Forced to retire during the second day of competition in Portugal due to an engine alert, the first winner of the 2025 season hasn’t been idle in ensuring his presence this weekend at Valkenswaard.
Already under pressure ahead of Montalegre after technical issues were detected on his VW Polo just days before departing for Portugal, Ulrik Linnemann barely had time to rest on the laurels of his opening victory against Fraser McConnell and Oliver Eriksson.
“Between my win in Race 1 and my retirement in Race 2, Montalegre was clearly a weekend of highs and lows,” Ulrik admits.
“After the race, we immediately sent the engine to Sweden to try and get it repaired, but it turned out to be beyond saving. So we ordered a new engine. I only received it two days ago. We went back to Denmark to install it on the car, then hit the road straight away to get here. It’s been a race against the clock, just like before Portugal, but I’m hopeful that all this hard work will allow us to find our real place again this weekend.”
While he admits Valkenswaard isn’t the most familiar terrain, Linnemann retains strong memories of his previous appearances at the Dutch track as part of the FIA European Championship.
“The last time I raced here was a long time ago, but I remember the track very well. The first time, I finished third, and the following year, I was second… so logically, I should be aiming for a first-place finish this time! (laughs) It’s a pretty small, very technical circuit. It’s hard to say whether it will suit my car better or favor the FC2s, but it will certainly be interesting to see what we can achieve.”
Having already shown strong performance off the line in Portugal, the Dane knows that seizing the lead from the start will once again be crucial.
“In Portugal, the starts were the key for me. I grabbed pole in Q1 and managed to keep it all the way through the day. I hope to do the same again this weekend. With a brand-new engine, it’s hard to predict exactly how things will unfold, but we’ll do everything we can to stay out of trouble.”
While remaining confident, Ulrik is keeping a close watch on the competition, particularly Victor Vranckx and his Peugeot 208 prepared by Hedström Motorsport.
“Victor Vranckx will have more new tires than we do for this first race, so naturally, he’ll have an advantage. That said, it’s his very first race in a Supercar, so I’m hopeful I can beat him. But yes, he’s got a very good car, and if he doesn’t make mistakes, that Peugeot will definitely be tough to catch.”