Collisions and tyre damage prevented better results at Hockenheim
Leipert Motorsport competed in the second GT Open race of the season at the Hockenheimring with a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO 2. The team from Wegberg, supported by MOTUL, sent the German Mark Wallenwein and the Pole Maciej Blazek (#42 Pro classification) into the race. The duo saw the chequered flag twice and improved enormously over the course of the weekend, but missed out on better positions due to collisions.
After a two-year break, Leipert Motorsport returned to the GT Open. German Mark Wallenwein and Pole Maciej Blazek are planning several guest starts this year in the attractive GT3 series, which has races throughout Europe on the calendar. As the drivers and team had only had one test together beforehand, the appearance in Hockenheim was intended as an initial assessment. Neither driver had been in a GT3 car for a long time, so the team used the free practice sessions mainly to familiarise themselves with the car. The lap times were soon in the top 20 out of a total of 33 starters.
Blazek drove the qualifying session for the first race, putting the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO 2 in 24th position on the grid. However, his hopes of a good position were dashed on the very first lap. After a collision, the team lost valuable ground on the track and later had to serve a drive-through penalty as the culprit. In the end, the Leipert duo could only manage 21st place, which meant 10th place in the Pro classification.
Wallenwein did very well in the second qualifying session. 16th place showed the clear upward trend this weekend. After a good start, Wallenwein quickly improved to 8th place, but another contact caused a setback. A tyre puncture resulting from the collision ultimately prevented a decent position. This left him in 23rd place in the end, although the drivers’ lap times in the second race would have been good for a position in the top 10.
Managing Directors Marcel Leipert & Marc Poos:
‘We performed a little below par in Hockenheim. Nevertheless, we leave the race track with a good feeling that, together with Maciej and Mark, we have a strong package to be able to fight for top 10 results soon. Considering that we are not a permanent starter in the series and that the other driver pairings and teams have already completed many test kilometres and one more race, we are sure that we have laid a more than solid foundation for the upcoming events. The weekend in the series and with the drivers was great fun and we are already looking forward to the remaining races. “
The duo’s next guest start is planned for July. The GT Open will then start in Paul Ricard (France, 19-21 July).
