After a dramatic setback, the ZIMMERMANN Team fights its way to a class victory in CUP2
BLACK FALCON Team ZIMMERMANN had an extremely dramatic and incredibly bitter start to the weekend. Shortly after the start of the first qualifying session on Thursday, the #900 Porsche 992 GT3 Cup was involved in an accident in which the rear of the car caught fire and was irreparably damaged. However, the team did not give up and, with tireless dedication, quickly built a replacement car, which was provided to BLACK FALCON by a long-standing customer and friend of the team. By the second qualifying session, drivers Alexander Hardt, Benjamin Hites, Benjamin Koslowski and Paul Meijer were back behind the wheel and, on Saturday afternoon – naturally sporting full ZIMMERMANN livery – took part in the 24-hour race. The hard work of the BLACK FALCON mechanics was rewarded with a class victory in CUP2 following a furious comeback. Having missed the first qualifying session, Alexander Hardt, Benjamin Hites, Benjamin Koslowski and Paul Meijer started the race from eleventh in class and 97th overall, but worked their way consistently up the field thanks to a perfect team strategy and a strong performance from the quartet of drivers. The quartet of drivers had already taken the lead in their class on Saturday evening and held on to it right until the finish. They also secured a more than respectable 18th place in the overall standings – a fantastic achievement that gives the BLACK FALCON Team ZIMMERMANN a huge confidence boost for the rest of the NLS season, in which they aim to compete for the championship title in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring (PETN).
Outlook
With its class victory in CUP2 and a strong 18th-place finish overall, the BLACK FALCON Team ZIMMERMANN has earned important points for the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring (PETN). Following their extraordinary effort at the 24-hour race, the team is now focusing on the remaining rounds of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, where they hope to carry the momentum of this success forward and continue their fight for the championship title.
Christoph Henkel, Managing Director of BLACK FALCON, summed up the weekend as follows:
“The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring was once again an extremely emotional experience for us this year. We experienced many highs and also a few lows, which the entire team mastered with flying colors thanks to their incredible team spirit and dedication. […] Special thanks once again go to our mechanics, who completed every single repair in record time.”
