Danny Soufi
| Danny Soufi | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  American |
| Born | 16 July 2003 Fairfax, Virginia, United States |
| Prototype Cup Germany career | |
| Debut season | 2022 |
| Current team | Konrad Motorsport |
| Racing licence |  FIA Silver |
| Car number | 2 |
| Co-driver | Torsten Kratz |
| Starts | 27 |
| Wins | 2 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 2nd in 2024 |
Danny Soufi (born 16 July 2003) is an American racing driver currently competing in the Prototype Cup Germany with Konrad Motorsport.
Early career
[edit]Danny Soufi began his racing career at the age of 10, driving a Mazda Miata at Harris Hill Raceway (H2R) in San Marcos, Texas. Starting in 2014, Soufi quickly developed his skills in the competitive Spec Miata series, a popular class known for its close and exciting racing[1].
By 2016, Soufi had secured his first major title, winning the H2R Miata Challenge Championship. Building on this success, his breakthrough year came in 2017, when he dominated the Texas Region, winning multiple titles as a rookie. These accolades included the NASA Spec Miata Championship and the Teen Mazda Challenge Championship for the Texas Region, alongside being named NASA Texas Rookie of the Year and NASA Texas Driver of the Year[1].
In 2019, Soufi reclaimed the H2R Miata Challenge Championship, further solidifying his reputation as a rising star in the Texas racing community.
In addition to his success in sprint races, Soufi has also competed in several endurance races, notably in the ChumpCar World Series. During these events, he consistently set the fastest laps for his teams at prestigious tracks such as the Circuit of the Americas and Harris Hill Raceway, demonstrating his versatility and speed in long-distance racing formats[1].
In 2020 and 2021, Soufi transitioned to drifting, where he once again found success, showcasing his versatility across different motorsport disciplines[1].
Sportscar career
[edit]LMP3
[edit]In 2022, Soufi decided to take his racing career in a new direction by moving to Europe to compete in more diverse and challenging motorsport categories. He connected with team principal Franz Konrad during the Prototype Cup Germany race weekend at the Nürburgring. After impressing Konrad in a test, Soufi quickly earned a spot driving for Konrad Motorsport in the Prototype Cup Germany, making his debut at the Hockenheim race shortly thereafter.
2023 marked Soufi's first full season in the LMP3 class, competing again in the Prototype Cup Germany. The 2023 season served as a developmental year for Soufi, where he shared driving duties in a Ginetta G61-LT-P3 with five different co-drivers across six race weekends. Among his co-drivers were notable racers such as Axcil Jefferies and Tim Zimmermann, whose experience provided valuable learning opportunities for the young driver.
In 2024, Konrad Motorsport switched to the Ligier JS P320 chassis. Soufi competed in the Prototype Winter Series, where he claimed his first title in sportscars. He became the inaugural series champion, after winning three out of seven races[2]. For the 2024 Prototype Cup season, Soufi teamed up with experienced LMP3 competitor Torsten Kratz, and the duo enjoyed considerable success, finishing as vice champions 9 points behind Gebhardt Motorsport drivers Markus Pommer and Valentino Catalano.
GT3
[edit]In 2023, Soufi made his GT3 debut with Konrad Motorsport at the ADAC 24h Qualifying Race at the Nürburgring, driving a Lamborghini Huracán GT3. Prior to this, he participated in various rounds of the Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie with QTQ Race Performance to secure his Nordschleife permit, which allowed him to compete in endurance races at the famed circuit.
During the 2023 NLS season, Soufi shared the car with experienced drivers Luca Ludwig, Axcil Jefferies, and Yelmer Buurman. For the 2023 Nürburgring 24h Race, he once again teamed up with Yelmer Buurman and Axcil Jefferies, and they were joined by Pavel Lefterov[3]. During the second qualifying session for the 24h race, a major incident occurred when Pavel Lefterov collided with a Porsche Cayman driven by Karl Heinz Meyer while coming onto Döttinger Höhe, resulting in significant damage to the car. This incident necessitated a major rebuild of the vehicle before the main race[4]. In the main event, the team was forced to retire early in the morning due to a mechanical issue[5].
In 2024, Soufi returned to compete in both the NLS and the ADAC 24h Race at the Nürburgring. For the Qualifying Race, he was joined by Thierry Vermeulen and Maximilian Paul. In the 24h race, which got cut short due to heavy fog, he teamed up with Maximilian Paul, Torsten Kratz, and Colin Caresani, finishing 15th overall and achieving 3rd place in the Pro-Am class[6].
Racing record
[edit]Racing career summary
[edit]| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | TC America Series - TCA | X-Factor Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 18th |
| 2022 | Prototype Cup Germany | Konrad Motorsport | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
| 2023 | Prototype Cup Germany | Konrad Motorsport | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 15th |
| Ultimate Cup Series - Proto P3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 32 | ||
| 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF | ||
| Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - V5 | QTQ Race Performance | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | NC† | |
| 2024 | Prototype Cup Germany | Konrad Motorsport | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 197 | 2nd |
| Prototype Winter Series - Class 3 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 44.295 | 1st | ||
| Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - SP9 Pro-Am | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 32nd* | ||
| 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Pro-Am | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 3rd |
* Season still in progress.
† As Soufi was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
Complete Prototype Cup Germany results
[edit]| Year | Team | Car | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | DC | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Konrad Motorsport | Ginetta G61-LT-P3 | Nissan VK56DE 5.6L V8 | SPA 1 |
SPA 2 |
NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | LAU 1 9 |
LAU 2 7 |
HOC 1 Ret |
HOC 2 10 |
NC† | 0 | ||||||
| 2023 | Konrad Motorsport | Ginetta G61-LT-P3 | Nissan VK56DE 5.6 L V8 | HOC 1 Ret |
HOC 2 13 |
OSC 1 8 |
OSC 2 6 |
ZAN 1 13 |
ZAN 2 DNS |
NOR 1 6 |
NOR 2 Ret |
ASS 1 10 |
ASS 2 Ret |
NÜR 1 10 |
NÜR 2 9 |
15th | 59 | ||
| 2024 | Konrad Motorsport | Ligier JS P320 | Nissan VK56DE 5.6 L V8 | SPA 1 C |
SPA 2 C |
LAU 1 2 |
LAU 2 1 |
LAU 3 1 |
ZAN 1 2 |
ZAN 2 3 |
HOC 1 3 |
HOC 2 8 |
HOC 3 2 |
NÜR 1 6 |
NÜR 2 8 |
SAC 1 6 |
SAC 2 4 |
2nd | 197 |
† As Soufi was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Danny Soufi, a racecar driver from Austin, Texas". www.dannysoufi.com. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Results Season 2024". Prototype Winter Series. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ https://www.24h-rennen.de/wp-content//uploads/ergebnisse/2023-ADAC-24h-Nuerburgring-Qualifiers/13_24h_Qualifiers_4h_Rennen_Official_Result.pdf
- ^ Lischka, Joel (19 May 2023). "24h-Rennen Nürburgring 2023 - 2. Qualifying: Lambo-Crash und Golf in Flammen". auto motor und sport (in German). Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ "Konrad Motorsport | Großer Kampfgeist von Konrad Motorsport beim 24-Stunden-Rennen" (in German). Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ^ https://www.24h-rennen.de/wp-content//uploads/ergebnisse/2024-ADAC-RAVENOL-24h-Nuerburgring/28_Race_Result_Provisional_NEW.pdf
External links
[edit]- Danny Soufi career summary at DriverDB.com
- Official website