30.06.2008: Home Grand Prix in Nuremberg

After the long break in June, nobody could wait to get back on track. Specially as the race took place in Nuremberg on the Norisring, just about 50 km from Greding, where the team is based. And the weekend started quite promising. With an impressing 5 th best lap time on Friday in Test 1 Christijan raised hope for more. Katherine showed a very good performance in Test 2, with leaving Premat and Stoddart in newer cars behind her. And this on a track that was new to her! Unfortunately luck left them in the Qualifying. Christijan couldn't get a free flying lap and qualified 17 th , Katherine 19 th .

Christijan really tried hard to get into the second Qualifying, but the track was very difficult with the ‘06 car, as you are quite limited with the aerodynamic conditions. Nevertheless the gap to the faster rivals was very small and so he only missed 0,1 sec to make it into the second Qualifying session. For Katherine it was the first time on the demanding street circuit. She could learn a lot in the Friday test sessions, but had difficulties to qualify more ahead on Saturday, where everything must fit perfectly for the fastest lap.

In the race then, Christijan had a good start and quickly moved up some places. But half way into the race the power steering gave up in his Futurecom-TME car and he had to bring the car back to the pit box to end his race. At that point of time he was in a promising position and did faster lap times than the cars ahead.

From the middle of the race Katherine had some problems with the gearbox and, typical for Norisring, the brakes, but nevertheless did good lap times and fought until the race was over to gain experience. She finished on a respectable 15 th place.

The race was won by Jamie Green, ahead of Bruno Spengler and Timo Scheider.

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