Austria hosts the series, with local favourites Leo Pichler and Tim Hütter. DTM team Dörr Motorsport and Neuhofer Racing make guest starts in the ADAC GT Masters. All races at the Salzburgring are live on Sport1.de, Joyn, ServusTV ON and Youtube.
Back from the summer break with a first: from 5th to 7th September, the Salzburgring in Austria hosts the ADAC GT Masters – for the first time in the 19-year history of the series. The second event of the season outside Germany will feature two endurance races on the outskirts of Mozart’s city. On Sunday, Sport1 will broadcast the race live on TV from 14:45. The race action will also be streamed live from 14:50 on Saturday and Sunday on Sport1.de, Joyn, ServusTV ON and youtube.com/adacmotorsports, and repeated in full on both evenings on Sky Sport.
High speeds in the middle of nature
The Salzburgring offers the perfect combination of speed and idyll. Picturesquely situated between meadows and trees, the high-speed 4.255-kilometre track, with six left turns and six right-handers, is located just ten kilometres from Salzburg. Immediately after the start, the drivers are faced with a tight chicane. Apart from that, however, it is all about speed – including in the corners. “Top speed is all-important at the Salzburgring, because there are many long straights. The circuit is great fun, but also has its pitfalls. Paddock Turn, in particular, is extremely fast and is sure to produce some drama in the race,” said Leo Pichler (23/AT/Razoon – more than racing). The Austrian also feels qualifying will be important, as he believes overtaking will be tricky.
Paddock Turn – a long right-hander after the back straight – has also impressed other drivers. The ideal racing line runs from far left to far right, then back to the left – all at very high speed. “We hit speeds of about 245 km/h there. That is one of the fastest corners I have ever driven through. It is really very demanding and it will be exciting to see how everyone gets through it in the race,” said Jannes Fittje (26/Langenhain/SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm), who will line up in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the Salzburgring.
Local favourite Tim Hütter (Liqui Moly Team Engstler by GRT) will contest his second ADAC GT Masters weekend at the Salzburgring. The 18-year-old from Gallneukirchen near Linz has had two test days in the Lamborghini Huracán GT3Evo2 at the circuit, and can hardly wait for his home event: “I used to come to the circuit to watch, and now I am racing here myself. The track is situated in the middle of the forest and has a rather different atmosphere. A mix of tight corners and long straights, together with the narrow track, make it difficult to overtake. Generally speaking, the circuit is very unique, but still really cool!”
Field grows with addition of strong guest starters in McLaren and Porsche
Two teams will join the ADAC GT Masters field as guest starters at the premiere at the Salzburgring. DTM team Dörr Motorsport will introduce another prestigious brand to the ADAC GT Masters, as it lines up with the McLaren 720S GT3 EVO. Alternating at the wheel will be DTM driver Ben Dörr (20/Butzbach) and Guilherme de Oliveira (20/POR). Although Dörr Motorsport and Ben Dörr have plenty of experience with the McLaren in the DTM, they are lacking in this regard when it comes to the Salzburgring. With this in mind, the team sees the guest appearance as something of an adventure and is playing down any expectations. “Every series has its own rules, and the ADAC GT Masters is full of very professional teams and drivers. It would be foolhardy to believe that we can challenge at the very front on our first appearance,” said Motorsport Director Jochen Albig. However, the team from Frankfurt is by no means lacking the necessary ambition. “Everyone involved in motorsport lines up with the intention of being up there at the front of the field.”
That is also what the second guest starters, Neuhofer Racing, are hoping for. The team based in the west of Munich is cooperating with Herberth Motorsport and has turned to a driving duo with plenty of ADAC GT Masters experience. Felix Neuhofer (28/AT) and Alfred Renauer (40/Jedenhofen) will share the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Neuhofer made a guest appearance at the Nürburgring with Joos Sportwagentechnik and will now take on the Salzburgring alongside Renauer, who can already point to 37 starts in the ADAC GT Masters. “We have a long and very close relationship with the Renauer brothers. The whole project came about as a result of that, and I am pleased that we can now line up together at the Salzburgring,” said Neuhofer. “Furthermore, the circuit feels like a home race for us. The Salzburgring is only a two-hour drive from our company headquarters.”
Dramatic title race: Four manufacturers among the front-runners in the championship
As the second half of the season gets underway, the overall standings are also set to become more enthralling with every round. Salman Owega (20/Cologne) and Finn Wiebelhaus (19/Obertshausen/both Haupt Racing Team), at the wheel of a Ford Mustang GT3, currently hold a 13-point lead over Tim Zimmermann (28/Langenargen) and Leyton Fourie (19/RSA/FK Performance Motorsport) in a BMW M4 GT3 Evo. In third place is another Mustang driver in Max Reis (18/Ramstein/Haupt Racing Team), followed by the pairing of Leo Pichler and Simon Birch (18/DNK) from Austrian Porsche team Razoon – more than Racing, who topped the table at the start of the season. Rounding out the top five is fellow Porsche outfit Fach Auto Tech, who won a race at the Nürburgring with drivers Alexander Schwarzer and Alexander Fach.
The 80-minute endurance format, which will be used at the Salzburgring for the third and final time this season and features two pit stops, has suited the championship leaders so far. The won the last race and made it onto the podium in a further two endurance races. “We hope we can be as competitive as in the first half of the season. However, we will not know whether that is the case until the race weekend itself,” said Ford driver Wiebelhaus. “We come into the weekend expecting to score some good points towards the championship, and hopefully to challenge for the podium.”
Zimmermann shares those expectations, and also rates his chances highly for the weekend at the Salzburgring. “We are in the thick of the title race and have shown that we have what it takes,” said the 28-year-old from FK Performance Motorsport. “Ultimately, many things have to come together to be successful in an endurance race. However, I am optimistic and looking forward to the new circuit. It is pretty fast, which usually suits the BMW.”
