Jochen Hahn took a hugely popular win in his home race at Nürburgring after a fine win in the first of the four FIA European Truck Racing Championship events on Saturday morning.
Jochen Hahn took a hugely popular victory in his home race at Nürburgring after a fine display in the first of the four FIA European Truck Racing Championship events on Saturday morning.
Driving his Team Hahn MAN, the former triple champion had a perfect start to his home race weekend after converting pole position in to maximum points. With Lacko tailing Hahn to the chequered flag by 3.830s it meant that Hahn captured the points lead by three points heading in to the second, reversed grid race, this afternoon.
Hahn controlled the race and was able to gain a gap on Lacko after defending the lead in to the first corner. By half distance Hahn enjoyed a four second lead to Lacko’s Buggyra International Racing System Freightliner ‘FatFox’.
Steffi Halm ensured there was double delight for the home fans as she converted her third place on the grid with another podium finish. The Reinert Racing driver was able to fend off Norbert Kiss in the Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz who took home more points for fourth position.
Halm’s teammate in the Reinert Racing team – Rene Reinert took fifth position to consolidate his third position in the points standings.
There was an entertaining fight for sixth position as Anthony Janiec and Gerd Korber duelled throughout most of the race. The scrap was settled in favour of the French driver in the Lion Truck Racing MAN despite the best efforts of veteran Korber in his Team Schwabentruck IVECO unit.
Sascha Lenz lost out at the start to Gerd Korber but still completed a clean race to take eighth position and seal pole position for the reversed grid race two. Gerd Korber will join Lenz on the front row.
The second of the Team Schwabentruck IVECO trucks driven by Markus Altenstrasser claimed ninth place after a fine start which saw the Austrian put a move on Ellen Lohr to break in to the top ten.
Taking the silverware in the Teams’ Championship was the Team Reinert Adventure team (Rene Reinert and Jochen Hahn), which outscored the Buggyra 1969 combination of Adam Lacko and Jiri Forman.
Making it six German drivers in the top ten was Ellen Lohr. The Truck Sport Lutz Bernau racer added another point to her season tally. Lohr’s 10th position allied to Halm’s result ensured a third placed finish in the FIA ETRC Teams Championship race.
It was a tough race for Ryan Smith in the Team OXXO Racing truck as he lost significant time after a lap two incident. The gutsy Brit then put in a storming race to scythe through the field despite damage to his truck. Smith eventually finished in 10th position after an entertaining battle with Frankie Vojtisek in the Czech Truck Racing Team entry saw the Brit make his way through at turn three with just two laps to go.
Andre Kursim and Heinz-Werner Lenz were both forced to retire due to black smoke issues, while Jean-Claude Labadie suffered a late crash in his Lion Truck Racing entry, damaging the front of his MAN .
The second race of the weekend at Nürburgring takes place this afternoon and is scheduled for 16.30 local time.
Click here for race result