The BWT Mücke Motorsport driver set the fastest time in the first free practice session of the Prototype Cup Germany at Circuit Zandvoort. Second place for fellow Duqueine driver Keanu Al Azhari.
The third race weekend of the 2024 Prototype Cup Germany is up and running: the venue is the circuit in Zandvoort, known for hosting Formula 1. The track is nestled among the dunes on the North Sea coast and is hugely popular with the drivers, who enjoy the layout. Free Practice 1 took place on Friday morning, with Julien Apothéloz (23/CHE) from BWT Mücke Motorsport proving unbeatable in his Duqueine D08.
“It is obviously great to start the race weekend with the fastest time. However, it is hard to judge what the times are worth in free practice,” said the Swiss driver, who produced a 1:32.194-minute lap and lines up alongside Riccardo Leone Cirelli (16/ITA). “It is incredibly nice to drive this kind of race car in Zandvoort. You have a lot of downforce in an LMP3 car, so the fast corners here are particularly good fun. I think we are in a good position, but we must wait and see how the weather develops over the race weekend. We could be in for rain tomorrow.”
Second place, 0.484 seconds back, went to fellow Duqueine driver Keanu Al Azhari (16/UAE, Mühlner Motorsport). Third fastest were Valentino Catalano (18/Westheim) and Markus Pommer (33/Untereisesheim, both Gebhardt Motorsport), who were 0.889 seconds slower than Apothéloz in another Duqueine. Jacob Erlbacher (23/Böblingen) and Maxim Dirckx (20/BEL, both Gebhardt Motorsport) ended the session in fourth place, 1.061 seconds off the top time. Rounding out the top five was the Ligier JS P320 of Danny Soufi (20/USA) and Torsten Kratz (53/Mönchengladbach, both Konrad Motorsport).
Free Practice 2 follows later on Friday. Saturday and Sunday both feature one qualifying session and one race. “We definitely want to challenge for the wins. That is always the goal. It went really well for us at the Lausitzring, with three podiums. We want to back that up here in Zandvoort,” said a determined Apothéloz.