ADAC GT Masters·17.4.2016

Title defender Ludwig secures pole position : Winners of opening race Asch/Ludwig ahead in qualifying for second race at Oschersleben

Oschersleben: After an exciting first day at the season opener of the 2016 ADAC GT Masters, racing continues this Sunday in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. Sebastian Asch (29, DEU) and Luca Ludwig (27, DEU, both AMG - Team Zakspeed) in the Mercedes-AMG took best position on the grid for the second race. The two defending champions and winners of the first race on Saturday start from pole position thanks to a best time by Ludwig in qualifying on Sunday morning. Callaway Competition also reckon that they have a decent chance of securing a good result. Daniel Keilwitz (26, DEU), sharing the drive in the new Corvette C7 with Jules Gounon (21, F), is next to Ludwig on the front row. "It went just right," said Luca Ludwig. "I timed things perfectly, so as to get in a free lap when the Pirelli tyres were at optimum temperature. However, a repeat of yesterday's victory again today will prove very tough, despite pole position." SPORT1 will broadcast Race 2 live at 1:00 pm.

Qualifying turned into a real thriller on a drying track after overnight rain. Christopher Haase (28, DEU, Car Collection Motorsport) in the Audi R8 was in front for a long time before times tumbled in the final few minutes. Ultimately, Ludwig managed to post the fastest lap time of 1:26.935 minutes. Haase will start from grid position eleven.

Keilwitz set the second fastest lap with a deficit of two tenths of a second, which augurs well for the ADAC GT Masters record-breaking winner and team-mate Jules Gounon in the new Corvette C7. Audi dominate the second row. Laurens Vanthoor (24, B, kfzteile24 - APR Motorsport) and Christopher Mies (26, DEU, Montaplast by Land-Motorsport), will line up third and fourth respectively on the grid. Christian Engelhart (29, DEU, GRT Grasser-Racing-Team) occupies the third row in the best-placed Lamborghini Huracán along with another Callaway Corvette, driven by Dominik Schwager (39, DEU).

Edward Sandström (37, SWE, both kfzteile24 - APR Motorsport) in an Audi R8, Felix Rosenqvist (24, SWE, AMG Team Zakspeed) in a Mercedes-AMG, Jordan Lee Pepper (19, ZA, Bentley Team ABT) in the best-placed Bentley Continental and Porsche driver Martin Ragginger (27, A, Precote Herberth Motorsport) head up rows four and five.