One of the shortest races in the history of the Porsche Supercup saw a happy winner: Dutch driver Robert de Haan from the BWT Lechner Racing team crossed the finish line in the Principality after just four laps, taking first place ahead of Porsche Junior Theo Oeverhaus. Driving for Proton Huber Competition, the German successfully defended his lead in the overall standings.
The 18-year-old Dutchman, reigning Rookie Champion of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, had started from pole position. In the sprint to the first corner, he successfully defended his lead against Porsche Junior Theo Oeverhaus and charged into the uphill section toward the casino at the front of the pack. Behind De Haan and Oeverhaus, the battle for third place took a dramatic turn when two cars spun out. A traffic jam quickly formed behind them, leading to several minor collisions and ultimately blocking the track.
To safely recover the stranded Cup 911 racers, the race was red-flagged. After a break of around 25 minutes, the safety car led the field back onto the circuit for the restart. However, with only three laps remaining before the start of the Monaco Grand Prix, the race distance was significantly shortened. As a result, the top finishers could celebrate their positions – albeit with only half points awarded due to the reduced length of the race.
Four laps – not much room for battles for position.
Among the drivers hoping to score more points was Alessandro Ghiretti. Racing for the Schumacher CLRT team, the French Porsche Junior survived the first-lap chaos.
In the sprint that followed, Ghiretti did everything he could to challenge Theo Oeverhaus for second place – but ultimately had to settle for third. Behind Ghiretti, Dutchman Huub van Eijndhoven (Team GP Elite) and Spaniard Mikel Azcona Troyas crossed the finish line. Azcona, competing for the Spanish team Hadeca Racing, had made the most of his free Saturday in Monaco by squeezing in a qualifying session for the upcoming 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
Dirk Schouten wins the Rookie Classification.
With sixth place, Dutchman Dirk Schouten clinched victory in the Rookie Classification. "While I was dodging the accident ahead of me, my car lightly brushed the guardrail. Fortunately, there were no consequences,” revealed the Supercup newcomer from the Dinamic Motorsport team. Flynt Schuring secured second place on the Rookie Podium ahead of Janne Stiak in third.
Barcelona is back on the calendar.
After a break of several years, the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona is the venue for the next Porsche Supercup race weekend. A few drivers from the series already competed in two Carrera Cup France races here in April – and one of the new teams in the Supercup, Hadeca Racing, enjoys home advantage. However, it is still completely open as to who will finish on top of the podium. One thing is certain: it will be another close contest.
