KISS OPENS NÜRBURGRING WEEKEND WITH VICTORY
Norbert Kiss adds another lights to flag victory to his 2025 campaign after holding off a first corner attack from Jochen Hahn.
The word textbook couldn’t be more appropriate when used to describe Kiss’ Race 1 victory. Getting a great launch over the line, he held the inside from Jochen Hahn to negate a first corner overtake, and from there it was his race to control. Another 25 points were added to his 2025 season, taking his tenth win of the season.
It was a Hahn-filled podium as Jochen Hahn finished a comfortable second, leading his son Lukas Hahn over the line to complete the top three. Not only an impressive performance for Lukas Hahn’s first race in the 2025 Goodyear FIA ETRC, but a compelling way to take his first Chrome victory.
The battle for fourth raged throughout the 12 laps of racing, Sascha Lenz getting a great start to pass Antonio Albacete for sixth in the first corner. He was all over the back of René Reinert, looking for fifth and putting his fellow German under a lot of pressure. Steffi Halm never quite got away from them, but with the battle between the pair behind her she had the breathing room to race the defensive race she’s incredibly skilled at performing.
It looked like the regulations would make the decision for us as Reinert went under investigation for three penalty markers, meaning he’d gone past track limits three times. This would have brought him a time penalty that would have dropped Reinert down the order, giving Lenz P5, but there was no further action.
Racing so hard behind Reinert, Lenz left himself open to attack from Albacete in the closing stages. However they couldn’t quite find a way through, with Halm, Reinert, Lenz and Albacete ending in that order at the chequered flag.
José Eduardo Rodrigues had a quiet race, fighting more with the Chrome competitors than the Titan. He crossed the line P8 securing reverse grid pole for Race 2.
Mark Taylor started the weekend on the front foot, securing second in Chrome, P9 overall. With John Newell completing the Chrome podium and Steffen Faas separating Taylor from championship rival Bradley Smith, the points will have given a boost to his 2025 campaign, taking away some of the advantage Smith secured in Slovakia.
Clemens Hecker crossed the line P13 overall, sixth in Chrome after a troubling Friday saw him with some boost issues to work through. He had a slow lap, dropping five seconds in the middle of the race, but managed to continue with no additional concerns. Still, there seems to be some work needed on the #25 ahead of the rest of the racing weekend.
Steffan Kursch came across the line P14 overall, P7 in class on his return to the Goodyear FIA ETRC, ahead of Luis Recuenco, Christian Ruppert and Luke Garrett.
Recuenco and Garrett had a coming together in the first lap, both ending up facing the wrong way. Both managed to continue and classify, but Garrett finished a lap down on the rest of the field.
The incident is still under investigation, so keep an eye on the Goodyear FIA ETRC socials for an update of any penalties ahead of Race 2.
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