Highlight to attract big crowds to the Nuremberg street circuit. Local favourite Maximilian Götz makes his first appearance of the season for HRT. ADAC GT Masters features on the DTM platform for first time in 2023.

It is one of the highlights of the ADAC GT Masters season: For the first time in 15 years, the ADAC’s prestigious GT3 series is going racing at the Norisring. From 7th to 9th July, the streets of Nuremberg host round two of this season’s ADAC GT Masters. The super sports cars will appear on the high-profile DTM platform for the first time in 2023. The Porsche teams are out to continue the winning run they embarked upon at the opening event with the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Huber Racing and the Joos by Racemotion team claimed a win each at the season-opener at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. Tim Zimmermann (Langenargen) and Jaxon Evans (NZ/both Huber Racing) travel to the “Franconian Monaco” as championship leaders. The returning Maximilian Götz (Uffenheim), a local favourite, will have his sights set on victory at his home event, where he lines up alongside Petru Umbrarescu (RO/both Haupt Racing Team) in a Mercedes-AMG. TV partner Sport1 is showing the races on Saturday and Sunday live and in full on free-to-air TV.

“It is great to be back on the ADAC GT Masters grid. My schedule is already very full this year, but I could not resist an outing in the ADAC GT Masters. I obviously want to challenge for a place on the podium, to support the team and to add my experience. I hope I can put on a good show for the fans at my home race,” says Götz, the 2012 ADAC GT Masters champion. Götz has a special connection with the 2.3-kilometre strip of asphalt: it was on the streets of Nuremberg that he was crowned 2021 DTM champion with Haupt Racing Team. The German is also a member of the organising association, Motorsport Club Nürnberg e. V.

The field for the event at the only street circuit in Germany consists of ten teams, who take to the grid with a mix of young international drivers and sports car specialists. Drivers from 14 countries will take on the shortest track on the calendar in GT3 cars from premium manufacturers Audi, BMW, Lamborghini, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche. The ADAC GT Masters provided some thrilling racing and great motorsport at the opening round of the season, which took place in Hockenheim.

“I am really looking forward to the ‘Franconian Monaco’. I am already familiar with the unique circuit in Nuremberg from my time in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. It is very special to race at a street circuit with few run-off zones. The track should really suit the Porsche 911 GT3 R. We want to use our good position coming into this event, and to extend our lead in the championship,” says Zimmermann, who tops the table alongside team-mate Evans going into the third race of the season. The last time the ADAC GT Masters went racing between the concrete walls and crash barriers in Nuremberg back in 2008, Zimmermann and Evans were both just eleven years old. Now the opposition has its sights set firmly on the duo from the Huber Racing team, which is based roughly two hours away by car in Hofkirchen. Leading the pursuit are Finn Gehrsitz (Stuttgart) and Sven Müller (Bingen/both Joos by Racemotion): with 37 points to their name, the winners of race two trail the championship leaders by just one point. After a podium in the opening race, Eduardo Coseteng and Ben Green (GB) are third on 33 points in the Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3. ADAC Stiftung Sport driver Gehrsitz and Coseteng from the Philippines lead the Pirelli Junior competition with 41 points.

The two free practices on Friday will give a first indication of who to look out for on the series’ return to the Norisring. From 09:00 on Saturday, qualifying will determine who starts from pole position when race three of this season’s ADAC GT Masters gets underway at 15:10. Sunday then also features one qualifying session (08:45) and a race (15:15). Sport1 is showing all the races live and in full on free-to-air TV. The events are also being streamed live on the free YouTube channel @adacmotorsports.