ADAC GT Masters·15.9.2019

Comments after Race 1 at Hockenheim: Observations from the paddock after Saturday's race at the Hockenheimring.

Mirko Bortolotti (Orange1 by GRT Grasser, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo), P1 overall: "I had a good restart and got myself alongside Dennis Marschall, but I had to back off because it was all rather tight. I then opted to stick behind him and only went back on the attack towards the end of my stint. I had some luck with the traffic coming out of the pit lane and managed to get past. This victory makes me especially happy for the whole team who have worked so hard."

Christian Engelhart (Orange1 by GRT Grasser, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo), P1 overall: "Today, everything went perfectly. Especially when you see how close the cars are in terms of performance at Hockenheim. In the current championship situation, it's extremely important for us and for the entire team to win races and score a lot of points. I can only thank them for the sensationally good preparation. What the Grasser team are achieving at the moment is immense."

Indy Dontje (Mann-Filter Team HTP, Mercedes-AMG GT3), P2 overall: "The car ran well today, both in qualifying and in the race. I was able to keep my immediate pursuers in check, but I couldn't quite match the two cars in front of me for pace. I was reluctant to push too hard, as I didn't want to wear the rear tyres out too soon - they come in for heavy use here at Hockenheim."

Maximilian Götz (Mann-Filter Team HTP, Mercedes-AMG GT3), P2 overall: "My pace was very good until the very end, and at times I was the fastest man on the track. Unfortunately, the rear tyres then started to degrade quite fast, and it became increasingly difficult to withstand the pressure of my closest pursuer. On the last lap, I didn't exit the second corner particularly well. He got alongside me, and pushed me to the outside of the track. At the hairpin, I defended strongly, as I knew that there were yellow flags at that point. I was clearly still in front when the flag came into sight, so I realised that his move was not legal and would have consequences. This second place is great for the whole team - we've scored some big points. And that's precisely what we aim to do tomorrow - ideally one place further forward."

Dennis Marschall (HCB-Rutronik Racing, Audi R8 LMS), P3 overall and winner in the Pirelli Junior class: "First of all, it's a weird feeling because our team-mates were handed a penalty and we more or less got the third place by default. But no matter whether it's a P3 or a P4, we are really thrilled about the result. My day was awesome: fastest lap, pole position, and we also led the field. Unfortunately, I then lost a place. The role played by the BMW was not OK, in my opinion. If you're running 25th, you shouldn't interfere in the race. But in the end, I'm happy for Carrie that it all worked out so well on her birthday. That was a mega achievement by her. At times, she was only a few tenths slower than the pros."

Carrie Schreiner (HCB-Rutronik Racing, Audi R8 LMS), P3 overall and winner in the Pirelli Junior class: "Incredible, I could jump for joy! Dennis did a mega job, so I'm pleased that I was able to give him something back in return. I was able to hold my position towards the end and am just ecstatic about the result. I was able to lap the circuit feeling relatively relaxed. I feel good at Hockenheim - it's like home for me. I'm just so pleased that I managed to keep the Mercedes-AMG behind me."

Ricardo Feller (Montaplast by Land-Motorsport, Audi R8 LMS), P6 overall and P2 in the Pirelli Junior class: "Obviously, it's a pity about our sister car retiring, but we're all racing drivers and rivals out on track, so today was good for us. I think we got the maximum points that were to be had, so I'm satisfied."

Maximilian Paul (T3 Motorsport, Audi R8 LMS), P8 overall and P3 in the Pirelli Junior class: "We're extremely satisfied. Our objective actually was to simply achieve a decent finish and maybe get some points, so it's just amazing that we finished eighth. We got a great start, and William made a terrific job of the first stint. The car was absolutely fabulous. We almost managed to get past Frank Stippler towards the end. Our first time in the Top Ten! Great!"

William Tregurtha (T3 Motorsport, Audi R8 LMS), P8 overall and P3 in the Pirelli Junior class: "We're really happy with the result, as we've not had much luck so far this season. We were finally able to show today just how fast we can be. Our setup was right, and the car gradually improved. The team put in a night shift yesterday to change the gearbox. Our success today is a success for the entire outfit. We're coming together now as a team, learning something new with every race."

Sven Barth (RWT Racing, Corvette C7 GT3-R), P11 overall and winner in the Pirelli Trophy class: "I don't really see why I got the penalty. I don't think it was an unsafe release, because I let the other car pass, but so be it! I won the Pirelli Trophy once more, which definitely has to be a positive. David did a great job during his stint and handed the car over to me in sixth place overall. But for the penalty, I would probably still have had a decent chance of moving up a place. That would certainly have been an excellent result in our home fixture."

Klaus Bachler (Küs Team75 Bernhard, Porsche 911 GT3 R), P5 overall: "What a terrific result, with some great points towards the championship! We certainly didn't have an easy time today with the 20 kilos of additional weight, but we still managed to have a good race from P6 on the grid and ultimately finished fifth. It just makes everything perfect when you achieve the maximum possible, which we did today, so I'm delighted for myself and the whole team."

Adrien De Leener (Küs Team75 Bernhard, Porsche 911 GT3 R), DNF: "There's not a deal to be said. I've just had a very frustrating start to the weekend. The car felt good, but unfortunately, I was rear-ended by two cars. The important thing is that all the drivers involved are OK. I then had a technical problem, which was maybe a consequence of the crash. I could no longer change gear and had to retire."

Fabian Vettel (Mann-Filter Team HTP, Mercedes-AMG GT3), DNF: "I got a good exit to Turn 2 and was well placed when things in front of me suddenly went awry. I noticed straightaway that something was wrong. And then I drove into a dense cloud of dust and couldn't see a thing. I tried to go on the grass to avoid it and didn't see the Corvette parked sideways on to me until it was too late. I'm fine at the minute. My neck is a bit stiff, but nothing serious."