4th Round at the Spanish Grand Prix

Reigning Champion Patrick Huisman Takes First Win of the Season

The reigning champion is back on the road to victory. Dutchman Patrick Huisman (NL, Eschmann-Manthey Racing) clinched a green light to chequered flag win at the fourth round of the Porsche Pirelli SuperCup on Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya. "My season started with a lot of bad luck. But I must say the competition is tougher than ever before. I got a shock in the 2nd lap when I suddenly experienced heavy oversteering and saw Bernd Maylander uncomfortably close behind me. Luckily it was just a spot of oil and I quickly found my rhythm again." Germany's Bernd Maylander and current points' leader Ralf Kelleners shared the podium in second and third.

Last year's Le Mans winner Stephane Ortelli drove conservatively to finish fifth in the race, bringing home valuable points for his Eschmann-Manthey team. The Monaco resident turns his full attention to the up-coming Le Mans classic. Tim Harvey from the all British Parabolica Racing team gave a spectacular premiere. "I was sitting in the top ten, when I got cought up amongst two spinning competitors in the last lap. Despite a tyre blow out, the former BTCC champion managed to limp over the finish line to take a well deserved 11th. SuperCup's only American driver, George Frazier (Kadach Tuning), notched up his first points of the season with a clean drive over the 14 laps sprint race to finish 12th.

VIP driver and ex-Formula One pilot Emilio de Villota thrilled the Spanish crowds with a spectacular pirouette after a fellow competitor spun in front of him. "The tyres lost all grip and I went off into the gravel." De Vallota still managed a commendable 14th place overall. Alfonso de Orleans y Borbon, the cousin to the Spanish King, piloted the second VIP Carrera in sweltering heat to finish 16th.

Results (top 10)

Pos     Driver/Nat              Team                            Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 1      Patrick Huisman/D    Eschmann-Manthey-Racing       26:42.146
 2      Bernd Maylander/D    Eschmann-Manthey-Racing         + 1.539
 3      Ralf Kelleners/D     Porsche Centre Rhein-Oberberg     1.920
 4      Frank Schmickler/D   Porsche Centre Rhein-Oberberg     6.634
 5      Stephane Ortelli/F   Eschmann-Manthey-Racing           7.079
 6      Sascha Maassen/D     Carex-Amag                        7.686
 7      Oliver Mathai/D      Kadach Tuning                     8.088
 8      Roland Asch/D        Oberbayern Motorsport            17.216
 9      Bruno Eichmann/CH    Carex-Amag                       18.021
10      Franco Santaniello/I Ebimotors                        33.361

Standings:

Pos     Driver       Points
---------------------------
 1      Kelleners        59
 2      Maylander        55
 3      Mathai           49
 4      Huisman          41
 5      Maassen          37
 6      Couceiro         35
 7      Ortelli          34
        Schmickler       34
 9      Jarier           32
10      Heger            30