Keanu Al Azhari (16/UAE, Mühlner Motorsport) was once again unbeatable in Free Practice 2 in the Prototype Cup Germany at the Sachsenring. The teenager, who only went out for a few laps, was 0.279 seconds faster than Markus Pommer (33/Untereisesheim) and Valentino Catalano (18/Westheim, both Gebhardt Motorsport); third fastest was the Frikadelli Racing duo of Klaus Abbelen (63/Barweiler) and Felipe Laser (36/Leipzig).
Al Azhari had an eventful day, but could be very happy with the result. He finished on top of the timing sheet in the one-hour test in the morning, as well as the following two Free Practices, which also each lasted an hour. He also ended up in the gravel bed during the test, ploughed into the crash barrier in his Duqueine in FP1, and then once again set the fastest time in FP2 shortly after. “This is my first time at the Sachsenring, but I reckon I’ve found my feet pretty quickly. I suddenly lost the car in Free Practice 1 – I don’t know why. In FP2, my team principal and I agreed that I would just do one qualifying simulation, after which I parked the car and saved my tyres.” The fact that he still ended the session in first place was a nice side effect. “First, three times – I hope it continues this way tomorrow.”
His rivals, including Pommer / Catalano and Abbelen / Laser, will be out to stop him. The Duqueine duo of Pommer and Catalano are second in the table and, with a good performance, can still be crowned champions regardless of what anyone else does. Abbelen and Laser currently lie fifth, but will be looking to climb as high up the overall standings as possible in their Ligier. Fourth place in FP2 went to Jacob Erlbacher (23/Böblingen) and Maxim Dirickx (20/BEL, both Gebhardt Motorsport). “It is a difficult circuit,” admitted the Belgian, who made the switch from karting to the Prototype Cup Germany at the start of the season and drives a Duqueine. “It is technical in parts and damned fast in other parts. I think it is a good place for a season finale.” He was happy with his own performance. “The first Free Practice went better for me than the second, even though we only finished sixth as a duo. I believe that Jacob and I are well prepared for both qualifying sessions and the two races tomorrow and on Sunday.”
Julien Apothéloz (23/CHE) / Riccardo Leone Cirelli (16/ITA, both BWT Mücke Motorsport), Antti Rammo (41/EST, MRS GT-Racing), Sven Barth (43/Eberbach) / Michael Lyons (33/GBR, both Momo Gebhardt Racing), and Danny Soufi (21/USA) / Torsten Kratz (53/Mönchengladbach, both Konrad Motorsport) completed the top eight in Free Practice 2.
