The sixth race of the 2017 ADAC Northern Europe Cup took place on Sunday afternoon in the context of the MotoGP™ on a freshly resurfaced Sachsenring. Under cloudy skies but on a dry track, the 29 riders of the junior series vied with each other over 20 thrilling laps. Dirk Geiger (14, GER) and Tim Georgi (17, GER) emerged victorious in the Standard and the GP categories respectively.
Dirk Geiger (14, GER) started the race from pole in the Standard class. The ADAC Sports Foundation protégé and defending champion did not relinquish his lead at any time during the race and even held his own with the GP contestants. Geiger ultimately crossed the finish line ahead of Leon Orgis (16, GER).
Orgis, who started from second on the grid, succeeded in defending the position for a long time, until he eventually had to yield to a challenge from his Kiefer Racing team-mate Toni Erhard (16, GER). But Orgis ultimately prevailed with an overtaking manoeuvre on the final lap to take the chequered flag, 0.085 seconds ahead. Local favourite Erhard at least had the satisfaction of claiming the third podium spot. Rick Dunnik (15, NED) finished fourth, followed by Marvin Siebdrath (13, GER).
Geiger still tops the championship table. He has 132 points to his name after six of the season’s eleven races. After his P7 finish at the Sachsenring, Philipp Freitag (19, GER) is in second place on 97 points, followed by Erhard in third place on 89.
GP class: Georgi charges through the field
Tim Georgi (17, GER) put on a spectacular show in the GP class. After the ADAC Sports Foundation protégé and his Freudenberg Racing Team drew a wild card in the Moto3™ World Championship, he was obliged to start the ADAC NEC race from the back of the grid. Over the course of the first few laps, the 17-year-old ploughed his way through the field and soon took the lead. After a wheel-to-wheel encounter with his Freudenberg Racing team-mate Walid Khan Soppe (17, NED), he sailed off into the distance to claim his fifth win of the season.
Soppe took the runner-up spot ahead of third-placed Kevin Orgis (17, GER). Soppe and Orgis had already competed in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup before putting on an equally impressive display in the ADAC NEC. Having secured pole position for his home GP race, Jan-Ole Jähnig (16, GER) finished fourth ahead of Ernst Dubbink (28, NED).
After six out of eleven races in the 2017 championship, Georgi continues to lead the GP class on 125 points, but his team-mate Soppe has moved up one place. The Dutch rider is now second on 96 points, while Kevin Orgis (93 points) drops down to third.
Comments from the Top Three
Dirk Geiger (14, GER), winner, ADAC NEC Standard: “My start went very well. I was up with the front-runners until the whole of the GP field came up from behind. Some of them got past me and rode away. For a long time, I was neck and neck with Kevin. I felt that I was faster than him on the corners, but on the straights, he always got past me again. On the whole, though, we had a great scrap. My lap times could certainly have been a bit faster, but ultimately, they were good enough for the victory, and that makes me very pleased. I am delighted with this victory and would like to thank my team and all the other people who have supported me.”
Leon Orgis (16, GER), second, ADAC NEC Standard: “I had a good start and also got into a good rhythm. I then found myself in a group consisting of Kevin, Dirk and Ernst, and we were together for several laps. Ernst’s tyres seemed to have gone off, which made him slower than the rest of us, but I simply wasn’t able to get past him on the straights, and that went on for some more laps. As a result, I lost the connection to Kevin and Dirk, and on the closing laps, I had to take care that Toni didn’t overtake me. Fortunately, I was able to get the last bit of wear out of the tyres and managed to get back in front of him on the penultimate corner, which meant I finished second. I am very satisfied and would like to thank my team and my mechanic, Robert, who have all done a great job this weekend.”
Toni Erhard (16, GER), third, ADAC NEC Standard: “All in all, the race went quite well. I got off to a very good start, but on the first couple of laps, I had a minor collision with Dirk, which sent me into the gravel. As a result, I lost a lot of positions and had to fight my way back from outside the Top 15. I even succeeded in closing the huge gap on Leon again, but unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get past him in the end. Standing on the podium at the Sachsenring in my home race is a really great feeling.”
Tim Georgi (17, GER), winner, ADAC NEC GP: “I certainly had a very good start and was immediately able to get past about 20 riders. By the time I caught up with Walid, I became aware that my broken left metatarsal was starting to ache again. So I let him get past and followed him for a few laps to relieve the pressure on my foot. I felt that my tyres were in good shape, so I then went past and sailed away. I’m absolutely delighted with this victory here, especially having won it from the back of the grid.”
Walid Khan Soppe (17, NED), second, ADAC NEC GP: “Overall, that was a good race. I was able to take the lead directly after making a good start and was way out at the front for several laps. Then Tim came past me, but I was able to hit back again. We had a battle royal, but in the end, he just rode off and I couldn’t match his pace. Competing in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup first was not a problem for me, as my bike is very similar here. Obviously, the win would have been a bit better, but second place is still OK.”
Kevin Orgis (17, GER), third, ADAC NEC GP: “My start was not quite so good, as I was still used to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup bike, which is a bit different. That’s why I didn’t get off the mark so well and I was only fourth going into the first corner. But I soon got myself back up to third. However, I wasn’t able to keep up with the other GP riders on the straights, and I was losing more and more time on them. On the other hand, though, I had a great fight with Dirk. Towards the end, my lap times were getting better and better, because I was becoming more and more accustomed to the motorbike. Eventually, I overtook Jan-Ole and pulled out a small gap on him. I’m totally satisfied with third place.”