We are back at the Hockenheimring for the 2016 BOSS GP season opener. In the meantime, a few things have happened with us. Not only have we brought 2 new Benetton B197 F1 cars to the track, but we can also welcome a new driver to our team at this point. Welcome Wolfgang Jordan. Wolfgang will drive the second Benetton B197 as Bernd's teammate and shake up the BOSS GP Open Class.
Both former GP2 drivers and the entire team are moving into uncharted territory. Accordingly, the excitement was high as the first kilometers were driven with the new vehicles this weekend.
The weekend ultimately became the expected up and down. In the first practice sessions, Bernd's gearbox failed, and he missed the first free practice, while Wolfgang finished it with a time of 2:01.748 in the rain.
In the second free practice, both drivers were finally at the start. Bernd placed himself with a time of 1:32.699 ahead of Wolfgang (1:35.132).
Saturday morning, it was raining again for qualifying, in which Bernd was able to secure second place behind Gary Hauser (2:02.778). Wolfgang had problems with his car, and so in the two laps driven, it was only enough for 17th place with a time of 2:18.373.
In the first race, a defective control unit caused an early retirement for Wolfgang, while Bernd secured third place in the Open Class.
In a true night and fog operation, we were able to repair Wolfgang's control unit and make his Benetton ready to start again.
Thus, he was able to secure 11th place in the second race, while Bernd again secured 3rd place behind Ingo Gerstl and Klaas Zwart.
