Alex Davison's regaining of form in the Porsche Carrera Cup continued to gain momentum, with an assertive drive into third place in round seven at the Nurburgring circuit.

The 21-year-old Melbourne driver had dominated the opening round of the German domestic Porsche series in April, before enduring a freakish run of ill fortune during the mid-season. Today's race, in which Davison had been holding second place before being punted sideways in an aggressive overtaking move, marked a long-awaited return to the podium.

"I have to say I'm pretty happy to be back up there", said Alex, "although I suppose it's the usual thing: When you're back in 10th place, you'd give your right arm to be on the podium. Then, when you're on the podium, you'd give your right arm to be on the top step!"

With two rounds remaining of the Porsche Carrera Cup, Alex added: "It's my aim to keep at this level and finish the series on a really strong note."

The only two men to beat Davison today were series leaders Timo Bernhard (UPS Porsche-Junior Team) and Jörg Bergmeister (Farnbacher Racing), respectively first and second in the points score with 103 and 101 points. Christian Menzel (Team Hewlett-Packard/PZK) is third, on 84 points.

Alex Davison, team-mate to Menzel, has now moved into sixth place with 67 points, just four points behind fifth-placed driver, former German touring car champion Roland Asch (Warsteiner Carsport Racing).

Davison is contesting this year's Porsche Carrera Cup with the support of Porsche Cars Australia, Mobil Oil Australia and Mistral International.

Today's race was held on a shortened version of the Nurburgring GP circuit, in stifling heat of 37 degrees. "It was hot work, and hard work", said Davison, who had shaken off his qualifying bogey to grid in third place, just three-hundredths of a second from second-placed Bergmeister and 0.22s from polesitter, Bernhard.

Off the start line, Davison came under immediate fire from Roland Asch, who drafted down the inside into the first right-hander of the Esses. "There was no way I was going to surrender my third place," Alex said, "so I just kept driving around the corner on the outside of him."

The leading trio of Bergmeister, Bernhard and Davison proceeded to clear away from the rest of the pack, their order changing when Bergmeister got out of shape at the Veedol Chicane.

"Timo dived through and I followed him", said Alex. "I built a comfortable gap over Bergmeister, but there was nothing I could do about Timo pulling away. He was in another class today."

The cracking pace, a characteristic of the racing series with 22 identical, 272 kW Porsche 911 GT3 Cup coupes, took its toll on Davison's tyres in the latter stages of the race, allowing Bergmeister to close in once again.

"Going into the Veedol Chicane, I bounced over the kerbs a bit hard, which unsettled the car and gave Bergmeister a better run out of the corner", Alex explained. Bergmeister was almost alongside Davison's Team Hewlett-Packard/PZK machine into Coca-Cola, the right-hand hairpin corner leading onto the pit straight, when the two cars connected.

"I don't believe that he was close enough to take the corner", Alex said. "He banged my inside rear wheel, which knocked me a bit sideways. That robbed me of momentum onto the straight, so he got past me for second place. I couldn't stay with him, because it had bent my car's right-rear wheel toe-out.

"I'm a bit disappointed with Jörg, because I didn't think it was a very clean move", Alex continued. "Still, there's no point really worrying about it too much. Incidents like this just make me look forward to the next time I come up to pass him!"

That opportunity may arise at Zandvoort, Netherlands in four weeks' time (replacing the originally scheduled A1 Ring, Austria). The series' only round to be held outside of Germany will be Davison's first experience of the 4.25 km Dutch circuit, located near the beach resort of Zandvoort, 30 km west of Amsterdam.

Results

Carrera Cup Rd. 7, Nurburgring (short circuit), August 26, 2001

1. Timo Bernhard (UPS Porsche-Junior Team), 27 laps 32:42.359s (150.479 km/h)
2. Jörg Bergmeister (Farnbacher Racing) +5.372 seconds
3. Alex Davison (Team Hewlett-Packard/PZK), 6.614
4. Roland Asch (Warsteiner Carsport Racing), 6.903
5. Marc Lieb (UPS Porsche-Junior Team), 11.900
6. Enrico Bertaggia (Home Jumper Star-Farnbacher), 13.601
7. Tim Bergmeister (Team Hewlett-Packard/PZK), 13.778
8. Daniel Bauer (PZM-Team Valier), 14.482
9. Jochen Land (Land Motorsport PZS), 15.280
10. Wolf Henzler (PZE Grohs Motorsport), 16.420

Porsche Carrera Cup 2001 race calendar / Alex Davison result
April 22 Hockenheim (short circuit) / 1st
May 6 Nürburgring / 9th
May 20 Oschersleben / DNS
June 17 Sachsenring / 10th
July 8 Norisring / 13th
August 12 Lausitzring / 4th
August 26 Nürburgring / 3rd
September 21 Zandvoort (Netherlands)
October 7 Hockenheim (long circuit)