MIM-contracted driver Lirim Zendeli scored more points for fifth place in the second Porsche Carrera Cup Italia race at a scorching hot Mugello circuit in Tuscany following his sterling drive to third on Saturday. The young German is now firmly in command of the Rookies’ classification, 25 points clear, with three rounds remaining.
Starting from sixth on the grid, Lirim powered away well and immediately tried to repeat his San Donato overtakes from yesterday, putting the nose of his Ombra Racing Porsche 911 GT3 momentarily into third before he was forced out of the leading group as they went into turns 2 and 3.
Lirim held on to P6 for the entire race, occasionally coming under threat from his team-mate Keagan Masters and sometimes putting Aldo Festante (Dinamic Motorsport) ahead of him under pressure, but his attacks were halted when the safety-car came out three minutes before the chequered flag to bring an end to the race.
Lirim moved one place further up in the overall standings to fifth when Diego Bertonelli (Driving Experiences) was handed a five-second penalty for a jump start. The win went to Larry ten Voorde (Enrico Fulgenzi Racing) ahead of Marvin Klein (Target Competition).
“The driving was just different from yesterday, the lines and everything, I couldn’t push more at the beginning, if I had then probably my tyres would have given up,” said Lirim. “I could have stayed at this pace and then tried at the end; the plan went well but then the safety-car came at the wrong time. I think I could have got a podium or P4 but in general I am just happy with the weekend and with myself. Maybe qualifying wasn’t great, because we didn’t have the pace, but I’m now back on the top of the Rookies classification and in the next races I want to fight to be in the top 3 of the championship.”
Lirim will now have two successive weekends of Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup racing before the summer break, starting at the Hungaroring (Hungary) in one week’s time followed by Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), both as part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix schedule.
