Formula 1 prominence: Six former F1 drivers in Zandvoort. Windsurf world champion Philip Köster visits the dune circuit. Returning Maximilian Götz shines on the North Sea coast.

Six former Formula 1 drivers at the ADAC GT Masters in Zandvoort

No fewer than six former Formula 1 drivers attended the ADAC GT Masters event in Zandvoort. As well as the two ADAC GT Masters drivers Jack Aitken and Markus Winkelhock, Jos Verstappen, father of Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, was also in the Netherlands to support young Dutchman Thierry Vermeulen. Another former team-mate of Michael Schumacher was also in Zandvoort. Former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Luca Badoer was supporting his son Brando in ADAC Formula 4, as were two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi and Le Mans winner Alex Wurz, whose sons also drive in the ADAC’s high-speed school. Fittipaldi and Wurz performed the presentation ceremony for the Sunday race in the German GT Championship.

Windsurf world champion visits the ADAC GT Masters

Five-time windsurf world champion Philip Köster is a big motorsport fan. As such, the 28-year-old could not resist taking a closer look at the 600-hp super sports cars during his visit to the ADAC GT Masters. The windsurfer, who now lives in Spain, also had official duties to perform. On Saturday, he opened the action with the “Drivers start your engines” sign, and also presented the trophies to the winners of race one. In return for his services, the world champion could look forward to an evening drive around Circuit Zandvoort in the Lead Car for ADAC GT4 Germany, an Audi RS e-tron GT.

Verstappen supports Vermeulen

As he has done so often in the past, former Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen, father of reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, attended the ADAC GT Masters event at his home circuit in Zandvoort. The 50-year-old was not only there to watch the races in the German GT Championship, but also to support his compatriot Thierry Vermeulen, who starts for Car Collection Motorsport and is a good friend of Max Verstappen. Vermeulen’s father also manages the Formula 1 world champion, who was not in Zandvoort in person, but had his fingers firmly crossed for his mate Thierry. “Max is very interested in GT3 cars. We had the opportunity to test one of these cars together and to drive one in a simulation, and he gave me a lot of tips,” revealed Vermeulen.

In at the deep end for returning Maximilian Götz

Champion Maximilian Götz (Uffenheim) returned to the ADAC GT Masters for the Madpanda Motorsport team in Zandvoort. He also tried his hand in more troubled waters: The 36-year-old and his team-mate at Emil Frey Racing, Albert Costa Balboa (31/E), were given an hour’s training session on a stand up paddleboard (SUP) by windsurf world champion Philip Köster. Armed with a board and paddle, Götz cut a fine figure on the North Sea coast, despite a few falls. After his adventure on the water, he found time to perfectly sketch the track layout at the dune circuit in the Zandvoort sand.

Records continue to tumble with renewable fuel

In 2022, the ADAC GT Masters starts with a renewable fuel from Shell, which is made of 50% sustainable components. The German GT Championship is proving to be extremely quick with Shell Blue Gasoline 98 GT Masters. The lap record was broken at the season-opener in Oschersleben, and another new fastest lap time was set in Saturday’s race in Zandvoort. Christopher Mies (32/Düsseldorf), in the #1 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, clocked a time of 1:34.864 minutes in Saturday’s opening race on the North Sea coast – a new ADAC GT Masters lap record. The reigning champion was 0.307 seconds faster than Dries Vanthoor, who set the previous record in race two in 2021. However, the new record lasted just one day before Jack Aitken broke it again in the Sunday race. The former Formula 1 driver took just 1:34.715 minutes to lap the dune circuit in the #63 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo, making him the new record holder in Zandvoort.

You can bank on thrilling motorsport in the ADAC GT Masters in Zandvoort

The final corner at Circuit Zandvoort – known as the Arie Luyendijk Bocht – is quite something. After the reconstruction in 2020, it was made 18 degrees steeper. It is the only turn with such a steep gradient in Europe. The gradient increases the amount of downforce generated by the super sports cars, allowing them to take the turn at full throttle. The Hugenholtzbocht behind the paddock is the second new banked corner. However, different lines can be taken in this turn. Rapid motorsport action and overtaking manoeuvres are guaranteed here.