Mercedes-AMG duo Seppänen/Kalender lead, ahead of the BMW pairing of Oosten/Köhler. Schumacher and Owega out to keep title chances alive in Styria. Host of guest starters make for strongest field in the 2024 ADAC GT Masters season.

The ADAC GT Masters is steering towards a thrilling title showdown as the Red Bull Ring hosts the fifth and penultimate event of the season from 27th to 29th September as part of the DTM race weekend. The battle for the championship between Mercedes-AMG drivers Tom Kalender (Hamm/Sieg) and Finland’s Elias Seppänen (both Landgraf Motorsport), and the BMW duo from FK Performance of Maxime Oosten (NL) and Leon Köhler (Erlenbach am Main) has been captivating spectators since the very first race of the season. This fascinating duel enters its penultimate round at the 4.318-kilometre circuit in Spielberg, Austria, where the destination of the title could be decided. However, David Schumacher (Salzburg) and Salman Owega (Cologne), currently third in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Haupt Racing Team, are also hungry to have a say in the title race. It is also these same six drivers battling it out for victory in the “Road to DTM” competition. Sport1 is broadcasting both ADAC GT Masters races from Austria, starting at 15:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

Eight races into the season, Seppänen/Kalender in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 lead Oosten/Köhler in a BMW M4 GT3 by twelve points in the overall standings. Both pairs have celebrated three race wins so far this season. The tide could now turn in Spielberg, as the BMW is a genuine guarantee of success in Styria. A BMW has crossed the finish line first in six of the ten races at the Red Bull Ring over the past five years. Last year’s winner Oosten has his sights set on the top of the table: “The Red Bull Ring suits the BMW M4 GT3, I noticed that last season. Leon and I are in a promising position, in which we have a good chance of winning the title. We will try to fully exploit the advantages of our car and launch an attack on the top of the table.”

However, the leaders will not give up their position to the BMW duo without a fight, and will be striving to extend their lead. “The gap between us and the second-placed drivers is not particularly big, and experience shows that the Red Bull Ring tends to favour the BMW. However, we are not coming to Austria to gift them points. On the contrary, we want to challenge for victory in both races,” says Seppänen. Schumacher and Owega, currently third with 105 points, also have a mathematical chance of clinching the title. After a difficult weekend at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Schumacher knows they must go on the attack: “The situation has definitely not been made any easier, but Salman and I trust our ability and will continue to give it everything. After all, there are still 112 points up for grabs. Trailing by 54 points, there is still plenty of potential.”

The rising interest in the ADAC GT Masters has resulted in many guest starters in Austria. Austrian Max Hofer returns to the series and starts alongside Switzerland’s Florian Blatter for Wolf-Racing in an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2. Hermann Speck (Rückersdorf) and Gerhard Tweraser (A) will alternate at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 R for DB-Motorsport. Ernst Kirchmayr (A) and Italian Fabrizio Crestani join the field in a Ferrari 296 GT3 run by Racing One. Haupt Racing Team will also run an additional fourth Mercedes-AMG GT3 in Spielberg. Together with the cars from the DTM, Hubert Haupt’s team brings an impressive fleet of six Mercedes-AMG GT3 to Austria. Taking their place at the wheel will be Dennis Fetzer (Buseck) and team owner Hubert Haupt (Munich). “I am hugely looking forward to racing in the ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring. It is very special for me, and I am confident we will be competitive with our package,” says Fetzer. The race weekend is a real home event for Grasser Racing Team, as their headquarters in St. Margarethen are just ten kilometres from the Red Bull Ring.

Both qualifying sessions and the races on Saturday and Sunday will be broadcast in a free livestream with German and English commentary on the ADAC Motorsport YouTube channel youtube.com/@ADACMotorsports.