W&S Motorsport celebrated a milestone moment at the Porsche Sports Cup Germany at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. Tim Horrell claimed his first-ever GT4 victory on German soil, sending a strong message to the competition. Teammates Hendrik Still, Kuzey Citak, and Ismaeel Ellahi also delivered impressive performances throughout the weekend.
Sprint Race 1: Horrell’s Breakthrough Moment
Saturday’s first sprint race turned into a career-defining moment for American driver Tim Horrell. Driving his specially adapted Porsche 718 GT4 RS #30 with hand controls due to a spinal cord injury, Horrell seized the lead from P2 at the start and never looked back.
“It started off well, we had strong pace, and the car felt amazing,” Horrell said, beaming after crossing the line with a 5.642-second lead. “This is my first GT4 win in Germany and also my first victory in the Porsche Sports Cup. The competition here is fierce, which makes this win feel well-earned.”
Ismaeel Ellahi (#32) collected valuable points with a solid P9 finish overall, while Kuzey Citak (#31) completed the race in P15 overall (P13 in class), gaining important experience in his debut championship season.
Sprint Race 2: Comebacks and Challenges
Sunday’s second sprint race brought mixed emotions. Horrell had to mount a comeback from the back of the field after taking evasive action to avoid a crash.
“I got caught behind two cars that collided and had to go off track to avoid them. We definitely had the pace to fight for the podium again, but it just wasn’t meant to be this time,” he reflected after finishing P5.
Meanwhile, Ellahi delivered an impressive performance, moving up from P8 to finish P4. “We finally had a bit more luck in Race 2. It was great to show the pace we’ve had all season and finally reflect it in the results.” Citak improved to P13 overall (P12 in class), showing determination despite tough conditions.
Endurance Race: Pole Position to Learning Experience
The endurance race started with promise after securing pole position in qualifying. “We had a fantastic qualifying – P1 for the endurance race,” said a thrilled Hendrik Still.
However, in the race itself, Horrell and Still faced strategic challenges. Opting for used rain tires while most competitors went with new ones turned out to be a crucial factor. Despite the setback, the duo pushed hard to finish P10 overall and P5 in class. “It was a tough call given the conditions,” Still admitted.
W&S Academy Yields Results
Team Principal Daniel Schellhaas was delighted with his drivers’ development: “Oschersleben was the turning point we were hoping for. After struggling for results in previous rounds, we focused heavily on supporting our drivers. In Ismaeel’s case, the work in our in-house simulator has really paid off—it’s great to see that he’s been able to apply what he learned.”
Ellahi’s growth has been particularly remarkable: “Let’s not forget that this is Ismaeel’s very first season in a race car, with no prior motorsport experience. The W&S Academy truly delivered here.”
Tim Horrell also benefited from the team’s focused coaching: “We spent a lot of time analyzing and working with Tim. It’s amazing how quickly he was able to implement what we worked on.” As for Citak, Schellhaas sees clear potential: “Kuzey still needs intensive support and guidance from the team, but with that, I’m confident he will achieve success.”
Team Spirit and Looking Ahead
“All in all, it was a strong weekend. Tim showed great progress,” said Hendrik Still. Ismaeel Ellahi added: “We finally scored the points we deserve as a team. In the first free practice, we were P1 and P2—that was a proud moment for all of us.”
Kuzey Citak, reflecting on his first race weekend at the track, noted: “It was a tough weekend, but we’re learning from it. I know things will go better next time.”
Schellhaas concluded on a positive note: “Given the starting point of all three drivers, it’s incredible what we’ve achieved here. I’m proud of the team and the full package we’ve put together. Now we’ll keep pushing to carry this momentum into Spa!”
