– Preliminary decision in lap 1: the four fastest qualifiers become entangled in a collision shortly after the start
– Seized opportunity: Alexander Fach advances from fifth on the grid to clinch the first win for his team since 2018
– Strong guest driver: 17-year-old Robert de Haan finishes second ahead of rookie winner Alessandro Ghiretti
Just metres into the race on the Formula 1 circuit in Silverstone, Dorian Boccolacci, Larry ten Voorde, Harry King and Porsche Junior Bastian Buus had to bury their dreams of victory. In the third corner, the four fastest qualifiers became entangled in collisions. As a result, all four were either thrown far down the field or forced to retire early from round three of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Tackling the race from fifth on the grid, Alexander Fach promptly grabbed his chance: The 21-year-old Swiss racer effortlessly brought home his first Supercup victory. He was joined on the podium by the 17-year-old guest driver Robert de Haan from the Netherlands and Alessandro Ghiretti. The Frenchman also won the rookie classification.
He had waited five years for this moment. « We haven’t won a Supercup race since 2018, so it was high time, » said a delighted Alex Fach, team owner of Fach Auto Tech. The Swiss squad has contested the international one-make cup with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for eleven years, and took championship laurels in 2014 with New Zealander Earl Bamber. Son Alexander Fach, of all people, has now ended the drought: The 21-year-old celebrated his maiden Supercup victory on the Formula 1 circuit in Silverstone. « I somehow managed to stay out of the chaos of the first two corners – and suddenly found myself at the very front. After that, it was just a matter of maintaining my lead. Our team has had to cope with some tough setbacks recently so this win is simply amazing, » said Fach Jnr. This was the first time in the history of the Porsche Supercup that a Swiss driver climbed to the top of the podium.
Robert de Haan shared Fach’s experience of the initial phase. « When the smoke of the start had cleared, I was second, » said the guest driver for the UK team Richardson Racing. « Alex, Alessandro Ghiretti in third and I were driving at the same pace. I wanted to somehow pressure Alex into making a mistake, but it didn’t work, » said the 17-year-old Dutchman.
« Every time I caught up to Robert, my front tyres overheated so I had to pull back again to let them cool down. Still, I’m delighted with third place, » stated Ghiretti. Driving for the Martinet by Alméras squad, the Frenchman also clinched victory in the rookie classification followed by Keagan Masters (Ombra Racing). The South African finished fourth overall. Fifth place went to Jaap van Lagen (Dinamic Motorsport) from the Netherlands. German Leon Köhler (Huber Racing) crossed the line in sixth, with Harri Jones (BWT Lechner Racing) from Australia rounding off the rookie podium as seventh overall.
By contrast, however, the frontrunners of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup standings experienced a bitter race. The overall leader, Porsche Junior Bastian Buus (BWT Lechner Racing) from Denmark, was as much a casualty of the jostling on the first lap as his rival Larry ten Voorde (GP Elite) from the Netherlands and current third overall, UK driver Harry King (BWT Lechner Racing). Polesetter Dorian Boccolacci (CLRT) from France also finished outside the top 10. However, the Silverstone result did not change the order in the overall standings: Buus remains at the top of the championship rankings ahead of ten Voorde, King and Boccolacci.
« Now, that’s what I call an unexpected race! » commented Oliver Schwab, Project Manager Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. « Congratulations to Alexander Fach on his first Supercup win. Robert de Haan and Alessandro Ghiretti also put in really strong drives. Fortunately, the events of the first round have little impact on the standings. »
In a fortnight, the next round of the international one-make cup with the 375 kW (510 PS) Porsche 911 GT3 Cup will be contested as part of the Hungarian Grand Prix support programme in Budapest (21 to 23 July 2023).
Result race 3 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Silverstone (UK)
1. Alexander Fach (CH/Fach Auto Tech), 29:05.235 minutes
2. Robert de Haan (NL/Richardson Racing), +0.927 seconds
3. Alessandro Ghiretti (F/Martinet by Alméras), +1.263 seconds
4. Keagan Masters (ZA/Ombra Racing), +2.966 seconds
5. Jaap van Lagen (NL/Dinamic Motorsport), +3.859 seconds
6. Leon Köhler (D/Huber Racing), +4.559 seconds