Falken's place on the winners' podium in motorsports is shaping up to be a regular fixture. For the third year in succession, the tyre company's Motorsports team has scooped a top 3 place finish – this time in the 40th RCM DMV Grenzlandrennen on the Nürburgring racetrack. The team's drivers, Martin Ragginger and Klaus Bachler, at the wheel of the Falken Porsche 911 GT3 R delivered a strong performance from the outset despite the varied weather conditions.
The notoriously unpredictable Eifel region once again displayed a wide range of weather conditions, offering mist, rain and sunshine in quick succession. The second race of the season in the VLN Endurance Championships on the Nürburgring circuit presented a tricky challenge for all the teams.
A dry spell at the end of the qualifying sessions allowed Ragginger and Bachler to exploit the potential of their Falken slicks to the full; despite heavy traffic on the circuit and yellow flags, they finished with a result that made everyone sit up and take notice – the Falken Porsche 911 GT3 R and its Austrian drivers ended in seventh place.
The 4-hour race started off in mixed conditions. While the first few kilometres took place on a dry track, rain soon followed along other sections of the Nordschleife. In the hectic start to the race, the Falken Porsche succeeded in making up several places and worked its way forward to third from the front during the succeeding lap.
As the rain repeatedly continued to arrive, the right choice of tyre in addition to the driver's skill became a critical key to success, and Falken's team management made the very most of the team's advantage in both areas. The team's flawless performance brought the Porsche back within spitting distance of the leaders – all sparring it out within only a few seconds of each other – as the race progressed.
In the second half of the race, a gripping battle for the top three places was fought out on the track. The Falken team benefited once again from their tyres, which delivered outstanding performance during this phase of the race and its constant changes of position. When the checkered flag was finally raised, Falken had brought the Porsche over the line in third place – a respectable result.
About Sumitomo Rubber Australia
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) is the sixth largest tyre manufacturer in the world. With 11 global tyre manufacturing facilities, SRI produces tyres for passenger cars, light trucks, trucks & buses, motorcycles and agricultural machinery. Sumitomo Rubber Australia (SRAU) is the local subsidiary and manages three brands – Falken, Sumitomo Tyres and Ohtsu. For more information visit www.Falken.com.au.