BMW driver Dominik Baumann is optimistic about the second half of the ADAC GT Masters season; after a win at the Lausitzring in the BMW Z4 GT3 prepared by Pixum Team Schubert, Baumann and team-mate Claudia Hürtgen are ranked third in the championship standings at the season mid-point. Hürtgen/Baumann were top dogs at this stage last year, but the 21-year-old Tyrolean is optimistic about the season second half: "This season's biggest obstacle has already been overcome," said Baumann. By 'obstacle', Baumann meant the race at the Red Bull Ring. "Last year, the Red Bull Ring fixture took place at the start of the second half of the season, but now it's history. The Red Bull Ring is by far the toughest track for our BMW Z4 GT3. We did much better there than expected by placing fourth. The points we secured were certainly the hardest of the whole season for us and are therefore particularly important," he added.

Baumann is pleased with the races staged so far. He took his maiden pole position in the ADAC GT Masters at the Lausitzring, and the BMW driver and speedy team-mate Hürtgen have already accrued more points at the season mid-point than at the same time last year. "I'm very satisfied with results so far. Our performance has been dead right. The team has worked terrifically well, and we had no technical problems to report. Long may it continue!"

The 2012 FIA GT3 European champion feels confident about the tracks calendared for the second half of the season, since during the last two years, a BMW Z4 GT3 has won at all four race tracks during the second half of the season. Last year, Jeroen den Boer took victory at the Slovakia Ring in the BMW. He now works for PIXUM Team Schubert as an engineer. Baumann: "Victory went to BMW last year at the Slovakia Ring, and the Sachsenring is right up our street, for sure. We won last year at the Nürburgring, and Claudia clinched victory at Hockenheim two years ago. The tracks that are still to come really suit us."

Baumann is looking forward to the start of the second half of the season at the Slovakia Ring on the weekend of August 8th-10th: "Many teams took the opportunity to test at the Slovakia Ring, so things will certainly be very close there this year. The chicane built from tyre stacks has now been removed, as the crest that subsequently follows it has been reduced in height, so it will be interesting to see what effect that has. Also, there are now more asphalt strips at the side of the track, so lap times around the circuit will be a little faster this year. Generally speaking, the track is quite tricky, because there are very few visual clues to help drivers get their bearings, making it really demanding. The main thing is not to make any mistakes, then we'll do really well there."