Michael Ammermüller (Lechner Racing) reasserted himself atop the summit of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup in Hungary, claiming a commanding fourth victory from the 2017 campaign.
Ammermüller’s early stranglehold on the points table looked to have been weakened after FACH AUTO TECH’s Matt Campbell took his maiden series victory in Austria at the Red Bull Ring and subsequently Dennis Olsen took his first ever Supercup success at Silverstone for Lechner Racing.
However, the German stalwart claimed pole position in Hungary by a relatively slender two tenths of a second and appeared to have regained his control. Double Carrera Cup GB champion Dan Cammish had other intentions, and capitalised on greater momentum at the start of Sunday morning’s race to steal the race lead.
Cammish had elected to prioritise his commitments in Supercup over maintaining his Carrera Cup GB championship lead, and his determination to make the most of his Supercup weekend was clear to see.
Until half distance, the prospect of a Cammish victory appeared likely. Alas it wasn’t to be, as Ammermüller’s pace dramatically improved and he launched an attack against his less experienced team-mate. With Cammish mindful of giving his stablemate racing room, the pair switched positons. A handful of laps later and Olsen demoted Cammish to the third step of an all Lechner rostrum. Walter Lechner’s eponymous team have claimed five victories from six races and Hungary’s podium lockout really reinforced the growing impression that they have gained an early advantage in their understanding of the Generation 2 Type 991 911 GT3 Cup exclusive to Supercup and the Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Robert Lukas (Lukas Motorsport) remained the nearly man of the 2017 season, usurping Olsen at the start but ultimately unable to get in and amongst the Lechner steam roller at the front of the field.
FACH AUTO TECH endured a miserable Sunday. Aforementioned Austria race winner, and 2016 Carrera Cup Australia champion, Matt Campbell had qualified fifth and his team-mate, Carrera Cup GB 2014 champion Josh Webster, eighth. Both found themselves in dramas, with Campbell’s clutch expiring on the dummy grid and forcing him into a pit lane start. He finished sixteenth, an impressive recovery all things considered, with Webster only one place better after a difficult race.
Martinet by Almeras contender Philip Morin provided some of the best race craft witnessed so far this season, charging from twentieth to eight across the fourteen lap duration. Paul Rees (MOMO Megatron Team Partrax) demonstrated improving pace in fourteenth. Ryan Cullen (Lechner Racing) and Tom Sharp (IDL Racing) two further names to add to the unofficial list of ‘British Drivers Having Bad Days’, neither making it beyond the end of the first lap.
From Hungary the Supercup circus now enjoys a Summer break before the championship returns at the renowned Spa-Francorchamps. The title is now very much Ammermüller’s to lose, but two years ago a spectacular accident at Spa derailed the German’s championship aspirations. Whilst history is unlikely to repeat itself, any caution will be capitalised upon by Olsen, Cammish and Campbell who are thus far proving to be cream of the new crop in 2017.
