Double start to the season for CV Performance X JP Motorsport

CV Performance X JP Motorsport in Portimão took on a completely new path. The team of Christian Voss and Patryk Krupinski competed for the first time in the GT4 South European, which is being held as part of the Iberian Supercars series. GT4 newcomer Jonathan Engström and former ADAC GT4 Germany driver Patrick Steinmetz drove the Mercedes-AMG GT4. The two pilots started in the Pro class.

In his first GT4 qualifying session, Engström, who was active in TCR racing among other things last year, finished 15th in the overall standings. “This was a strong achievement for his GT4 debut, as everything was new for Jonathan,” says Voss. However, Steinmetz was unlucky due to traffic and yellow spells, so it was only enough for 19th place on the grid in qualifying.

The first race took place in difficult conditions. At the end of the race, rain set in on the mountain and valley track on the Algarve coast, which caused slippery conditions. But the drivers kept the CV Performance X JP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 on track and finished the race in 13th position after strong duels, which is synonymous with seventh place in the class.

In the starting phase, Steinmetz stormed up to seventh place in mixed conditions — part of the track was wet, other sections were dry. But after a recovery vehicle got stuck in the deep and wet gravel beds of Portimão, the race had to be interrupted. After the resumption, tough but fair duels developed on the spectacular course, so that the Mercedes-AMG finally finished the race in 13th position, seventh in the Pro class.

“We had certainly expected a bit more from the results before the weekend, but both drivers did a flawless job under some of the most difficult conditions and were able to learn a lot. This gives us confidence for the upcoming races,” explains Christian Voß.

It continues from May 30 to June 1 on the traditional course in Jarama near Madrid.

In addition, the first race weekend of the IAME Series Belgium took place in Mariembourg. A total of 96 participants made up a highly staffed field at top European level.

Aaron Lopez was able to keep improving over the weekend. After finishing 31st in qualifying, he finished 13th after the Heat races. In the final, the Spanish champion of the years 2022 and 2024 was able to triumph with a splendid performance! “A strong performance from Aaron, who won the final — victory in the first race of the season! We are happy to continue this way in the upcoming races,” says Christian Voß.

Adrian Lorenz, who moved up from junior to senior class, and Kyle Tuhkru both experienced difficult weekends in Mariembourg, during which both missed the final. Both drivers were involved in several collisions and accidents, and Tuhkru even had to change the chassis as a result of one, so that they missed out on the final.

The next CV Performance X JP Motorsport kart race will take place on Easter weekend. The destination is then once again Mariembourg in Belgium, where the season opener of the German Kart Championship (DKM) takes place.