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The Ravenol Team SAN had a successful appearance in the Super 1600 class at the season start of the FIA European Touring Car Cup (ETCC) on the 4,381 m long Hungaroring in Budapest from 2 to 3 May 2015. In front of the large crowd, the 31 year-old SAN driver Ulrike Krafft came in second place in both races without any mistakes in her Ford Fiesta 1.6 16V on the difficult Formula 1 track. She therefore confirmed her ambitions in her battle for this year’s championship title.
After the free test and free training, Ulrike was initially dissatisfied with her times on the track, which was new to her. “I know I’ve got more to give, but it is quite difficult to find the right line here”, she complained, slightly disappointed in her third best lap time so far. Her motivation was therefore so great in the qualifying stage that she finished with the second fastest time of 2:11.592 minutes, just behind Niklas Mackschin (2:10.292 minutes). “At least I’ve secured myself a good starting position for the race”, she said afterwards self-critically.
In the morning warm-up on the Sunday of the race Ulrike was able to beat her best qualifying time again by almost 1.3 seconds, which made her visibly happier for the next two races shortly afterwards. After a flying start to the first run over twelve laps, some drivers in the larger engine classes caused a stir at the front of the starting grid to begin with, but the Super 1600 drivers were unfazed by this. Ulrike maintained her position at the start, and immediately took up pursuit of the leader, Mackschin. Over the course of the race the two of them set themselves apart from the rest of the field lap after lap in their Ford Fiestas, but there was little opportunity for Ulrike to go on the offensive. In the end, she crossed the line in second place, 2.954 seconds behind the winner, Mackschin. There was a similar trend in the second race with a standing start, in which Ulrike was also beaten, coming in second behind Mackschin once again. “I am really pleased with my result here at the season start. My car was perfect, but I just didn’t have any more in me on this track. Maybe I’ll manage a win at the Slovakia Ring like last year”, said the ambitious graduate engineer, confidently looking forward to the next race. “Ulrike had a great result and brought in some important points”, said team boss Hans Niemann, equally delighted.