The reigning champion of the Prototype Cup Germany set the fastest time after two free practice sessions at the Hockenheimring. Duqueine brand colleague Julien Apothéloz in second place. 

The second half of the 2024 Prototype Cup Germany season has begun: Two free practice sessions were held at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg on Friday morning - and Markus Pommer (33/Untereisesheim) in the Duqueine D08 from Gebhardt Motorsport was the fastest with a time of 1:35.824 minutes. "We went out on track again in the second practice session with a new set of tires and did a kind of qualifying sim," said Pommer, who shares the car with ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Valentino Catalano (18, Westheim). "The temperatures are quite high today, so I'm happy with the time. Last year, we were around a second faster here, but the track temperature was an estimated 15 to 20 degrees lower."

The second-fastest time of 1:35.851 minutes went to Duqueine brand colleagues Julien Apothéloz (23/CHE) and Riccardo Leone Cirelli (16/ITA, both BWT Mücke Motorsport). In contrast to Pommer's time, this time was set in the first of the two sessions and was set by the Swiss driver Apothéloz. The Ligier JS P320 of Klaus Abbelen (63, GER) and Felipe Fernández Laser (35, GER, both Frikadelli Racing Team) followed in third place with a time of 1:36.110 minutes (also from the first free practice session).

Keanu Al Azhari (16/UAE, Mühlner Motorsport) was fourth in another Duqueine with a combined time of 1:36.422 minutes. Rounding off the top five in the two free practice sessions were championship leaders Danny Soufi (21, USA) and Torsten Kratz (53, Germany, both Konrad Motorsport) in a Ligier with a time of 1:37.183 minutes.

There will be plenty of track time for the Prototype Cup Germany at the Hockenheimring this weekend, as three instead of the usual two races will be held. Two qualifying sessions will be held on Friday. "The Hockenheimring is not only my home circuit, but also Valentino's and the team's. So we know the layout quite well," Pommer continues. "We hope to do well in qualifying and want to be on the front or second row of the grid. At least one race win is the goal this weekend."