The third race weekend of this season’s German GT Championship provided some fascinating facts and stories. Take a look at the notebook from the dune circuit.
ADAC GT Masters attracts the crowds
Another new record was set at Circuit Zandvoort: 14,500 spectators flocked to the circuit in the Dutch dunes at the weekend to watch thrilling motorsport and cheer on their favourite drivers. This was a third crowd record in a row for the German GT Championship. The ADAC GT Masters had previously broken its own spectator records at the season-opener at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben and round two at the Red Bull Ring.
Laps for a good cause
This season, the ADAC GT Masters and partner BWT are once again donating four euros for every race lap completed in the German GT Championship to the charity b.waterMISSION. This project builds wells, primarily in Gambia and Tanzania, in order to allow the people there access to clean drinking water. This season, 5050 laps have already been completed, raising € 20,200 so far.
Snake pit
The second Mann-Filter Team Landgraf car also lined up with the yellow and green Mamba design for the first time in Zandvoort. Elias Seppänen and Frank Bird were particularly motivated by the #84 car’s new look on the Friday. The youngsters in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo were especially “bitey” in the second free practice session of the ADAC GT Masters, setting the fastest time of the day. They then came home ninth to claim a top-ten finish in Sunday’s race.
Great fan promotion at Rutronik Racing
The Rutronik Racing team erected a driver photo wall at Circuit Zandvoort, which they used to run a competition for fans. The rules were dead easy: take a selfie in front of the photo wall, post it on Instagram with the hashtag “Rutronikarmy” and a link to the team. The winner could look forward to an exclusive karting event.
Satisfied returnee
ADAC GT Masters champion Maximilian Götz returned to the German GT Championship in Zandvoort, where he started for Madpanda Motorsport. In the end, he had to settle for 15th place in the opening race and twelfth in race two, but the Mercedes-AMG works driver was still satisfied with the weekend: “I would like to thank Madpanda for the opportunity to drive for them. We have improved the balance of the car and taken a big step forward, although we were unfortunate with the weather in race one and the second qualifying session. The results could have been better, but the team learned a lot, and that is important. I am looking forward to perhaps supporting the team again later in the season.”
First ADAC GT Masters victories for Finland and Spain
Last weekend, Lamborghini drivers Konsta Lappalainen and Albert Costa Balboa took their place on the top step of the podium for the first time, from where they sprayed the bubbly provided by series partner Schumacher Selection. In doing so, the two Emil Frey Racing drivers each claimed maiden victories for their countries in the ADAC GT Masters. Finland’s Lappalainen was the joyous winner in race one, while his Spanish team-mate Costa Balbo took victory in race two.
Speaking of Lamborghini
With its two victories at the dune circuit, Emil Frey Racing bagged a brace of wins for one manufacturer and gave Italian car maker Lamborghini every reason to celebrate. Only once before had Circuit Zandvoort witnessed a double success for a manufacturer: Porsche, courtesy of Schütz Motorsport in the 2014 season.
Still not called upon
The safety car driver was unneeded again in races five and six of the ADAC GT Masters. This season, Ronald Dobmeier has not yet been called into action once in his Audi R8, which has sported the pink look of series partner BWT since 2021.
To the next 50
Jesse Krohn from the Schubert Motorsport team and Rutronik Racing driver Kim-Luis Schramm each contested their 50th race in the ADAC GT Masters on Sunday. Both drivers have made it onto the podium already in 2022, but are still waiting for their first ADAC GT Masters victory of the season.
