Makowiecki, Lietz Win VLN 2 in Last-Lap Thriller

Photo: Porsche

Manthey Racing has claimed back-to-back VLN wins following a last-lap thriller in Saturday’s second round of the season on the Nordschleife.

Fred Makowiecki took the No. 911 Porsche 911 GT3 R to a 4.5-second victory over the No. 8 Haribo Racing Team Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Maxi Gotz, following issues for the race-leading No. 28 Audi Sport Team Land Audi R8 LMS in the closing moments of the four-hour race.

A daring move by Christopher Mies on Makowiecki in the Grand Prix section of the track put the Audi into the lead on the final lap, with the German driver extending his margin over the Porsche until slowing on the Döttinger Höhe.

It handed the lead back to Makowiecki, who earned his second straight win, but this time alongside fellow Porsche factory driver Richard Lietz.

Gotz, Uwe Alzen and Lance David Arnold were second, with the No. 49 WRT Audi of Robin Frijns, Nico Mueller and Marcel Fassler inheriting third following Land’s last-lap misfortunes.

The WRT Audi led the race until making a short final stop with 18 minutes remaining.

Mies, meanwhile, managed to get his troubled Audi to the flag, but ended up fifth in the No. 28 entry he shared with Connor De Phillippi.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John