This weekend, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup made a guest appearance in Monaco. The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most famous motorsport races in the world. The drivers in the one-make cup have to contend with the most difficult of conditions. Narrow bends, road markings and uneven surfaces create a unique challenge for both the drivers and the cars. With a sensational victory from pole position, “Team Allyouneed by Project 1” driver Sean Edwards proved his driving abilities and crossed the finish line with a lead of 20.323 seconds over the second placed Kuba Giermaziak. “An unbelievable performance!” beamed the current championship leader. “I had a perfect car. Thanks to Kosta and the whole team. The set up was super. We couldn’t have put in a better performance than we did. It’s been the best week of my life. First victory in the 24 hour at the Nürburgring on Monday and now victory in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Monaco. Now we’re going to celebrate!”

A second highlight of the weekend was the encounter between the two rally drivers, Sébastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier. Both made appearances as guest drivers in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Sébastien Ogier won the prestigious battle driving for “Team Allyouneed by Project 1”, finishing in 13th place, three places in front of his namesake, Sébastien Loeb, who finished in 16th place. The French driver summed up his first race in the Porsche: “It was great and I really enjoyed the race in Monaco. At first I was a bit worried about the start, but there were no problems. I haven’t made any mistakes this weekend and I’m really pleased with my first race in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup”.

The American junior driver in Paul Schlotmann’s team finished his first street race in the principality in 20th place: “It was a difficult day. After the hairpin bend I made contact with another driver. I therefore had to finish the race with a damaged car. Unfortunately, that’s the second time this season. I hope the next race will be better. But driving in Monaco is great. The atmosphere here is unbelievable.” concluded the Rookie, Sean Johnston, as he gained further incisive experience in his fledgling motorsport career.

For the team from Lohne, next weekend means changing cars and then full steam ahead to Austria and the Red-Bull-Ring in Spielberg. The next race in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup will be at the end of June at Silverstone.

Current news and background information about the race and Project 1 can be found on the Project 1 
website and on 
facebook, or on the partner website racecam.de.

Racing calendar – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup:

Monaco 26.05.2013
Silverstone 30.06.2013
Nürburgring 07.07.2013
Budapest 28.07.2013
Spa-Francorchamps 25.08.2013
Monza 08.09.2013
Abu Dhabi 03.11.2013

For the 41st running of the toughest race on earth, Black Falcon, the privately owned local team from Meuspath took on the world’s biggest racing teams and Won! A monumental achievement for all those involved, in some of the most difficult racing conditions imaginable.

What a difference one year can make. In May 2012, the Black Falcon team started the 24 Hour race at Nürburgring with high hopes of victory. Having qualified in 3rd position, the team tasted bitter disappointment after the car was crashed following a high-speed tyre puncture on the fourth lap. Now one year later, that bitterness has been replaced by the sweet taste of success. A whole year in planning. Is what it took from the entire team including all the partners, drivers, team members and sponsors. With three SLS AMG GT3’s and two Porsche cup cars entered, the build up to this race, left the team with no time to spare. The start of the racing season was blighted by poor weather. Heavy snow and freezing conditions meant the first race and test days were cancelled. Leaving little time and fewer opportunities to make the final set up and preparation for the cars.

With two test days and two VLN races, the team worked alongside their partners: Dunlop, Bilstein, Pagid and AMG, to get the best working combination of tyres, dampers, brakes and chassis, to produce the number one performing car in the field. With this combined effort and many late nights the Black Falcon team worked tirelessly to have all the cars ready to go for the 24 our race.

For the 2013 entry, Black Falcon entered with car number 9, one of the strongest driver combinations in the field. Five times DTM champion and one of the living legends of Motor racing, Bernd Schneider, teamed up with his Dubai race winning team mates and Carrera Cup super stars, Sean Edwards, Jeroen Bleekemolen and new for 2013 Nicki Thiim. In car number 10, Andrii Lebed, Harri Proczyk and Dennis Rostek, making a second strong entry, joined Andreas Simonsen. For the third entry, sporting the number 63, Christian Bracke and 24-hour Nürburgring first timer, Khaled Al Qubaisi and their Pro driver, Daniel Keilwitz, joined Vimal Mehta.

After a washout on the Friday practice sessions, Saturday saw the sun come out over the Eifel and all three cars breeze into the Top 40 qualifying sessions. Andreas Simonsen topped the time sheets in both Qualifying 1 and 2. With the order of the Top 40 qualifying being decided by lottery, it was to the misfortune of Sean Edwards in car number 9 that he should get stuck behind slower traffic and therefore miss out on taking a place on the front row. Not that is would have mattered anyhow as the car 9 would also have to serve a five grid penalty for a yellow flag infringement in qualifying 1, meaning that Sean would start the race in P11. For Simonsen in car 10, a fantastic lap saw them taking P9 against some of the best teams and drivers in GT racing. For Keilwitz in car 63, in his first race in the SLS a respectable P17.

With the race starting unusually at 5pm on Sunday and the weather predicted 24 hours of rain, the teams were all happy to set off from the start line under dry conditions. However, for car 9 stating in P11 the challenge was going to be tough. With the Audi’s, Aston Martin and BMW steaming ahead from the start line, the Black Flacon number 9 was quickly losing time to the leaders and by the first pit stops already had a mountain to climb!

Sadly for Simonsen in Car 10 after a great start, had contact with a SEAT and damaged the right rear axle. Limping back to the pits where the Black Falcon mechanics worked furiously to have the car back on track, having lost only 6 laps. A great job by the team, but sadly now putting a podium finish well out of reach. The drivers would now be fighting to keep some pride and get into the top 20!

Meanwhile, Car 9 and 63 continued the battle on track. With Schneider at the wheel, the team moved in and out of the top 5 as the teams made their pit stops, and soon into early evening the rain started. By the time Bleekemolen took over the deluge had begun and cars were crashing off the track all over the place. Conditions continued to worsen with fog sitting on the track and soon after 11 pm the race organisers took the decision to temporarily stop the race. For car 9 this was a shame, as Bernd Schneider was now cutting his way back through the field to make up some to of the lost time from the opening stages of the race, the new Dunlop rain tyres, proving to be unbeatable in these conditions. However, this was to be cut short and the race would not start again until 8am the following day.

During the break, the cars were quickly cleaned up and made ready for the restart, unusually giving the drivers and team members some time to sleep. However with the race clock still ticking, time was getting short for Black Falcon to get to the front.

With great relief the race restarted at 8am and all three SLS were on track in what was still a very wet race. In conditions like these, the drivers had to be extra cautious to avoid getting involved in any accident, but for car 9 this was not the time to be too careful. There was a race to be won and Bernd Schneider had a point to prove. With the full Dunlop rain tyre working at its best, Schneider set the fastest laps in the field and pushed the car into the top 3. A driving stint that saw the team have their hearts in their mouths on many occasions. Soon Edwards took over and proved he too could be the fastest man on track. Car 63 in the hands of Nürburgring 24 hour first timer, Khaled Al Qubaisi taking the restart had crept its way into the top 20. Vimal Mehta took over for a clean stint before handing the car over to Christian Bracke.

Sadly for car 10, a technical issue saw the car stopping on track leaving no chance for a top 20 finish. The team did manage to get the car restarted and safely back into the pits.

By midday on Monday, with the rain easing and the track beginning to dry, car 9 moved onto the superior Dunlop cut slick. Demonstrating the great set up, fantastic strategy and awesome driving skills, car 9 was soon leading the field.

With careful planning and a little bit of luck the Black Falcon pit wall team chose a strategy that would allow them to make one less pit stop than their competitors. By the final stint with a four-minute lead, Sean Edwards was able to adopt a fuel saving mode and despite the hard charging Z4 from Marc VDS, Edwards was able to cruise to the finish line.

Finally all five Black Falcon cars finished the 24h Nurburgring race, the two Cup Porsche finished in the upper places in the strong SP7 class. No scratches or dents, only tires, fuel and brakes were used by the Porsche drivers, which have done a real zero-mistake-job under extreme conditions.

Winning the Nürburgring 24hrs has been the dream for all those involved with Black Falcon. The emotions ran high as this; the ultimate goal of winning was deservedly achieved. Giving Mercedes their first ever 24hr win at Nürburgring. A success like this is only possible, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Black Falcon team. Most especially mechanics, but also, the strategic planning on the pit wall, the support from Dunlop, Bilstein, Pagid and of course AMG, their team, and the all dominating GT3 car they have built.

After the strong opening race in Hockenheim, the Project 1 Team was aiming high this weekend. But at 12.45pm, as the chequered flag marked the end of the third race in the Porsche Carrera Cup in the Eifel, it was clear that this race would not be going down in the annals of racing sport history at ‘Team Deutsche Post by Project 1’.

The weekend started out really well. In free training with P2, directly after in Qualifying Sean Edwards put in the quickest lap. But for reasons which are not yet clear, the subsequent technical inspection revealed that there was too little fuel in the tank. The result was the same for two of the three Project 1 drivers, for Sean Johnston’s car also had less than the minimum permitted 2 litres remaining. Accordingly, the cars of the two Seans were put back three positions on the grid. Unfortunately Jeffrey Schmidt could also not go maximum speed with a defective car. The Project 1 trio therefore started the four laps of the Nordschleife from P4 with Sean Edwards, P17 with the Swiss driver Jeffrey Schmidt, and from P18 with the 22 year old Sean Johnston.

From the start, the race was strongly fought and during the 4 x 25 km laps, Sean Edwards battled hard with Norbert Siedler. However, in the last lap, Edwards had to admit defeat and finished the race in a disappointing sixth place. “I’m not happy with the race at all. I could definitely have done better. We didn’t have the right speed and the engine wasn’t giving full power. During the race I had a lot of oversteer and understeer, and I hardly had a chance against the others. Others will have to judge Norbert Siedler’s overtaking manoeuvre in the last lap, but from my point of view it was clearly too risky.” said a disappointed Sean Edwards, who subsequently took the wheel in the 24 hour race.

The Swiss driver Jeffrey Schmidt finished his Porsche Carrera Cup Nordschleife debut in 13th place. “I had a good start and there was a fair bit of traffic in the first lap. I can live with 13th place and a couple of points, but the experience counts here as well, and I’ve still got a lot to learn.” Jeffrey Schmidt is also taking part in the following Nürburgring highlight, the 24 hour race, again driving a 911.

The race was less successful for the American, Sean Johnston. It was also his first Carrera Cup race in the “Green Hell”, and one that he definitely won’t be looking back at with fond memories. He started in 18th position and had a real battle for position in an attempt to progress further forward. Eventually, his race finished in the crash barrier, following an accident. “I’m really disappointed about the race and the accident. I was definitely hoping for more but I have to take responsibility for the situation. There was an accident and a car spun in front of me. I tried to avoid it and for a brief moment I was careless and didn’t concentrate properly. It was a small mistake that immediately resulted in me finishing up in the barrier at Nordschleife.” The 22 year old complained about rib pain after the accident, and was taken to hospital for a check-up. “I took a hefty blow to my side but the x-rays showed that there’s nothing broken and there are no serious injuries. I’m ok and I’ll be fit for the next race again.” said the ambitious driver, who has made Dinklage into his adopted home.

‘Team Deutsche Post by Project 1’ will be travelling to the forthcoming Porsche Carrera Cup racing weekend in Austria in third place in the team championship. Sean Edwards, currently second in the drivers’ championship, will be looking to attack at the RedBull Ring. “It’s time for the first victory with Project 1. In Austria, I want to get to the top of the leader board” said the determined Sean Edwards.

For the technicians from Lohne, there is no time to catch their breath. On Whit Monday in Lohne, the equipment from the Porsche Carrera Cup will be adapted ready for the Porsche Supercup. There has to be a seamless transition from the Porsche Supercup in Monaco to the RedBull Ring in Austria, so all the Project 1 911s have to be prepared and ready for departure on this coming Wednesday. For the logistics experts, the lorry drivers and the technicians it will be a logistics challenge and there’ll be no chance to take a break. The Porsche Carrera Cup races at the RedBull Ring will be taking place on 1st and 2nd June.

In the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in the principality of Monaco, alongside the two fixed drivers, Sean Edwards and Sean Johnston, there will be a third car with a high-class driver to marvel at. The race in Monaco will take place on 26th May.

Current news and background information about the race and Project 1 can be found on the Project 1 
website and on 
facebook.

Racing calendar – Porsche Carrera Cup Germany:

Spielberg 02.06.2013
Lausitzring 16.06.2013
Norisring 14.07.2013
Nürburgring 18.08.2013
Oschersleben 15.09.2013
Zandvoort 29.09.2013
Hockenheim II 20.10.2013

With the first race in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Barcelona, the Project 1 team demonstrated, with a successful weekend, what people can expect this year.

From free training right up to the chequered flag, everything ran to plan for the team based round team boss Paul Schlotmann and engineer Konstantin Kotitsas. “We had a clear strategy for the whole weekend. From Friday to Sunday, the whole team worked with the new conditions meticulously and intensively, to make sure Sean Edwards and Sean Johnston had a perfect car. The plan worked. To start the season with a win in the first race is fantastic. A huge well done and thanks to everybody.”, said team boss Paul Schlotmann.

With pole position and a clear lead of 0.492 seconds separating him from the driver starting in second position, even in Qualifying Sean Edwards left the competition trailing behind him. Sean Johnston finished his first Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Qualifying in 19th position but was 1.512 seconds behind his mentor Sean Edwards, which was a good result for the rookie.

The mission to take first place continued on Sunday. In blazing sunshine in Barcelona, 25 drivers began the race in the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup type 991. Sean Edwards controlled the race from the start and was delighted to win after leading from the start. “I’m so happy to have won the first race. The Project 1 team gave me a perfect car. I had to push in the first three laps, but eventually I controlled everything and could even preserve the car towards the end. Thanks to my team for the perfect work and I’m really looking forward to the upcoming race in my home, Monaco.” said the winner.

At the back of the field, the 14 laps were considerably more exciting and a lot more suspense-packed. The second ‘Team Allyouneed by Project 1’ driver, Sean Johnston, had promised himself his first points, but a bad collision meant he was no longer able to attack. “After a good start, I wanted to push forward as quickly as possible, but in the eighth bend of the first lap I had a severe collision with another driver. The car was left pretty battered and was really difficult to drive. In the following laps I just tried to finish the race and to hold my position. For me, it was a worthwhile weekend that I can build on for future races. I’m looking forward to Monaco.”

The success is also due to the hard work of the organisers who work behind the scenes at Project 1. Over the winter, various packages have been developed and tied up with partners and sponsors. This year, we are grateful for the support and help of partners such as the online supermarket Allyouneed and the American berry and fruit firm Driscoll’s. We’re looking forward to a successful season in 2013.

The next race will take the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup teams to the principality of Monaco. Amid breath-taking scenery, the 911s will race through the maze of houses in the harbour town. Project 1 will again be striving for first place.

Current news and background information about the race and Project 1 can be found on the Project 1 
website and on 
facebook, or on the partner website racecam.de.

Race calendar – Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup:

Monaco 26.05.2013

Silverstone 30.06.2013

Nürburgring 07.07.2013

Budapest 28.07.2013

Spa-Francorchamps 25.08.2013

Monza 08.09.2013

Abu Dhabi 03.11.2013

The start of the DTM in Hockenheim marked the start of the new season in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and, on Sunday, shortly after 10.30am, it was clear to everyone that the ‘Yellows’ from Lohne, under their new name “Project 1”, are a forced to be reckoned with.

The newly formed Deutsche Post by Project 1 team was able to reach the podium with driver Sean Edwards in both races, thereby gaining important points for the lengthy championship battle. The two rookies, Jeffrey Schmidt from Switzerland and Sean Johnston from America, also finished well in their first Carrera Cup racing weekend, which saw a starting field of more than 30 drivers.

The drivers laid the foundations of a successful racing weekend in qualifying on Saturday.
Each driver’s fastest lap counted for the race on Sunday and the second fastest lap for the first race on Saturday. The large number of drivers has led the Porsche organisers to divide the qualifying session into two parts. In the first twenty minutes, all drivers compete for positions 1 to 15. In the remaining ten minutes there is then enough space on the track for the fastest fifteen to battle for the so important pole position. The experienced Sean Edwards was able to secure positions 6 and 3 in heavy rain. Jeffrey Schmidt also managed to finish within the top 15 and slid on a wet track to positions 10 and 8. For Sean Johnston, the qualifying was a particular challenge, as he has never driven a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the rain. He gained position 16 in the first race and position 15 in the second race, and therefore only narrowly missed out on Q2 and a place among the Top 15.

Although the morning qualifying took place in the pouring rain, by the time the first race started in the afternoon the drivers had a dry track. For Sean Edwards, the race went almost perfectly. Starting from position 6 he finished the race in second place, thereby gaining important points for the lengthy championship battle. “My start was good and right at the beginning of the race I was able to overtake three or four cars and then keep behind Christian Engelhart in P3. The car was incredibly fast and shortly before the finish I was able to take second place and 18 points.” Jeffrey Schmidt, in his first Carrera Cup race, took P11, sadly just missing a top ten result. “I was pleased that the race finished under the safety car because in the final laps I had significant vibration from the front left wheel. The race was difficult but I’m happy that I crossed the finish line.” For the 21-year old Sean Johnston, the first race was unfortunately a short one. “In the second lap I learned the hard way. I caused an accident through my own mistake in the hairpin. The driver in front braked too early and unfortunately I braked too late. I lost the front radiator and the race was over.”

Sunday’s race took place early in the morning. Sean Edwards, this time starting from P3, was again able to pass Christian Engelhart and secure second place. However, double winner Kévin Estre was just too fast this weekend.

“I obviously tried to put pressure on Kévin, but at the end of the day I didn’t want to risk too much on the curbs and wanted to look after my tyres. Finishing the weekend with 36 points is really good, looking to the championship.”

Jeffrey Schmidt and Sean Johnston also attracted attention in the second race of the season. Jeffrey Schmidt, starting from position eight, finished in twelfth place, although he had hoped for better. “In the first lap I had the chance to take ninth position but the overtaking manoeuvre went wrong and I lost three places. A top ten position would definitely have been possible today.” Sean Johnston was happy with his result in the second race. “I reached my goal for the day and finished the race. To finish in thirteenth place after starting sixteenth and to take my first championship points makes me really happy and it’s a great feeling.”

The Deutsche Post by Project 1 team can therefore look back at an eventful but successful weekend. The feedback from team boss Paul Schlotmann is consistently positive. “We showed this weekend that, with Sean Edwards, we have rightly set our sights on the championship title. The results and conduct of our two rookies have also shown that we made the right driver choices this season. I’m looking forward to the next tasks and races of the season.”

The next race is on 20th May at the legendary Nordschleife. As part of the 24h at the Nürburgring, the drivers in the Carrera Cup will conquer “the Green Hell” on the Sunday. Excitement, action and great motorsport on the most famous race track in the world are absolutely guaranteed.

News and background info about the race and about Project 1 can be found on the website and
on Facebook.

Racing calendar – Porsche Carrera Cup Germany:

Hockenheim I 05.05.2013

24h Nürburgring 20.05.2013

Spielberg 02.06.2013

Lausitzring 16.06.2013

Norisring 14.07.2013

Nürburgring 18.08.2013

Oschersleben 15.09.2013

Zandvoort 29.09.2013

Hockenheim II 20.10.2013