ADAC GT Masters·5.6.2016

ADAC GT Masters: Comments after the race: Observations from the paddock after the sixth race of the season

Jules Gounon (Callaway Competition, Corvette C7 GT3-R), winner in general classification, P1 Junior classification: "I have to admit, things are going really well for us. As a rookie, however, I'm not looking at the championship table but rather focusing on each race as it comes. I'm getting more accustomed to the new Corvette with each outing. My thanks to the team who, as always, have done such a great job. The race was a lot of fun. This is a highly competitive field of entrants."

Daniel Keilwitz (Callaway Competition, Corvette C7 GT3-R), winner: "Clearly, we're very happy with this victory. The start went well for me. On the run-in to the first corner, I briefly got ahead of the second Callaway Corvette driven by Dominik [Schwager], but I then drifted wide of the racing line on the second corner and didn't have enough traction. That allowed him to counter the move. So for the moment, I just slotted into place and followed behind. When the pit stop window opened, I stayed out a bit longer and went as fast as I could. That was the decisive factor in us coming out ahead after the change of drivers."

Patrick Assenheimer (Callaway Competition, Corvette C7 GT3-R), P2 in the general classification, P2 in the Junior classification: "What a perfect weekend! Two races and two podium finishes. Of course, we could have won the second race as well. Dominik [Schwager] handed over the car to me in the lead - but then there was an incident with a Lamborghini - apparently the Lambo had undercut the minimum 65 seconds in the pit lane and was driving very slowly in the outer pit lane. That slowed me down, and I lost the lead to our Callaway team-mates. What a pity."

Dominik Schwager (Callaway Competition, Corvette C7 GT3-R), P2: "If you'd told me before the weekend that we'd get two podiums, I would have said, bring it on! The Lausitzring really suits our Corvette. Starting from pole position, I was initially able to defend the lead. We were unlucky during the pit stops in that the Lamborghini blocked our path. That cost us two places to start with, but I'm satisfied at the end of the day."

Connor De Phillippi (Montaplast by Land-Motorsport, Audi R8 LMS), P3 general classification, P3 Junior classification: "I think we achieved the maximum here. Yesterday, the great charge up the field, third today, and best-placed Audi twice. Whereas we may have dropped a few points on the Corvette in the table, we ultimately hung on to our championship lead."

Christopher Mies (Montaplast by Land-Motorsport, Audi R8 LMS), P3: "We're definitely satisfied with third place. We had no chance against the two Corvettes up front. They have a distinct top speed advantage. Connor [De Phillippi] made another attempt to attack the Lamborghini in front of him towards the end of the race - that didn't work out. But we got through in the end after all, because the other guy was given a drive-through penalty."

Matteo Cairoli (KÜS Team75 Bernhard, Porsche 911 GT3-R), P4: "That was a terrific first weekend in the ADAC GT Masters. It was my first sprint race in this car, and it went very well. Only the flying start is still a bit unfamiliar. I hope I get a chance to compete in the ADAC GT Masters again this year."

Lukas Schreier (Aust Motorsport, Audi R8 LMS), P9: "Everything went perfectly for once. Our race was unproblematic, and our pit stop went well. We had problems with the brakes at the start of the race, but when I took over the car, I was surprised at how well it was running. We clinched our first points of the season today. We're on our way up!"

Jaap van Lagen (HB Racing WDS Bau, Lamborghini Huracán GT3), P21: "This weekend, almost everything went wrong. At the start of the season, we knew that the first few races were going to be difficult, because we were down on testing and hadn't been able to gain enough experience. It went well here initially, but then there were contacts, spins and pit stop problems. We're going to show them all next weekend, because our speed keeps getting better, and I promise to pull out all the stops in the races at the Red Bull Ring."

Martin Ragginger (Precote Herberth Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R), DNF: "Pole-sitter Dominik Schwager first accelerated and then braked again at the start. That caused an almighty upset in the first turn, because the field was too tightly packed. We were forced to retire as a result, unfortunately."

Luca Ludwig (AMG-Team Zakspeed, Mercedes-AMG GT3), DNF: "It looked like we might be competitive in the race, but I had to give 110 percent to keep up during the first stint. The race wasn't bad but not really good either. It was a weekend for us to forget in the end after the bump with the Porsche. We are still well placed in the championship, but it's now going to get tough, because the fact that we didn't secure any points this weekend really hurts."