The Czech outfit has lined up the n.33 Audi LMS for Filip Salaquarda and Frank Stippler in its home race, resolute to be the protagonists, strong also with the deep knowledge of the circuit on which the drivers had the chance to run a pre-season testing session.

Salaquarda and Stippler displayed a good shape since free practice on Friday, and found their place in the top ten, well motivated to defend the Czech Republic colours in qualifying. Salaquarda completed his best Q1 lap in 1'31.932s, which earned him P11, while Stippler posted a very good 1'31.936s in Q2 and gained the third row of the grid in fifth place.

Race one, run on Saturday, had been quite tough. Salaquarda started the race managing to stay out of troubles in the melee of the second corner when an incident involved several cars and required the safety car deployment. Unfortunately, just a few corners later, a race contact with the n.5 Audi R8 LMS broke Salaquarda's steering system and forced him to an early retirement.

Resolute to bounce back from the problem of race one, Team ISR's pairing started race two aiming to a strong result. Stippler wisely drove the n.33 car through the first stint and kept himself away from troubles that could compromise their result at the start and handed the car over to Salaquarda in sixth place. The Czech driver defended himself very well from the attacks of the n.25 Audi R8 LMS in his first lap and then climbed up to P5 thanks to the right pit strategy. The great pace put in by Salaquarda allowed him to keep the position until the chequered flag, that saw Team ISR crossing the line as the first Audi car and to haul important points for the championship.

Team Principal Igor Salaquarda said: "We run a great race two in front of a lot of supporters that pushed us from the grandstands and being the first Audi at the chequered flag rewarded the intense preparation work done ahead of this weekend. Filip and Frank managed the race wisely, we had the pace to fight for the podium, but after the retirement in race one we did not want to risk losing some important points due to a too aggressive approach to the race. The car has been perfect and we certainly could have scored an important result also in race one, but we are nevertheless happy and look positively forward to the next rounds, aware of having the potential to fight up there in the front."

Source: Team