Michele takes the podium in the ADAC Qualifying 24h Race at Nurbrigring, thanks to his and his team-mates’ perfect performance. The third place is enhanced by the pole position got by the Phoenix Racing Team’s crew of the Audi R8 LMS GT3 #11.
Michele took a deserved podium in the 6 Hours of Nurbrigring, last race before the famous 24 ADAC Total that will take place the first weekend of June.
The Audi R8 LMS GT3 driven by Michele, Thiim, Kolb and Stippler started from the pole position and led the top positions for all 41 laps of the race.
Michele was determinant and finished the race beating Wittmann’s BMW M6 GT3 and engaging a long-distance battle, made of fast laps, with Juncadella’s Mercedes AMG GT3 (4° place) and Bamber’s Porsche GT3 R (2°place).
The fantastic podium conquered by “Mike” has an important meaning in view of the 24 Hours, in fact the pole position and the third position in the Qualifying Race will allow Michele’s Audi ( and his team-mates) to access directly in Q2 in the Qualifying of the 24 Hours race.
Off of the podium, Michele commented positively his race knowing that the values on the track will only be revealed in the official test of the 24 ADAC Total:
“It was a very good result and I am satisfied. We gave the maximum in the qualifying and in the race, getting also the direct access in Q2 for the 24 Hours. This another not negligible result. Our rivals are very strong, but as I have already said, everybody are careful not to show themselves and to prepare in the best way the 24 Hours race, giving up something in these preparation races.”
Michele gets to the heart of the race, specifying what happened in his last stint, driven with a great pace: “We got third place following a penalty inflicted on our rivals, but the podium was absolutely within our reach. At the beginning of the last stint I fought with the BMW, losing some time, and in the last laps of the race I confronted at a distance with Juncadella (Mercedes), who was behind me. The Porsche were very fast on the straights and it wasn’t easy to get close to attempt a braking attack. This weekend the track was slow because it was snowing on Friday and it was cold during the race. It will certainly be a very tough race, as always, also considering that the weather at Nurbrigring is changeable even in June.”