- Lionspeed GP finished first European 24H Series round in second place in GT4
- Newcomer Dennis Bohn completes first race with Lionspeed
- Team overcomes incident damage on Sunday through strong work in the garage
Bad Homburg, March 26, 2024 / PRESS RELEASE – Lionspeed GP closed out its first race as an independent GT racing outing with a podium finish in the Hankook 12H Mugello, the opening round of the European 24H Series season. After twelve hours of racing across two days, the No. 424 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS driven by Patrick Kolb (GER), José Garcia (USA), Daniel Miller (USA) and Dennis Bohn (GER) crossed the line in second place in the GT4 category after a challenging race that saw the team face and overcome damage as well as difficult weather conditions towards the end of the contest.
It was a weekend of firsts for Lionspeed GP: not only was it the team’s first endurance race operating as an independent outfit without external support, it also marked Bohn’s debut outing in the Hankook 24H Series.
After the team found its footing in the test and free practice sessions on Friday, attention turned to qualifying. The No. 424 Porsche clocked a combined time of 2:01.236, which was taken as an average from the three fastest times in each of the three stages of qualifying. That time was good enough for second place in the GT4 class, just over half a second removed from pole position.
Through series organizer Creventic’s unique race format, the first six and half hours of the twelve-hour contest were completed on Saturday before an overnight intervention. Lionspeed remained in contention for the class lead throughout Saturday running and led its class at various stages. The team decided to pit shortly before the intervention for fresh tires and a full tank of fuel, to put itself in the optimal position for the second stage of the race on Sunday. As a result, Kolb, Garcia, Miller and Bohn ended the first half of the 12H Mugello second in class.
Kolb took the start of the second, five and a half hour part of the race on Sunday morning and the No. 424 Porsche was able to again move into the class lead. Unfortunately, contact between Miller and a GT3 runner then resulted in damage to the nose of the Porsche, requiring repairs to the front of the car including the radiator. Hard work and a strong effort from the Lionspeed crew ensured the car was back out on track less than 40 minutes after the incident occurred.
After that, Lionspeed remained on track for a class podium, even after Bohn suffered a rear left puncture and the team battled through adverse weather conditions in the final two hours. In that time, significant rain showers pelted the Mugello Circuit, making the right tire choice and careful driving critical to stay on the track and avoid further damage. The race ultimately finished under Code 60 after a crash for a GT3 car and Kolb, Garcia, Miller and Bohn came home second in the GT4 category, finishing just a lap off the class lead.
“Today we proved that endurance racing is a true team sport,” Garcia said. “Everyone had to work hard today. We had moments where we thought we would win but we also had moments where we thought we would be retiring the car. Finally as a team we achieved a hard fought and deserved second place. Thank you to the entire team.”
With the first race in the books, the European 24H Series season continues with the Hankook 12H Spa-Francorchamps, taking place in Belgium on April 19-21.
