ADAC GT Masters·11.8.2019

Paddock radar from ADAC GT Masters at Zandvoort: ADAC GT Masters extends partnership with Zandvoort

Zandvoort stays on the ADAC GT Masters calendar: For the immediate future, drivers, teams and fans of the ADAC GT Masters can look forward to further action-packed weekends at Zandvoort. The ADAC GT Masters will be contested on the Dutch circuit until at least 2021. In the meantime, Formula 1 is set to return there from 2020 onwards. Robert van Overdijk (CEO of Circuit Zandvoort), Erik Weijers (CSO Circuit Zandvoort), ADAC Managing Director Lars Soutschka and ADAC Motorsport Director Thomas Voss shook hands to seal the deal continuing a successful partnership that has been in place since 2012. "The ADAC GT Masters is an integral part of the Zandvoort Circuit calendar and offers fans a great programme," said Erik Weijers. "We are delighted that we will be continuing to host the series for the next two years."

ADAC Managing Director Lars Soutschka: "Zandvoort is one of the most popular circuits on the calendar for fans, teams and drivers. The track has its own unique character, and the cooperation we get from our colleagues at Circuit Zandvoort is excellent. Consequently, we are pleased to confirm that we will be coming back here to the North Sea coast for the next two years."

Gone with the wind: On Saturday, the ADAC GT Masters experienced perhaps the stormiest day of racing in the history of the series. Winds of up to gale force 8 pummelled Circuit Zandvoort throughout the day, creating difficult conditions not only for the drivers on the track: several teams were advised to dismantle their marquees in the paddock for safety reasons.

Racing legends in attendance: The multiple DRM and DTM champion Klaus Ludwig (69) called in on the Zandvoort race weekend. The Rhinelander, who won three ADAC GT Masters races in 2008 and whose son Luca Ludwig (30, GER, HB Racing) drives the only Ferrari in the Super Sports Car League, was invited to hold up the 'Start your Engines' sign sponsored by series partner Camp David. Two more former DTM race winners were also in attendance, namely Roland Asch (68) and Altfrid Heger (61).

Commuter 1: Audi Sport driver Frédéric Vervisch (33, BEL, BWT Mücke Motorsport) had an exceptionally busy weekend. Not only did the Belgian turn 33 on Saturday; between the two ADAC GT Masters races he was also driving a sports prototype in the 24 Hours of Zolder. Immediately after Saturday's race, in which he and partner Nikolaj Rogivue (23, CH) finished eighth, Vervisch travelled to Zolder, which is about two and a half hours away. Having completed his stint there, he got back to Zandvoort at around eight o'clock on Sunday to line up for the second qualifying session of the ADAC GT Masters an hour later.

Commuter 2: Many of the teams contesting the ADAC GT Masters, ADAC Formula 4, ADAC GT4 Germany, ADAC TCR Germany and the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany have decided to extend their stay on the North Sea coast. The next races on the 2019 calendar are scheduled for the coming weekend at the Nürburgring, so it makes sense to carry on working on the cars at Zandvoort and to travel directly to the Eifel sometime around mid-week. The teams competing in the ADAC GT Masters, ADAC TCR Germany and Porsche Carrera Cup Germany will definitely want to be at the Nürburgring in time for the test sessions on Thursday.