BES: HTP shuffles lineup to help Buhk

German Maximilian Buhk is set to drive his third HTP Mercedes entry of the season in the Blancpain Endurance Series finale at the Nurburgring this month.

The German looks certain to be given the chance to race the #85 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in the Nurburgring 1000Km on Sept. 21 in order to try to preserve his lead in the overall Blancpain GT Series standings, which combines points scored in the BES and the Blancpain Sprint Series.

The move follows the effective loss of any chance by Buhk of winning the BSS title after he was forced to miss the Slovakia Ring event in August after his license was suspended following an incident in a round of the ADAC GT Masters series.

Regular BSS teammate Maximilian Gotz scored in both races in Slovakia, sharing with late stand-in Nico Verdonck, which explains the 16-point gap between the two HTP drivers at the head of the table.

"The target now is to win the sprint series with Gotz and the overall title with Buhk," HTP boss Norbert Bruckner said.

Buhk moves across to the #85 HTP entry alongside Stef Dusseldorp and Sergey Afanasiev for the Nurburgring after previously racing the team's #84 entry at Monza and Paul Ricard and the additional #86 car at the Spa 24 Hours.

The 21-year-old missed the Paul Ricard round because of a clashing round of the German-based Masters series. He leads Gotz, who has only contested the Spa BES round this year and will not be at the 'Ring, by five points in the BSS standings.

WRT Audi drivers Laurens Vanthoor and Rene Rast are respectively a further 24 and 25 points further back.