Gripping season finale in Audi Sport TT Cup
- Jan Kisiel is the first title winner in the new Audi one-make cup
- Audi factory driver Marco Bonanomi wins in finale at Hockenheim
- Joonas Lappalainen front runner again in field of permanent entrants
The drivers in the Audi Sport TT Cup reserved the season’s highlight for the last event. In the final race of the inaugural season, the spectators got to see gripping motorsport with numerous overtaking maneuvers. Audi Le Mans entrant Marco Bonanomi won the nail-biting race. Behind the Italian guest entrant, Joonas Lappalainen finished in second place. With that, the Finn secured victory in the twelfth classification round of the Audi one-make cup.
Position battles, overtaking maneuvers and suspense up to the end – the season finale in the Audi Sport TT Cup was superb advertising for motorsport and the crowning conclusion of the successful inaugural season. During the race, six drivers at the top were battling for victory, with the lead changing several times. Ultimately, Marco Bonanomi prevailed. With his experience, the 30-year-old Audi factory driver kept his rivals at bay. Following his teammate René Rast, who triumphed in round one at Hockenheim, the Italian is the second guest driver in the Audi Sport TT Cup to see the checkered flag in first place.
The top step of the podium of the permanent entrants was again occupied by Joonas Lappalainen, with the Finn securing his second victory in the Audi one-make cup. Together with the merely 17-year-old, the Dane Nicolaj Møller Madsen and Jan Kisiel from Poland mounted the podium. Kisiel had secured an early title win in round one at the Hockenheimring and after the season finale was presented with the impressive trophy that had been built by Audi apprentices in Neckarsulm. In addition to the trophy, Kisiel’s prize includes a parts package for the new Audi R8 LMS worth 150,000 euros.
Project Leader Rolf Michl was more than pleased after the season finale: “This was a crowning conclusion of a thrilling season. The large crowd at the Hockenheimring and many live streaming viewers got to see outstanding motorsport. Congratulations to the drivers on delivering this superb performance,” Michl said. “In Jan Kisiel, we have a deserving winner. A driver who mounts the podium nine times in twelve races and wins five of them is justifiably in the top spot. Hopefully, we’re going to see Jan again on the race track in an Audi next year.”
The Audi Sport TT Cup was a perfect example of balanced motorsport with young international drivers in its first season. The grid was made up of entrants from 14 nations with an average age of 22.5 years. Ten different nationalities mounted the podium. Seven different drivers entered their names on the winners’ list. “The yardstick for 2016 is high, but obviously we’d like to up the ante next year,” said Michl. “We’re going to offer 20 instead of the previous 18 entries for permanent drivers and the application process is already in full swing.” The application period for the 2016 Audi Sport TT Cup will close on November 15.
2016 Audi Sport TT Cup application form: