Daniel Abt started the weekend sensationally in front of his home crowd: his fastest lap in qualifying was good enough for pole position – the first in his GP3 debut season for the Kempten driver.
Abt’s hopes were in tatters before the start of the race. In the unsettled weather conditions his team mounted slick tyres onto his Lotus race car. The Hockenheimring was soaked by a downpour during the formation lap. The race was started behind the safety car. The slick shod runners, which included Daniel Abt, used the opportunity to steer directly into the pits to swap to rain tyres. The race was over before it really had begun. Nevertheless a furious comeback drive saw Abt him take seventh place at the chequered flag. Abt: “With such a sense of anger I only had one goal: to score points. At least this worked out.”
Weather conditions were predictable for the second race. Abt made a lightning start from second place on the dry track. Before the first corner the 19-year overtook Mitch Evans. Following a safety car stage, which was caused by heavy accident, Evans took his revenge and overtook Abt to take the lead. The race finished behind the safety car after it was deployed following another heavy accident. Second place for With the 22 points scored the young German catapulted himself up to third overall in the GP3 drivers’ standings. Abt: “Even though it was my best result of the season I am not happy. Things could have turned out much better.”