Philipp Eng (Team Deutsche Post by Project 1) is the 2015 champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. After just 13 of 17 races, the 25-year-old Austrian secured an early title on Sunday at Oschersleben. Never before in the 26-year history of the German Porsche one-make race series has a pilot taken home the championship trophy so early in the season. Eng’s points’ lead is another new record. Scoring his seventh win, which relegated Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing) and Nicki Thiim (DK/Küs Team75 Bernhard) to finish on second and third respectively, he is now beyond reach with 230 points. Two pole positions and two race victories rounded off a perfect weekend. “Right now I’m the happiest person on Earth. It is simply unbelievable! I’d like to thank all those who have helped, because as a race driver you are just one ingredient in the success. I’m ecstatic,” said an overjoyed Eng.

 For the eighth time this season Eng took up the race from pole position at the wheel of his 460 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. After getting off the line well at the start, he pulled clear at the head of the field trailed at first by Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing) and Porsche Junior Sven Müller (D/Lechner Racing Middle East). In lap two, Müller got around Engelhart. After six laps Müller was running just 0.2 seconds behind Eng and put him under pressure. “I was faster, but then I made a braking error and fell back down to seventh. I’m a race driver and I want to win so unfortunately something like this can happen,” explained Müller. This opened the door for the frontrunner to bring home an unchallenged title.

 After becoming entangled in an accident and retiring on Saturday and claiming second place on Sunday, Engelhart can now only win the vice-championship, as he lies 87 points behind the newly-crowned champion. “After the crash I’m so grateful to my team for enabling me to compete at all. I’m very happy with position two,” said Engelhart. Crossing the finish line behind third-placed Thiim was the 21-year-old Spaniard Alex Riberas (The Heart of Racing by Lechner). Michael Ammermüller (D/The Heart of Racing by Lechner) finished fifth with Müller ultimately ranking sixth at the flag. Christopher Zöchling (A/Konrad Motorsport) came seventh trailed by Porsche Junior Matteo Cairoli (I/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1) on eighth: “That was a difficult race for me because I simply couldn’t get past Christopher. I’d have liked to finish further up the field.”

Whilst Eng was still standing on the podium, the Head of Porsche Motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser already sent his congratulations via Twitter. Now that the title has been claimed by Eng, the fight for runner-up honours is now theoretically between eleven drivers: With 80 points still available, Engelhart on 143 points lies ahead of Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Lechner Racing Middle East) with 141 points. Riberas has 126 points to his credit which puts him on fourth in the overall classification. He and Ammermüller are tied for points.

 Races 14 and 15 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland takes place from 25 to 27 September on the Nürburgring.

 Result race 13: 1. Philipp Eng (A/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1) 2. Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing)  3. Nicki Thiim (DK/Küs Team75 Bernhard) 4. Alex Riberas (E/The Heart of Racing by Lechner) 5. Michael Ammermüller (D/The Heart of Racing by Lechner) 6. Sven Müller (D/Lechner Racing Middle East)  7. Christopher Zöchling (A/Konrad Motorsport) 8. Matteo Cairoli (I/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1) 9. Ben Barker (GB/Land-Motorsport)  10. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Lechner Racing Middle East)

 Points’ standings after 13 of 17 races: Drivers’ classification 1. Philipp Eng (A/Team Deutsche Post by Project 1), 230 points 2. Christian Engelhart (D/TECE MRS-Racing), 143 points 3. Jeffrey Schmidt (CH/Lechner Racing Middle East), 141 points 4. Alex Riberas (E/The Heart of Racing by Lechner), 126 points 5. Michael Ammermüller (D/The Heart of Racing by Lechner), 126 points

 Rookie classification 1. Alexander Toril (E/Market Leader Team by Project 1), 42 points 2. Richard Charles Goddard (AUS/TECE MRS-Racing), 22 points 3. Luca Rettenbacher (A/Konrad Motorsport), 9 points

 Amateur classification 1. Rolf Ineichen (CH/Konrad Motorsport), 236 points 2. Wolf Nathan (NL/Land-Motorsport), 226 points 3. Ralf Bohn (D/Herberth Motorsport), 190 points

 Team classification 1. Team Deutsche Post by Project 1, 321 points 2. The Heart of Racing by Lechner, 253 points 3. Lechner Racing Middle East, 252 points