2015 Blancpain Sprint Series Zandvoort round
The 2015 Blancpain Sprint Series Zandvoort round was the last of seven rounds of the 2015 Blancpain Sprint Series season. It took place at Circuit Park Zandvoort in The Netherlands between 9 October and 11 October 2015.
| Race details | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Date | 11 October 2015 | |
| Location | Circuit Park Zandvoort, Netherlands | |
| Course | 4.307 km (2.676 mi) | |
| Qualifying Race | ||
| Pole | ||
| Drivers |   |
Bentley Team HTP |
| Time | 1:36.485[1] | |
| Fastest Lap | ||
| Drivers | |
Bentley Team HTP |
| Time | 1:38.937[2] | |
| Podium | ||
| First | |
Bentley Team HTP |
| Second |  .svg.png){kind=small} |
Belgian Audi Club Team WRT |
| Third |  |
Phoenix Racing |
| Main Race | ||
| Pole | ||
| Drivers | |
Bentley Team HTP |
| Fastest Lap | ||
| Drivers |  |
Belgian Audi Club Team WRT |
| Time | 1:38.053[3] | |
| Podium | ||
| First | |
Bentley Team HTP |
| Second | |
Belgian Audi Club Team WRT |
| Third | |
Belgian Audi Club Team WRT |
Report
Background
Championship contender Laurens Vanthoor injured
Before the season finale, Robin Frijns and Laurens Vanthoor led the championship by eight points, but Vanthoor was not able to try and win the championship together with Frijns as he was injured in a heavy crash in the Qualifying Race at Misano the week before.[4] On the straight before Turn 8 (Quercia) he made contact with the HTP Bentley of Jules Szymkowiak sending the both into the barriers. Both drivers could get out of their cars, but Vanthoor had to be transported to the medical centre to get treatment for a sprained foot. In Zandvoort he was replaced by Christopher Mies.[5]
Jeroen Bleekemolen returns
Jeroen Bleekemolen returned to the series after an almost one-year absence.[6] He replaced Marco Seefried, because Seefried was not able to race in Zandvoort as he is also a driver for Dempsey Racing-Proton in the FIA WEC and the round at Zandvoort clashed with the 6 Hours of Fuji.
Free practice
Maximilian Buhk was the quickest driver in the first of two free practice sessions.[7] His fastest lap was a 1:38.084, which was eight tenths faster than championship rival Frijns.[8]
FP2 was dominated by Audi with six cars in the top seven. Debutant Nicki Thiim managed to get the fastest time with a 1:38.205. Frijns was again second, three tenths behind his Danish teammate.[9]
Qualifying
The No. 84 HTP Bentley of Abril and Buhk was back on top after qualifying and managed to get Pole position for the Qualifying Race. Their championships rivals Frijns, who qualified second, and Norbert Siedler, who qualified fourth, were close behind as the top four was covered by only three tenths of a second. In the second qualifying session Max van Splunteren went off track, which damaged their Bentley. Although he and teammate Szymkowiak were faster than some others, they were still put to the back of the grid, because they were penalized after the crash at Misano involving Szymkowiak and Vanthoor.[1][10]
Qualifying Race
Warm-Up
The championship contending No. 333 Rinaldi Ferrari of Siedler (and Bleekemolen) withdrew from the Main Race after they had suffered an engine failure in the warm-up session. The engine just suddenly lost power causing Siedler to give up his championship hopes.[11]
Main Race
Classification
Qualifying
| Pos. | Class | No. | Drivers | Team | Manufacturer | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pro | 84 | |
|
Bentley | 1:37.707 | 1:37.216 | 1:36.485 |
| 2 | Pro | 1 | |
|
Audi | 1:37.669 | 1:36.922 | 1:36.601 |
| 3 | Pro | 2 | |
|
Audi | 1:39.448 | 1:37.411 | 1:36.630 |
| 4 | Pro | 333 | |
|
Ferrari | 1:38.257 | 1:36.750 | 1:36.777 |
| 5 | Pro | 6 | |
|
Audi | 1:45.690 | 1:37.364 | 1:36.821 |
| 6 | Pro | 88 | |
|
Lamborghini | 1:42.546 | 1:37.180 | 1:37.120 |
| 7 | Pro | 173 |  |
 |
Nissan | 1:39.706 | 1:37.508 | 1:37.385 |
| 8 | Pro | 71 |   |
|
Mercedes-Benz | 1:39.574 | 1:37.393 | 1:38.511 |
| 9 | Pro | 3 |  |
|
Audi | 1:40.010 | 1:37.538 | |
| 10 | Pro-Am | 70 | |
|
Mercedes-Benz | 1:39.975 | 1:37.643 | |
| 11 | Pro | 4 | |
|
Audi | 1:40.293 | 1:37.669 | |
| 12[N 1] | Silver Cup | 83 | |
|
Bentley | 1:37.689 | no time | |
| 13 | Pro | 0 |  |
|
BMW | 1:39.387 | 1:37.911 | |
| 14 | Pro | 77 | |
|
BMW | 1:39.870 | 1:38.231 | |
| 15 | Pro | 75 |   |
|
Audi | 1:39.459 | 1:38.273 | |
| 16 | Silver Cup | 74 | |
|
Audi | 1:40.622 | no time |
- Notes
- The No. 83 HTP Bentley was penalized after causing a crash in the Qualifying Race at Misano and was put to the back of the grid.
Qualifying Race
Class winners in bold.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Drivers | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Time/Retired | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pro | 84 | |
|
Bentley | 35 | 9[N 1] | |
| 2 | Pro | 2 | |
|
Audi | 35 | +5.764 | 6 |
| 3 | Pro | 6 | |
|
Audi | 35 | +16.144 | 4 |
| 4 | Pro | 333 | |
|
Ferrari | 35 | +30.919 | 3 |
| 5 | Pro | 3 | |
|
Audi | 35 | +31.741 | 2 |
| 6 | Pro | 173 | |
|
Nissan | 35 | +34.768 | 1 |
| 7 | Silver Cup | 83 | |
|
Bentley | 35 | +34.768 | |
| 8 | Pro | 0 | |
|
BMW | 35 | +35.030 | |
| 9 | Pro | 77 | |
|
BMW | 35 | +44.836 | |
| 10 | Pro | 71 | |
|
Mercedes-Benz | 35 | +45.144 | |
| 11 | Pro | 75 | |
|
Audi | 35 | +46.566 | |
| 12 | Pro | 88 | |
|
Lamborghini | 35 | +52.612 | |
| 13 | Pro-Am | 70 | |
|
Mercedes-Benz | 35 | +1:13.998 | |
| 14 | Silver Cup | 74 | |
|
Audi | 35 | +1:22.070 | |
| 15 | Pro | 1 | |
|
Audi | 34 | +1 Lap | |
| Ret | Pro | 4 | |
|
Audi | 6 | Electrical |
- Notes
- 8 points for winning QR plus 1 point for Pole (8 + 1 = 9).
Main Race
Class winners in bold.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Drivers | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Time/Retired | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pro | 84 | |
|
Bentley | 36 | 25 | |
| 2 | Pro | 1 | |
|
Audi | 36 | +0.375 | 18 |
| 3 | Pro | 2 | |
|
Audi | 36 | +0.886 | 15 |
| 4 | Pro | 75 | |
|
Audi | 36 | +41.794 | 12 |
| 5 | Pro | 3 | |
|
Audi | 36 | +42.457 | 10 |
| 6 | Silver Cup | 83 | |
|
Bentley | 36 | +42.760 | 8 |
| 7 | Pro | 71 | |
|
Mercedes-Benz | 36 | +55.903 | 6 |
| 8 | Pro | 88 | |
|
Lamborghini | 36 | +56.501 | 4 |
| 9 | Pro-Am | 70 | |
|
Mercedes-Benz | 36 | +1:02.661 | 2 |
| 10 | Pro | 0 | |
|
BMW | 36 | +1:34.675 | 1 |
| 11 | Silver Cup | 74 | |
|
Audi | 36 | +1:36.052 | |
| Ret | Pro | 4 | |
|
Audi | 19 | Retired | |
| Ret | Pro | 173 | |
|
Nissan | 11 | Collision Damage | |
| Ret | Pro | 6 | |
|
Audi | 0 | Accident | |
| Ret | Pro | 77 | |
|
BMW | 0 | Accident | |
| DNS[N 1] | Pro | 333 | |
|
Ferrari | — | Engine |
- Notes
- The No. 333 Rinaldi Ferrari did not start the race due to an engine failure in the Warm-Up session a couple of hours before the start of the Main Race.
Standings after the race
|
- Note: Only the top five positions are included.
References
- "Zandvoort/Netherlands Qualifying 3 Results". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 10, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- "Zandvoort/Netherlands Qualifying Race Results". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 10, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- "Zandvoort/Netherlands Main Race Results". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 11, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- "Rinaldi Ferrari takes win in eventful Qualifying Race". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 3, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- Wouters, Vincent (8 October 2015). "Mies Replaces Vanthoor in Zandvoort BSS Finale". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
- Watkins, Gary (6 October 2015). "Bleekemolen drafted for Zandvoort BSS by Rinaldi Ferrari GT team". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
- "Maxi Buhk quickest in first free practice". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 9, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- "Zandvoort/Netherlands Free Practice 1 Results". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 9, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- "Zandvoort/Netherlands Free Practice 2 Results". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 9, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- "Maxi Buhk sets the tone for the rest of the weekend". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 10, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- "Cruel luck for Norbert Siedler, Rinaldi Ferrari retires". Stéphane Ratel Organisation. October 11, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
External links
| Previous round: 2015 Blancpain Sprint Series Misano round |
Blancpain Sprint Series 2015 season |
Next round: TBA |
| Previous round: 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series Zandvoort round |
Blancpain Sprint Series Zandvoort Round |
Next round: None |