PROsport Racing secured a podium finish at the ADAC GT4 Germany – Marek Böckmann secured a dominant pole position on Sunday.
PROsport Racing’s home race in the ADAC GT4 Germany took place at the Nürburgring. The Wiesemscheid-based team fielded two Aston Martin Vantage GT4s. Anton Abée and Marek Böckmann, as well as Hugo Sasse and Roman Fellner-Feldegg, drove the two British GT4 cars in front of 78,000 spectators in the Eifel region.
Hugo Sasse and Anton Abée started Saturday’s race from fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Sasse and Fellner-Feldegg’s car quickly developed problems with the ABS system. After the driver change, Fellner-Feldegg had to retire the car. Anton Abée and Marek Böckmann finished the race in ninth place.
On Sunday, Marek Böckmann took the dominant pole position. Böckmann had a lead of almost half a second over the second-placed driver. The long-time PROsport Racing driver was able to defend pole position right at the start, but on the second lap, Böckmann slid off the track on an oil slick and lost several places. The Aston Martin driver was able to claw back several positions before the pit stop window. Anton Abée also delivered a strong performance in the second half of the race, finishing the race in second place after an hour. For Abée and Böckmann, it was their first podium finish in the ADAC GT4 Germany. Hugo Sasse and Roman Fellner-Feldegg’s car had to be retired due to damage following a collision through no fault of their own.
“After the extremely difficult race weekend at the Norisring, we were able to demonstrate our true capabilities again at our home race,” said team principal Chris Esser. “Marek Böckmann’s pole position on Sunday was extremely strong, and he and Anton’s performance in the race also impressed us. Unfortunately, Hugo and Roman were unable to translate their speed into results, but their lap times give us confidence that they will once again be fighting for top positions at the Sachsenring.”
Another highlight at the Nürburgring was the demonstration runs of historic DTM cars as part of the event’s supporting program. PROsport Racing fielded a BMW 635 CSi and a Volvo 240 Turbo Group A. Former DTM driver and European Truck Championship champion Markus Oestreich drove the BMW, while team owner Esser, who himself competed in the DTM, the DRM, and on the Nordschleife, drove the Volvo.
“As with the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, it was great to see how we were able to excite the fans with our Group A cars. This clearly shows us that we’ve chosen the right path by expanding our historic section. We hope that the classic cars will be back on the starting grid at future DTM events, as the fans’ enthusiasm was palpable!” Esser concludes.
