For someone who won the prestigious 24 hour race at the Nürburgring and then a week later at his home Grand Prix in Monaco celebrated a fantastic victory from pole position, it was justifiable that he also planned to win his next race. Sadly, this wasn’t to be the case for Sean Edwards and his ‘Deutsche Post by Project 1’ team at the Red Bull Ring in Styria in Austria.

At first everything ran to plan. In free practice in the pouring rain, Edwards finished in first place in his yellow Porsche. In the ensuing qualifying session in dry conditions, Sean Edwards qualified in 4th place for the first race and 3rd place for the second. The two rookies, Jeffrey Schmidt and Sean Johnston had to get used to the new track. Jeffrey Schmidt achieved 12th place and 18th place and Sean Johnston 16th place and 20th place for the first and second races respectively.

The first race on Saturday started just like qualifying. From 4th position on the grid Sean Edwards had good prospects and, after a good drive, finished the race on the podium in 3rd place. “I wasn`t fast enough in the first five laps and after that I couldn’t make up the gap to the cars at the front. 3rd place is ok and the points are good for the team”, said Edwards, who has made Monaco his adopted home, about his first race in Austria.

The wet second race on Sunday was, however, a big disappointment. “The race was a disaster. Unfortunately, Nicki Thiim forced me into a spin with an unnecessary manoeuvre and after that I just drove behind. The car was damaged and undriveable. To finish in 13th place can’t really be called damage limitation and the big winner of the weekend was Thiim’s team mate, Kévin Estre. It’ll be really difficult to catch him in the championship now, but I’ll do everything I can to win as many races as possible this year”, summed up a disappointed Sean Edwards.

For Jeffrey Schmidt, the weekend in Austria similarly contained highs and lows. On Saturday, a great performance saw him take 10th place and finish, as hoped, within the top ten. On Sunday, a collision sadly ended his race. “Unfortunately, we didn’t have optimal timing in respect of the tyre choice, so in the first race I had to start a long way back. But I really enjoyed the race and I made my way up to 10th place. It was great”, said the euphoric rookie after a great performance on Saturday. A day later, things looked very different: “In the second race, straight after the start the tie rod was bent and the car was undriveable. I still tried and pushed hard but I was in 12th place and was also touched by Nicki Thiim so I unfortunately had to give up the race.”

The American Sean Johnston, who was racing for the first time at the Red Bull Ring, praised his technicians first and foremost. “I’m really pleased with the great work of my team. Just 10 days after the serious crash at the Nürburgring, they put a perfect car at my disposal. It’s a fantastic performance and tells me, yet again, that I’m driving with the right team.” Johnston took part in both races with the principle of ‘learn, learn, learn’ in mind. “The first race in the dry was really exciting and I had a lot of fun. We had some great overtaking manoeuvres and I learnt quickly and learnt a lot in my fight with the other drivers”, Johnston analysed his races. He explained “The mixed conditions on Sunday were new for me. During the race, the track got dryer and dryer and the tyres were worn down. I’m pleased with 15th place and 1 point. Now there’s a two week break and a chance to catch our breath and after that I’m looking forward to the Lausitzring”.

On the long journey home to North Germany, ‘Team Deutsche Post by Project 1’ will be stopping off at the Lausitzring. The team and the drivers will be using this test as preparation for the next two races in the Porsche Carrera Cup on 15th and 16th June. Up to now the Eurospeedway Lausitz has always been a good plaster for the ‘yellows’ from Lohne.

A little bit of peace can finally descend this weekend. Team boss Paul Schlotmann and his troupe have now been on the road for five races without a break. “It definitely wasn’t a perfect weekend for us and the constant highs and lows put a strain on body and soul. The boys and I are pleased to have a couple of days less stress and strain. But we’ll be well prepared for the Lausitzring and we’ll be on the attack again. It’s time for the first win for Project 1 in the Porsche Carrera Cup.

News and background information about the races and about Project 1 can be found on the website and on Facebook.

Racing calendar – Porsche Carrera Cup Germany:
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

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

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

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