Motorsport: extra work for Marcel Fässler
Five weeks after Le Mans, the World Endurance Championship continues at the Nürburgring. Neel Jani wants to extend his championship lead and Sébastien Buemi to take revenge with Toyota. The race will be special for Marcel Fässler in the Audi. Although only one third of the season is over with the two 6-hour races at Silverstone and Spa and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, [...]
Although only a third of the season is over with the two 6-hour races at Silverstone and Spa and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it is possible to draw up a half-time balance sheet and identify a clear WRC favorite: Porsche with Neel Jani. The triumph at Le Mans earned the Biel native and his team double the points. The lead is now 39 points, which is roughly equivalent to a normally rated race win (25 points) and third place (15) in one of the six other 6-hour races.
An unwanted zero would still be bearable for the time being. However, Neel Jani, Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb will no longer be uncompromisingly aiming for victory, but will always have the world championship in mind. Better fewer points than none at all. Because the points are added up at the end. First in the chase, separated by only one point, are the Audi and Toyota trio without Swiss drivers. All three manufacturers are bringing new aerodynamic configurations for their LMP1 cars to the Eifel. The aero packages reduce top speed and generate more downforce in the medium-fast and slower corners.
The most successful world championship trio is torn apart
The deep disappointment over the missed victory at Le Mans has given way to a now-first-right mood at Toyota. In the meantime, Sébastien Buemi has consoled himself with the FIA Formula E title but now also wants to finally clinch his first World Championship race win in 2016 after leading at Spa and Le Mans for so long. At Audi, Marcel Fässler will share all the work with André Lotterer because Benoît Tréluyer was injured in a sports accident with his bike. Never before has the most successful WRC pairing (ten race wins) been separated. This only happened in 2013 at the 12 Hours of Sebring, where André Lotterer was absent, but the US race only counted towards the ALMS at that time. Marcel Fässler: "André and I can now spend more time in the car, which won't be a problem for us physically. But we will miss Ben." If Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer score points, which can be assumed, the trio will also be torn apart in the championship standings.
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Photos: Group C Publishing, Adrenal Media/WEC
