PMSC Season So Far: BWT Lechner’s Andlauer and Ammermuller in Tense Title Fight

After four rounds of the ten round Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, the title fight is shaping up to be incredibly tense with the BWT Lechner Racing duo of Julien Andlauer, and defending champion Michael Ammermuller, separated by just three points.

Andlauer, in his second full season in the series, began with an impressively dominant display during the season opener in Spain. The Frenchman topped the free practice session, qualified on pole position, claimed a lights to flag victory and set the fastest lap to complete a perfect weekend and take an early lead in the championship.

Normally such a display would warrant rave reviews and prevent anyone talking about other drivers in the field. This, however was not the case at Catalunya, as rookie Ayhancan Guven qualified on the front row and converted it into a second position finish. He also kept Andlauer honest, particularly in the first half of the race, finishing just over three seconds adrift of the winner as the chequered flag fell.

Third in the season opener was Michael Ammermuller with quite a subdued performance given his recent history at the circuit. The German two time defending champion had won four of the last five Supercup races held at the circuit but struggled to match the pace of his younger, less experienced team mate. By the end of the race though, he did begin to pile the pressure on Guven but was unable to find a way through and had to settle for the final place on the rostrum. Incumbent Carrera Cup GB champion Tio Ellinas was fourth as he marked his step up to the Supercup with an excellent performance; this meant three Walter Lechner prepared machines finished in the top four. Porsche stalwart Jaap van Lagen rounded out the top five.

Andlauer holds off the impressive Guven at turn one in Spain.

Ammermuller bounced back in style at Monaco, though not without controversy. He took pole position but only after championship newcomer Larry ten Voorde had been stripped of his best lap time due to setting it under yellow flags. This pole position gave Ammermuller the platform for his victory as he drove a beautifully controlled race through the narrow streets of Monte Carlo and grabbed the lead of the championship in the process. He was followed home by Mikkel Overgaard Pedersen who secured the first podium finish of his Supercup career. Ten Voorde was third, ahead of Florian Latorre. Catalunya frontrunners Guven and Andlauer were fifth and seventh respectively, split by Jaap van Lagen.

Michael Ammermuller leads the pack into Sainte-Devote for the first time. It would be a lead he never relinquished.

Round three at the Red Bull Ring brought a strong response from Andlauer who again put the car on pole position having also been fastest in practice. He fended off the faster starting Larry ten Voorde, during a tense first lap in which the pair ran side by side for the majority of it. Once he had achieved this, he broke away and was never troubled again en route to his second victory of the season. Ammermuller survived contact with Dylan Pereira on the first lap before fighting his way past van Lagen and hunting down ten Voorde to claim second. This gave Walter Lechner’s team a 1-2 finish at their home circuit. Ten Voorde was third, to give him a second consecutive podium and put him in the championship picture despite not participating in the season opener. Van Lagen, Latorre and Pedersen rounded out the top six. However, there was disaster for Ayhancan Guven who was eliminated in a first lap collision with guest driver Igor Walilko.

Julien Andlauer on his way to victory at a sweltering Red Bull Ring.

It didn’t take long for Guven to erase the disappointment of Austria as he claimed his very first Supercup victory two weeks later at Silverstone. Having taken pole position he drove a superbly controlled race to secure a lights to flag victory and launch himself up the championship table into third position. Julien Andlauer, who would have been on pole had his best lap in qualifying not been deleted for exceeding track limits, scythed his way through the field from sixth on the grid to finish second, and crucially, take the championship lead for the first time since round one. Florian Latorre was third having started second. Larry ten Voorde was fourth ahead of Jaxon Evans, who was a season best fifth. Michael Ammermuller was sixth having qualified a lowly ninth. Current Carrera Cup GB championship leader, Dan Harper secured the best result by a guest driver so far this season by coming home eighth, to build on what has already been a superb season for the Porsche GB Junior driver.

Ayhancan Guven was understandably delighted with his maiden victory last time out at Silverstone.

In the Pro-Am championship Roar Lindland leads the way having won all four races in his category, with a best overall finish of 12^th coming at Monaco. Philipp Sager is second, 12 points adrift, with Stephen Grove third, eight points further back.

Roar Lindland is dominating the Pro-Am category.

As the series heads to Hockenheim for round five this weekend, will it be Andlauer or Ammermuller who leave with the championship lead? Can Guyven make it back to back victories and force his way back into the championship picture? Or will we have a fourth different winner in five races?

Make sure you keep checking this blog for updates throughout the weekend. You can now also follow us on twitter through the handler @PAboutPorsche.

All photos courtesy of Porsche Motorsport.