HEADLINES
- Nick Catsburg completes an intense two-pronged programme at the Nurburgring
- The Dutchman dovetails his FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) commitments with the ADAC Zurich Nurburgring 24 Hours
- Catsburg qualifies fourth for the WTCC Race of Germany
- WTCC results were defined by poor starts
- Catsburg shows podium potential by racing back through the pack
- The 28-year old leads the LADA SPORT ROSNEFT charge in sixth in the WTCC’s Main Race
NURBURGRING 24 HOURS HEADLINES
- Shock at the start of the ADAC Zurich Nurburgring 24 Hours, as blue skies are replaced by hail, snow and heavy rain
- Unexpected change in conditions causes chaos and results in a protracted stoppage
- Several cars crash out and countless others become stranded, unable to climb the Nordschleife’s hills on slick tyres
- The #22 ROWE Racing BMW M6 GT3 lies sixth when the racing resumes in treacherously wet conditions
- Catsburg double-stints in the early hours of Sunday morning and returns the #22 entry in tenth position
- Contact with a slower car ends the #22 ROWE Racing BMW’s race at dawn
Nicky says…
On pushing to the limits during a positive WTCC qualifying session…
“I pulled it out of the bag at the end of qualifying! I felt good, the car felt good and the result was good, if not a little disappointing. I think I might have been able to find one second or so, but I know I’m not five seconds off Jose Maria Lopez’s pace as a driver and I feel I got the most out of the car, which appeared to lack power in a straight line. It was nice to have some wet running with the LADA Vesta and I was fast in those conditions as well, so I’m happy!”
On the impact of his poor starts to the Opening and Main Races…
“My results were definitely defined by my poor starts, which I believe to be due to a clutch issue. I told the team it wasn’t working after the practice lap and again on the green-flag lap, and I was told to keep everything as it was. Of course, it then didn’t work at the start of both races, so it’s fairly obvious that there is a problem.
“In race two, I had to perform a manual start and this created a lot of wheelspin as I left the grid, but I was pleased to only lose a couple of positions and then have a chance to come back at the Citroen. I didn’t feel comfortable in the car – we were all a bit afraid about the tyres – so I took it easy, reduced the risk whenever I could and just brought it home.”
On what might have been in the WTCC Race of Germany…
“Had we been able to push, I think a podium might have been possible in the Main Race, because I didn’t feel the pace was that bad. It is notoriously difficult to overtake on the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Overall, it’s was a disappointing weekend simply because we weren’t really able to race due to fears over the tyres.”
On ROWE Racing’s build-up to the 2016 ADAZ Zurich Nurburgring 24 Hours…
“The BMW programme started very well. The M6 GT3 felt strong from the outset of the weekend and the entire team had high hopes and expectations, although there was an element of caution because we’re dealing with a brand new car. The Nurburgring 24 Hours was a big test for the M6 and BMW made a big effort, so I wanted to do my best to represent the brand and be as fast as possible.”
On jumping hurdles in qualifying for the Nurburgring 24 Hours…
“The ROWE Racing BMW M6 GT3 was very good in qualifying, even though the track was dodgy after the rainfall and there was a bit of an oil trail to negotiate on my second flying lap – that’s the sort of rubbish you have to deal with when you’re the last one to take to the track! I slowed down, probably a little too much, and then pushed in an attempt to improve my lap, but there was a yellow zone because a Porsche was stranded on the track.”
On mistakes made in qualifying for the Nurburgring 24 Hours…
“Ultimately, I pushed too hard in qualifying, dipping my wheels on the grass and careering into the wall. I was disappointed in myself, because damaging the car just before a 24-hour race is the worst thing you can do. The damage wasn’t too bad, but it’s a long-distance race and I should have known better than to take any risks. When we won the Spa 24 Hours we were still outside of the top 30 after five hours of racing, so it really doesn’t matter where you start.”
On experiencing four seasons in one day at the Nurburgring…
“It was pretty incredible to watch the weather change so quickly and cause so much chaos, although you kind of expect it of the Nurburgring. Cars were going off into the barriers and others were just standing still on what looked like a glacier – it’s something I’ve never seen before, except when ice racing!”
On ROWE Racing’s demise in the 2016 ADAC Zurich Nurburgring 24 Hours…
“I think we were still in the fight for a good result, because the sister car finished fifth and we were right behind them when I stopped. However, anything is possible at the Nurburgring and the incident with the slower car could have happened to anybody so it’s not too disheartening. It’s not what you want to see, but you always have to take these things into account at ‘The Ring’. Crashes are far more disappointing when they happen at other, more forgiving circuits.”
On the challenges of a dual-programme weekend…
“I slightly underestimated how hard it is doing a dual race programme. It was pretty tiring balance my obligations at BMW and ROWE Racing with my WTCC commitments with LADA SPORT ROSNEFT. It makes it difficult to do an optimal job and I was really looking forward to the start of the 24 Hours on Saturday afternoon when all the craziness was over.”