Following from the success of 2012, Team Abu Dhabi by Black Falcon have confirmed their two-car entry to double their chances of defending their Dubai 24 hour title.
2012 saw a very happy team take first place at the chequered flag in the Mercedes SLS AMG GT3. This was a great achievement for the whole team bringing many firsts, including the first win for a local UAE resident. Khaled Al Qubaisi will return to this two-car line up to fight to make it a double. For AMG it was the first win in a 24-hour event with their first GT3 car, the mighty SLS and even more poignantly the win was the first in any 24-hour event since 1989 for the Mercedes brand! Khaled will return to defend his title along with his world-class teammates Jeroen Bleekemolen and Sean Edwards, the driver line up being completed by 5 times DTM champion Bernd Schneider. A prospect the whole team is very excited by. As yet the full driver line up on the second car is to be confirmed.
It has been a turbulent year for the Black Falcon team and for the SLS in all competitions, though the car continues to prove its strength and reliability as well as its balance and pace. It remains the car to beat and a benchmark for GT3 racing.
After a strong race program 2012 beginning with 24h Dubai, continuing with 12h Bathurst, followed by several VLN races, the Blancpain Endurance Series and 24h Nürburgring and Spa, Team Black Falcon is confident for the coming motorsport season 2013.
Team manager Sean Paul Breslin comments:
“2013 sees a different race in Dubai than previous years. Teams will have the opportunity to run without time restrictions, though if they choose this route, there are other penalties such as weight and a reduced fuel range to think of. It is going to be interesting and we are very confident to have one of the strongest teams in the field.”
In Saturday’s race, the 14th in the Porsche Carrera Cup 2012, which took place on 15th September in Oschersleben, the ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’ was able to clinch victory in the team championship. The team from Lohne, together with René Rast, Sean Edwards and Klaus Bachler, have defended their 2011 title 3 races before the official end of season.
Paul Schlotmann is delighted: “Wow! We’re team champions. Yet again. And already! The performance of the boys and girls in the technical department has been amazing. They’ve delivered a top performance all through the season. You’re the best. I’m really proud of you all! And of course of the drivers. René and Sean have delivered sensational races to date. Klaus, in his first season in a Porsche, has done an incredible job. Have I already said that we’re the best!?”
Hans-Bernd Kamps said: “The ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’ says everything there is to say about what makes a team, and what friendship and working in partnership can deliver. We’ve all worked incredibly hard and have earned victory. And: It wasn’t as easy as it may have appeared. Hermes Attempto Racing, Konrad Motorsport, Lechner Racing and co are great opponents, who have shown that we can be beaten. Together, we have delivered fair and brilliant motorsport. Thank you to everyone!”
The two Porsche Carrera Cup Germany races at Oschersleben could hardly have been better for the ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’. After Saturday’s race, the team was able to clinch victory in the team championship, successfully defending its 2011 title. René Rast finished the 14th race in first position, and demonstrated his talent with a masterful start-finish victory. His teammate Sean Edwards also started on the front row and crossed the line in second position. Klaus Bachler collected further points with tenth place.
Sunday was also a success. A further start-finish victory, this time for British driver Sean Edwards, and a second place for René Rast, means that they are so far in front of the third place driver, Nicki Thiim, that only one of the two ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’ drivers can win the drivers’ championship 2012 in Hockenheim.
“Second place is also good. I’m still at the top of the table.” concluded René Rast about Sunday’s race, with his eye on the final. Klaus showed off all the experience he has gained and achieved a very good fourth place. “I started in ninth position and it was my goal to finish in the top 5, which I did. Next time, we’ll make it first, second and third” joked the young Austrian, pleased with his good result. “We still have Hockenheim.”
The team from Lohne will therefore be travelling to the big finale in Hockenheim with both titles, and must wait with baited breath to see which of the two drivers takes home the drivers’ championship. But one thing is for sure, it will be under the flag of the ’Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’.”
Team manager Paul Schlotmann is absolutely delighted: “Never before have we been able to clinch both the team championship and the drivers’ championship at such an early stage. It’s a luxurious feeling that we all have to get our heads round. Again to all teams: a great season. Hermes Attempto Racing has done a brilliant job. They fought right to the end and put on a great show. Brilliant!”
“Unbelievable!” said Hans-Bernd Kamps. “We set ourselves a difficult target, and we have more than reached it.”
Further information, results and photos can be found at www.facebook.com/tolimit and at www.tolimit-motorsport.de.
On Mondays after race weekends, the news channel N24 broadcasts a 30 minute Carrera Cup programme at 6.30pm, with reports about the race series, the drivers, the highlights and stories about the people involved in the Carrera Cup.
The Racing Calendar:
21st October 2012 DTM Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg
Both of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany races in Zandvoot proved to be a challenge for the drivers. The 25 cars started a dry race on Saturday. In the middle of the race, torrential rain led to the race being stopped. René Rast, who started the race in first position and managed to hold on to his lead during the race, was given a 30-second time penalty, which put him back to 16th place. He drove too fast under yellow flag conditions. His teammate Sean Edwards, who started in 2nd place and initially lost a couple of positions, finished in 1st position. Klaus Bachler started the 12th race from 13th place and worked his way up to 8th place. The race directors only distributed half the points for Saturday’s race because it couldn’t be finished. Despite finishing so far back, René Rast remains in front of Sean Edwards in the drivers championship.
On Sunday, the weather conditions were again not ideal. The track was wet although some stretches were dry, which put the drivers’ skills to the test. Sean Edwards and René Rast lost places at the start. The British driver fell back to 7th place and the German driver to 3rd place. Two safety car phases interrupted the race. Klaus Bachler started in 14th position and fought his way up to 11th place. Nicki Thiim and Norbert Siedler dominated the 13th race right to the end, but were handed time penalties and therefore lost their first places. The ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’ drivers profited from this and took two podium places.
René Rast, winner of Sunday’s race and current leader of the drivers championship, was pleased with a successful race: “What do people say? That we learn from our mistakes. What Nicki and Norbert did today happened to us at the Red-Bull-Ring. We were too fast under the yellow flag and were handed a penalty. Today I consciously took my foot off the accelerator. At the end of the day, I was lucky and took the victory which I gave away yesterday. I’m really happy. All in all, it was a good day.“
Sean Edwards, who finished third on Sunday, has narrowed his teammate’s lead in the drivers championship and is still in second place: “I had a good start on the left hand side and was able to overtake René. Norbert also had a good start and I had to make space for him in the first bend. He then collided with me and my front wheel was damaged. Nevertheless, third place is really good. I’m pleased with my podium finish and can hardly wait for Oschersleben.”
„I’m satisfied with both races, I didn’t make any mistakes. Despite the bad qualifying sessions I got plenty of points. I couldn’t manage much more. It’s really difficult when you start so far back. I don’t understand why it didn’t work out during training. I really gave it everything. The fact is that I was simply too slow on this track. I will be carrying out a careful analysis” concluded Klaus Bachler, the Porsche Junior driver.
The ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit‘ is building on its lead in the battle for the team championship. Three podium positions and two good finishes from Klaus Bachler have given the team from Lohne more important points. Paul Schlotmann: “After Saturday’s bad luck and René’s penalty, today we were lucky that our opponents drove the fastest laps under the yellow flag and were handed penalties. Unfortunately, we weren’t really able to show our potential on the track. Klaus did a great job and drove some fast times. Although he was held up he had a great race.”
Further information, results and photos can be found at www.facebook.com/tolimit and at www.tolimit-motorsport.de.
On Mondays after race weekends, the news channel N24 broadcasts a 30 minute Carrera Cup programme at 6.30pm, with reports about the race series, the drivers, the highlights and stories about the people involved in the Carrera Cup.
The Racing Calendar:
16th September 2012 DTM Oschersleben
21st October 2012 DTM Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg
With temperatures over 30 degrees and brilliant sunshine, the Eifel showed off its summery side.
A great deal was asked of the drivers in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany this weekend. With temperatures reaching around 60 degrees inside the cars, the ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimt’ drivers were feeling the heat. However, the sweat-inducing work was worth it. On Saturday, René Rast started in pole position, and held on to his lead throughout the race. Things didn’t go so smoothly for his team mate Sean Edwards. The British driver fought until the last lap for second place, unfortunately without success. After an impact he fell back to fourth place, in which position he crossed the line. Sean Edwards picked up a penalty as a result of this incident. He received a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race. Klaus Bachler started in seventh position and found himself back in twelfth position after a collision. He made up two places during the race and crossed the line in tenth place.
Sunday’s race went even better for the team from Lower Saxony. Although Sean Edwards started in seventh position, he crossed the line in second place. Patrick Petter, Sean Edwards’ chief mechanic, celebrated his birthday on Sunday at the race track, and received the best gift of all from his driver: a podium finish. “The car was really fast and unbelievable today. I started in seventh position and finished in second place. That’s great.” said the British driver.
A spectacular battle between René Rast and Sean Edwards caused the hearts of the ‘Team Deutsche Post by tolimit’ to beat faster during the final laps. René Rast, who handed the position to his teammate during the last lap, was pleased with his third place, which completed the yellow double podium finish: “If it hadn’t been a yellow Porsche behind me, I certainly wouldn’t have let him past.” the drivers championship leader said.
Technical problems forced Klaus Bachler to start Sunday’s race from the pit lane. The Austrian displayed his skills in a sensational catch-up race. From his start in 20th position, the Porsche-Junior driver managed to finish in seventh place. Klaus Bachler: “Unfortunately, I had to start from the pit lane. I worked myself forward one place at a time. I eventually finished seventh, and therefore got some points. And now we’re looking forward to Zandvoort.“
Paul Schlotmann concluded both races with a smile on his face: “What a weekend. After a big disappointment on Saturday with Sean getting a five-place grid penalty, we pulled out all the stops on Sunday. The strength of our team was yet again clearly demonstrated. After both races we’ve been able to build on our lead. Fantastic!”
Further information, results and photos can be found at www.facebook.com/tolimit and at www.tolimit-motorsport.de.
On Mondays after race weekends, the news channel N24 broadcasts a 30 minute Carrera Cup programme at 6.30pm, with reports about the race series, the drivers, the highlights and stories about the people involved in the Carrera Cup.
The Racing Calendar:
26th August 2012 DTM Circuit Park Zandvoort, Netherlands
16th September 2012 DTM Oschersleben
21st October 2012 DTM Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg
