ADAC GT Masters·26.4.2015

Paddock radar from the ADAC GT Masters opener: Successful season opener

Bentley CEO Dürheimer at ADAC GT Masters: Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bentley and Bugatti also came to the ADAC GT Masters curtain raiser at Oschersleben to watch the Bentley Continental GT3 make its ADAC GT Masters racing debut. Dürheimer visited the Super Sports Car League on Sunday and was pleased with pole position for Bentley driver Jeroen Bleekemolen.

Mick Schumacher's grandfather Rolf in Oschersleben: Rolf Schumacher, father of Michael Schumacher and grandfather to ADAC Formula 4 driver Mick Schumacher was also in Oschersleben on Saturday. Schumacher watched from the ADAC hospitality facility, as his grandson made his racing debut in the premiere of the ADAC Formula 4.

Successful start for SPORT1: The ADAC GT Masters got the 2015 season under way with SPORT1 as new live TV partner for live broadcasts and a new motor racing triple act in front of the camera and behind the microphones. Featuring Julia Josten as presenter, Jan Stecker as commentator and Patrick Simon as resident pundit, SPORT1 broadcast more than 7.5 hours of live coverage from the ADAC GT Masters and the ADAC Formula 4 in Oschersleben.

ADAC GT Masters goes global on live TV: Fans could follow the season opener of the ADAC GT Masters at Oschersleben not just on SPORT1 but all around the world on live TV. For the first time ever, live TV pictures with English commentary are being made available for all races during the 2015 season to TV stations worldwide.

Season opener generates huge media interest: The ADAC GT Masters season opener aroused enormous national and international media attention. More than 200 accredited media representatives reported on the first races of the ADAC GT Masters and ADAC Formula 4.

Press barbecue evening: On Saturday evening, the ADAC invited numerous media representatives to a barbecue hosted by ADAC Sports President Hermann Tomczyk and ADAC Director Motorsport and Classic Lars Soutschka. Journalists celebrated the start of the season for the ADAC GT Masters and ADAC Formula 4 with bratwurst and grilled steak.

Retirement of ADAC motor racing colleague Frank Jürgens: During the barbecue party, ADAC journalists and officials said a fond farewell to Frank Jürgens, who has been an ADAC motorsport staff member for many years and has acted as manager of the ADAC Formula 4 series until now. Jürgens retires after 33 years in the service of ADAC Motorsport. Jürgens' particular role in the ADAC was to oversee the successful promotion of young talent in formula racing. Jürgens saw the careers of many current and former German Formula 1 and DTM drivers blossom in the junior formula series run by the ADAC, including that of four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, who is patron of the ADAC Formula 4, Nico Rosberg and Ralf Schumacher.

The class of 2015: It's always been a tradition to take a group photo of the drivers at the ADAC GT Masters season opener in Oschersleben, and drivers gathered together on Sunday morning with ADAC Sports President Hermann Tomczyk, ADAC officer for cars Jürgen Fabry and ADAC Director Motorsport and Classic Lars Soutschka for their 'class photo'.

Premiere for Certina: The ADAC GT Masters has a new official timekeeper, Certina, in the line-up for the 2015 season. For the first time, the letters that make up the name of the sports watch manufacturer could be seen in a variety of places at the season opener in the etropolis Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, including on the front screens of the supercars. Certina and the ADAC GT Masters have signed a long-term partnership.

Bundesliga stars and TV celebs rub shoulders with fans: Numerous celebrities attended the ADAC GT Masters season opener at Oschersleben. Signing autographs at the big get-together on Sunday in the fan tent erected by ADAC Lower Saxony/Sachsen-Anhalt were: Bundesliga players Jan Schlaudraff, Lars Stindl and Ron-Robert Zieler from Hannover 96, presenter and model Rebecca Mir, presenter Katharina Kuhlmann and model Louisa Mazzurana. The celebs also cast admiring glances at the ADAC GT Masters supercars.

Ahrens drives Steve McQueen Porsche: Two motor sport greats posted demo laps as part of events at Oschersleben. German racing legend and ex-Porsche works driver Kurt Ahrens from Braunschweig took out a Porsche 908/2 for a few demonstration laps on Saturday and Sunday. Ahrens, who celebrated his 75th birthday last Sunday, drove a Porsche which once belonged to Hollywood legend Steve McQueen. The famous actor placed second in the Porsche at the 12 Hours of Sebring/USA in 1971 along with Peter Revson.