Motor Girls

After a promising start to Sunday’s race, Schreiner falls back following a collision and misses out on the podium.

The weather provided plenty of drama right from the first race. Heavy rain drenched the circuit, creating challenges for the drivers on the already demanding Barcelona track. Øgaard began the race for Attempto Racing from 9th in the Bronze class (32nd overall). Due to the wet-weather conditions, two formation laps were completed before the field got underway with an unusually orderly start. Øgaard gained four positions immediately but remained ten places behind the 8th-placed Bronze driver, who was running in 18th overall. The Scandinavian driver battled with competitors from other classes around him, including Silver Cup champion Motenegro, who was running ahead of him.

The weather caused difficulties for many drivers, leading to repeated minor incidents. For instance, the #11 car spun with 50 minutes remaining. Shortly after, Flemming also found himself facing the wrong way on the track but was able to continue. The situation became more precarious when the #50 AF Corse car spun at the hairpin. It slid back into the pack, forcing the Verstappen Mercedes off the track and getting hit by the second Attempto Racing Audi. Both the Audi and the Ferrari were forced to retire, bringing out the safety car with 45 minutes left on the clock. Øgaard stayed clear of the chaos and secured 26th place overall, driving behind Spinelli’s Gold Cup Lamborghini.

The race restarted shortly before the pit window opened, with 37 minutes remaining. During the restart, Øgaard lost a position to Kell. While pit stops were underway, the #55 Porsche spun into the gravel. Due to the heavy standing water on the track—and to ensure fairness regarding pit stops—the race is red-flagged; the remaining mandatory stops are then completed under lifted parc fermé conditions. Race control adjusts the running order during this process. Following the red flag, the field completes two laps behind the safety car to build up tire temperature before the restart. Schreiner has taken over the car, running 9th in class and 25th overall.

The driver from Saarland—who does not consider herself a rain specialist—struggles in the wet conditions. Shortly after the restart, she is overtaken by Weerts and gradually falls back. Nevertheless, her years of experience are evident; she compensates for a lack of raw pace with safe, consistent driving. While other cars—such as the #222 and the #12 from her class—spin off the track, Schreiner keeps her car on the tarmac. Although her cautious driving causes her to drop significantly in the overall standings—falling to 35th—she ultimately gains a position in the more important class classification.

With 11 minutes left, a Full Course Yellow is declared after the #55 Porsche ends up in the gravel again. Although the car manages to free itself under its own power, the restart does not occur until 6.5 minutes remain. Schreiner sticks to her safe strategy but is unable to defend her position, eventually dropping to 10th place by the end of the race.

Race 2 brings major success: Schreiner starts from second in her class and 23rd overall. Starting on a dry track this time, she aims to stay clear of the chaos and avoid any risk of accidents.

This proves to be a wise decision, as several drivers on the outside line are forced to take the escape road. Race Control monitors the situation but does not intervene in the resulting changes in position. Schreiner is also overtaken by cars using the escape road. That is not all; exiting Turn 2, she pulls alongside the BMW ahead of her, drawing level with its passenger-side door, only for the BMW driver to first close the gap and then slam into the side of her Audi, which has already been forced onto the kerb. As a result, Schreiner has to make a corrective maneuver on the inside kerb of Turn 3 and loses crucial momentum, ultimately costing her positions. Meanwhile, a crash occurs on the outside line, bringing the Safety Car out onto the track during the very first lap. By this point, Schreiner has already dropped to third in her class and 26th overall.

At the restart with 51 minutes remaining, Schreiner finds herself sandwiched between two Gold Cup drivers: Andriolo ahead and Dorison behind. She overtakes Andriolo just one lap later and begins chasing the Kessel Racing Ferrari in the battle for second place in the class. A lap after that, Dorison wedges himself between the two. Schreiner stays close but cannot find a way past, while other cars are already pressing from behind. Eventually, with 39 minutes left, Engstler (Pro Cup) and Stalikov (Gold Cup) both overtake her. The pack of Silver-class drivers also begins to close in.

As soon as the pit window opens, Schreiner comes in for the driver change. The pit stop is solid, considering the mandatory minimum stationary time, yet Øgaard rejoins the track two class positions further back. However, he manages to overtake Jewis’s Mercedes on his out-lap and sets off in pursuit of Farfus. While the pit window is still open, the #2 Porsche comes to a halt beside the track; since it is safely positioned, recovery is delayed until the pit stops are complete. A Full Course Yellow follows for two minutes before racing resumes. Øgaard is unable to match the pace thereafter; over the next 10 minutes, he loses a position each to Jewis and Caribou. Schiller also overtakes the Scandinavian with 7.5 minutes remaining. Consequently, the downward trend following the opening-lap collision results in a 9th-place class finish—despite a promising starting position—and 34th place overall.

The GTWC finale takes place in Portimão from October 15 to 18, 2026. Schreiner hopes for a positive conclusion there after a run of bad luck during her debut season.