Between 24th and 26th August, the Lausitzring played host to the ADAC Masters Weekend. A total of 18,500 fans came through the turnstiles over the three-day period, attracted not only by the ADAC GT Masters but also by its various support series - Formel ADAC, the ATS Formel-3-Cup, ADAC PROCAR, the MINI TROPHY and the HAIGO ADAC Historic Cup.

ADAC GT Masters

ADAC GT Masters races are known for their exciting duels out on the track, and both races at the Lausitzring were particularly thrilling, as the two Porsche drivers, Christian Engelhart and Nick Tandy went on to triumph twice in the end. Saturday's opening race finished in a heart-stopping dash for the line with Engelhart/Tandy winning through against Mercedes rivals Sebastian Asch and Maximilian Götz by just 0.4 seconds. Boundless joy and deep disappointment were close bedfellows on Sunday. Swen Dolenc and Martin Ragginger looked like certain winners, but Dolenc slid his Porsche into the gravel with two laps to go. Engelhart/Tandy, in hot pursuit, seized the opportunity to repeat the previous day's triumph. Another special reunion took place at the Lausitzring when ex-Formula 1 driver Karl Wendlinger made his first guest appearance in the ADAC GT Masters, meeting former Sauber team-mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen in the process. But the expected head-to-head scrap failed to materialise, since Frentzen did not get to race after his team-mate Andreas Wirth collided with another car on the opening lap. The damage to the Corvette could not be quickly repaired and so any thoughts of a drive in the second half of the race had to be forgotten.

Formel ADAC

Hendrik Grapp had prepared meticulously for his home race at the Lausitzring and it paid off: The Berlin-based driver secured his first pole position in the Formel ADAC and turned his first pole into his first victory in the junior series. "It's amazing - my first ever Formel ADAC victory, and to cap it all, in my home race at the Lausitzring," said a happy Grapp, who drives for ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg. Grapp was not the only one at the Lausitzring celebrating his maiden victory. Swiss teenager Jeffrey Schmidt also succeeded in achieving his first victory in Sunday's final race. But the big winner of the weekend was Gustav Malja: the championship leader was the only driver to finish on the podium in all three races and so extended his lead in the standings on rival Marvin Kirchhöfer to 25 points.

ATS Formel-3-Cup

Lucas Auer was at last triumphant in the seventh race weekend of the ATS Formel-3-Cup at the Lausitzring. The 17-year-old rookie on Sunday achieved his first win in a major race after taking second place five times. In addition, the nephew of ex-Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger also secured the fastest lap, for which he was awarded another three extra points. Auer is now placed second in the overall standings for the first time on 227 points. Swedish driver Jimmy Eriksson still leads with 331 points, Japanese racing driver Kimiya Sato is third. There was also another premiere in the second of the three races when Russian competitor Artem Markelov scored his maiden win in the series.

ADAC PROCAR

Once again, two drivers went home with both winners' trophies from their respective divisions in this weekend's PROCAR races at the Lausitzring. One of them had the added satisfaction of being crowned champion before the end of the season: Jens Weimann's double victory in the two Division 1 races also secured him the 2012 title in the Super2000 class. "We are delighted with this clean sweep and, of course, about winning the title ahead of time," said Weimann. The double winner in Division 2 at the Lausitzring was Lennart Marioneck in a Ford Fiesta. The ADAC Sports Foundation protégé prevailed in two thrilling races.

MINI TROPHY

20-year-old Thomas Teekat enjoyed a perfect weekend at the Lausitzring, winning both races, the ninth and the tenth of the season. Teekat's strong performance at the Lausitzring also puts him into contention for the championship. His points tally of 220 takes him up to second behind championship leader Jürgen Schmarl. Cora Schumacher had a mixed weekend. The wife of former F1 and current DTM driver Ralf Schumacher did not finish in Saturday's race, but she came back strongly on Sunday with a creditable P10. Schumacher was one of three women lining up in a 211bhp car for the start of the MINI John Cooper Works Challenge, the other two being Stephanie Halm and Victoria Fross (Leipzig).

HAIGO ADAC Historic Cup

For the second time in 2012, fans were treated to the distinctive sound of the classic single-seater and touring cars competing in the HAIGO ADAC Historic Cup as part of the ADAC Masters Weekend. The vehicles, all of which were constructed in the former Eastern Bloc, were met with rapturous applause by the fans at the Lausitzring. The two races in the open-wheel class were won by Nils-Holger Wilms in an M90. The first of two touring car podiums was a family affair, with Rocco Berger in a Lada Samara as race winner and his father Fritz coming in third.