NLS7: Falken continues winning streak with 1-2; Verstappen completes mileage

Falken Motorsports made it four wins for the season and two on the bounce with a composed 1-2 in a changeable, at times treacherous, 65th ADAC ACAS Cup. From pole, Julien Andlauer and Joel Sturm (#3 Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R) controlled the key strategy calls through passing showers to head team-mates Tim Heinemann and Benny Leuchter (#4 Falken Porsche) by 1m26sec after 27 laps of the Nordschleife. Black Falcon’s SP9/GT3 Am-entered #48 Porsche 911 GT3 R of Mustafa Mehmet Kaya, Mike Stursberg, and Tobias Müller completed the overall podium.

Falken v Falken

From the start Andlauer held off the #6 Haupt Racing Team Ford Mustang GT3 of Frank Stippler. The opening laps saw the two top guns battle it out for the lead with Stippler even shortly nipping ahead on the fourth lap, but the race eventually eased into a Porsche 1-2 as Heinemann and GT3 debutant Leuchter moved forward. The headline duel at the front stayed in-house: the #4 kept the leaders honest through the middle phase but never forced a decisive mistake, even when Andlauer briefly slid across the grass and rejoined without damage.

Behind them, Black Falcon maximised the changing conditions to place its Am-entered #48 Porsche on the overall podium. Tobias Müller pulled double duty as well as double victory as the German not only took home trophies for third overall and first in SP9/GT3 Am, but also for the win in CUP2 where he finished seventh overall aboard the LOSCH Motorsport by BLACK FALCON Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. The double success was recognised with the official honour of ‘Driver of the Race’.

Aston Martin and others in contention

Walkenhorst’s #34 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo driven by Christian Krognes, Mateo Villagomez, and Anders Buchardt recovered from an early penalty lap to take fourth and Pro-Am honours after a late splash, while the Car Collection #44 Porsche of Artur Goroyan and Alex Fontana completed the top five.

The early Ford threat faded when the #6 Mustang retired after 15 laps with clutch issues.

Verstappen completes mileage

Max Verstappen logged the mileage he came for in the throttled Lionspeed GP #980 Cayman (CUP3), sharing with Chris Lulham. The priority was clean laps for licence progression rather than result; they were classified a few tours down on the class winners. Although Verstappen did not complete the mandatory 14 laps on two different cars, it seems most likely that it is mission accomplished for the World Champion.