Volkswagen AMAG brand ambassador Jasmin Preisig has heaped praise on Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing following the team’s 1-2 finish in TCE at the recent Hankook 24H BARCELONA. 

Though both of Autorama Motorsport’s entries were shuffled back to the second row of the TCE grid in Barcelona, the team’s #112 Volkswagen Golf GTi went on to lead the TCR class for 16 of the 24 completed hours to secure the reigning Overall TCE Teams’ champion its third successive win of the season and the first for the #112 VW. 

The sister #1 Volkswagen meanwhile, for which Jasmin was part of the four-driver line-up alongside Emil Heyerdahl, Constantin Kletzer, and Roberto Ferri finished a little over 41 seconds behind after an amazing recovery drive. Just 25 minutes into the event, the Golf GTI was pushed wide on at turn seven by the CP Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, and lost three minutes beached in the gravel. A flawless run thereafter though allowed Jasmin (on her first run at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya), Heyerdahl, Kletzer and Ferri to fight back through the TCR field and claim 2nd on the overall TCE podium. 

Having secured her third podium finish from four starts in the 24H SERIES this season, Jasmin Preisig was unsurprisingly upbeat about her team’s performance as well as her own at the Hankook 24H BARCELONA.

“No mistakes, no technical defects and a [1-2 finish] for Autorama Motorsport. Ingenious!” the Swiss racer explained. “My driver colleagues and the entire team did a great job, despite the extreme heat, so, many, many thanks to everyone involved. We can be proud of ourselves.”

Though no mechanical issues blighted the Autorama Volkswagens at Barcelona, heat was a concern for each of the competitors during the race: temperatures peaked in the mid-30s during the Saturday afternoon in Catalonia. Consistent running though both during the day and night, including double stints, and going off strategy meant that, by the fourth hour, the #1 Volkswagen had climbed back into the top two having previously fallen almost two laps behind. But for an unfortunately timed Code 60 caution period, Jasmin believes the 41.195s gap at the flag could well have been tighter. 

“After three hours we were able to catch up with the competition again and kept changing between 1st and 2nd in-class,” Jasmin continues. “The heat in Barcelona was enormous: it was always 30 degrees, and that means it got up to 70 degrees in the racing car. And that in a racing suit!

“The second of my stints was extended due to a Code 60.” – Saif Alameri walked away uninjured when the front brake on his RABDAN by MRS GTRacing-entered Porsche failed going into turn one. – “We came into the pits at that time and were able to refuel, change the brakes and of course fit new tyres. In the end, I was in the car for 2 hours straight. After that I was ready for an hour's sleep! My night stint also went well, and luckily it was a little cooler then.

“Shortly before the end [of the race] we were in 2nd place, 60 seconds behind. The competition had more luck with the Code 60s, which is why they were able to extend their lead. For the last hour I got into the Golf TCR again. It was almost impossible to fill the gap, but I did my best!”

Despite missing out on a remarkable victory, 2nd in-class in Barcelona means Jasmin Preisig is now fourth in the Overall TCE Drivers’ standings and currently leads the TCE Ladies’ Cup. Ironically, with the #1 Volkswagen finishing behind its sister entry, and with lead title rival CWS Engineering picking up TCX victory in Barcelona, Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing has now slipped behind the British squad in the Overall TCE Teams’ standings, albeit by just a single point heading into the next round at Hungary.