Colin sensational 2nd at Carrera Cup debut
FIRE Racing driver Colin Bönighausen shines with a top result in the desert night of Bahrain.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East (PCCME) season opener featured two races at the Sakhir International Circuit. For Colin Bönighausen, it was the first time he had visited Bahrain: “It‘s all incredibly impressive with a huge airport, the circuit and a whole lot of fun!” Colin shared the paddock with the factory teams and top drivers of the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
“The atmosphere is even more special, plus most of the time we drive under night conditions. It‘s different, the reference points change. But the track is very well floodlit, you can see just as well as during the day.”
Colin and his FIRE painted Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, prepared by Lechner Racing, were already at the top of the timesheets during the tests the previous week. “But it‘s only in qualifying before the race that everyone puts their cards on the table – only then you really know where you actually are!“ Colin‘s aim was to be within a second of the best and far more experienced drivers at the start of the season.
In qualifying, he found himself just 99 hundredths of a second behind the fastest driver, Robert de Haan from the Netherlands.
“I was very nervous, but then I managed it well.“ Due to the slightly worse starting position for the second race with 4th on the grid, Colin made the strategically clever decision to put on the new tyres in the first of the two races. After a good start, Bönighausen was even able to keep the race leader De Haan under pressure at times. However, Colin used the tyres a little too much: “That‘s still part of the learning process, which is why I‘m here to gain this experience.“ However, second place on his debut is a decent result. FIRE Racing driver Bönighausen was happy: “My team and I came here with completely different expectations, so I‘m very satisfied.”
However, the 18-year-old paid the price right at the start of race two: “I had expected more grip, braked too late with the used tyres and the wheels stopped immediately without the ABS.“ A competitor was spun around, and Colin was given a time penalty: “I apologised to the other driver straight away.“ The next opportunity for Colin to gain experience will be in Bahrain one week before Christmas (15th and 16th of December).
This is Porsche Carrera Cup:
The Porsche Carrera Cup is the most competitive one-make championship in the world. Before Colin Bönighausen from Lower Saxony competes in the German championship for the first time next spring, the FIRE Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car will be seen in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East, which is being held for the first time this winter, drivers from three continents compete to crown the winter champion.
About Colin Bönighausen:
Colin Jamie Bönighausen („CJB“), born in Hanover (Germany) in 2005, has been involved in motorsport since he was ten years old. He is currently undergoing apprenticeship training to become a plant mechanic. Like many racing drivers, the driver from Lower Saxony began his motorsport career in karting. The title in the ROK Cup Germany as well as numerous victories and top results in the ADAC Kart Masters and the Rotax Max Challenge highlight Colin‘s career to date. In 2022, he switched from racing karts to racing cars. He celebrated immediate success in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car and won the Porsche Sprint Challenge Central Europe in both the Sprint and Endurance classifications. The 18-year-old is currently competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East before stepping up to the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany in 2024. More at www.cjb-racing.de/en
About VPD Racing:
Since 2010, VPD Racing from Adnet in Salzburg is a reliable partner for hobby racers and professional racers. The experienced team offers a wide range of products for kart racing, including a full-service centre for chassis and motors as well as full support during race events. As the official Austrian importer of Vega tyres as well as authorised Rotax service centre we are your trustworthy partner for karting in Austria as well as abroad. More at www.vpdracing.com
