Stage set for the 2025 season at the Dekra Lausitzring

Strong field: Ten teams and six different manufacturers. ADAC GT Masters on TV and livestream on SPORT1, Joyn and ServusTV On. New weekend structure: Sprint and endurance events mix things up.

Two Audi R8 LMS Evo2 line up in 2025 © Photo: ADAC

The ADAC GT Masters kicks off its 19th season at the Dekra Lausitzring. With a total of twelve races, there are high expectations and plenty of exciting innovations to look forward to. The season opens with two endurance races on the DTM platform this weekend (23rd – 25th May) in Lusatia. Ten teams with sports cars from six manufacturers have signed up for the 2025 season. The drivers will battle it out for a share of the € 570,000 prize purse and possible promotion to the DTM through the ”Road to DTM” competition. Saturday’s race starts at 14:10 and can be viewed live in a free stream on SPORT1.de, Joyn, ServusTV ON and the ADAC YouTube channel. The Sunday race will be broadcast live on TV on SPORT1 from 15:00, and can also be watched via livestream.

Scherer Sport PHX starts in the ADAC GT Masters in 2025 © Photo: ADAC

Strong field with new faces

Drivers from eleven countries will line up for the start of the season at the racetrack in Brandenburg. New to the grid is Scherer Sport PHX, who won last season’s ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring. They will run an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 with Nico Hantke (21/Hürth) and Denis Bulatov (26/Cologne) at the wheel. Another newcomer to the ADAC GT Masters is Razoon – more than racing, who line up with a Porsche 911 GT3 R. Leo Pichler (23/AUT) and Simon Birch (18/DEN) share the driving duties for the Austrian team. Along with Razoon, Fach Auto Tech is the second team to run a Porsche 911 this season. The Swiss outfit is unchanged with Alexander Fach (22/CHE) and Alexander Schwarzer (36/DEU) alternating in the driver’s seat.

Haupt Racing Team – the champion team for the past two years – is no stranger to the series. However, the car of choice is new to the team. As of 2025, the Drees-based outfit will run three Ford Mustang GT3 in the ADAC GT Masters. This marks the return of the American manufacturer to the ADAC’s GT3 series after ten years away. “I am very excited. We tried out a lot of things at the test and I was able to familiarise myself nicely with the car. I am really looking forward to the fans, the great cars and the incredible atmosphere. To be able to experience the whole spectacle live is quite simply a dream come true, and I am very confident that we will do well,” says Niklas Kalus (19/Duisburg), who will contest his first season in the ADAC GT Masters with HRT. Another returnee with a long tradition in the ADAC GT Masters is Schubert Motorsport. After a year away, the team from Oschersleben makes its comeback with twins Sandro and Juliano Holzem (20/DEU) in the BMW M4 GT3 Evo. Land-Motorsport can also look back on a long success story in the ADAC GT Masters. The team from the Westerwald region starts with an Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 and the duo of Carrie Schreiner (26/Völklingen) and Alain Valente (28/CHE).

SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm driver Moritz Wiskirchen set the fastest time at the official test day © Photo: ADAC

Having made a number of guest appearances in the past two years, SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm will now contest the full season in 2025. The team from the Allgäu runs the only Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the field, driven by Jannes Fittje (25/ Langenhain) and Moritz Wiskirchen (22/Euskirchen). Completing the impressive array of super sports cars is the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2, with which Liqui Moly Team Engstler and DTM team Paul Motorsport will take to the grid.

During the winter break, the experienced Tim Zimmermann (28/Lochau) switched from Lamborghini to one of two BMW M4 GT3 run by FK Performance. Despite the change, he is optimistic ahead of the new season: “I can hardly wait to get started again. Our goal is to compete at the front – and I am ready. The M4 demands a totally different driving style. You have to drive it precisely and smoothly – that really took some getting used to. We have worked well together as a team. Leyton is fast and the team is highly motivated. That puts us in a good position coming into the start of the season.”

Haupt Racing Team will run three Ford Mustang GT3 © Photo: ADAC

Mix of endurance and sprint weekends

In 2024, the new endurance format in the ADAC GT Masters was so well received by fans and those involved that half of the races will be held as endurance events this season. The season opener at the Dekra Lausitzring, and the race weekends at the Nürburgring and Salzburgring will feature two endurance races, each lasting 80 minutes plus one lap. Aside from this, the schedule remains unchanged, with two practice sessions on the Friday and a 20-minute qualifying and subsequent race on both the Saturday and Sunday. The three sprint events in Zandvoort, at the Red Bull Ring and in Hockenheim retain the tried-and-tested format of two races lasting 60 minutes plus one lap.

Prize purse and the “Road to DTM”

The new season will again see the drivers and teams benefit from an attractive prize purse totalling € 570,000 in financial and non-cash prizes, which is split among the successful protagonists. The “Road to DTM” promotion concept for talented young drivers also remains part of the ADAC GT Masters. The top youngster under the age of 25 years and with a Silver classification will be rewarded with the entry fee for the 2026 DTM season.

Razoon – more than racing is one of two Porsche teams © Photo: ADAC

Focus on sustainability

Pirelli has developed the new and sustainable P Zero DHG slick for this season. The new tyre will also be used in the ADAC GT Masters and has a natural rubber component. It is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which means that the rubber is grown on plantations that observe biodiversity and are beneficial for the people who live and work in the plantation areas. Another important sustainability component will be used from 2025: climate-friendly fuel. The “DTM Pro Climate” synthetic fuel is 100% sustainable and helps to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.

A total of three new BMW M4 GT3 Evo will race in this season’s ADAC GT Masters © Photo: ADAC

Starter list for the 2025 ADAC GT Masters:

#1 Finn Wiebelhaus (Offenbach)/Salman Owega (Cologne) - Haupt Racing Team - Ford Mustang GT3 #2 Dennis Fetzer (Gießen)/Jonathan Cecotto (VEN) - Haupt Racing Team - Ford Mustang GT3 #3 Max Reis (Ramstein)/Niklas Kalus (Duisburg) - Haupt Racing Team - Ford Mustang GT3 #4 Alexander Schwarzer (D)/Alexander Fach (CHE) - Fach Auto Tech - Porsche 911 GT3 R #6 Szymon Ladniak (POL)/ Dante Rappange (NLD) - LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler by GRT - Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 #8 Jonas Karklys (LTU)/Emil Gjerdrum (NOR) - LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler by GRT - Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 #10 Eduardo Coseteng (PHL)/Julian Hanses (Hilden) - FK Performance Motorsport - BMW M4 GT3 Evo #11 Tim Zimmermann (Lochau)/Leyton Fourie (ZFA) - FK Performance Motorsport - BMW M4 GT3 Evo #14 Leo Pichler (AUT)/Simon Birch (DEN) - Team Razoon – more than racing - Porsche 911 GT3 R #16 Nico Hantke (Hürth)/Denis Bulatov (Cologne) - Scherer Sport PHX - Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 #21 Jannes Fittje (Langenhain)/Moritz Wiskirchen (Euskirchen) - SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm - Mercedes-AMG GT3 #33 Finn Zulauf (Königstein)/Simon Connor Primm (Großschirma) - Paul Motorsport - Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 #56 Sandro Holzem (Polch)/Juliano Holzem (Polch) - Schubert Motorsport - BMW M4 GT3 Evo #68 Carrie Schreiner (Völklingen)/Alain Valente (CHE) - Land-Motorsport - Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2