The 21-year-old German Theo Oeverhaus (ID Racing) made a strong statement at the season opener of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland in Imola: competing as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) support programme, the driver from Osnabrück claimed commanding victories in both races. On Sunday, South Africa’s Keagan Masters (Proton Competition) finished second, while Germany’s Alexander Tauscher (Target) secured third place. “Imola seems to suit me well,” said Oeverhaus after the podium ceremony. “This success naturally gives me confidence, which is important for the upcoming races. My team is also extremely happy.” Two pole positions and two wins handed Oeverhaus the maximum points haul of 50. For ID Racing and team principal Iris Dorr, it marked the first two victories in the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland.
A total of 31 drivers from 13 nations lined up at the traditional Italian circuit in the new 520 hp Porsche 911 Cup. The tightly matched field led to an early safety car phase. The Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach package and new Dekra livery was deployed after an incident on the first lap: Porsche Junior Flynt Schuring (NL/Schumacher CLRT) was involved in contact and ended up in the gravel, retiring without a result.Proton Competition driver Masters was pleased with a better first lap. The 26-year-old Proton Competition driver, who had started third, overtook Tauscher to move into second place. “The key was a strong start, and then I had to keep an eye on Alexander behind me,” explained Masters. Tauscher stayed close, fighting to defend third position. The race was originally scheduled for 30 minutes but was red-flagged after 24 minutes following a collision on lap eleven. Due to a car stranded in the gravel and damage to the barriers, the race at the 4.909-kilometre Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari was not resumed for safety reasons.
Behind Oeverhaus, Masters and Tauscher, Talent Pool driver Matheus Ferreira (BR/Team GP Elite) finished fourth. Rookie Sam Jongejan (NL/Team75 Bernhard) claimed fifth place. Dirk Schouten (NL/Looping by CarTech) was classified sixth, ahead of fellow Dutchman Wouter Boerekamps (Team GP Elite). Porsche Junior Marcus Amand (FIN/Proton Competition) secured points in eighth place. The best ProAm driver was Germany’s Sören Spreng (GP Elite), classified 21st.
“The first two races have already given us a glimpse of what promises to be an exciting season,” said Thorsten Rückert, Project Manager of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland. “Numerous wheel-to-wheel battles throughout the field provided great entertainment for the spectators and demonstrated the potential of the new Porsche 911 Cup.”
The next race weekend follows immediately: races three and four will take place next weekend (24 to 26 April) as part of the DTM at the Red Bull Ring. With its mix of long straights and fast corners, the Austrian circuit is one of the most spectacular on the calendar. Set against the Styrian mountains, the 4.326-kilometre Formula 1 track features significant elevation changes, including gradients of up to twelve per cent.
