Formula 2 champion driving a BMW Z4 GT3: At the Sachsenring, Oschersleben-based Schubert Motorsport will be entering two BMW Z4 GT3s for the first time. Sharing the cockpit of the second Z4 GT3 are Abdulaziz Al Faisal, a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family, and the reigning Formula 2 champion Mirko Bortolotti from Italy.

Aristocratic scrap postponed: A potential duel between the two princes Abdulaziz Al Faisal and Albert von Thurn und Taxis will not take place any earlier than the ADAC GT Masters race to be held on the same weekend as the ADAC Truck Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. Due to a clash of engagements, von Thurn und Taxis has had to bow out of the Sachsenring race.

Amateur champion indisposed: Due to illness, amateur champion Marc A. Hayek will also have to miss the fun at the Sachsenring. The Swiss driver will be replaced by Dennis Retera who teams up with fellow Dutchman Peter Kox in the Reiter Lamborghini Gallardo LP600+.

René Rast back in the ADAC GT Masters: René Rast ended the 2011 ADAC GT Masters with a win in the grand finale at Hockenheim. In the race at the Sachsenring, the Porsche Supercup champion is back in contention for the Super Sports Car League. As in the 2011 season, Rast will be competing in an Audi, this time sharing the R8 LMS ultra with Chris Mamerow from Mamerow Racing.

Armindo in FROGREEN Porsche 911: At the Sachsenring, Rast will encounter a familiar face from the Porsche trophy competitions - Nicolas Armindo makes his return to the ADAC GT Masters, starting alongside Robert Renauer in the Porsche 911 GT3 R entered by FROGREEN CO2 neutral.

Lucky escape: On the way to the race at the Sachsenring, the FACH AUTO TECH vehicle transporter had an accident on the A9 near Bayreuth. Fortunately, those involved in the accident only suffered relatively minor injuries. The Swiss team were able to borrow a replacement transporter from last year's ADAC GT Masters team a workx and arrived at the paddock on Thursday. "Now we are working flat out so that we can enter both cars," said team boss Alex Fach. "The roofs of the Porsches are dented and various fluids have leaked out, but we should be able to get these problems sorted out. The most important thing is that nobody involved in the accident was badly hurt."

GRT Grasser to skip race: Gottfried Grasser's Austrian GRT Grasser Racing Team have decided to give the race at the Sachsenring a miss. The Lamborghini outfit want to compete in the next race at the Nürburgring, but with a Gallardo LP600+ instead of their previous LP520 GT3.