06 Jul Difficult task for the Konrad drivers after failed Qualifying
The weekend of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Silverstone became a big challenge for the team Konrad Motorsport. After a disappointing qualifying session, Klaus Bachler, Christian Engelhart and Christopher Zöchling had to start into the fourth round of the season from the midfield of the starting grid. Finishing seventh, Klaus Bachler made the best of the situation and secured some valuable championship points.
“It could have been better today”, Klaus Bachler concluded after the race in Silverstone. At difficult weather conditions in the qualifying, the Austrian claimed ninth position for the starting grid. “Unfortunately it all didn’t take the course I imagined”, explained the 23-year-old. “At first it was wet and then the track got more and more dry. In the race I could make some progress and finally finished on seventh. Unfortunately an opponent pushed me into the gravel already in the first lap and with that all chances for a better result were gone.”
Bachler’s team mates Christian Engelhart and Christopher Zöchling experienced a caracinous weekend. The two Konrad Motorsport drivers had to settle with positions 13 and 16 after the qualifying session. An accordingly difficult course took the race: “It’s hard to overtake here in Silverstone”, explained Engelhart. “Despite the car was perfect for the race, I couldn’t make a reasonable progress. Finishing 13th means a poor outcome of only three points for me. Now we have to focus on the next race.”
Christopher Zöchling gained some positions at the beginning of the race. “I had a good start and was scratching at the top-10 positions already. However, unfortunately then I had contact with Sean Johnston, who was quite early on the brakes. We swapped some paint and after that my car wasn’t as good as it should have been.” After 13 laps Christopher Zöchling crossed the finish line on 15th rank and claimed one point for his credit in the driver standings of the championship.
After the setback in Silverstone the squad around Franz Konrad is now looking for the German round of the fastest one make cup in the world. The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup will be on the Hockenheimring from July 18th to 20th. Especially Christian Engelhart has some good memories about the Circuit in the southern region of Germany. “In 2009 I claimed my first podium in the Porsche Carrera Cup in Hockenheim, and one year later I celebrated my first victory. I always like to travel to Hockenheim and I hope, to fight for a podium finish in the next round for the Supercup again”, Engelhart is looking forward to the fifth round of the championship.