After a free practice session, which ended with an horrifying crash of OPEN class driver Klaas Zwart (Team Ascari) and a smooth Qualifying with Ingo Gerstl (Top Speed) setting up the pole position, teams and spectators experienced quite a strange race at the end of the day at the « Gamma Racing Days » in Assen.

Two OPEN class drivers where left on track, after Zwarts exit: Ingo Gerstl and Wolfgang Jaksch (F Xtreme Racing Team). While Gerstl started on pole position with his Toro Rosso STR1, Wolfgang Jaksch started with his Super Aguri SA06 from position 5 in start grid of 14 drivers in total.

For the first time this season current leader of the OPEN class overall ranking Ingo Gerstl didn’t finish his race. He spun off the track already in the warm up lap. « I passed an oil spill and twisted from the track », Gerstl explained later. « Everything is fine, the car is totally flawless. It was just not possible, to return on track. » The Austrian now will set full power at the second race of the weekend on Sunday afternoon.

Spun from the track in the warm up lap: Ingo Gerstl.

So Wolfgang Jaksch was the only remaining OPEN class driver at the grid. And he managed well. After passing a safety car phase for four laps, due to a crash and twister of Wolfgang Jordan (H&A Racing) on the home straights, Jaksch overtook Marc Faggionato (Zig Zag) in lap 5 and the overall position 3 of the grid for the next three laps. While temporarily leaving the track due to an driving error, Jaksch fell back to position 4 in lap eight and even was overtaken by Salvatore De Plano in the last lap. The German finished on position 5 of the overall start grid, but made it to P1 of the BOSS GP OPEN class.

« It’s the first ever P1 in the BOSS GP, since I started racing here three years ago », Jaksch told us after the race. « Actually I don’t feel that overwhelmed about the way, the result was achieved. Yes, I am happy about P1 and the points for the championship, but honestly it wasn’t a nice race for spectators as well as drivers », Jaksch pointed to the long safety car phase, which affected the race significantly. « After the strange free practice in the morning with the crash of Klaas Zwart and the crash at the beginning of the race itself, my main focus was, to bring that race and the car home safely. » Now on position 2 of the overall OPEN class ranking, Jaksch is excited about a much better race on Sunday: « I look forward very much to the race on Sunday. There will be a huge amount of spectators, that’s always a lot of fun and great atmosphere for the drivers. I hope, that all drivers of the grid will finish the race – that’s great entertainment for fans and spectators as well. »

This is the result of the OPEN class at race 1 in Assen:

Since OPEN and FORMULA class have different classifications, but drive together at the same race, the whole start grid of 14 drivers will start at the same race on Sunday at race 2 again. It will start at 2:14 p.m. (duration: 25 min).

This is the starting grid for race 2 at the “Gamma Racing Days”  in Assen 2017:

Start grid of race 2 in Assen 2017.

MORE:

Picture gallery of Assen 2017: bossgp.com/gallery/assen-gamma-racing-days

FORMULA class: Race 1 at « Gamma Racing Days » in Assen 2017: bossgp.com/formula-class-ledermair-wins-race-and-p1

OPEN class: Qualifying at “Gamma Racing Days” in Assen 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-qualifying-in-assen-gerstl-saves-pole-position

OPEN class: Free practice at “Gamma Racing Days” in Assen 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-free-practice-ends-with-a-horrific-crash-by-klaas-zwart

OPEN class: Start list at “Gamma Racing Days” in Assen 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-start-list-for-the-gamma-racing-days-in-assen-ned-is-set

Standings of season 2017: bossgp.com/standings

05/08/2017

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