Maini finishes NLS race in Top 10; suffers DNF in 24 Hours of Spa
NLS:
With a solid performance, the two DTM drivers Lucas Auer (AUT) and Arjun Maini (IND), as well as Jordan Love (AUS) achieved a strong 6th place overall in the blue and yellow BILSTEIN Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the Haupt Racing Team at the “ROWE 6-Stunden ADAC Ruhr-Pokal Rennen”.
For Maini and Love it was their first race in a GT3 car on the Nordschleife and for Auer it was his first outing for the Haupt Racing Team, drawing attention with a lap time of 7:52.848 in qualifying – and this despite the fact that his last NLS start was 2 years ago.
The likeable Austrian then started the race from 6th place and completed consistent stints – just like his teammates. For the new HRT driver trio, however, the priority was to collect race kilometers on the Nordschleife but also finish the race. All three drivers fulfilled this task with brilliance and showed strong performance, battling within the top 10 for the entire race, which lasted 43 laps.
Lucas Auer, Haupt Racing Team #6: “The Nordschleife is brutal. You really have a lot to manage – but it was great fun and we can be really happy with the result.”
Arjun Maini, Haupt Racing Team #6: “After my first lap with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 on the Nordschleife I had a big smile on my face. It was really fun and we did quite well.”
Jordan Love, Haupt Racing Team #6: “My first race in a GT3 car on the Nordschleife was just great. I learned so much and kept learning with each lap that went by. Thanks to the Haupt Racing Team for this opportunity. I couldn’t be happier.”
Ulrich Fritz, Managing Director Haupt Racing Team: “We decided to use the 6-hour race to give the drivers the opportunity to develop and gain race kilometers on the Nordschleife. All three drivers absolutely met our expectations and showed a solid performance to build on.”
24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps:
It was Maini’s first time in 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps with Haupt Racing Team in the #5 Mercedes GT3 alongside Hubert Haupt, Gabriele Piana and Florian Scholze in the Gold class category.
The final qualifying saw them end up 39th in the overall standings, while they were fifth in the Gold Cup. It was a steady start for the team initially and by the end of the fourth hour, they were in the lead of their category.
They kept the lead until the sixth hour but a crash by the end of the seventh hour ended their race early from the lead of the race.
