Event Summary: JACK’s Casino Racing Day Assen, 8–10 August 2025
Location:
- TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands (4.555 km in length, 17 turns)
Official Schedule:
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- Thursday: Paddock access, scrutineering, track walk
- Friday (8 Aug): Free Practice 1 (11:37–12:02), Free Practice 2 (15:47–16:12)
- Saturday (9 Aug): Qualifying (09:39–10:09), Race 1 at 14:19 (22 min)
- Sunday (10 Aug): Race 2 at 14:01 (22 min)
Race 1 Highlights:
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Winners per class:
- F1: Ingo Gerstl (Toro Rosso STR1)
- Open: Haralds Šlēgelmilhs – fastest lap 1:22.830 (top speed and class)
- Formula: Paul O’Connell – fastest lap 1:24.298
- Formula Pro: Simone Colombo – fastest lap 1:24.021
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Super Lights: Stefan Scho
Race 2 Summary:
- Formula Class: Stephan Glaser claimed victory, followed by Roland Rupprechter and Walter Steding. Paul O’Connell finished 4th.
Assen, 10 August 2025 – A remarkable showing in qualifying and an exhilarating Race 1 underscored a weekend of significant progress at TT Circuit Assen for Maxflo Motorsport. Although Race 2 ended prematurely due to mechanical failure, the overall performance confirmed that the teams sustained three-year preparation is paying powerful dividends.
Qualifying & Race 1: A Breakthrough
Paul delivered a highly competitive qualifying, locking in a top grid position among the World Series V8 machinery. In Race 1, he managed to run wheel‑to‑wheel with Simone Colombo and ultimately secured a strong podium finish in the Formula class. This result reflects months of rigorous setup work and driver improvement.
Fastest lap times in Race 1 showcased the pace potential across the field:
- Haralds Šlēgelmilhs (Open): 1:22.830
- Simone Colombo (Formula Pro): 1:24.021
- Paul O’Connell (Formula): 1:24.298
Race 2: A Setback — Not a Defeat
Sunday’s Race 2 saw Paul running competitively within the lead pack, before a rare exhaust manifold failure forced a retirement. Notably, this remains the first mechanical-related DNF in two years—none traced to Maxflo Motorsport components. The integrity of components and the engine setup remains unquestioned.
Team Performance & Technical Precision
Success this weekend was rooted in meticulous preparation:
- Paul continued his streak of flawless performance. This DNF originated outside his control.
- The dedication of the HS technical crew—Franz Faymann, Darryl Oakden, Martin Veverka, Ludek, and Jirka Folda—ensured the car arrived track-ready with optimal setup performance.
- Driver development, overseen by Michael Zele, brought refined understanding of critical variables: brake blanking, ride height, tyre strategy and pressures, camber, caster, anti-roll bar, wing balance, and car rotation control.
Looking Forward
Despite the setback in Race 2, this weekend marks our best performance yet in a World Series V8 Gibson Engined machine. The goal remains clear: to drive at the cars full potential, not solely chase results. With Mugello looming next month, Paul is poised to return stronger in pursuit of the championship.
