Asch (31, DEU) lined up for Zakspeed in the Super Sports Car League during 2015 and 2016, and with some success! In his first season with the team from the Eifel, Asch and Luca Ludwig won the title in the ADAC GT Masters – his second after winning in 2012. The two of them also led the championship for a time last year but had in the end to be satisfied with sixth overall in the standings. Asch has won five races in all across the two seasons and has finished on the podium a further seven more times. He joined BWT Mücke Motorsport for the 2017 season. The Berlin-based outfit contested the DTM until 2016 and are new to the ADAC GT Masters. At the last race weekend at the Red Bull Ring, Asch and team-mate Lucas Auer (22, A) finished on the podium for the first time.

Asch: “We're gradually improving. We didn't quite show our full potential at the start of the season, but we did well last time out in Spielberg, which we never expected to begin with. We narrowly missed the podium in the first race with a P4 finish and placed second on Sunday. We're getting more and more used to things, and we now have more idea of how to set up the Mercedes-AMG GT3.” The German has settled down quickly in his new team: "I feel very comfortable with them. Mücke are a really nice outfit. The whole team work very professionally. You immediately notice the tremendous amount of experience they've gained in the DTM.”

Asch is sharing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 this season with two team-mates, who climb into the cockpit depending on availability. Apart from DTM star Auer, the other team-mate is Stefan Mücke (35, DEU), who is a Ford works driver in the FIA endurance world championship (WEC). Asch: “I think it's a bit of an advantage, alternating partners. They have different backgrounds and their input is different as a result. That helps us make progress. It's a great honour for me to have as team-mates such well-known drivers, who are able to support me in the title fight. I'm really pleased to see with what commitment they drive.”

And so, the 31-year-old can hardly wait for racing to continue in mid-July at Zandvoort when the fourth round of the ADAC GT Masters gets under way. Asch: “As far as I'm concerned, we could get started right away. I'm expecting to achieve a lot in Zandvoort. The track should suit our car. I'll be driving there with Stefan Mücke once again. I would now really like to finish on the podium with him. Our goal is to secure as many points as possible, because I would still love to be a title contender, so we have to move on up.”

Asch is seventh in the standings after the first three of seven races this season. He is only 38 points down on the championship leaders, the Corvette pairing of Jules Gounon (22, F) and Daniel Keilwitz (27, DEU, both Callaway Competition). 200 points are up for grabs in the remaining eight races, so a third title win is still possible for the ADAC GT Masters champion from 2012 and 2015.