After Swiss triple victory Juju Noda strikes back
31 July 2023
Drexler- Automotive Formula Cup - Hockenheimring
The 6th round of the Drexler Formula Cup was initially affected by inclement weather at Hockenheim on Friday. The rain caused enormous problems for the drivers in Formula 3 and Formula Light. Accordingly, it was not easy to find the right set-up. The double winner of Spa Francorchamps Juju Noda (Noda Racing)initially prevailed in the rainy qualifying against the competition and pushed ahead of Sandro Zeller (Jo Zeller Racing) by 0.974 seconds.In the second free practice, however, Noda had with a 1:34, 805 min on dry track a fast lap, which attracted greater attention.
The 1st race was declared as a wet race, because the track was not yet dry in some places. Noda got a great start in front of Benjamin Berta (Franz Wöss Racing). Like Berta and Zeller, the Japanese had started on slicks. After Berta had to accept a spin on the partly wet track, Noda could not keep up the pace either and had to let Kurt Böhlen and Marcel Tobler (both Jo Zeller Racing), who were driving on rain tires behind her, pass. However, this was not the end of the race, because the track was getting drier and drier. Noda came back stronger in the middle of the race and put all her eggs in one basket. First she passed Marcel Tobler and later she also caught Kurt Böhlen. In the 10th lap she led Kurt Böhlen by 5.961 seconds. After the finish Juju Noda was retrospectively given a drive through penalty of 30 seconds because the team was still working on the car after showing the one minute sign on the grid. As a result, Kurt Böhlen inherited the win ahead of Marcel Tobler and Sandro Zeller, who completed the Swiss one-two-three. Behind Benjamin Berta, Juju Noda was fifth. For the 2nd run on Saturday afternoon Juju Noda was not impressed from the beginning. In dry conditions on the 4.574 kilometer long Hockenheimring Noda drove away from the lead to an unchallenged start-finish victory. By the 4th lap she had already opened up a lead of 3.419 seconds over Benjamin Berta. The Hungarian made a mistake in the 6th lap and left Sandro Zeller immediately in second place. This should not change until the finish despite several attacks on Zeller. Behind Berta, Kurt Böhlen finished fourth ahead of his compatriot Marcel Tobler, who was the winner of the Formula 3 Trophy classification. Juju Noda controlled the field during the 16-lap chase and distanced Sandro Zeller by 11.920 seconds. The 16-year-old from the Far East seems to be unstoppable at the moment and wrote on Facebook: "I will enjoy it until the end without giving up". Noda commented on the decision of the sports commissioners after the first race as unfortunate from her point of view. In the Formula Light category, Formula Renault set the tone. Denis Hübl (Team Speed Center) won the first race. In the second race Robert Rowe (Team Hoffmann Racing) turned the tables and took the full points. Dr.Norbert Groer (Team Hoffmann Racing) remained without points in Hockenheim.
RS.30.07.2023
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