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BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert travels to the final round of the ADAC GT Masters with two titles still up for grabs. Dominik Baumann (AT) is second in the Drivers’ Championship ahead of the final two races at the Hockenheimring (DE). However, he trails leaders Sebastian Asch (DE) and Luca Ludwig (DE) by 31 points with a maximum 50 points still available. The outlook is more positive in the Team competition, in which the team from Oschersleben (DE) is just 12 points off the lead. 

The team welcomes two new faces for the season finale. Baumann, at the wheel of the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI, will be supported by BMW DTM driver Bruno Spengler (CA), who takes the place of regular driver Jens Klingmann (DE). Klingmann, who has won four races alongside Baumann this year, is unable to line up at the finale, as it coincides with a works outing for BMW Motorsport at the final round of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) in Road Atlanta (US). However, he will have his fingers firmly crossed for his team-mates from across the pond. 

In the number 19 car, regular driver Claudia Hürtgen (DE) will be joined by Niklas Mackschin (DE), who is making his ADAC GT Masters debut. Mackschin, who turns 21 on Friday, arrives from the European Touring Car Cup (ETCC), in which he leads the overall standings in the Super 1600 class after nine wins from ten races. He has been involved in testing the BMW Z4 GT3 for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert in the past and will stand in for Uwe Alzen (DE) in Hockenheim. After six race weekends together with Claudia Hürtgen, Alzen’s VLN commitments mean he is unable to start the final two races of the year. 

The races begin at the usual time of 13:15 on Saturday and Sunday and will be broadcast live by Sport1. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “Our approach in Hockenheim will be to attack. We still have a chance of winning the titles in the Drivers’ and Team competitions, and will do our best to do so. We have nothing to lose, even though the extra 30 kilograms for Saturday’s race will obviously make the task even more difficult. It is a shame that Jens Klingmann and Uwe Alzen cannot be there for the finale. We are grateful to them for the outstanding job they have done for us this year, and have our fingers crossed for them in their races. In Bruno Spengler, BMW have given us a top-class replacement for Jens as Dominik’s partner. And the start for Niklas Mackschin, who comes from near Hannover, is a test for the future. We have been in contact with him for a long time, and he was very quick to adapt to the BMW Z4 GT3 during testing.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “I always look forward to coming to Hockenheim, and am a bit sad that the season will soon be over again. We will do everything in our power to win the Team Championship at the weekend. We have come close on two occasions, but missed out in the final race both times. I hope we can do it this time, especially as it is a great way to thank the team for the great commitment it has shown. I don’t know my new team-mate yet, but am looking forward to getting to know him. And who knows, maybe he will give himself the best possible birthday present this weekend.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “I am really looking forward to driving alongside Bruno Spengler this weekend. He is certainly a good replacement for Jens. The two of us have shared an almost telepathic understanding this season. However, we have known about his commitment in America for a long time. We have absolutely no need to worry about performance this weekend. Bruno knows the BMW Z4 GT3 from the 24-hour race in Spa, and maybe he can even find a few ways to improve our car. He is used to driving faster cars, so should have no trouble adapting to the ADAC GT Masters. As far as the championship is concerned, I will just see what happens. We cannot force anything, but simply have to hope our rivals slip up. However, anything can happen at a finale like this.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert claimed win number four of the season at the penultimate race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters in Zandvoort (NL). In doing so, it kept its hopes of winning the title in the Drivers’ and Team competitions alive. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) were initially only the second car across the finish line in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI on Sunday, having finished tenth in Saturday’s race. However, a 30-second penalty handed to the only car in front of them, that of Jaap van Lagen (NL)/Tomas Enge (CZ), gave the team from Oschersleben (DE) every cause for celebration. 

Following their fourth appearance on the top step of the podium, Baumann/Klingmann go into the season finale in Hockenheim (DE) on 3rd and 4th October trailing overall leaders Sebastian Asch (DE)/Luca Ludwig (DE), who won on Saturday, by 31 points. 50 points are up for grabs in the final two races of the season. In the Team competition, BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert is twelve points off the lead. 

After losing several positions late on in Saturday’s race due to tyre issues, and eventually having to settle for just one point for tenth place, Baumann/Klingmann fared considerably better from pole position on Sunday. They led the field from the start, until Klingmann was unable to fend off the attacks of ex-Formula One driver Tomas Enge on the penultimate lap. However, an infringement of the rules during the re-start after a safety car phase saw Enge penalised and Baumann/Klingmann promoted to first place after the race. 

Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) endured a disappointing weekend in the number 19 car. On Saturday, Alzen was forced into a spin in the second half of the race, leaving them to trail home in 13th place. On Sunday, Alzen was the innocent victim of a collision between two other cars on the opening lap. The result was a broken suspension on his BMW Z4 GT3 and a disappointing retirement. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “The stewards’ decision was a nice way to end the weekend for us. We would obviously have preferred to win out on the track, but we are obviously happy to take the extra seven points with us. Our championship hopes are still alive, including in the Team competition. We will try to defend second place and put pressure on those ahead of us. It was a weekend to forget for Claudia and Uwe. Uwe was forced off twice, which is very disappointing.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “The kind of driving we have seen here is unacceptable. I am not usually one to complain, but this is the fourth time we have been forced off. At some point, however, you have to say ‘that is enough’. Everyone here puts a huge amount of work into what we do here. These people need to be made to answer for their actions in the race office. A race like this lasts an hour with a pit stop, driver changeover and possibly safety cars – you need to show a bit of patience in this situation.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “We are obviously delighted to be awarded the win after the race. The fact that we lost the lead so quickly towards the end of the race once again reflects the problems we struggled with on Saturday. Despite this, it is still all to play for in the championship. Asch and Ludwig had similar problems today to the ones we had yesterday, and things did not run smoothly here for Klaus Bachler either.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert claimed its third one-two in the history of the ADAC GT Masters. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI came home ahead of team-mates Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) in the number 19 car to claim victory in Saturday’s race at the sixth of eight race weekends. The team had previously finished first and second at the Sachsenring in 2013 and the Slovakiaring in 2014. 

Claudia Hürtgen achieved a first in the ADAC GT Masters in the morning, when she became the first woman in the history of the series to secure pole position. Dominik Baumann qualified third. After Baumann immediately moved into second place behind Hürtgen at the start, the team from Oschersleben’s two cars controlled proceedings at the front of the field. They were helped by a safety car period during the pit stop window. At the start of the final lap, Jens Klingmann overtook team-mate Uwe Alzen to claim a third win of the season for him and Baumann, and their seventh success in the GT Masters. 

Having climbed temporarily into second place in the overall standings courtesy of victory on Saturday, Baumann/Klingmann had to settle for 13th place in qualifying for race two, which was held on the Sunday of the race for the first time. The second Schubert car started one place back in 14th. In the race, Baumann/Klingmann were able to climb into eighth place thanks to a good pit strategy, for which they were rewarded with four points. They did drop back to third place in the standings with 130 points, but are now only eight points behind second-placed Klaus Bachler, having trailed by 20 points coming into the weekend. Baumann/Klingmann cut the gap to leaders Sebastian Asch/Luca Ludwig from 50 to 31 points, thus keeping alive their hopes of winning the title with two race weekends remaining in Zandvoort (NL, 18th – 20th September) and Hockenheim (DE, 2nd – 4th October). Claudia Hürtgen is fifth overall with 91 points. Uwe Alzen is eighth with 73 points. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “It was a perfect weekend with one slight downer. After the very good performance on Saturday, we expected more from race two. However, we were at least able to limit the damage with eighth place for Dominik Baumann and Jens Klingmann. We will now go all out on the attack up to the final race in Hockenheim as we set our sights on the title. Saturday saw a superb effort from Claudia Hürtgen and Uwe Alzen, and it is always a very special experience for a team to claim a one-two. Thank you very much to our mechanics, who put Claudia and Uwe’s car back together after the crash at the Nürburgring. The drivers paid them back.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “Pole was very important for me, as I have often come very close but missed out by a few hundredths or thousandths of a second. Everything fell into place on that lap, and the difficult conditions definitely helped. Pole was also a nice present for our mechanics, who put our car back together. I had a good start to the race and extended my lead. Unfortunately, however, the safety car then made an appearance. In the end, we came away with a one-two for the team. We can be very happy with that.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “Dominik laid the foundations on Saturday with a good qualifying, and also in the first stint in the race. I was a bit confused immediately after the driver changeover, as I did not initially know where the safety car was and did not have any radio. Then I saw Uwe Alzen and the safety car in front of me. I had the same speed as Uwe, but at the end he played ball and allowed us to score maximum points towards the championship. We were extremely happy with the result. On Sunday, we were actually just as quick in qualifying as we were on Saturday – only all the others were unfortunately quicker. We were a bit puzzled by that. We got the most possible out of the race, so we are still right in the race for the championship. Zandvoort should suit us, and we must attack again there.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert left the Nürburgring (DE) with a fourth and a sixth place to their name at the end of an eventful fifth race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters. In typically rainy Eifel weather, the ADAC GT Masters returned from its summer break with two spectacular races, packed with incidents, from which the Oschersleben (DE) team was not spared. 

On Saturday, while on course for a podium finish, both BMW Z4 GT3s were hampered by spins caused through no fault of their own. Both incidents involved collisions with the Audi team that went on to finish in second place. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) in the number 19 car eventually had to settle for sixth place. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE), in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI, were awarded a 30-second time penalty after the race for overtaking during a safety car period which dropped them back to twelfth place. 

Baumann and Klingmann did at least finish the weekend with a fourth place in Sunday’s race. In doing so, they took their points tally to 101 and reduced the gap slightly to the leaders to 50 points. The race came to a premature end on lap two for Alzen and Hürtgen, when Alzen was unable to prevent a front-end crash. The car suffered serious damage, but Alzen was unhurt. The next race weekend takes place from 28th to 30th August at the Sachsenring (DE). 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We certainly went into this weekend with higher expectations, and were hoping for more than a fourth place. However, after being unlucky in an extremely tight qualifying, in which a few thousandths of a second cost us several places, we ultimately lost fewer points than we initially feared. We now have a lot of work ahead of us to repair the car in time for the Sachsenring following Uwe Alzen’s crash. He could do absolutely nothing about the crash. That kind of thing can happen in those weather conditions when you start from so far back in the field.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “I had no chance of avoiding the crash. You only see a spinning car at the last moment and, in these conditions, you cannot afford to swerve too much. It was a big shunt, and the car is pretty badly damaged. The retirement was a real shame, as we had a good set-up for these conditions. We were definitely set for a good result. I must forget about the incidents on Saturday and move on.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “It was depressing that the race organisers did not take any action on Saturday. We would have classed the collisions as avoidable, at least. It is hard to take when you then see that same car finish on the podium. On Sunday we had a bit of fire in our belly. I would obviously have preferred to finish third, but unfortunately I made a slight mistake. After that, I just wanted to get the car safely to the finish. We even managed to make up a little ground in the overall standings, and we still have six races to go.”

Schubert Motorsport successfully returned to the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The team from Oschersleben (DE) used the ADAC GT Masters summer break as an opportunity to take part in the fifth round of the VLN Endurance Championship today. Alternating at the wheel of the black number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 were Dominik Baumann (AT), Max Sandritter (DE) and Anders Buchardt (NO). After four hours of racing and 27 laps they crossed the finish line second in the SP9 class. In the overall result, Baumann, Sandritter and Buchardt just narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. The overall win went to the number 777 Ford GT, while the Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 won the SP9 class. 

Schubert Motorsport spent two days at the Nürburging. On Friday the team tested on the Grand Prix circuit, and on Saturday it successfully took part in the VLN race. The two days served as preparation for the next two ADAC GT Masters races, which will be held at the Nürburgring on 15th and 16th August. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We had a successful return to the Nordschleife. P4 overall and P2 in the class is a great result. All three drivers put in impressive performances. Dominik did two brilliant stints and Max and Anders were also really strong. Despite the fact that they have not raced the BMW Z4 GT3 very often this season, they drove very well. In addition, we managed to stay out of trouble in a race with numerous incidents. Of course, we would have liked to finish third overall on the podium, but we are happy with this success. The test on Friday also went well. At the Lausitzring we had found a good base set-up for the ADAC GT Masters races at the Nürburgring, and we were able to confirm this was the case at this test. Regarding the set-up, we are well prepared, we have a good feeling and are looking forward to returning to the Nürburgring in two weeks’ time.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 #20): “It was good to test here on Friday and to compete in the VLN race on Saturday. I did the first and the final stints. In the early stages it went very well, and I felt extremely comfortable in the car. The final stint, however, was pretty difficult, as there were numerous accidents and a lot of periods under yellows, with some of them very long. That meant it was anything but easy to keep the rhythm, but I succeeded in doing so pretty well. We certainly had hoped to improve by another position and finish on the podium, but overall we can be more than happy.”

It was the hottest race weekend in the history of the ADAC GT Masters – and a very successful one for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert: in temperatures of more than 38 degrees, Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) won the seventh race of the year in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI, becoming the first pair of drivers to claim their second win of the year. The key to success were the team’s perfect pit-stop strategy, opting to come in and switch drivers as soon as the pit-stop window opened. The result of this masterstroke was that the duo climbed from fourth to first. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) finished third in the number 19 car to complete an excellent team result on Saturday. 

It actually looked until the team from Oschersleben was set for a one-two until the final corner of the race, when Alzen eventually surrendered second place to Denmark’s Andreas Simonsen after a long battle in the final corner. However, that did not stop Alzen congratulating his rival for the spectacular overtaking manoeuvre he pulled off in the final seconds. The race was suspended just 12 minutes in for 53 minutes due to oil on the track, before restarting for a further 40 minutes. 

Baumann/Klingmann were knocking on the door of the podium again in Sunday’s eighth race of the season. With two minutes of the race remaining, Baumann overtook his compatriot Martin Ragginger (AT) to move into third. However, he was then forced to give the position back, as there had been contact during the overtaking manoeuvre. Baumann was unable to take third place from Ragginger again, and eventually had to settle for fourth. At the halfway point of the season, Baumann and Klingmann are currently third overall with 88 points, 58 points behind leaders Luca Ludwig (DE)/Sebastian Asch (DE). Hürtgen, who finished eighth with Alzen on Sunday, is sixth on 65 points. Alzen is now in eleventh place. The next race weekend takes place at the Nürburgring from 14th to 16th August. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “Although we would obviously have liked a one-two on Saturday, first and third from fourth and fifth on the grid is a great result. Uwe Alzen’s battle in the final corner was a great advertisement for GT racing, where the drivers battle hard but fairly with each other. The key to success was the early pit stops, after which we had a clear track. It was a shame that Dominik Baumann had to give back third place on Sunday. The penalty was perhaps a bit harsh. All in all, we continued our upwards trend.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “The early stop was the key to the win on Saturday. My engineer had told me beforehand to push really hard in the first two or three laps, which meant we came out in front of our rivals. I was happy to have a bit of a lead, as the car was tricky to drive at the end. It is a shame that Dominik had to give back the place on Sunday. I thought the manoeuvre was okay, actually. However, we scored plenty of points for fourth place too. After two wins on the last two weekends, we go into the summer break on a high and can, to a certain degree, forget the difficult start to the season.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “I was happier with a place on the podium than I was sad about missing out on second place. That was a great manoeuvre by Andreas Simonsen. I would have done exactly the same thing. The fact that I ultimately lost out is down to me, but that is exactly the kind of manoeuvre people want to see. Despite this, I was happy to get my first podium finish in my third race in the ADAC GT Masters. We are heading in the right direction. Sunday showed that, when we had good pace and I set the second fastest lap of the race.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert finally had a breakthrough at the third race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters in Spa-Francorchamps (BE). After a mediocre start to the season, Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI celebrated the first win of the year for the team from Oschersleben. In the rainy second race on Sunday the duo finished in fifth place, ahead of the number 19 sister driven by Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE), who finished in sixth on Saturday. This sees Spa continue to be good ground for the team, after the previous guest appearance on the roller coaster in the Belgian Ardennes two years ago, when Hürtgen and Baumann celebrated a race victory. 

Jens Klingmann initially fell back into fourth place from second at the start on Saturday, but then fought his way to the top with strong overtaking manoeuvres in just two laps. There he drove the car into a comfortable lead of 8.8 seconds, and then Dominik Baumann brought it home commandingly after the driver change, despite having minor tyre issues, thereby securing his fifth race victory in the ADAC GT Masters. In the overall standings, the duo moved up from 13th to fifth place in Spa, and with 51 points are even on equal footing with fourth-placed Tomas Enge (CZ). Claudia Hürtgen is in eighth with 46 points. 

Timo Frings (team manager): "The first win is a relief for everyone in the team, and confirmation of our efforts. Jens Klingmann and Dominik Baumann were very unlucky in the first four races of the season. However, I knew they were capable of being up there at the front. We are now extremely competitive in the dry again. But in heavy rain, like on Sunday, we still have some issues. However, we consistently picked up points this weekend. Three top five positions are very respectable. Spa really is good ground for us." 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): "Overall, this weekend was a step in the right direction for us, particularly with regard to the performance in qualifying. We can build on that. However, I didn't really enjoy the race on Sunday. The weather put a spanner in the works, since unfortunately we were too weak in the rain." 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): "The first laps on Saturday were a lot of fun. The duels were hard but fair and the overtaking manoeuvres were fantastic. In GT racing you are allowed to make contact at times. The weekend was a real step forward, which saw us offload our baggage from the previous races. We're now better in the dry, but the position on Sunday in the rain doesn't reflect our performance. But we made the best of it."

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert experienced a difficult weekend in the ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) in the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3 limited the damage by finishing in eighth and ninth places. 

Dominik Baumann (AT) on the other hand experienced a disappointing home event. In the first race on Saturday, he didn't even get to take the wheel because his partner Jens Klingmann (DE) was forced to retire the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI after 12 laps due to problems with the brakes. On Sunday, the race came to an end for Baumann, who started from eighth place, after a collision at the first corner through no fault of his own. 

Ahead of the third race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters from 19th to 21st June in Spa-Francorchamps, this week sees testing on the traditional Belgian race track. The team hopes to find solutions to its obvious disadvantage in top speed compared with some of their rivals. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): "At best, ten points for Claudia Hürtgen this weekend was damage limitation. Everyone can see where we stand at the moment. We just can't get near the front in qualifying. Our race pace is quite good, but it's difficult overtaking in our car at the moment. Before Spa, we will test again and hope we will be able to make some improvements." 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 No 19): "In my opinion, the balance of performance isn't right at all. In normal circumstances we can't get into the top three on the starting grid because we don't have enough top speed. It's a bad feeling when the other cars easily overtake you on the straights." 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI No 80): "We knew that it was going to be a difficult weekend. But we had no idea that it would be that bad. When you only finish in 11th and eighth in qualifying, you are in the middle of the pack. That's where these types of crashes can happen, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would like to drive a race to the end, but at the moment it is difficult for the whole team. I hope that we now have our two worst tracks behind us."

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert put in a strong performance with its two BMW Z4 GT3s at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) – but was denied any rewards. The endurance classic saw an early end for both cars during the night. 

Martin Tomczyk (DE), who shared the cockpit of the HUAWEI sponsored number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 with Jens Klingmann (DE), Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE), took the lead right at the start and was in front during the opening laps. After one and a half hours, BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert had its first setback. With the onset of rain, the track became more and more slippery, and in these difficult conditions Hürtgen had a crash which resulted in heavy damage to the BMW Z4 GT3. The number 20 returned to the track after a long stop for repairs, but during the night the team decided to finally withdraw the car from the race.

The number 19 sister car, sponsored by KÄRCHER, suffered a similar fate after seven hours of racing. The quartet of Dirk Werner (DE), Dirk Müller (DE), Alexander Sims (GB) and Marco Wittmann (DE) had climbed up to second position in the early part of the night. But they also experienced some bad luck: Shortly after 11 pm it again started to rain heavily. Werner, who was running on slicks, spun on the slippery track and hit the barrier. He was able to drive the BMW Z4 GT3 back to the garage, but the car was too badly damaged and could not re-join the race. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “Unfortunately this time our hopes have been thwarted by two accidents. This can happen in these tricky conditions, as we have seen over the course of the race that also several other cars from the leading group have crashed out. This track is extremely difficult, and if you have the wrong tyres at the wrong point in time you always have the risk of an accident. It is really difficult to judge the conditions. It was a pity that we were no longer able to demonstrate the potential of our BMW Z4 GT3s.” 

Dirk Werner (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, retired): “It was raining heavily on my lap, with it starting from the Bergwerk section. There had already been a lot of accidents out on track. I was running on slicks and when I entered the Döttinger Höhe I suddenly lost the rear. As a result I spun and slid into the barrier. I still managed to bring the car back to the garage, and the team put all its efforts into repairing the BMW Z4 GT3. However, this was not possible. It is a real shame and I am obviously very disappointed.” 

Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, retired): “What can you say? For sure, it is really a pity that we had to retire, but everyone could see how difficult the conditions were out there. I had just changed and was on my way to the garage to take over the driving duties when Dirk had the accident. It was just a lot of bad luck. We win together and we lose together. Now we keep our fingers crossed for our colleagues in the other BMW Z4 GT3s.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, retired): “I jumped over a crest in Pflanzgarten. The spot I landed in was every wet and I lost the rear. I didn’t have a chance. I tried to slam on the brakes, but the car spun 360 degrees and I hit the crash barrier with the front right of the car. There was no warning that it would be so wet at this point on the circuit.” 

Martin Tomczyk (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, retired): “It was great to have the lead right from the first corner, and to keep all the others behind me for the entire first stint. That was a new experience for me, but a lot of fun! Unfortunately the end of our race soon followed. Having to give up such a race that early is a real shame for everybody in the team.“

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dirk Müller (DE) produced outstanding performances in the Top-30 Qualifying session ahead of the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE). Klingmann clocked a fastest time of 8:18.814 minutes in the HUAWEI-sponsored number 20 BMW Z4 GT3. He and his three team-mates Dominik Baumann (AT), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) will start the race from third on the grid when it gets underway at 16:00 on Saturday. Dirk Müller (DE), at the wheel of the KÄRCHER-sponsored number 19 car, was just a few hundredths of a second slower than Klingmann. He and team-mates Alexander Sims (GB), Dirk Werner (DE) and Marco Wittmann (DE) also start from the second row of the grid in fourth place. 

Pole position at the 43rd staging of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring also went to a BMW Z4 GT3. Augusto Farfus (BR) set the fastest time of 8:17.394 minutes. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “We are very happy with the qualifying result. It is particularly important for us to start from the front and not have to work our way through all the traffic. Our cars may now be able to take advantage of a clear track on the opening laps. We are looking forward to what will hopefully also be a successful race.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, 3rd): “Augusto showed today that he is one of the fastest drivers on the Nordschleife. Congratulations to him on the pole position. I am also very happy to have been able to convert the speed of the car into a very good starting position in the Top-30 Qualifying. That is a very good starting position for the car, because you are able to keep out of the close battles in the middle of the pack in the first few corners. Despite this, a 24-hour race is obviously very long – and we have not won anything yet.” 

Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, 4th): “I am very happy. Fourth place on the grid is a fantastic result. To have two completely clear laps of the Nordschleife – that only happens very rarely. Therefore, I really enjoyed qualifying in the BMW Z4 GT3. I would like to thank the team for providing me with a perfect car. Four BMWs in the top six: that is a great basis for tomorrow’s race.”

The first two races of the 2015 ADAC GT Masters are over: Schubert Motorsport started the season with two top-five finishes at its home round at Oschersleben (DE). The “Motorsport Arena Oschersleben” is literally the home of Torsten Schubert’s squad, with the team’s headquarters located only a few hundred metres away from the race track. 

In race one on Saturday, the two Schubert Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3s crossed the line in fifth and sixth. Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) finished fifth in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI. They were followed across the line by Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Jesse Krohn (FI), who came home sixth in the number 19 sister car. In the second race, held on Sunday, Hürtgen and Krohn put in a strong fight-back: coming from 13th on the grid, they worked their way through the field and eventually finished fifth, while Klingmann/Baumann were seventh. For Krohn, Oschersleben was a one-off guest appearance in the ADAC GT Masters: the 2014 BMW Motorsport Junior stood in for regular driver Uwe Alzen (DE). Alzen will share the car with Hürtgen from the second race-weekend on, which will be held at the Red Bull Ring (AT) from 5th to 7th June. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager):
“It was great to finally start the season after the intensive preparations for it. We have not been entirely satisfied with the ‘balance of performance’, but we made the best of the situation. Our drivers and the team did a superb job, so we succeeded in collecting some important points despite this disadvantage. We are satisfied with P6 and P5 for our number 19 BMW Z4 GT3. Claudia and our guest-starter Jesse put in a strong performance and got the maximum out of it. On this occasion, I also want to thank Jesse for his commitment. For Jens and Dominik much more would have been on the cards, especially on Sunday, but the two were, in our opinion, deprived of their well-deserved rewards by an inexplicable five-second penalty. That was a pity, as they would have achieved a top result otherwise. However, our overall summary of the weekend is a very positive one. We have seen that with our drivers and our team we are in a very good position and are confident for the season. But for now, we are looking forward to our next important event: the 24-hour race at Nürburgring in the middle of May, which we will tackle with our two BMW Z4 GT3s.” 

Jesse Krohn (BMW Z4 GT3 Number 19):
“First of all, a big ‘thank you‘ goes to Schubert Motorsport for giving me the opportunity to drive here. I enjoyed it very much and learnt a lot. We progressed constantly over the weekend and it was a great reward to fight our way up to fifth in race two from 13th on the grid. Overall, it was a good weekend and I was extremely impressed by Claudia. She is very professional and the best team-mate you could wish for.”

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI Number 80):
“Our target for Oschersleben was to start the season with a decent amount of points as at the season opener, due to its characteristics, this track suits us less than other circuits. We have succeeded in this. As a team, we had prepared well for the season, and also qualifying went well with us claiming third and seventh on the grid. We were satisfied with race one, too. We made no mistakes and stayed out of trouble. Also race two started brilliantly, and I was able to improve by several positions. We then, however, had a set back due to a five-second penalty, which we had to sit out during the pit stop. The race organisers believed I was too tough when I had to defend my position against another competitor in turns one and two. I personally considered the penalty was not justified, as we hardly touched. But, of course, I accepted the penalty. Due to it, we briefly dropped back to 12th, but in the end we still finished seventh and collected some points with that result. Overall, I am happy with the weekend and now I am looking forward to the Red Bull Ring. There we will attack again.”