Jaap van Lagen (#3 GW IT Racing Team // Schütz Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R), winner : "Winning my home race is a fantastic feeling. I´ve spent the last ten years working at this track, and I know absolutely everyone. So to win my first ADAC GT Masters race here is really rather special. Kévin drove an incredibly strong first stint and at times was up to 18 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Normally, that wouldn´t be possible at all, but the rain helped us a lot. I shared a lot of insider knowledge about Zandvoort with Kévin before the race, and that will certainly also have helped."
Kévin Estre (#3 GW IT Racing Team // Schütz Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R), winner: "I got off to a fabulous start and managed to get past Robert Renauer who conducted himself very fairly. I then saw him spin off track in my mirror, and from that moment, I just kept pushing. The Porsche was really good, and the main thing was that I had clear visibility. I got into a great rhythm, so I then took fewer risks and eased up a bit on the accelerator."
Kelvin van der Linde (#10 Prosperia C Abt Racing, Audi R8 LMS ultra), third: "On the first few laps, my team-mate Christer Jöns was piling on the pressure, so I decided to let him go. We are leading the team championship, so it would have made no sense at all to take any risks. Although we then opted for different race strategies, there still wasn´t a lot to separate us. But duelling for position was by no means easy because the rain made it difficult to see anything, even in the rear mirror."
Christer Jöns (#12 Prosperia C Abt Racing, Audi R8 LMS ultra), second: "At the start, the Audi number 100 was forcing me into the pit wall, and on the first passing attempt, he pushed me into the dirt, which I thought was well out of order. Anyway, I´m pleased that we had such a good result despite these difficult conditions. The Porsche was able to dictate the pace at the front today, and we didn´t have much to respond with."
Fabian Hamprecht (#11 Prosperia C Abt Racing, Audi R8 LMS ultra), P5: "After that weekend to forget at Oschersleben, Nicki Thiim and I are well pleased with fifth position. It was also useful for me to drive in the rain today, because I haven´t had much experience so far of competing in wet weather conditions. I was getting better at it lap by lap. If the weather turns out to be similar for Race 2, I feel confident about the prospect."
Albert von Thurn und Taxis (#24 Reiter Engineering, Chevrolet Camaro GT), P21: "We were very good out there on the track and were destined for a Top Ten finish, which would have been an excellent result with our car. But then unfortunately, Max Sandritter drove into my car. That was unnecessary, because he was clearly faster and would have got past without any problem. He hadn´t got himself into a position for an attack, but then collided with me on the greasiest part of the track. I went into a spin, and after that, our chances of a decent finish were gone."
Sebastian Asch (#6 Farnbacher Racing, Porsche 911 GT3 R), P10: "I had to start from the rear of the field and take evasive action when Maxi Götz was put into a spin. I was forced into the dirt and was last again. We were able to move back up the field, though, and secured one point in the end. Our car was good in the wet, and we have a few ideas of how to improve even more in tomorrow´s race."
Alfred Renauer (#7 TONINO Team Herberth, Porsche 911 GT3 R), P15: "I was behind Dominic Jöst for a long time in the closing phase of the race when the heavens suddenly opened, causing me to slow down. I got the drop on him, though, whilst running downhill and overtook, thus winning the Gentlemen category."
Herbert Handlos (#7 TONINO Team Herberth-Porsche 911 GT3 R), winner Gentlemen class: "This was my first time at Zandvoort and finding my rhythm in the wet was not easy. Flying over the hill in sixth gear and finding the right braking points sure takes a lot of guts. We struggled in practice and in qualifying, but the mechanics did a brilliant job and prepared the car really well for the race."
Dominic Jöst (#9 TONINO Team Herberth, Porsche 911 GT3 R), second in Gentlemen class: "We mastered conditions in our first rain-hit race brilliantly well. Florian achieved a great grid position for us in the quali. It was by no means easy in the race, though, because we´ve not had any opportunity to practise in the wet so far. Unfortunately, Alfred Renauer cruised past me in fine style on the final lap."
Florian Scholze (#9 TONINO Team Herberth, Porsche 911 GT3 R), second in Gentlemen class: "I had a great starting position. My first race in the wet in a GT3 car was then quite tough but I don´t think I did too badly and handed over the car to Dominic, whilst lying in tenth place. Visibility was poor in the first half of the race, but it was fun and a terrific race altogether. Pity that we missed victory on the final lap, but we´ve got another chance tomorrow"
Wolf Nathan (#4 GW IT Racing Team // Schütz Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R), 18th, third in Gentlemen class: "It wasn´t easy in view of the water on the track. You had to be really careful. I eased off a bit in order to be certain of securing the points, as Zandvoort can be quite dangerous when under so much standing water. I´m pleased to be back on the podium."
Antonios Wossos (#4 GW IT Racing Team // Schütz Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R),18th, 3rd in Gentlemen class: "It was very difficult in the initial start phase, and I had to really search hard for grip. This is a home race for team-mate Wolf Nathan, so I didn´t want to take too many risks. I needed to be able to hand over the car to him. Ultimately, we secured a podium."