Max Huber Confirms Favourite Status with Second Victory at Jarama

The Madrid circuit did not disappoint the 20,000 spectators present at the Jarama Classic, and the second Historic Endurance race delivered everything expected: on-track battles, differing race strategies, numerous uncertainties, and plenty of excitement, with 31 very different cars sharing the circuit.

The start was given at 11:50 local time, and the Jarama circuit welcomed the Historic Endurance teams in considerable heat; temperatures reached 32°C. The crowd turned out in force, with 20,000 spectators creating an atmosphere of great enthusiasm and energy. In the paddock, the Historic Endurance machinery took centre stage.

After his commanding victory in the first race, Max Huber, at the wheel of the Shelby Cobra 427, was the clear favourite. However, every race is different, and the 50-minute contest, with a mandatory pit stop and all the uncontrollable variables, pointed towards possible surprises.

To the rivals from the previous day — the Porsche 911 3.0 RS of Bastos Rezende and the Ford GT40 of Jordi Puig — was added a second Cobra, the Shelby Daytona of Ralf Huber. However, this latter entry started from the back of the grid, as the starting order for the second race was based on the results of the first.

The powerful Jaguar E-Types from the JAC Motors Team and the Porsche 911 3.0 RS cars from HY Racing lined up just one row ahead of the diminutive Lotus Seven from Centro Clássico and the Merlyn Mk4 from Foguete Racing.

At the start, the Cobra unleashed the full power of its over seven-litre V8 and disappeared from view into Turn 1. The GT40 was the only car able to keep pace, albeit at a safe distance.

The early retirement of the Merlyn driven by Carlos Barbot and Filipe Vieira de Campos triggered the Safety Car.

Meanwhile, by the end of the opening lap, the Shelby Daytona had already gained ten positions and was knocking on the door of the top 20.

The race was restarted on lap 3, with Ralf Huber up to 18th position, while the Escort of Filipe Carvalho and António Carmona was battling the Datsun 240Z of Ralf Schnitzler.

The Shelby Mustang GT350R of Ernesto Silva Vieira and André Castro Pinheiro was running provisionally ahead of the Porsche 911 RS 3.0 of Olivier Muytjens and Brice Pineau.

The gap between the top two at the end of lap six was six seconds, while Bastos Rezende’s Porsche was running at the same distance behind the GT40.

In the meantime, after a remarkable recovery drive, the Shelby Daytona pitted, losing two laps in the process. As the race passed the half-hour mark, mandatory pit stops began, while the E-Type of Jaspers and the Porsche 911 RS of Bastos Rezende fought for third place, with the Porsche driver heavily involved in lapping slower cars.

At the front, the GT40 was the first of the leaders to stop, on lap 12, at the same time as the Jaguar and the Lotus Seven of João Mira Gomes and Nuno Afoito, who was running in fifth position. The Porsche 911 ST of Piero Dal Maso and Guilherme Dal Maso, in sixth, also made its stop.

Eventually, the leader came into the pits, as did Bastos Rezende’s Porsche, which was running second. Both rejoined in those positions, setting up an exciting duel between the Porsche and the GT40, which had lost time on its out-lap. Over several laps they exchanged positions in spectacular fashion, until the GT40 finally completed the decisive overtake at the end of the main straight with just over 15 minutes remaining. Although the Porsche kept pushing, the GT40 gradually extended its lead.

Further back, Guillaume Huber, in the Ford Mustang, caught and passed the Dal Maso Porsche to move into ninth place. They would continue to swap positions until the end of the race.

With 11 minutes remaining, mechanical issues for the Datsun 240Z, which stopped on lap 16, brought out the Safety Car once again. Four laps later, with just over three minutes left, the green flag returned, and the Cobra immediately opened up a full straight’s advantage over its rivals.

The GT40 worked its way quickly through traffic — there were numerous cars between the leader and second place — preventing Bastos Rezende from mounting a challenge for position.

There was still time for the retirement of the Carvalho/Carmona Escort Mk2, just seconds before Max Huber crossed the line to claim a highly convincing victory in this second Historic Endurance race at Jarama.

Puig finished in second place, while Bastos Rezende completed the podium in third. Laurent Jaspers secured fourth place, with all of them winning their respective categories.

Luís Sousa Ribeiro was the best-placed driver in the GDS class, apparently having resolved the brake issues he had previously experienced with his Ford Cortina Lotus.

The victory in the Index of Performance —the special classification that rewards technical excellence and consistency, regardless of outright speed— went to the Lotus Elite of Martin Aubert and Pedro Moriyón. As a reward, they received an exclusive Swiss watch from the prestigious brand Cuervo y Sobrinos, a symbol of tradition and elegance and a long-standing partner of Historic Endurance.

Luís Sousa Ribeiro, in the Ford Cortina Lotus, and Laurent Jaspers, at the wheel of the Jaguar E-Type, finished second and third respectively.

It was a race full of highlights, with several Safety Car periods, pit stops and numerous overtakes, all of which constantly reshuffled the order and forced drivers and teams to adapt to ever-changing challenges.

Historic Endurance will return to action on 4–5 July for the 400km of Paul Ricard. A new and unique challenge awaits at one of Europe’s most iconic circuits.

RACE 2 - RESULT