Besler/Dienst win maiden Prototype Cup Germany race in Spa

• Duo from Toksport WRT wins on the Grand Prix circuit in Spa-Francorchamps
• Thrilling battle to the finishing line for places two to five

Spa-Francorchamps. Berkay Besler and Marvin Dienst have made history in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium; they triumphed in the first Prototype Cup Germany race. Behind the German-Turkish duo, driving a Ligier JS P320 from Toksport WRT, Torsten Kratz and Leonard Weiss crossed the line in a Duqueine D08 from the Wochenspiegel Team Monschau just ahead of the Reiter-Engineering Ligier JS P320 of Florian Janits and Eike Angermayr. “After I had taken over the car from Berkay for the second half of the race, I was able to work my way into the lead and bring it home safely,” said a delighted Dienst.

Having started from pole position, Florian Janits in the Reiter Ligier was able to stay ahead of Jamie Winslow in the Ligier JS P320 from Inter Europol Competition, before the Duqueine of John Melsom and Sebastian Arenram left the track, prompting the appearance of the safety car on lap one. The race restarted on lap six. Although Janits was put under pressure by his rivals Winslow and Besler, they were unable to overtake him. The trio headed for the pits for their mandatory stops shortly afterwards.

Once all the driver changes had been performed, the trio continued to battle for the lead during the second half of the race. Marvin Dienst, who took over the LMP3 racer from Besler, first moved up from third by passing Eike Angermayr. He then applied some pressure to leading driver Torsten Kratz. However, Dienst was stopped in his tracks by a full-course yellow phase just as he was about to attack the leading Duqueine. This was necessary as Giorgio Rosa rolled his Ligier JS P320 on the track. Dienst waited patiently until the race restarted but was then able to move into first place and pull away from the field. There was no danger of his Toksport WRT team missing out on the triumph.

There was thrilling action behind Dienst until the chequered flag appeared. Kratz first saw Angermayr approaching in his rear-view mirror, before Axcil Jefferies turned the battling duo into a trio. However, Jefferies in the Ginetta was unable to find a way past the man in front, crossing the finishing line in fourth. As Jefferies’ pit stop was 1.4 seconds too short, the driver from Konrad Motorsport received a 30-second penalty after crossing the finishing line, knocking him back to seventh position. Just before the line, Mühlner driver Donar Munding closed the gap to the group of three in his Duqueine but he was also unable to make further progress, finishing fourth thanks to the penalty imposed on Jefferies.

Berkay Besler: “I made a good start but the safety car appeared on lap one. After the restart, it wasn't so easy for me to follow the cars in front, but Marvin did a great job in the second part of the race. Of course, I am delighted with the first place; overall, it was a lot of fun.”

Marvin Dienst: “To start with, it was a shame that the safety car phase meant that Berkay’s stint contained relatively few free laps. I managed to produce a good first lap and I was able to attack the leader just before the full-course yellow phase. I was then able to overtake him once the yellow phase was lifted after half a lap.”

Leonard Weiss: “The race went well, I am satisfied. My start was great, but the safety car neutralised the race for a few laps and it was impossible to find a rhythm. In addition, our car was not going as well as yesterday in qualifying. However, it is still great to have achieved a podium finish.”

Torsten Kratz: “We had problems with the balance of the car for the whole race, which became really noticeable in the second sector of the track. I couldn’t keep Marvin Dienst behind me. Angermayr was getting closer and closer towards the end but I gave it everything to defend my second place.”

Florian Janits: “It was a lovely feeling to start the first race in the history of the Prototype Cup Germany from pole position. I was still in the lead after the start and my intention was to extend my lead over the following laps; but then the safety car put paid to that. After that, I didn’t have many free laps until the driver changeover. I am pleased with my performance, and with the performance of the car.”

Eike Angermayr: “I hadn’t been happy with qualifying, but things went better for me today. I started out in second but then fell back. During the final laps, it was about bringing the third place home and I managed that. We made no mistakes on the track and none during the pit stop.”