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WORLD AND LIFE
TCR 2017
Thrilling races
at Zandvoort
and the Nürburgring
The fourth and fifth race meetings of
the ADAC TCR Germany series
provided plenty of ‘coups de théâtre’,
setting the scene for an exciting end
to the season.
At Zandvoort, Dutch driver Niels
Langeveld (Racing One) crossed the
line first in both races. However,
after the first race was reduced in
length by a series of incidents and
changeable weather conditions to
only a couple of racing laps amid
Safety Car interventions, penalties
were poured onto the competitors.
Seventeen drivers received a 30-
second time penalty either for
changing tyres on the grid or for
committing infringements during the
Safety Car periods. Langeveld was
dropped from 1st to 13th, which
handed victory to Jason Wolfe (Liqui
Moly Team Engstler), while Rik
Breukers (Bas Koeten Racing) and
Josh Files (Target Competition)
completed the podium.
After being stripped of Saturday’s
victory, Langeveld then actually won
the second race. He took command
after starting from pole position and
never looked back. Behind him
Sheldon van der Linde (Prosport
Performance) was classified second
after a close fight with Files;
eventually the latter dropped down
in the order to finish 14th and Wolfe
was promoted to third.
Incidents and Safety Car
interventions also plagued the
Nürburgring event where Files took
his fourth victory of the season after
making a brilliant start in Race 1.
The Briton passed both pole-sitter
Mike Halder (Wolf-Power Racing) and
Langeveld on the run down to Turn
1, so setting the scene for a race-
long battle between the trio. After
two Safety Car periods, the final lap
saw Files and Halder fighting side by
side, but the leader held his nerve
and so took the win.
A dramatic second race saw Antti
Buri (LMS Racing) claim his first
victory of the season, finishing
ahead of van der Linde. The race,
however, will be remembered for a
number of incidents, including one at
the start that eliminated Dino
Calcum’s Opel Astra and Files’ Honda.
Following a second appearance of the
Safety Car, Buri flew to victory, while
van der Linde defended second place
from Halder who eventually lost third
place to Harald Proczyk (HP Racing).