Impressive comebacks at Monza

The second race weekend of the GT4 European Series at Monza did not go to plan for Thomi Rackl and his team-mate Gabriele Piana. The car lacked the necessary competitiveness on the high-speed circuit, a fact that was already evident in qualifying. As the best BMW, the car qualified in 28th position, with Rackl and Piana finishing 29th. In the second qualifying session, Piana secured 21st on the grid, putting him on a par with the fastest Am drivers.

Despite the difficult starting position, the duo put in a strong performance in both races. In the first race, Rackl fought his way up from 29th on the grid to 9th place. With numerous overtaking manoeuvres and a flawless drive, the team made the most of the opportunities available to them.

Rackl and Piana demonstrated their racing pace once again in the second race. Starting from 21st on the grid, the duo fought their way into the top 10. However, they lost five places following a collision with an opponent. This was followed later by a time penalty after a misunderstanding on the straight. As a result, the car ultimately dropped back to 12th place. Without these setbacks, a much better result would have been possible.

Although the results only reflect their actual performance to a limited extent, the team is taking away many positives from Monza. Two strong comebacks, a competitive race pace and a fighting spirit demonstrate the potential that lies within the drivers and the team.

A big thank you goes to the entire Borusan Automotive Motorsport team, the ADAC Stiftung Sport, the BMW M Racing Academy and my team-mate Gabriele Piana for their excellent cooperation and support during this challenging race weekend.