2018 Rewind: Memorable Racing Moments at the Nürburgring
We're rolling back the time and revisit the most exciting, dramatic and memorable moments from the past few years at the Nürburgring.
In 2018, the legendary track witnessed a series of unforgettable races that left fans on the edge of their seats. From masterful performances and intense rivalries to dramatic finishes and historic victories, 2018 was a year to remember at the Ring.
A masterclass performance saw Antonio Albacete claim a hard-earned victory in the first race of the weekend, converting pole position to take a slender victory from Jochen Hahn after the multiple German champion applied huge pressure on the Spaniard throughout the 13-lap race.
Albacete was able to hold off his nemesis and win by just 0.8s. Completing the podium was Norbert Kiss in his Tankpool24 Racing Mercedes-Benz. The Hungarian made a fine start and was able to capitalise on problems to third place starter Réné Reinert who was forced to retire in the early exchanges with damage to his truck after contact.
Steffi Halm led home a famous Team Schwabentruck IVECO 1-2 in Race 2 and sent her home fans delirious. It was Halm’s second ETRC victory on home ground as she reprised her win from 2016 to take her first win in an IVECO truck.
Halm managed to clear teammate and pole sitter Gerd Körber on lap four of the race after the German veteran made way to then defend his second from a charging Adam Lacko. The Czech racer eventually fell back from Körber and left the Team Schwabentruck IVECO’s to complete a formation finish to delight the legions of IVECO fans and partners.
For Körber it was one of his finest races, as he had to deal with a severely damaged windscreen after it started to disintegrate early on in the race. The German veteran performed miracles to keep his concentration and his hard-won second place to the flag.
Jochen Hahn swept to his fifth victory of the season in Race 3 to extend his points lead. The Hahn Racing IVECO ace led from the first lap onwards after a supreme performance which went some way to rectifying a difficult Saturday for the four-time champion.
Taking the chequered flag by just 3.418s ahead of Antonio Albacete, Hahn was never seriously threatened after he capitalised on fellow front-row starter Albacete running wide on the first lap. Albacete had sensationally snatched the lead at turn one after a superior start to pole sitter Hahn. But the German got his revenge when Albacete ran across the gravel at Turn 10 after contact between the pair.
It was Reinert who took the runners-up position on the road, after he came through chaos in the first few laps which saw contact between Norbi Kiss, Adam Lacko and Steffi Halm at turn three.
However Reinert was given a 5-second post-race penalty after cutting the chicane on the first lap as he tried to out-muscle a recovering Albacete and slipped to third position in the final result. Despite this, Reinert enjoyed his first ever podium visit on his home turf.
Anthony Janiec took the final victory of the weekend, converting pole into the win despite massive initial pressure from both Adam Lacko and André Kursim. Janiec maintained his lead, fending off a train of eight trucks throughout the 13-lap race.
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