After his commanding victory on Saturday, Marco Fink went into the second 25-minute sprint as the favourite. Immediately after the start, the German and Marco Werner pulled clear of the rest of the field. With his lighter prototype and smaller 13-inch wheels, Fink quickly settled into a strong rhythm and took very compact lines around the Red Bull Ring. After just two laps, he was already more than five seconds ahead of Werner and never relinquished the lead.
Fink in control from start to finish
From there, Fink remained firmly in control at the front. For long stretches, he gave the impression that he did not need to push to the absolute limit, instead managing his advantage and avoiding unnecessary risks.
Werner nevertheless produced an impressive performance. The three-time Le Mans winner, who claimed the famous 24-hour race three years in a row between 2005 and 2007, was competing in Spielberg with a sports prototype that is around 26 years old. The car weighs roughly 200 kilograms more than the machinery of his immediate rivals, making Werner’s second place all the more notable.
Werner managed to reduce the gap again in the closing stages, but Fink remained composed and eventually won by 3.971 seconds. Following his two victories at Hockenheim, one win at the Nürburgring and Saturday’s success, it was already his fifth victory in six races this season.
Sven Barth completed the podium, 9.145 seconds behind the winner. Jérémy Siffert, who had surprisingly finished third on Saturday, took fourth this time. Andreas Fiedler followed in fifth, with 20-year-old Swede Emma Wigroth moving from ninth on the grid to finish sixth.
Klien-Lauda duel put on hold again
The eagerly anticipated Austrian duel between Christian Klien and Mathias Lauda was once again postponed to another occasion.
Lauda had caused a surprise on Friday when, ahead of his first planned race start since 2020, he put the PRC WPR66 on pole position. Shortly before the opening race, however, a loss of compression in the second cylinder prevented him from taking the start. The car was also unable to race on Sunday because of the engine problem.
Lauda nevertheless spoke positively about his brief outing in the prototype, which weighs around 700 kilograms and produces approximately 550 hp. He said he had thoroughly enjoyed qualifying and would have loved the chance to race afterwards. In his view, Saturday could have produced an exciting three-way fight between himself, Klien and Fink.
Interwetten brand ambassador Klien was also unable to race on Sunday. Shortly before the start, his PRC WPR66 suffered a sudden suspension failure. Fortunately, the problem did not occur during the race itself.
Klien’s difficulties on Saturday had also been caused by a comparatively minor issue with major consequences: an oxidised contact on a relay meant that the car could no longer engage any gears.
Klien and Lauda eye another opportunity
The Austrian showdown is not off the table for good. Both Klien and Lauda confirmed that they intend to compete again next year. After the duel failed to materialise in Spielberg, 2027 could provide the next opportunity to see the two Austrians race each other on track.
The Interwetten Sports Car Challenge still has one more race weekend to come this season. The championship concludes in Brno from 11 to 13 September.
