Wednesday, 29th June 2022 | Share this article
With their third win in three races, Adrenalin Motorsport Team Alzner Automotive drivers Daniel Zils, Oskar Sandberg, and Sindre Setsaas have taken the sole lead in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) championship. The driver trio once again triumphed in the VT2-R+4WD class with the #500 Mainhattan-Wheels BMW 330i G20, also winning the production car category. In addition, the team led by team principal Matthias Unger secured podium finishes in the V4, BMW M2 CS, BMW M240i, and V5 classes.
“Of course, it's nice that we've taken the sole lead in the standings with this race, but the table is only a snapshot. The next two races, over 6 and 12 hours respectively, will be crucial, as there are more points available. So we have to stay focused, because the final tally only comes at the end of the season. The results in the other classes were decent, but with a bit more luck, we could have been significantly more successful today,” summarised Matthias Unger, head of the Veedol-supported racing team.
VT2-R+4WD Class: Patience Rewarded with Victory
Daniel Zils, Oskar Sandberg, and Sindre Setsaas first had to pass a test of patience on their way to success. In the early stages of the race, the #500 Mainhattan-Wheels BMW 330i G20 was in fifth place. While two class rivals initially pulled away at the front, the rest formed a three-car battle group. But starting driver Setsaas kept a cool head and didn’t let the intense pressure force him into any rash moves. By the end of his stint, he had cleared traffic and nearly closed the gap to the leaders. Zils and Sandberg also avoided any mistakes and, after taking the lead, brought the victory home safely. The sister car of Nils Steinberg, Alex Toth-Jones, and Andreas Schmidt—the #501 Mainhattan-Wheels BMW 330i G20—finished in fifth place.
V4 Class: Tyre Blowout Costs Potential Win
For Philipp Leisen, Oliver Frisse, and Jacob Erlbacher, everything initially went like clockwork with the #1 Quellmalz BMW 325i E90. Leisen converted pole position into an early lead and steadily built a gap to the competition. However, a tyre blowout forced the car to return to the pits at reduced speed. After a swift repair by the mechanics, the car rejoined the race. Despite a deficit of more than three laps, the team never gave up and was ultimately rewarded with third place. While Frisse and Erlbacher benefited from retirements by rivals, they still delivered an impressive comeback.
BMW M2 CS Class: Two Podiums Despite Challenging Race
The BMW M2 CS Racing Cup was hotly contested from the start. Yannick Fübrich, David Griessner, and Brett Lidsey started from second on the grid with the #870 Alzner Automotive BMW M2 CS and seized the lead in the opening lap. However, a tyre failure that also damaged the radiator prevented the expected class win. Thanks to a quick repair by the Adrenalin mechanics, the team still secured second in class. Behind them, teammates Stefan Kruse, Guido Wirtz, and Andreas Winkler claimed third place with the #871 Alzner Battery BMW M2 CS, also making it onto the podium.
BMW M240i Class: Consistency Brings Success
In the BMW M240i class, Lars Harbeck, Michelangelo Comazzi, and Michael Lüthi drove flawlessly and consistently to take a strong second place. For the #652 SSB Wägetechnik BMW M240i, it was the best result of the NLS season so far.
Meanwhile, Sven Markert, Robin Reimer, and Nick Deißler had bad luck, as they were forced to retire the #650 Veedol BMW M240i early. A rock on the track had caused radiator damage, leading to fluid leakage. Up until that point, the trio had been leading the class after a strong performance.
V5 Class: Another Podium for the Korn Family
Ulrich Korn, Tobias Korn, and Daniel Korn continued their flawless podium streak with the #444 Neufeld-KFZ Porsche Cayman. At the third NLS race, they crossed the finish line in third place, extending their successful run this season.
V6 Class: Misfortune for the #396 NEXEN-TIRES Porsche Cayman S
The only class in which Adrenalin Motorsport didn’t achieve a top result was the V6. After a wheel hub failure, Lutz Marc Rühl, Christian Büllesbach, Andreas Schettler, and Daniel Zils had to retire the #396 NEXEN-TIRES Porsche Cayman S early in the race. Until then, the car had been leading the class. The team now hopes to return to form at the upcoming 6-hour race.
Text: Media-DaCo (Daniel Cornesse)
Photos: Racepix.eu