Zandvoort is a track that offers little room for error. Tight corners, high demands on tires and drivers, limited space, and a field that is naturally bunched up extremely tightly. That’s exactly where Gian Luca Tüccaroglu was set to compete in the next race weekend of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Germany.
And just like in recent weeks, the feeling after the weekend remains mixed:
The pace is there. The car is performing well. But once again, the results don’t tell the whole story.
Training – Tried a lot of things, found the right direction
A lot was already tried out during the practice sessions. Zandvoort requires a very specific setup—mainly because of its many fast corners and the unique characteristics of the track surface.
Together with Team75 Motorsport , Gian Luca worked intensively to find the right setup for the car. It was tested, adjusted, and analyzed—and in the end, it became clear: the setup is just right.
The car felt good, the balance was right, and the pace was generally there.
Qualifying – At Zandvoort, it's all about the fastest lap
At Zandvoort, success or failure often comes down to a single lap. Due to the many turns and the heavy strain on the tires, there is practically only one true peak lap —that is, the lap during which the tires reach their full potential.
And unfortunately, Gian Luca had to go through that exact same routine twice this weekend.
In the first qualifying session, Gian Luca was on his peak lap when the rider in front of him kicked gravel onto the track. This caused Gian Luca to briefly slide into the gravel trap—enough to lose his decisive lap. In the end, he finished 20th out of 32 riders.
Things looked much better at first in the second qualifying session. But this time, Gian Luca ran into a much slower driver during his fast lap. Within a single lap, the gap had completely closed, forcing him to overtake—of all laps, the one that was supposed to be the decisive one.
The Peak Lap was effectively ruined. In the end, the second-fastest lap was still enough to secure 16th place out of 32 on the grid.
It was especially disappointing because it was clear:
With a clear lap, much more would have been possible.
Race 1 – Race interruption, restart, and key points
The first race got off to an uneventful start—until another driver was involved in a spectacular crash. After a violent collision, the race had to be interrupted so that repairs could be made to the track barriers.
By that point, Gian Luca had already worked his way up to 19th place.
After a lengthy interruption, the race was restarted behind the safety car in the evening—with only about 13 minutes of racing time remaining.
And that's exactly where Gian Luca once again demonstrated his racing pace.
With clean passing moves, he continued to work his way up the field, putting pressure on strong opponents and gaining three more positions in the short time remaining.
In the end, he finished in 16th place.
But the result turned out to be even better:
Since a guest driver ahead of him failed to score any points, Gian Luca was effectively classified in 15th place, earning him more crucial championship points.
Race 2 – Two Turns of Hope
Sunday began with a much better starting position.
Starting from 16th on the grid, there were high hopes of finally ending the weekend with a strong result.
He got off to a good start. Gian Luca positioned himself cleverly and gained a few places right in the first turn.
But then it happened again—something that, unfortunately, has been a recurring theme throughout the season.
In turn two, a driver in front of him spun out. Several cars had to swerve to avoid him, and in the confusion, Gian Luca was hit.
The race was over after just two turns.
An accident that could hardly have been avoided and once again cost us a result that was well within our reach.
Conclusion – The Midpoint of a Season Full of Lessons
Zandvoort feels a bit like a summary of the season so far:
It's got speed.
The car is performing well.
The team is working hard.
And yet, more often than not, that final little bit is missing—the one thing needed for performance to actually translate into results.
If there’s one positive takeaway from this weekend, it’s this:
The setup is now working very well, my confidence in the car is growing, and the collaboration with the team is getting better and better.
Now there will be a four-week break before the action continues at the Lausitzring.
Maybe this break is coming at just the right time. It’s time to take a deep breath, clear my head, and tackle things with renewed energy.
Because one thing remains clear, despite everything:
The pace has long been at a top-10 level. Now it's just a matter of the results finally following suit.
