Hour four at the Nürburgring was not as exciting as the first three hours. HTP Motorsport increased their lead over the rest of the field. The battle for ‘best of the rest’ in this Blancpain 1000 was blown wide open though.
Hexis Racing ended their season with another DNF, the #7 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 of Stef Dusseldorp, Alvaro Parente and Alexander Sims a confirmed retirement just into the third hour.
Onboard the #3 Marc VDS Racing Team BMW Z4 GT3 Maxime Martin did all he could to help the team in their fight with Belgian Audi Club Team WRT for the Blancpain Endurance Series Pro Cup Teams Championship. Ahead of him were Andy Soucek, teammate Markus Palttala and Frank Stippler, but the Belgian driver quickly reeled them in and after Buhk had completed 100 laps Martin was right behind Soucek.
Martin and Soucek battled for several laps and despite Martin’s best efforts the ART Grand Prix driver wasn’t letting the Marc VDS Racing Team BMW pass him.
With 20 minutes left in this fourth hour Stippler pitted after Martin, leaving Palttala and Soucek fighting for second. The third round of pits stops meant the order was shaken up again though. No change at the front though as the #84 HTP Motorsport Mercedes kept on going strong.
Quick turnarounds in the pits resulted in Marc VDS Racing Team BMW #4 returning to the track fighting for position with the #13 Audi – but behind Buurman, who had taken over from Martin. Catsburg passed Stippler on the straight, putting the VDS cars in second and third and more importantly virtually ahead of the WRT Audi’s in the Teams Championship – as HTP Motorsport cannot score points in this final round.
Marcel ten Caat
