The reigning Prototype Cup Germany champion clocked the best time after two free practice sessions at the Hockenheimring. Duqueine brand colleague Julien Apothéloz is in second place.
The second half of the 2024 Prototype Cup Germany season is underway: Two free practice sessions were held at the Hockenheimring in Baden-Württemberg on Friday morning – and Markus Pommer (33/Untereisesheim) in the Duqueine D08 of Gebhardt Motorsport was the quickest with a time of 1:35.824 minutes. “We took to the track with a new set of tyres in the second session and completed a kind of qualifying simulation,” said Pommer, who shares the car with ADAC Stiftung Sport sponsored driver Valentino Catalano (18/Westheim). “The temperatures are very high here today, so I’m pleased with the time. We were about a second quicker last year, but the track temperature was probably about 15 to 20 degrees lower.”
The second-fastest time of 1:35.851 minutes went to Duqueine brand colleagues Julien Apothéloz (23/CHE) and Riccardo Leone Cirelli (16/ITA, both BWT Mücke Motorsport). Unlike Pommer’s time, they achieved this in the first of the two sessions and it was Switzerland’s Apothéloz who set the time. Following in third place with a time of 1:36.110 minutes (also from the first free practice session) was the Ligier JS P320 of Klaus Abbelen (63/Barweiler) and Felipe Fernández Laser (35/Leipzig, both Frikadelli Racing Team).
In combined fourth with a time of 1:36.422 minutes was Keanu Al Azhari (16/UAE, Mühlner Motorsport) in another Duqueine. Championship leaders Danny Soufi (21/USA) and Torsten Kratz (53/Mönchengladbach, both Konrad Motorsport) in the Ligier completed the top five of the two free practice sessions with a time of 1:37.183 minutes.
The Prototype Cup Germany will enjoy plenty of track time at the Hockenheimring at the weekend since there will be three instead of the usual two races. “The Hockenheimring is not only my home track, but it is also Valentino’s and the team’s home track. So, we know the layout really well,” Pommer went on to say. “We’re hoping for a good qualifying session and are looking to get a spot in the first or second row of the grid. Our goal for the weekend is to get at least one race win.”
