Prototype Cup Germany makes its debut in Zandvoort. Field grows to 18 cars in the LMP3 series. World champion’s son Freddie Hunt makes his comeback.
Munich. Zandvoort hosts the Prototype Cup Germany for the first time this weekend (23rd to 25th June). Oscar Tunjo (27/COL) and Julien Apothéloz (22/CHE, both van ommen racing by DataLab) will be the hunted at the Formula 1 circuit, as they lead the Drivers’ Championship coming into the event in the Netherlands. Gary Hauser (31/LUX) and Markus Pommer (32/Untereisesheim, both Racing Experience) are currently second, five points behind the Columbian/Swiss duo, with Robin Rogalski (22/POL) and Valentino Catalano (17/Westheim, both DKR Engineering) a further ten points back in third. Spectators in Zandvoort will witness the largest field to date in the Prototype Cup Germany, with 18 cars set to start. As well as four Dutch drivers, Freddie Hunt (36/GBR, Reiter Engineering) will also take his place on the grid. The son of former Formula 1 world champion James Hunt raced in last year’s Prototype Cup Germany, claiming a victory and a third place together with Norwegian Mads Siljehaug at the Nürburgring. Races five and six of this season’s Prototype Cup Germany will be streamed live and free of charge at adac.de/motorsport and youtube.com/adacmotorsports.
Julien Apothéloz is new to LMP3 racing, but the Swiss cut a fine figure on his debut. “Right from the first moment I had a good feeling about the team and my team-mate Oscar Tunjo, and that feeling has only been confirmed as correct so far,” says Apothéloz. He and Tunjo top the table in the Prototype Cup Germany after the second round in Oschersleben, and are now keen to defend their lead. “Our goal is obviously to come out on top again in Zandvoort. When you make such a good start to the season, you want to carry on that way.” However, Apothéloz arrives in Zandvoort with a slight handicap, as he has not been there since the circuit was modified. “I know the old variant and I always really enjoyed racing on it. It was an old-school track, on which the driver could still make the difference. I think that will still be the case on the new variant.” In order to avoid being totally unprepared, the 22-year-old has checked out the track in a simulator. “That is definitely a great help, as it means you need less time to adapt once you get to the circuit. However, the simulator and the real track remain two totally different animals for me.”
Max van der Snel (19/NLD, More Motorsport by Reiter) should have no such problem, as he knows Zandvoort like the back of his hand. “To be honest, I only know the current version of the circuit. I never drove on the old one. I have had quite a few races here and also work as an instructor now and again.” Van der Snel is currently seventh in the overall standings and third in the Junior competition. “We are satisfied with our performances so far, but we want more at our home event – a podium is our goal.” The teenager, who lives just 45 minutes from Zandvoort and will be staying at home this weekend, is racing alongside his father Mark van der Snel (52/NED) in the Prototype Cup Germany. “I have been on the road with my father since my days of karting – he was my coach and mechanic back then. And now we are actually sharing a car.”
Father and son van der Snel are two of four Dutchmen in the starting line-up at this weekend’s Prototype Cup Germany outing in the Netherlands. Jasper Stiksma (22/NLD, MRS GT-Racing) and Leonard Hoogenboom (23/NLD, DKR Engineering) are also looking forward to racing in front of their home crowd. Hoogenboom partners Pedro Perino (18/PRT, DKR Engineering) in one of four pairings to start in newly registered cars. This quartet also includes Freddie Hunt, who shares his Ligier with Horst Felbermayr (52/AUT), and the duos of Wolfgang Kaufmann (59/Molsberg) / Robert Doyle (64/USA, both AF2 Motorsport) and Enzo Scionti (18/USA) / Suleiman Zanfari (17/MAR, both MMi Motorsport). And last but not least, joining the Prototype Cup Germany field are Romanian Alex Cascatău (30), who will alternate at the wheel of the BHK Motorsport Ligier with Elia Sperandio (17/CHE), and the returning Axcil Jeffries (29/ZWE), who starts alongside Danny Soufi for Konrad Motorsport in a Ginetta.
Broadcast times for the 2023 Prototype Cup Germany in Zandvoort
Saturday, 24th June 17:20 - Race 1 Live youtube.com/adacmotorsports
Sunday, 25th June 15:10 - Race 2 Live youtube.com/adacmotorsports
