Two podiums and pole for Riegel in DTM Trophy visit to Imola
Sunday, June 19, 2022
With both Nick Hancke and Jacob Riegel showing something of what is possible from the teams two Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4’s at the opening round of the season from Oschersleben at the end of April, it was Riegel who ‘took the bull by the horns’ in Italy to take two P2 finishes plus a pole position in Sunday’s race to round off a near perfect weekend for him.
Hancke also looked fast going into Saturday’s opening half hour race but contact into turn one on the opening lap caused damage to the front quarter of his #99 car, forcing him into the pits under the ensuing Safety Car. Whilst he would return to the track for the restart, being a lap down and continuing issues forced him into a DNF in that one.
Riegel meanwhile had started from P3 on the grid on Saturday and didn’t take too long to move up to second behind the dominating #47 BMW to claim his first podium of the season which he took one better on Sunday morning by claiming his maiden pole position in the series.
At another chaotic start for race 2, Riegel was lucky not to be taken out as both a Porsche and Mercedes wanted the #63 out of their way as the grid made their way into turn one. Luckily, Riegel managed to hold despite dropping to P4, but from there collected his thoughts before swiftly moving up to P3.
His move to P2 was courtesy of a penalty given to the race leading #90 Toyota for an improper start procedure as he was forced to let both the #63 and #47 BMW by, gifting the young German another P2 finish to add to his tally from earlier.
Championship wise, these results lift Riegel up to P4 on forty points with Hancke now in P7 on thirty points – the leading #47 car presently sits with sixty-nine point thanks to his three race wins so far this season.
The next round is from the Norisring in early July.
Photo credit – Team Speed Monkey
