Following a committed display in Imola, True Racing by Reiter Engineering provided an impressive demonstration of the potential of the KTM X-BOW GT2 as the Fanatec GT2 European Series got underway. Although not as successful as the team may have wished – thanks to technical issues and other setbacks in difficult conditions – the three driver duos certainly showed what they are capable of in 2022.
Among the highlights of the weekend was the fight displayed by Klaus Angerhofer in the early stages of the first race. The Austrian lost some positions off the line but then set about fighting back with some rapid lap times and a great deal of perseverance. “The conditions were difficult and in some areas the circuit was still wet,” he said. “Compared to the competition we had real trouble getting heat into the tyres. After a few laps they were up to temperature and we were able to attack. The X-BOW was particularly impressive under braking, which really helped me on overtakes.”
In the end, the True Racing driver and his teammate Hubert Trunkenpolz, who took over for the second half of the race, managed to finish seventh. But they both knew they were capable of more: “The drivers who were driving on their own had a clear advantage this time,” Angerhofer added. “They didn’t need to get used to the track conditions after their pit stop and could get straight back up to pace. A lot of the race was in the mind.”
On Sunday, it was Stefan Rosina who managed to show the most potential in the KTM X-BOW GT2. The Slovakian driver was one of the quickest in the field in the early stages and managed to gain some significant ground. He started in fourth and was immediately challenging for the podium positions, however technical problems put his and teammate Sehdi Sarmini’s charge to an end. Kris Rosenberger and Laura Kraihamer, who were competing in a third car in Imola, managed to finish fifth in the Pro-Am classification.
The Fanatec GT2 European Series now looks ahead to its first ever appearance at a new circuit. From 20 to 22 May the series will be visiting the Red Bull Ring, the first time the calendar will make a stop in Austria. Fans will be able to take in all the action at KTM’s home race as part of the ADAC GT Masters.