. The external conditions this weekend were completely different from those at the NLS races. That was very important for the preparation for the 24-hour race in order to collect this experience as well. We drove a clean race and learned a lot."
Matt Campbell (# 30 Porsche 911 GT3 R): “For me it was the first race on the Nürburgring Nordschleife this year, so the driving time during the weekend was incredibly important. I am very pleased that the processes in the team worked so well and that we are now traveling to the 24h race with this fantastic result in our luggage."
Mathieu Jaminet (# 30 Porsche 911 GT3 R): “Like last weekend, we were able to clinch a double victory in the Nürburgring endurance series, only this time in reverse order and with the victory of the starting number 31. That was a mega performance by the team and very good preparation for the 24-hour race next month. I'm happy: We started the race from 13th on the grid, were able to fight our way up to third position on the track and are now even second. "
Earl Bamber (# 30 Porsche 911 GT3 R): “Another fantastic team result for Frikadelli Racing and a very important weekend in view of the 24h race at the beginning of June. Our big goal there is to build on this result. "
