Zeller and Berta in winning mood

Drexler Formula Cup - Hockenheim

After three years of abstinence, the Drexler Formula Cup presented itself with a great field at its 6th race weekend in Hockenheim. The two race days in Baden began on Friday with a sad situation for motorsport. During the free practice in the afternoon, a driver in a sports car went through the run-off zone in the hairpin due to health problems and had a fatal accident. As a result, all activities were terminated with an immediate stop. Thus, in the Drexler Formula Cup, the times of the free practice sessions were used for the starting grid, as qualifying was not run. For Thomas Amweg (Franz Wöss Racing) the race weekend was over on Friday due to a defect in the oil pump on the Dallara Mercedes. Very sad for the Aargauer, who had looked forward so much to the races in Hockenheim in Formula 3.

In the first race Sandro Zeller (Jo Zeller Racing) snatched the lead from co-favorite Benjamin Berta (Team Hoffmann Racing) in the first lap. Berta had started the race from pole position. He then immediately went into attack mode, attacking Zeller. This duel shaped the race for the overall victory at eye level. Zeller was able to post a minimal lead of 1.407 seconds on the seventh lap. Berta remained in the slipstream, but by the time the chequered flag fell he would no longer be able to threaten Sandro Zeller, who also set the fastest race lap on the 4.574-kilometer Grand Prix circuit on the 13th lap with a 1:36.104 minute time. Behind the two contenders, Kurt Böhlen (Jo Zeller Racing) was recorded in third place, more than 16 seconds behind. Böhlen was within striking distance up to the halfway point of the 16-lap chase, but then had to pull away. Fourth-placed David Richert (Franz Wöss Racing) secured valuable points ahead of Marcel Tobler (Jo Zeller Racing), while Danny Luderer (Vogtland Racing Team) jumped from 12th on the grid to ninth. In front of him Andre Petropoulos (Team Hoffmann Racing) was the winner of the Formula Renault category, who was able to relegate Andreas Stamann and Hartmut Bertsch to the other ranks. In the second race, the fight between Zeller and Berta was to come to a head once again. Sandro Zeller tried to escape from pole position, which the Swiss Formula 3 title defender managed for a long time. But Berta kept putting him under pressure and passed him on lap 12. Berta kept the lead until the finish and won with a 1.380 min advantage. In contrast to the first race, Kurt Böhlen reduced his gap to the top and finished third ahead of his compatriot Marcel Tobler, who kept David Richert in check and achieved a respectable result with fourth place. In Formula Renault, Andre Petropoulos was again the measure of all things. He won ahead of Andreas Stamann and Stephan Glaser (Jo Zeller Racing), also leaving several Formula 3 cars behind. With this success in Hockenheim, both Sandro Zeller in Formula 3 and Benjamin Berta in Formula 3 Open have been able to extend their lead in the standings.

RS.30.07.2022
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