A collision sent STEP Motorsport on summer vacation early, as the team participated in the third round of the Danish Endurance Championship at FDM Jyllandsringen this past weekend. However, neither speed nor development was lacking.
Without a prior test day to familiarize themselves with the track, both Silas Rytter and Mads Riis had to rely on the experiences and information they had gathered from YouTube videos of the track and a walk around the circuit before the race weekend began. This turned out quite well, as they secured fourth and fifth starting positions for the two races, making the preparation top-notch.
Saturday afternoon saw the first race, and although there wasn’t much drama on the track, the two drivers delivered a solid performance. Mads Riis started in the car and had to spend valuable time getting past slower competitors, while Silas Rytter ensured a fourth-place finish with a well-timed overtaking maneuver late in his stint.
There was ample time to practice pit stops and driver changes ahead of Sunday’s race, which started shortly before noon. From sixth place, Silas Rytter maintained a close distance to the cars ahead, and for a long time, it looked like the small Ginetta G40 would be in contention for podium positions.
That was until a competitor made an overly optimistic overtaking move and collided with the side of the Ginetta, causing serious damage to the car. Silas Rytter had to struggle to bring the car back to the pits, where the mechanics quickly had to throw in the towel—it was impossible to get the car back on the track.
-It’s just incredibly disappointing. I felt there was good speed in the car, and I believe we could have brought home a good result. This is part of the game, but it’s frustrating to retire like that, said Silas Rytter, who was not met with sour faces from Mads Riis, who didn’t get a chance to drive in the second race of the weekend:
-Silas did a great job in his stint, so it’s incredibly disappointing not to finish the job. I think everything went really well over the weekend, where we both improved each time we were in the car, so in that way, it was a good experience, said Mads Riis.
For the team manager and mechanics, a summer break awaits, during which the car will receive some extra care before the season continues in two months at Padborg Park.
-I don’t think the disappointing ending should define the weekend. Both Silas and Mads once again delivered a strong and professional performance, and it has been clear to see how they have developed throughout the weekend. They had a significant challenge ahead of them with a racetrack that was unfamiliar to them, where almost all competitors had already driven hundreds of laps—yet they quickly got up to speed and kept improving. To me, that matters much more than whether we did or did not bring home a trophy, said Morten Dons, who is also looking forward to the summer break:
-We have a car that needs a thorough check and some repairs after today’s race. Now that we’ve completed three of the five race weekends in six weeks, I think we’re all looking forward to a little breather and then coming back even stronger for the last two races on the calendar, Dons concluded.