Dr. Gerd Ennser confirmed in office
ADAC Sport President, Dr. Gerd Ennser, was confirmed as a Member of the Board of the German Motorsport Federation (DMSB) at Saturday’s general meeting. As such, there are no changes to the composition of the DMSB, which is looking to strengthen its efforts to achieve greater sustainability in motorsport in the future.
Audi ensures order
This season, Audi cars will again regulate the action at the racetracks in the ADAC GT Masters. The Safety Car is a familiar face: Fans and spectators will recognise the Audi R8, which has sported the pink look of series partner BWT since 2021. This year’s Lead car is a brand-new, fully-electric Audi e-tron.
Records tumble in Oschersleben
Raffaele Marciello (27/I) set a new qualifying record of 1:22.922 minutes in Oschersleben back in 2021. However, Lamborghini works driver Franck Perera (38/F) shaved 0.234 seconds off that time in the first qualifying session on Saturday. Roughly 24 hours later, that record was also consigned to the history books. Patric Niederhauser (30/CH) completed the 3.667-kilometre track in 1:22.277 minutes in his Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II and is now guaranteed to hold the qualifying record in Oschersleben for at least a year. Albert Costa Balboa, at the wheel of a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo run by Emil Frey Racing, then set a new lap record in the ADAC GT Masters in Sunday’s race: The Spaniard lapped the track in 1:24.060 minutes. The fuel from Shell was used for the first time in a round of the German GT Championship. “Blue Gasoline 98 GT Masters” contains roughly 50% sustainable components and proved to be the perfect fuel for this field. The new tyres from series partner Pirelli also made their race debut this weekend.
28,000 fans create a party atmosphere at the season-opener
Whether in the grandstands, in the paddock, or on the grid walk – the fans enjoyed every aspect of the season-opener in Oschersleben. For two long years, they were denied the right to watch the racing in the Motorsport Arena up close and personal. They returned this weekend to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the proximity to the top drivers, whether it be to collect autographs or pose for selfies with the drivers. And the fans were responsible for yet another record: Roughly 28,000 spectators flocked to the racetrack at the weekend – more than ever before at an ADAC GT Masters event in the Magdeburg Börde region.
The BWT Race Lap Award enters the next round
A successful project is continuing, as the BWT Race Lap Award enters the next round. This year, the ADAC GT Masters and partner BWT will again donate four euros to b.waterMISSION for every lap completed in the German GT Championship. The organisation primarily builds wells in Gambia and Tanzania, in order to supply the people there with clean drinking water. Last year, 48,724 euros were raised. This amount was topped up to a total of 60,000 euros by BWT and ADAC.
Perfect view, and noodles with a kick
One real eye-catcher at the circuit in Oschersleben is the new DEKRA Tower. From up here, spectators had an ideal view and a particularly good vantage point, from which to watch the battles in turn 1. Anyone wanting a break from the racing could head to “Pastabox” for a range of homemade noodles with various sauces and accompaniments. The new partner of the series serves up a free noodle dish for the drivers each day.
Photo shoot
It was that time again on Thursday at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben: The traditional group photo with the 600-hp cars.
Successful weekend for the Geipel family
Former ADAC GT Masters driver Philip Geipel claimed his first race win in the German Rally Championship on Saturday. The Skoda driver and his co-driver Katrin Becker-Brugger caught leaders Julius Tannert and Franck Christian on the final stage of the ADAC Rally Erzgebirge, clinching their maiden DRM victory by just nine tenths of a second. The newly-formed Eastalent Racing team, which is supported in the ADAC GT Masters by the Geipel family’s Yaco Racing, also had cause for celebration: The duo of Norbert Siedler and Simon Reicher finished tenth in Sunday’s race to pick up a point in the German GT Championship.
Old acquaintances win the inaugural races in the Prototype Cup Germany
The first race of the new Prototype Cup Germany was held in Spa-Francorchamps this weekend. The two races were won by Toksport WRT and Reiter Engineering – two teams who have gained a wealth of experience in various ADAC Series. Toksport WRT started in the ADAC GT Masters with Maro Engel and Luca Stolz in 2021. Reiter Engineering also spent many years racing various cars in the ADAC GT Masters, and also fielded a KTM X-Bow GT4 in ADAC GT4 Germany.
