For Giorgio Maggi and the Speedhouse team, the NASCAR GP Germany at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben turned into a tough challenge. The driver of the #33 Ford Mustang traveled to the neighboring country with great confidence but was confronted from the outset with a series of technical problems that culminated in a controversial penalty and prevented a better result.
Free Practice: High Expectations Meet a Harsh Reality
After a promising previous race weekend, the mood in the team was excellent. “The hope and confidence were high after the great feeling I had in Most,” Maggi explained. But the problems began in the very first practice session. “A broken damper on the rear axle made the car undriveable. We immediately lost valuable time.”
The bad luck continued in the second practice session, which ended abruptly for Maggi. “In the second lap, the front-right suspension broke. The whole thing came completely out of the blue and just happened without any warning,” the Swiss driver described the scary moment. “Luckily, it happened at a slower part of the track, so nothing worse happened.”
Qualifying: No Data for Setup
The consequences of the missed practice sessions were severe. Without a single fast lap, the team couldn’t collect any data to find a suitable setup for the demanding track.
“Having completed zero laps, qualifying was extremely difficult,” said Maggi with humor. “We couldn’t set up the car and, on top of that, had to deal with engine problems – so, perfect conditions.” The result was a tough 21st place on the grid.
Race 1: From a Lightning Start to Bitter Disappointment
Despite the poor starting position, Maggi showed a phenomenal start in the first race. “I had one of the best starts I’ve ever had, paired with a lot of luck. The chaos in turn 1 played right into my hands, and I was able to move up from P21 to P6.”
An early safety car phase neutralized the race. However, the subsequent restart proved to be the pivotal moment. “Unexpectedly, the track in Turn 1 was not cleared of gravel, even though the restart had been approved,” Maggi explained.
“I understeered slightly over the gravel and locked the tires, which led to me lightly touching the car in front of me. He then spun, as he was also on the gravel.”
Although he finished the race in a strong ninth place, another disappointment followed post-race: a 60-second time penalty that dropped him to 16th place.
“Even the race officials couldn’t explain to me why I was getting a penalty when the track conditions were so obviously unpredictable. On a normal track, I would have never touched him with my braking point and distance.”
Race 2: A Fight with Blunted Weapons
Starting from 15th on the grid, he went into the second race, which again began turbulently. “There was chaos at the start again, thanks to a few experts. I got through it well but continued to have problems with the car,” said Maggi.
“It seems as soon as we solve one problem, a new one appears. I pushed as hard as I could, but our pace was far off from the rest. I was just trying to defend my position as best as possible.” In the end, he could only manage 13th place, which means Maggi heads into the finale at Circuit Zolder in 14th position in the overall standings.
Outlook: Full Focus on Zolder
Giorgio Maggi draws a clear conclusion: “Overall, it was a very disappointing weekend. Speedhouse did its best to provide me with the best car, but unforeseen defects in new parts held us back the entire weekend. I want to emphasize that I have great trust in Speedhouse and team principal Lucas Lasserre.”
“The championship has long been over for us, but we will continue to fight in Zolder and want to show what we are capable of as a team. All we’re missing is a little bit of luck.” The 2025 NASCAR Euro Series Finals will take place on October 11th and 12th at Circuit Zolder in Belgium.
