PETN 2, the season opener of 2026!
PETN 2, the season opener of 2026! After the disappointment of the first weekend, where snow ruined everything, it is finally time for a weekend full of sun and racing. The second round of the NLS/PETN is on the calendar, and the season opener will finally take place. I’m really looking forward to it!
We chose to use the morning session instead of the evening session for testing because there was a chance of rain on Friday afternoon, The morning session is dry and starts off well immediately. Heiko begins the day and drives the first laps. When it’s my turn, I notice some coolant coming onto the windshield. That’s not good, so I head straight back in to have it checked. Due to a small leak in a hose, we lose some time, but thanks to the team doing an excellent job, we can get back on track. The weather is great with a lovely sun. Perfect conditions to prepare for race day.
Because the Porsche GT4 Cayman CS, which I’m driving this season, is still new to me, we use our track time very effectively. Not just blindly doing laps, but every time I go out, I only drive 2 laps. This way I avoid building bad habits and can immediately develop in a focused way. This is thanks to the data coaching from my engineer Nico. With all the sensors in the car, he can tell me exactly what I’m doing right and wrong. This helps me build confidence and speed while developing in the right direction.
The practice sessions show that a lot of progress is being made. Every time I go out for 2 laps, seconds come off my lap time. One downside is that I’m struggling a lot with my back. But since our race is organized by Porsche, we have a physio on-site. After the session, I visit him, and I already feel much better afterward.
In the meantime, it’s almost time for the PETN Talent Pool clinic. Today’s topic: the warm-up before getting into the car. The goal is to do an effective and targeted warm-up. This prevents doing long warm-ups that waste unnecessary energy, allowing you to get into the car in a better state. With some simple tests and different exercises, you can personally determine what works best for you. By doing the exercises immediately and feeling the difference, I was able to create a great selection for myself. Very educational!
Right after this clinic, it’s time for the driver briefing, dinner, and then off to bed. An exciting day lies ahead — the first race!
Saturday:
The morning starts early, with qualifying at 08:20. Because I was marginally faster than my teammate Heiko on Friday, it was decided that I would start qualifying. So I get to go early. In my first lap, there is a lot of traffic, causing me to lose a lot of time. I end up in P4 at the end of the lap. In my second lap, I’m on a good run, but unfortunately, there’s a car in the wall in the very last corner. With a Code 60 in that sector, there’s no chance to improve. P4.
Then it’s Heiko’s turn. Because it’s still very busy on track and I’ve already used the new tires, Heiko starts his run on my used tires. This means he has to drive a very strong lap to improve my time, as the peak performance of the tires is already gone. Unfortunately, he can’t improve my time.
Meanwhile, the sun comes out, making the track warmer and cleaner. This results in faster lap times, and we drop back to P6. With 15 minutes to go in qualifying, all yellow flags and Code 60 situations disappear. After some discussion, we decide to make one more attempt. New tires are quickly fitted, and I get another shot. But unfortunately, just as I go out on track, another Code 60 appears somewhere on the circuit… After 2 laps on the GP circuit, the Code 60 remains, and there’s no point in continuing. It’s smarter to save the new tires.
So we prepare to start the race from P6. For this first weekend, it’s decided that Heiko will start due to his experience. Since he has been racing in this class for years, the team wants to give me a calm introduction to the cup. This means Heiko will do most of the work: he starts, I drive the second stint, and Heiko will finish. For me, that’s no problem, as we can rely on his experience and speed.
After qualifying, the pit lane fills up with spectators. The pit lane and grid are open to the public, and fans take full advantage of it. There are so many people, you can barely move. It might also be a bit busier because Max Verstappen is racing again. Max is preparing for the Nürburgring 24h and wants to gain mileage in his new Mercedes to be as well prepared as possible.
The Race:
The start is impressive. In our group, 45 cars start, mostly GT4s, for the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring (PETN). In Cup 3, 17 cars start. We start as 6th of the 17 Cup 3 cars, and 7th in this impressive group of 45 cars.
The cars roll slowly in two rows. When they reach the start zone, the lights go green and they’re off. Heiko gets a good start and moves from P6 to P5 in the opening corners.
The first laps seem a bit difficult, but halfway through the stint, he catches up with the leading group. Because Cup 3 is a very competitive class, the top 5 enter the pits within seconds of each other for the first stop. Heiko isn’t fully satisfied with his pace, but looking at the stint, he drove very strongly.
Now it’s my turn. I get to drive my first stint in the Cayman. Will it be tough? Am I fast enough? All questions running through my head beforehand. But the stint starts well. Thanks to good timing from the team, I exit the pit lane right on the bumper of P4. I can immediately follow and, thanks to traffic from a slower class, I overtake smartly and move up to P4!
A strong start. Soon it becomes clear that the pace is good, and by the end of my first lap, I’m already on the bumper of P3. I apply so much pressure that he makes a big mistake at the end of sector 1 on the Nordschleife. This is my first real experience of Cup 3 racing — a proper introduction to hard racing. After a strong exit from Flugplatz, I get pushed onto the grass at 215 km/h. Still, I keep my foot down and stay flat out, allowing me to take P3. Maybe a bit risky, but it works perfectly.
Meanwhile, P1 retires with problems, meaning I’m now in P2!! Things are moving fast. At the end of my second lap, my engineer tells me over the radio that I’m currently the fastest car in the class. Even though I can’t see P1 yet, this gives me a lot of confidence. Now it’s time to settle into a rhythm and maintain my pace.
This goes well. I stay calm and slowly see the gap to P1 decreasing. I know that if I push too hard, I’ll destroy my tires. So I choose to stay calm and avoid unnecessary risks. With traffic from other classes, I get closer and closer. As P1 sees me approaching in his mirrors, he starts pushing harder and makes several big mistakes.
This allows the gap to shrink further until I can get right behind him. After a lap of applying pressure, I use traffic to take the lead of the race. WOW — that’s incredible! Now the roles are reversed…
One lap later, P2 is still right behind me. Due to an oil spill, there is a Code 60 in a sector at the back of the circuit. While driving through it, I don’t see that the track has gone green again because of the sun strip on my windshield. Before I know it, he passes me and retakes the lead.
I immediately get back on his bumper and apply pressure again. Less than two minutes later, he makes another big mistake, braking too late at the end of the straight into Turn 1. I gratefully take the lead back. With two laps left in my stint, I enter the pits in P1 with P2 right behind me.
Now it’s up to Heiko to see if he can hold the lead. The team delivers a very fast pit stop, and Heiko shoots out of the pit lane like an arrow. Thanks to this great stop, he rejoins in P1. Now the battle begins.
For the first two laps, he manages to hold the lead, but then unfortunately runs slightly wide in a corner, allowing P2 to slip through. Heiko stays close but can’t find another opportunity to attack. He drives a very strong second stint, and we finish just behind P1 in P2, and well ahead of P3.
What a debut and what a weekend. To enter Cup 3 and immediately take a podium is an incredible start to the season and gives great expectations for what’s to come. Am I fast enough for pole? Maybe not yet. Are we fast enough to win? That remains to be seen. But our determination and drive to win are 100% there!!
