A perfect end to the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season for Porsche Junior Julien Andlauer (martinet by ALMERAS): After crossing the finishing line first on Saturday, the Frenchman scored his second Supercup win of the weekend in Mexico City. “It’s fantastic to conclude the season with a double victory. Fourth overall in my debut Supercup season is a great result. On top of this, the Proton Competition team, for whom I contest the WEC, took home the title in the European Le Mans Series. Congratulations to my long-distance squad in Portimao. This weekend was simply perfect,” said Andlauer. Nick Yelloly (Fach Auto Tech) from Great Britain secured second place ahead of Michael Ammermüller (BWT Lechner Racing). Third place was enough for the German to secure the championship title of the international one-make cup for the second time in a row.
Spectators on the Formula 1 grandstands were treated to a gripping race with many overtaking manoeuvres. Although polesitter Ammermüller had the best starting position, he lost it to Andlauer in the sprint to the first corner. The Frenchman used the 485 hp of his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup to sweep from second on the grid into the lead. Over the course of the race, Andlauer gradually pulled clear of the field to take the flag first after 16 laps.
Ammermüller, however, could not defend his second place: Yelloly and Thomas Preining (A/BWT Lechner Racing) put Ammermüller under pressure from behind. In the third lap, Yelloly grabbed the chance to use his slipstream advantage on the start-finish straight of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to move into second place. Three laps later, Porsche Junior Preining also overtook his teammate before chasing down Yelloly and passing him in lap ten. The 20-year-old, however, was handed a three-second penalty due to gaining an advantage by leaving the track. As a result, Yelloly inherited second place ahead of Ammermüller. “On the one hand I’m pleased with my podium result, but obviously I would’ve liked to take home the title. But Michael Ammermüller drove such a clever race that I had no real chance. I congratulate him,” said Yelloly.
The old and new champion: Michael Ammermüller
Ammermüller was overjoyed: “Even if it looked easy today, I was tense to the last lap. I still can’t believe I’ve won the title for the second time straight. The most important thing is to earn as many points as possible at every race. And that’s what I did at both races this weekend.” The 32-year-old is only the fifth driver after Patrick Huisman, Richard Westbrook, Jeroen Bleekemolen and René Rast to defend his championship title in the international one-make cup.
Preining finished on fourth place. “Had I not received the time penalty I could have done better, but I have to live with fourth place. Still, I fought to the end for the championship. It was a thrilling season for me,” said Preining. On the 4.304-kilometre racetrack, Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team Project 1) crossed the finish line as the best rookie in fifth place ahead of Zaid Ashkanani (MRS GT-Racing) from Kuwait. Seventh went to the Frenchman Florian Latorre (martinet by ALMERAS), with Mattia Drudi (I/Dinamic Motorsport) securing eighth. First in the ProAm classification was Nicolas Misslin (Pierre martinet by ALMERAS). Behind the Frenchman came Mark Radcliffe (GB/IDL Racing) and Roar Lindland (N/Lechner Racing Middle East).
In the championship, Ammermüller is first with 153 points. Yelloly takes home the vice-championship with 146 points. Third overall behind the 27-year-old is Preining. The youngster climbed to the top step of the podium four times this season – more than any other driver – and earned 135 points. The title in the rookie classification goes to Latorre with 90 points. Lindland is the champion of the ProAm class. From ten rounds, the Norwegian collected 174 points. The title of the team classification was already decided on Saturday: Achieving 288 points over the season, BWT Lechner Racing celebrated first place.
Mexico City, race 9 of 10
1. Julien Andlauer (F/martinet by ALMERAS)
2. Michael Ammermüller (D/BWT Lechner Racing)
3. Thomas Preining (A/BWT Lechner Racing)
4. Nick Yelloly (GB/Fach Auto Tech)
5. Jaap van Lagen (NL/Fach Auto Tech)
6. Florian Latorre (F/martinet by ALMERAS)
7. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team Project 1)
8. Mattia Drudi (I/Dinamic Motorsport)
9. Gustav Malja (S/Team Project 1)
10. Dylan Pereira (L/Momo Megatron Lechner Racing)
Points standings after 9 of 10 races
Drivers’ classification
1. Michael Ammermüller (D/BWT Lechner Racing), 137 points
2. Nick Yelloly (GB/Fach Auto Tech), 128 points
3. Thomas Preining (A/BWT Lechner Racing), 121 points
The decision in the fight for the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup title has to wait for the final race on Sunday. In Mexico City, Porsche Junior Julien Andlauer (martinet by ALMERAS) celebrated his first win in the international one-make cup on Saturday. “To climb to the very top of the podium after a Supercup race has been my goal over the entire year. So I’m over the moon. I had an almost perfect start and was able to gradually pull clear of my pursuers,” said Andlauer (martinet by ALMERAS). The Frenchman beat Michael Ammermüller (D/BWT Lechner Racing) and Porsche Junior Thomas Preining (A/BWT Lechner Racing). With this, Ammermüller retains his lead in the series with 137 points. Nine points behind him sits Nick Yelloly (GB/Fach Auto Tech). Preining also has an outside chance of clinching the title. Collecting 121 points over the season, he ranks third. At the tenth round on Sunday, 20 points are up for grabs.
Ammermüller took up the race from pole position under cloudy skies and temperatures of 18 degrees Celsius. The German, however, could not defend his front spot at the start: First, Andlauer passed him on the start-finish straight with his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, then after a jump start Larry ten Voorde (Team Project 1) overtook the duo in the first corner and snatched the lead. The Dutchman led the field to the flag after 16 laps, however he received a ten-second penalty. This handed a clear win to Andlauer on the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Behind the 19 year old, spectators were treated to some gripping fights for positions: Ammermüller was running second, however Preining put his teammate under increasing pressure over the course of the race. The 32-year-old seasoned specialist fended off repeated attacks from Preining and defended his second place. “It was a difficult race and my aim was to bring home as many points as possible. A collision would have been devastating for my title chances. Tomorrow I want to be crowned champion for the second time in a row,” said Ammermüller.
Michael Ammermüller, Julien Andlauer and Thomas Preining
Preining saw the flag in third place. While the Austrian was battling for second, his rivals gradually caught up. Preining drove a flawless race to secure his fifth podium finish of the season. “That was a crazy race with lots of duels. I just couldn’t find a way past Michael, so I had to settle for third place,” said 20-year-old Preining. Yelloly crossed the finish line in fourth place. The Briton put in a spirited duel against his Dutch teammate Jaap van Lagen. In the penultimate lap, Yelloly made the decisive move and overtook him. Van Lagen finished the race in fifth position.
Sixth place went to Florian Latorre (martinet by ALMERAS) making the Frenchman the best rookie on the 4.304 kilometre circuit. Ten Voorde saw the chequered flag in seventh ahead of Italy’s Mattia Drudi (Dinamic Motorsport). Victory in the ProAm classification went to Roar Lindland (N/Lechner Racing Middle East) ahead of Nicolas Misslin (F/Pierre martinet by ALMERAS) and Mark Radcliffe (GB/IDL Racing).
In the team classification, the championship title is already decided: Before the last round, BWT Lechner Racing holds an unassailable lead. The team owned by Walter Lechner earned 258 points from the first nine rounds. The title fight in the rookie classification is still open. First in the standings is Latorre with an eleven-point lead over ten Voorde. The decision in the ProAm class will also fall on Sunday: Lindland leads with seven wins and with an eight-point gap to Misslin.
#PorscheMobil1Supercup – Some impressions from race 9 of the season at @autodromohr pic.twitter.com/dhZA6I6jiM
— Porsche Motorsport (@PorscheRaces) 28. Oktober 2018
Fans in Mexico can look forward to a gripping season finale of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup: Three competitors will fight for the championship title at rounds nine and ten of the international one-make cup contested from 26-28 October.
Michael Ammermüller (D/BWT Lechner Racing), Nick Yelloly (GB/Fach Auto Tech) and Porsche Junior Thomas Preining (A/BWT Lechner Racing) could all take home the crown. Forty points are up for grabs at the doubleheader in Mexico City, which runs as support to the Formula 1 race. Ammermüller (119 points) currently leads the standings five points ahead of Yelloly. Preining ranks third with 105 points. Twenty-eight drivers from 15 countries will tackle the two races on the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racers.
Series leader Ammermüller is the only driver with the decision firmly in his own hands. The German driver’s formula for success is relatively straightforward: if the 32-year-old crosses the finish line in front of his hottest rivals, he will be champion. The ex-Formula 1 test driver is no stranger to such situations. Ammermüller travelled to last year’s season finale as the hunted points’ leader, with second-placed Dennis Olsen hot on his heels chasing overall victory. Ammermüller, however, prevailed and took home the trophy.
