NKPP Racing by Bas Koeten Racing holds narrow TCE lead at Hankook 12H MUGELLO 26.03.2021: • Just 25 seconds separates NKPP Racing by Bas Koeten Racing and AC Motorsport at the four-hour mark. • Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing is one car down already. • Speed Lover holds comfortable lead in TCX.

•    Just 25 seconds separates NKPP Racing by Bas Koeten Racing and AC Motorsport at the four-hour mark.


•    Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing is one car down already.


•    Speed Lover holds comfortable lead in TCX.





NKPP Racing by Bas Koeten Racing holds a narrow lead in the TCE division after the first four hours of the Hankook 12H MUGELLO.



The NKPP Racing by Bas Koeten Racing CUPRA TCR (#175, Harry Hilders / Gijs Bessem) completed 102 laps of the 5.245km Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, and crossed the finish line less than 25 seconds ahead of the AC Motorsport Audi RS3 LMS (#188, Stéphane Perrin / Mathieu Detry).



The pair will share the TCE front row for tomorrow’s restart, and will also start on the same lap.



After losing time in the pits, the Red Camel-Jordans.nl CUPRA TCR (#101, Ivo Breukers / Rik Breukers), which had pulled almost a lap clear at half-distance, has now slipped back to 3rd, but holds a one-lap advantage over the RC2 Junior Team by Cabra Racing CUPRA Leon Competición TCR (#108, Rubén Fernández / Victor Fernández / Felipe Fernández). The latter entry marks the series debut of the new CUPRA Leon Competición TCR.



The Speed Lover Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS (#206, Kurt Hensen / Philippe Wils) rounds out the top five thus far in TCE, and has also pulled three laps clear of nearest rival CWS Engineering in the TCX class. The CWS Engineering Ginetta G55 (#278, Colin White / Jean-Francois Brunot / James Kell), now 7th overall in TCE, started from the very back of the field following problems in qualifying, and had even taken the division’s overall lead before spinning at turn 11.  



The sole remaining Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR (#1, Marcus Menden / Walter Reho / Emil Heyerdahl) is currently running 6th overall in TCE. The sister #112 suffered an enormous accident during free practice and could not be repaired in time for the race itself.



The JUTA Racing junior CUPRA TCR (#121, Audrius Navickas / Aurimas Jablonskis / Nerijus Baliunas / Algirdas Gelžinis / Ignas Gelžinis), the Elite Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR DSG (#147, Simone Patrinicola / Pierluigi Alessandri / Gianvito Rossi), and the Lotus PB Racing Lotus Elise Cup PB-R (#205, Denis Bonvini / Luca Flaccadori / Franco Nespoli / Maurizio Fortina / Alberto Grisi) currently round out the top 10 in TCE.



Despite securing pole position, JR Motorsport has endured a tough opening four hours at the Hankook 12H MUGELLO. The team’s BMW E46 GTR (#202, Bas Schouten / Coos Schouten / Dirk Schouten) was in contention for TCE pole position before suspension issues hit, and in the opening stages of the race had already moved up to 2nd before transmission problems struck.



The sister BMW M3 F80 meanwhile (#203, Ted van Vliet / Ward Sluys / Sandra van der Sloot) ran at the head of the TCE field for the first hour but has now spent more than an hour in the pits. The pair are now at the tail of the field in TCE.  






The final eight hours of the Hankook 12H MUGELLO will get underway tomorrow at 10.00 hrs local time, and the event is set to run uninterrupted until the chequered flag drops at 18.00 hrs.



Live streaming of the race in HD quality will be available on our official website and the 24H SERIES YouTube channel. Regular updates will be published on Twitter (@24HSeries), Facebook (24H Series) and Instagram (24H Series). Further information can be found at www.24hseries.com.




Creventic BV also photo