Falken Motorsports returns to the legendary Nordschleife of the Nürburgring: at the “double-header” of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, the fifth and sixth races of the year, the two Porsche 911 GT3 R cars will once again battling for lap times and positions. Falken Motorsports competed last at the 24h race, where the team celebrated two strong top 10 results and just missed the podium with fourth place. Now the two Porsches will be driven by old acquaintances and young talent.
The team returned home with a fourth and a ninth place from the legendary 24-hour classic. Furthermore, Falken can look back on a successful first half of the season at the races of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS), where the team demonstrated the potential of the two Porsche 911 GT3 R in perfect interaction with Falken tyres. Klaus Bachler and Martin Ragginger even celebrated a podium success at the third race of the year, underlined by top 10 finishes at the season opener and the 24h qualifying race.
Falken ends a turbulent ADAC TOTAL 24h race at the Nürburgring with both cars in the top 10: Klaus Bachler, Martin Ragginger, Sven Müller, and Alessio Picariello celebrated a hard-fought fourth place in the number 44 car. Double starter Klaus Bachler, Dirk Werner, Thomas Preining, and Lance-David Arnold (#33) made the top 10 results perfect in 9th place.
The 49th edition of the endurance classic in the Eifel will be remembered for a long time. Torrential rain at the start of the race and a later interruption due to dense fog once again made for exceptional conditions in the “Green Hell”.
Great success for Falken Motorsports: the tyre brand celebrated a third place at the 62nd Eibach ADAC ACAS Cup, third round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series. Klaus Bachler and Martin Ragginger in the #4 Porsche 911 GT3 R completed a flawless race and were rightly delighted with their first podium success in the young season. The sister car, the #3 Porsche with Lance David Arnold and Dirk Werner behind the wheel, finished 18th overall.
Werner replaced Thomas Preining, who tested positive for Covid-19 and in accordance with guidelines, he could not be present this weekend. Fortunately, two further negative tests confirmed that Thomas Preining is healthy.
After its podium success at the third race of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) last weekend, Falken will start at the ADAC Qualifying Race on Nürburgring with both Porsche 911 GT3 R cars and a full squad. The 6h race next Sunday is considered a dress rehearsal for the ADAC TOTAL 24h race, which takes place from June 3 to 6, 2021.
Klaus Bachler, Alessio Picariello, Thomas Preining and Dirk Werner (car number 33) as well as Lance David Arnold, Sven Müller, Martin Ragginger, and double starter Bachler (car number 44): What looks like a “Who’s Who” of motorsport is Falken’s complete driver line-up for the qualifying and the following ADAC TOTAL 24h race.
Fielding a brace of Porsche 911 GT3 R for the 2021 season, the Falken Motorsports team will be represented at the opening round by Austrian pairing Martin Ragginger and Klaus Bachler in the #4. The #3 sister car will be driven by Porsche expert Sven Müller and experienced Nordschleife driver Lance David Arnold, who makes his on-track debut for Falken Motorsports.
“After the disruption last season, the Falken team is thoroughly looking forward to this year’s competition and making a positive mark with our Porsche pairing,” says Falken Motorsports’ Stefanie Olbertz. “In the Porsche 911 GT3 R we have a fast, responsive car and we will be looking to extract as much of this performance as possible in what is a fiercely competitive series. Our drivers are proven on the Nordschleife and at the wheel of the Porsche, and we are pleased to welcome Lance David Arnold and his experience to the squad at the season opener.”
Falken will also enter both Porsche 911 GT3 R cars in the next NLS race, the third round of the 2021 Nürburgring Endurance Series. Lance David Arnold and Thomas Preining will be at the wheel of the #3 car, while Martin Ragginger and Klaus Bachler will drive the #4 sister car.
Lance David Arnold in particular is looking forward to his racing debut in Falken colours: “As NLS 1 was cancelled due to snowfall, I’m now late for my first outing. I am really looking forward to the race and working with the team.” Arnold, also known as the presenter of the VOX car magazine “auto mobil”, shares the cockpit of the #3 with the Austrian Thomas Preining, who already competed for Falken at NLS 2 and showed a good performance.
The “Austrian connection” is strengthened by compatriots Martin Ragginger and Klaus Bachler. Both have been regulars in the Falken team for years and together celebrated the first Falken overall victory with a Porsche in the NLS in 2018.
