For the first time in the history of the ADAC GT Masters, the series is at the 4.255-kilometre Salzburgring near Mozart’s city of Salzburg. The long straights, high-speed corners and narrow run-off zones make the track one of the most extraordinary on the calendar. Here’s what the drivers have to say about the premiere.
Simon Birch (18/DNK/Razoon – more than racing): “It is an old-school circuit and it’s really nice to drive at a racetrack that is a bit different. Nobody has driven a GT3 car here before, and that is exciting. Paddock Turn is a bit mad, but turns five and twelve are also really interesting. We hardly have any run-off zones here, so concentration is key.”
Ben Dörr (20/Butzbach/Dörr Motorsport): “My impression of the Salzburgring is good so far, and there is definitely a fun factor – especially when you are out there on your own. There are a few difficult corners with small run-off zones, which could be a bit tricky in the race. I particularly like the two banked corners. I imagine it will be difficult to overtake for the cars that perform well in the corners but are not set up for top speed.”
Alexander Fach (23/CHE/Fach Auto Tech): “The weekend here is so interesting, because nobody has driven here before and there is no reference data from other GT3 series. At the same time, the circuit is very unique. It has an awful lot of high-speed sections and bumps in the corners. Despite that, it also has slow corners like the first chicane, in which you take a lot of the kerb. That makes it all very difficult for us drivers. The region is also really beautiful. As a Swiss, it almost feels a bit like home. I hope we have a lot of spectators, as they could be really cool races.”
Juliano Holzem (21/Polch/Schubert Motorsport): “The Salzburgring is a lot of fun in the rain and has plenty of grip, as there is not a lot of rubber on the track. On the whole, it is a really great circuit. We’ll have to see what it is like in a race. The fast right-hander after the long straight requires some courage, but is also fun. That corner is the highlight for me. There are one or two overtaking opportunities, but the attacker will really need to be alongside the car in front.”
Tim Hütter (18/AT/Liqui Moly Team Engstler by GRT): “A traditional circuit, and one that I really like. It was particularly surprising in the rain, because the grip was astonishingly good. The layout makes it rather special in the dry. I am hugely looking forward to my two home races and hope that many spectators come to cheer us on.”
Felix Neuhofer (28/AT/ Neuhofer Racing): “Driving here is far more fun than the layout may have you expect at first glance. There are definitely a few places, where it will be possible to overtake – even with the banking in the corners. My highlight is Paddock Turn. It is really fast, but that is what makes it so much fun.”
Guilherme Oliveira (20/POR/Dörr Motorsport): “The layout of the track and the location in the mountains are simply unbelievable. It is really old-school, really fast, and has little room for errors. The first right-hander after the long back straight, in particular, is one of the best corners I have ever driven through. The whole track gives the driver a great feeling – something few modern circuits can do nowadays.”
Simon Connor Primm (20/Großschirma/Paul Motorsport): “The characteristics of the Salzburgring are very different to those of other circuits on the calendar. It is new to everyone, so it feels a bit like the old karting days, when you would turn up at a new kart track with hardly any references to work with. I immediately found my feet really well on the track. It has a few difficult corners, such as the approach to the first chicane, which is very bumpy. Then you have a couple of banked corners and some fast turns. You especially need to be a bit brave in the fast right-hander. It is really tough to find the limit there. As a driver, if you get everything right, then it is also really good fun.”
Max Reis (18/Ramstein/Haupt Racing Team): “There are limited overtaking opportunities at the Salzburgring. You can use the first chicane after the straights. Perhaps you can also pull it off under braking in a few corners, but generally speaking the track is very narrow. I expect the races to be a bit like at a street circuit, particularly when you add dirty air into the equation.”
Carrie Schreiner (26/Völklingen/Land-Motorsport): “The first few kilometres were very tricky and it took a while to feel comfortable here. Then, when I was really in the zone, the circuit was a lot of fun. It has a similar character to the Nordschleife. In the race it is important that all the drivers respect each other and don’t go over the top.”
Moritz Wiskirchen (22/Euskirchen/SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm): “When you see the sketch of the track beforehand, it looks as though it is all just straight. However, the few corners have something about them. Paddock Turn is fast and challenging. I think it could be possible to overtake when braking into the chicane, but both cars have to play ball. With two pit stops, the focus will definitely be on strategy.”
Tim Zimmermann (28/Langenargen/FK Performance Motorsport): “I am positively impressed with how fast you can take a corner in a GT3 car. There are no other circuits on the calendar, at which you can race through the corners at 245 km/h. The Salzburgring is really old-school and there is no room for mistakes, as you will be straight into the gravel bed. My pulse was definitely ten beats faster than usual. The long back straight and slipstream battles will make the race exciting.”
