Martin Andersen claims pole for second TCR Germany race at Lausitzring

Martin Andersen claimed pole position for the second TCR Germany race of the weekend at the Lausitzring, beating team-mate and points leader Luca Engstler by three tenths of a second.

It was another Team Engstler front-row lock-out as the pair of Hyundai i30 N TCRs proved the pick of the field during the session, ending some six-tenths faster than the nearest challenger, with Dominik Fugel’s Honda in third.

Indeed, Fugel had been the early pacesetter in his ADAC Sachsen Civic Type-R, posting a time of 1:29.916, some two-tenths quicker than Jonas Karklys’ NordPass Hyundai.

But that time was soon beaten by Engstler’s first proper effort, a 1:29.601, while Martin Andersen put his Hyundai Team Engstler car second, just under three-tenths slower.

Having dominated the opening race of the weekend from pole on Saturday, Engstler looked like repeating the feat following his fastest run.

Andersen then improved as the session entered its final stages to go top by over three-tenths, a time which not even Engstler could challenge on his final attempt as the German pulled into the pits.

Danish racer Andersen therefore secured the top spot, while Fugel made do with third quickest, just ahead of Eric Scalvini’s Cupra in fourth.

Behind, was another of the Team Engstler Hyundais of Nico Gruber, who had endured a somewhat quiet session in his i30 N TCR before jumping up to fifth quickest.

He ended up comfortably ahead of Philipp Regensperger’s Opel Astra TCR, while the Hyundai of Robin Jahr was seventh fastest.

Rounding out the top ten were Honda ADAC Sachsen’s Marcel Fugel and the Volkswagen of Szymon Ladniak.

Race 2 is scheduled to take place at 14:40 CET.