Frikadelli Racing celebrates a strong final rehearsal before the 24 hour race
20.05.2019
The Frikadelli Racing Team can be happy with the last endurance test before the 24 hour race. At the six hour qualification-race Matt Campbell, Romain Dumas, Mathieu Jaminet and Sven Müller achieved a strong fourth place. With that result the team from Barweiler was the best Porsche team. The sister-car driven by Klaus Abbelen and Alex Müller also reeled off many laps and finished on the 16th place.
“All in all I’m very happy with this weekend. We had plenty of time to improve our Set-up for the 24 hour race during the two days. Even though not everything went as planed, we’re on a good way after the race”, says team manager Klaus Abbelen.
As it was in the first three VLN-races the weather conditions again were very tricky to handle. Especially the trainings-sessions were shaped by heavy rain. Just a short period of time at the beginning of the first qualifying allowed the teams to run fast times on a dry track. Despite that the two Porsche 911 GT3 R by the Frikadelli Racing Team managed to qualify for the shootout in the top-30 qualifying. The two cars were driven by Mathieu Jaminet and Alex Müller in this very special challenge, which is held to determine the final starting positions. While Müller drove the 13th best time in his car, Jaminet only managed to qualify on the 18th position due to a spin on his fast lap.
In the race the goal with the new Porsche 911 GT3 R was to catch up to the lead. Matt Campbell, Romain Dumas, Mathieu Jaminet and Sven Müller, who never drive together before, achieved that goal. At the end the quartet of drivers finished on a strong fourth place as the best Porsche in the race. For their teammates Klaus Abbelen and Alex Müller, the race was successful as well. In the end they finished on the 16th place and gathered lots of data for the highlight of the season which takes place from 20th to 23th of June 2019.
Voices after the weekend
Mathieu Jaminet (Driver Frikadelli-Porsche 911 GT3 R #31):“I’m very happy with our fourth place in the race today. Surely the Top-30-qualifying could have went better, but I made mistake on the slippery track and spun during my fast lap. Even though we still have potential to be quicker, I think that we had a decent weekend and made a step forward.”
Sven Müller (Driver Frikadelli-Porsche 911 GT3 R #31):“Today’s result shows, that we have been developing the car pretty good since the beginning of the season. By now we’re lacking a bit of speed in comparison the BMW's, but we will continue to work on our pace. All in all to work with the Frikadelli Racing Team is great fun.”
Romain Dumas (Driver Frikadelli-Porsche 911 GT3 R #31):“I again enjoyed every single lap on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It’s great to drive the new Porsche 911 GT3 R here. Despite that we still have to do some work in front of the 24 hour race. I’m feeling very comfortable in the Frikadelli Racing Team. Klaus is a very meticulous team manger and wants to enforce everything we need. That’s what I like about him. I’m keen on doing the 24 hour race with this team."
Alex Müller (Driver Frikadelli-Porsche 911 GT3 R #30):“The Top-30-qualifying was very tricky as the track was very slippery anywhere. Still my lap was pretty good and the gap to the other Porsche cars wasn’t that big. It was fun again to have this free single lap on the Nordschleife. In the race we were very lucky with the weather and were able to drive many laps and to gather lots of data. We did everything that we planned and now are looking forward to the 24 hour race.”
