German drivers ready to impress on home soil
After a month to recuperate from another eventful Le Mans 24 Hours, the FIA World Endurance Championship resumes with the 6 Hours of Nürburgring, a special event for the nine drivers who call Germany ‘home’.
LMP1 holds the greatest domestic interest, with no fewer than five German drivers representing four different teams. Defending WEC World Champion Timo Bernhard won the inaugural 6 Hours of Nürburgring last year and will be hoping that the circuit shines on him again this year after a tough start to the season that has seen Bernhard, Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley score only two points. As the record-equalling five-time winner of the Nürburgring 24 Hour race, Bernhard knows his way around the Ring just about as well as anyone.
By contrast, Bernhard’s Porsche team-mate Marc Lieb currently leads the points after winning the Le Mans 24 Hours alongside Romain Dumas and Neel Jani, the latter one of eight drivers in the field from just across the border in Switzerland.
Audi also has a home hero of its own in the form of André Lotterer. The 34-year-old is another who is playing catch-up after losing victory at Silverstone to a post-race exclusion, and he will be determined to bounce back after a troubled Le Mans.
Two German drivers are also set to go head to head among LMP1’s privateers, with Rebellion Racing’s Nick Heidfeld looking to extend his championship lead over the ByKolles Racing Team, which again features Pierre Kaffer who hails from the Nürburgring region.
Audi reserve driver René Rast is enjoying a fine season in LMP2 with G-Drive Racing. Currently second in the championship heading to the Nürburgring, Rast and Roman Rusinov will be joined by a new team-mate in Alex Brundle.
Although the No. 66 Ford GT didn’t win at Le Mans, it registered maximum points in LMGTE Pro as the highest-placed WEC entrant, meaning Stefan Mücke now leads the standings despite his enormous crash and subsequent DNF at Spa in May. Having watched on as his US team mates lifted the winner’s trophy at La Sarthe, the experienced Mücke would like nothing more than to take his first WEC win for the Blue Oval on home soil.
Meanwhile, LMGTE Am has two German drivers in the same team, with Wolf Henzler and Christian Ried both lining up for KCMG. Although up against strong competition, the Porsche 911 RSR has a proven record at the legendary German circuit and Henzler’s local knowledge could well propel them to a first podium of the season.
By James Newbold
Photos: Adrenal Media/WEC. 1) Timo Bernhard of Porsche Team; 2) No.4 ByKolles Racing Team CLM P1/01 AER; 3) Stefan Mucke of Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK.
