Prototype Cup Germany, Lausitzring: a triple and a double podium for the Ligier JS P320!
The third round of the 2025 Prototype Cup Germany, held on May 24–25 at the Lausitzring, was a successful one for the Ligier JS P320. On a demanding track and under both sunny and rainy conditions, the French constructor's prototypes dominated the weekend, locking out the top positions in both races. The #2 Ligier JS P320 from Konrad Motorsport, driven by Danny Soufi and Pavel Lefterov, claimed a commanding double victory. Behind them, the #3 from Aust Motorsport (Sven Barth and Maxim Dirickx) secured two second-place finishes, while the #22 from Konrad Motorsport gave Zino-Ferret Fahlke a podium on his series debut.
Pole position, double win and championship lead for Konrad Motorsport
Danny Soufi set the tone early by securing pole position with a lap time of 1:19.853.
“I'm happy with my lap,” said the young American. “On the whole, it was a good qualifying. I must thank my team Konrad Motorsport for the great car. Without them, a lap time like that would not have been possible. The track was getting faster all the time towards the end of the session, and I really gave the car some stick at times.”
On Saturday, the #2 Ligier JS P320 dominated Race 1 from start to finish. Soufi got a great start and opened up a gap before handing over to Pavel Lefterov, who managed his stint perfectly despite a close call in the pit lane.
“My plan was to win the start and then build up as big a lead as possible. I managed that and Pavel also did a good job in his stint,” summarized Danny Soufi.
“I had a relatively quiet race if you forget about the fact that I nearly collided with Alexzander Kristiansson after the pit stop. After that I was even able to extend our lead and bring it home,” added Pavel Lefterov.
On Sunday, in the rain, the pair secured their third win of the season. Despite falling back at the start, the Ligier capitalized on a collision ahead to climb back up the field. Danny Soufi took the lead at the restart in the #2 Ligier JS P320 from Konrad Motorsport and secured another win with his teammate Lefterov:
“In the end, we did get lucky. It was the safety car that helped us to get within striking distance of Sven Barth. Sometimes you just need that luck to be successful. Pavel had no experience with the LMP3 cars in the rain and he did a bloody good job,” commented Soufi.
Aust Motorsport: two promising second-place finishes
Right behind the winners, the #3 Ligier JS P320 from Aust Motorsport impressed all weekend. The Barth / Dirickx pairing claimed two runner-up finishes—an excellent first for both the team and the drivers.
“I wasn't happy with sixth place in qualifying for this race since the air pressure of the tyres turned out to be less than ideal. But I made that decision, not the team. I was able to move up into fourth place right at the start of the race and then stay there. I'm really pleased with our second place, my best result alongside Maxim.” said Sven Barth after Race 1.
“Sven did a fantastic job in the first stint before I took over the car. […] Things got emotional after crossing the finish line, the first podium is special. My thanks go to the team and to my coach and mentor Marco Werner,” added Maxim Dirickx.
On Sunday, the duo delivered another strong performance in very tricky conditions.
“I spun early on as there was hardly any grip on the track. I did manage to post some good times after that and mostly avoided any mistakes. When it was his turn, Sven produced a fantastic stint, even though the safety car phase was unfortunate for us. I am still happy with this weekend though,” said Dirickx.
“The conditions were challenging. We were a long way back as Maxim spun early on. But it did not take long to realise that the car was really good in these conditions, as Maxim then produced a great stint. I was also satisfied with my stint. In the end, we were unlucky that Danny Soufi overtook me at the restart after the safety car phase and pushed me back into second. I am still happy though, as I wouldn't have expected two second places beforehand.” concluded Barth.
A first podium for Zino-Ferret Fahlke
At just 18 years old, Zino-Ferret Fahlke made a strong impression at the wheel of the #22 Ligier JS P320 from Konrad Motorsport. In his very first appearance in the series, he earned a well-deserved third place in Saturday's race after a hard-fought battle and a penalty for contact issued to a competitor.
“I had a mediocre start, but I was able to move past Maksymilian Angelard in a tight manoeuvre. Then I was stuck behind Sven Barth for a long time and then behind his team-mate Maxim Dirickx in my second stint. […] [Pluschkell] spun me on the final lap, but thanks to his penalty I finished in third place anyway,” explained the young Swiss driver.
On Sunday, Fahlke was once again in contention, running in second before contact with Jakobsen ended his podium hopes. He was classified fifth after a time penalty.
Konrad Motorsport extends its championship lead
Thanks to back-to-back victories at the Lausitzring, the #2 Ligier JS P320 from Konrad Motorsport further extends its lead in the championship standings with a total of 131 points. The Soufi / Lefterov duo is the only pairing to have won three races this season and now holds a solid advantage at the halfway point of the championship.
Next stop for the Prototype Cup Germany: July 4–6 on the legendary Norisring street circuit.
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Photo credit: Prototype Cup Germany / ADAC