News

Schubert Motorsport defied some nasty weather conditions in Zandvoort (NL) to score points in both races on the sixth, and penultimate, race weekend in the ADAC GT Masters. The team from Oschersleben (DE) competed in Zandvoort with two BMW M6 GT3s: in addition to Jesse Krohn and Louis Delétraz in the number 20 car, Claudia Hürtgen and Jeroen den Boer took part in the number 19 BMW M6 GT3. Krohn/Delétraz finished the two races in ninth and eighth respectively. Hürtgen/den Boer crossed the line in 21st, and then in ninth, as well as recording a third-place finish and a victory in the Trophy standings. 

On Saturday, the weather around the circuit in the dunes was pleasant and sunny. Krohn qualified in seventh with the number 20 BMW M6 GT3. Den Boer also drove the number 19 car to 19th place in qualifying. Krohn and Delétraz finished ninth in the race, which was interrupted twice for safety car phases after accidents. Den Boer and Hürtgen had to make two extra stops due to tyre problems. They crossed the line in 21st place. 

However, the weather altered radically overnight: pouring rain on Sunday ensured that conditions would be tricky. The wet qualifying session in the morning ended with Delétraz in 14th. The Swiss driver had to contend with heavy traffic, as the whole field attempted to use a short period of light rain to record a good lap time. Hürtgen qualified in 19th. The weather improved again after that, and the race started in sunny and dry conditions. However, a short but heavy shower appeared after a quarter of an hour. Some drivers chose to make an extra stop to put on wet weather tyres, but the BMW M6 GT3s both decided to stay out. Delétraz and Hürtgen completed their stints on slick tyres, in the most challenging conditions. Once things had calmed down after the mandatory pit stops, Krohn was in eighth and den Boer was in 11th. The track continued to dry out as the race progressed and after an hour the BMW M6 GT3s crossed the line in eighth and ninth. 

The season finale for the ADAC GT Masters takes place from 30th September to 2nd October at the Hockenheimring (DE). 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “We should be happy with the result, as Zandvoort is not an ideal circuit for us. That is why it was even more important to compete and stay in the top ten. The rain on Sunday turned the race into a lottery. It was difficult to make the right decision. Maybe we could have made another stop and switched to wet weather tyres - that might have helped us move up through the field. But all in all, we had some positive results. I was also pleased that Jeroen and Claudia were able to move up to ninth on Sunday. That was really good, as they have not been in the car for a while.” 

Louis Delétraz: “It was a good weekend. We did the maximum we could. Performance wise we continue to improve with every weekend. It was the first round of the season that we finished within the points in both races. Sunday’s race was a bit chaotic. I started on slicks, as it was sunny, but suddenly a big storm with heavy rain came. We decided to stay out. It was pretty tricky to drive with slicks on the wet, but we survived and I was able to hand the car over to Jesse in a good position. He then brought it home in eighth after we had finished ninth on Saturday, so overall we can be pretty happy with the weekend.”

Claudia Hürtgen: On Sunday it was not easy to drive in the rain on slicks. The conditions were difficult, but we didn’t make any mistakes. We made a good pit stop too, and finished in ninth. We had some bad luck on Saturday with the tyre problems, and that was hard to take. But overall it was important to get plenty of kilometres under our belts in both races, which allowed us to gather more valuable information for Schubert Motorsport in changeable conditions. From that point of view, we should be happy with the weekend.”

Round five of the 2016 ADAC GT Masters took the Schubert Motorsport team to the Nürburgring (DE). Jesse Krohn and Louis Delétraz were once again at the wheel of the BMW M6 GT3. It proved to be an eventful weekend for the team from Oschersleben (DE). 

In Saturday’s opening race, a puncture caused start driver Krohn to come in for an unscheduled pit stop after 12 minutes. He rejoined the field in 27th. Krohn and Delétraz then launched an impressive fightback, which saw them climb back into 12th. However, Delétraz suffered another puncture in the closing stages and, after contact with another car, skidded off the track and was forced to retire. 

The BMW Motorsport Juniors produced another spirited fightback in Sunday’s race. Starting from 23rd, Delétraz immediately made up five positions at the start. Over the rest of the race, he and Krohn fought their way into 12th. Krohn had his sights set on a points finish, but was then forced off the track and was subsequently unable to gain any more positions. The duo ultimately came home 12th. 

The sixth race weekend of the 2016 ADAC GT Masters takes place in Zandvoort (NL) from 19th to 21st August. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “The two punctures on Saturday were unlucky, otherwise Jesse and Louis would have scored some good points. The grid position could have been better for Sunday’s race, but the two drivers produced another impressive fightback. Unfortunately, Jesse was forced off the track in the latter stages, otherwise we could have finished even higher up the field. All in all, we continued to work hard on the settings and are confident that we will be able to exhaust the potential of the new BMW M6 GT3 even better in the coming races.” 

Jesse Krohn: “It wasn’t the best weekend for us. On Saturday, we had nothing but bad luck. We had two punctures and at the end we had to retire. It was a really unlucky day but we came back on Sunday. Both the team and Louis did a really good job to bring the car in a good position to the pits and I was able gain more places.” 

Louis Delétraz: “I think we have been a bit unlucky this weekend. Performance wise we are getting better and better, both the car and us as drivers. In Saturday’s race, we had two punctures, but we were still running for the points until we unfortunately had to retire. In Sunday’s race, we got the maximum possible result. Without Jesse being pushed off track points would have been possible again. So we are getting there and will keep working hard.”

For the second time in the current ADAC GT Masters season, a BMW DTM driver will take the wheel of Schubert Motorsport's number 20 BMW M6 GT3. After Martin Tomczyk (DE) teamed up with Jesse Krohn (FI) at the season opener in Oschersleben (DE) and finished in fifth and eighth place, António Félix da Costa (PT) will compete alongside BMW Motorsport Junior Krohn at the Red Bull Ring (AT) this weekend. 

Félix da Costa is in his third DTM season in 2016 and celebrated his first win in the series in 2015. He also competes in the FIA Formula E Championship and has already made guest starts in the Brazilian Stock Cars. Now he is eager to prove his versatility as a racing driver in the BMW M6 GT3. 

The seventh and eighth races of the season get underway at 1:15 p.m. CET on Saturday and 12:15 p.m. CET on Sunday (both live on Sport1). 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): "It has been a very long break since the ADAC GT Masters races at the Lausitzring. Which means that we are looking forward to the races in Spielberg and the rest of the season even more than usual. We have used the past weeks to get to know the BMW M6 GT3 even better and hope to be able to convert this into good results at the Red Bull Ring. We are delighted that António Félix da Costa competing for us means that we will have a BMW DTM driver in the team for the second time this season. He has proved that he is an outstanding racing driver in the DTM and numerous other series. I have no doubt that he will enrich our team." 

António Félix da Costa: “I can hardly wait to finally go racing in this fantastic car. Over the course of my career, I have driven pretty much everything you can try out as a racing driver – but a GT car is something new for me. I am also looking forward to working with Jesse and the Schubert team. I don’t know the team yet, but I have actually raced against Jesse. This will be the first time I have shared a cockpit with him. I think I will have to adapt a bit and get used to the BMW M6 GT3 and the series. However, my outing in the ADAC GT Masters gives me the perfect opportunity to do just that.”

Just one week after the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE), Schubert Motorsport was back in action. The team from Oschersleben (DE) fielded two BMW M6 GT3s in the ADAC GT Masters for the first time this season in the Motorsport Festival at the Lausitzring (DE). 

As at the Sachsenring (DE), BMW Motorsport Juniors Jesse Krohn (FI) and Louis Delétraz (CH) shared the cockpit of the number 20 car. They started Saturday’s race from an outstanding third place on the grid. Krohn was initially able to maintain his position among the front-runners, before eventually dropping a few places. Delétraz attempted to make up ground again after the driver change. However, the BMW M6 GT3 was so badly damaged in a fierce battle that Delétraz was forced to bring his car back to the pit lane and retire. 

On Sunday, the two BMW Motorsport Juniors again battled hard to work their way through the field from 17th on the grid. They achieved this superbly thanks to a flawless performance and the fact that a number of opponents had problems. The pair came home sixth to score valuable points towards the overall standings.

Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Niklas Mackschin (DE) were making their debuts in the BMW M6 GT3 in the number 19 car. They retired after a collision early on in Saturday’s opening race. The duo fared better on Sunday, finishing 20th and gaining valuable experience in the new car. 

The ADAC GT Masters now takes a six-week summer break before the fourth race weekend at the Red Bull Ring (AT) from 22nd to 24th July. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “The weekend was not that easy for us, so we are very happy with the fightback on Sunday. It goes without saying that we benefitted a bit from the many skirmishes throughout the field. However, we were also rather unlucky with our second car. It had to stay in the garage for a relatively long time, which meant it was no longer able to really attack. In the end, we did a good job of making it through to the finish.” 

Louis Delétraz (number 20 BMW M6 GT3): “I had a fantastic opening lap on Sunday. I was able to stay clear of all the skirmishes and was always in the right place at the right time. I made up a lot of places that way. Jesse then did a great job in his stint and ensured that I picked up my first points in a GT race. I am delighted. Working with Jörg Müller helped me a lot. I am totally new to GT racing, and can benefit greatly from his experience.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (number 19 BMW M6 GT3): “That was my first race in the BMW M6 GT3. I had the opportunity to test the car at the start of the year. The weekend showed that we still have plenty of work ahead of us. We did improve a little from Saturday to Sunday, and made some important progress. However, we still have a few points we need to work on. They include qualifying in the top ten, otherwise you soon find yourself being swamped in the pack and hit from all sides.”

The second race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters season did not end with the desired success for Schubert Motorsport. At the Sachsenring (DE), where it celebrated a one-two result in the race on Saturday last year, the team from Oschersleben (DE) was unlucky this year. Initially, Jesse Krohn (FI) secured an outstanding fifth place in the BMW M6 GT3 in qualifying on Saturday. But due to a disqualification Krohn had to start the race from the back of the grid. Despite a strong, fighting performance, it was only enough for 22nd place. 

On Sunday, one day after contesting the first GT race of his career, Louis Delétraz (CH) took part in his first qualifying session in the ADAC GT Masters. He kept up well with the best GT racers in the starting field for a long time. But he got stuck in traffic in the final minutes of the session and was unable to improve his lap time. He ended up qualifying in 22nd on the grid. From this position, the two BMW Motorsport Juniors Krohn and Delétraz drove a strong race and were in 13th place, in part thanks to an outstanding pit stop from the Schubert team. Points were within reach. But then about 15 minutes before the end of the race, the bonnet that had suffered light damage earlier on came off and Krohn was forced to end the race early. 

The third race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters will be held at the Lausitzring from 3rd-5th June. The eagerly awaited joint event with the DTM will be held at the EuroSpeedway. Krohn and Delétraz will share the cockpit of the BMW M6 GT3 again there. 

Torsten Schubert (team boss Schubert Motorsport): "It wasn't the weekend we were hoping for. It was a shame we lost the fantastic fifth place on the grid that Jesse achieved, since starting from the back of the grid meant we had no chance of picking up any points. Louis drove very well in qualifying on Sunday, especially considering that he had to compete with the best GT drivers in the world on his debut. There wasn't a huge difference in time. He did a good job overall and improved from session to session. We would have been able to make it into the points with a bit of luck in the second race, but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be this time. Now we need to keep working hard to be able to be fighting at the front again at the Lausitzring." 

Jesse Krohn: "In this extremely strong championship it is crucial to be right near the front in qualifying. We didn't manage this for various reasons. So when you start from right at the back it is really difficult. Louis did a good job at his first GT race weekend. Naturally, he needs to get used to the new style of driving first, but he's making great progress with each lap that he completes. It's fun working with him." 

Louis Delétraz: "It was a very special weekend for me. How many people get the opportunity to contest their first GT race in a BMW M6 GT3? That makes me very proud. Unfortunately, we didn't get the good results we were hoping for, but I learnt a lot anyway, and really enjoyed the races. The dimensions and the weight of the BMW M6 GT3 in particular are completely new to me as a Formula driver. You only really notice it in the race when it gets close in the first turn and you have light collisions with one or two of your rivals. But no doubt I will get used to that quickly, and I hope to be able to finish further up the field at the Lausitzring. I'm already looking forward to it."

Schubert Motorsport finished the first two races of the ADAC GT Masters season on home soil in Oschersleben (DE) in P5 and P8. BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI) and BMW DTM driver Martin Tomczyk (DE) were able to score points in the first two races for the BMW M6 GT3 in this series. 

On Saturday Krohn secured P9 in qualifying. Thanks to a perfect race and a great pit stop by Team Schubert the car was able to finish fifth. Sunday’s race started after back luck for Tomczyk in qualifying. On a drying track he was third only a few minutes before the end of the session. Unfortunately he was not able to improve his lap time, as we was held up by another car. Nevertheless Tomczyk and Krohn drove a great race to catch up from 18th on the grid to finish eighth. Both drivers scored 14 points in the Drivers' standings. 

The second race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters season takes place from 29th April to 1st May at the Sachsenring (DE). This will be the first opportunity for the BMW Motorsport Juniors Krohn and Louis Delétraz (CH) to share the cockpit of the BMW M6 GT3. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal, Schubert Motorsport): “I'm very pleased with finishing eighth after starting from 18th on Sunday. I think we really got the best possible result after our bad luck in qualifying. My guys did a great pit stop, just like they did on Saturday, and this allowed us to make up a few positions. Overall, it's not a bad result to be fifth and eighth on the first race weekend with the BMW M6 GT3. We will carry on fine-tuning the vehicle, with the aim of having better finishes than this and winning races once again.” 

Jesse Krohn: “It was important to finish in the points twice on the first race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters season. On Sunday I was able to pull off good overtaking manoeuvres – that was a lot of fun! In general, we've still got to work on our pace, especially in qualifying. With a starting grid of this size, it's very difficult to do the perfect lap in qualifying. If we can do that then we can also make it back onto the podium. Driving with Martin Tomczyk was great for me. He has so much experience and I can really learn a lot from him.” 

Martin Tomczyk: “Overall, that was a good start for the BMW M6 GT3 in the ADAC GT Masters. It allowed us to gather some really useful race experience with the new car. Now the team can evaluate the data and come to some important conclusions. It was unfortunate that I had some bad luck in qualifying on Sunday, as a better result would otherwise have been possible. I also really enjoyed working with Jesse Krohn, as he is a really good driver. I can look back on this as a successful guest appearance in the ADAC GT Masters, a race series with a top-quality field.“

The 2016 season of the ADAC GT Masters sees Schubert Motorsport enter a BMW M6 GT3 with a very special driver line-up: The most successful BMW Motorsport Juniors of the past two years, Jesse Krohn (FI) and Louis Delétraz (CH), take the wheel of the car featuring a dedicated livery for the ADAC GT Masters season. 

Krohn, the “2014 BMW Motorsport Junior of the Year” will contest all of the ADAC GT Masters races in 2016. Last year he competed in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) in the BMW Z4 GTE, and celebrated class victory alongside his team-mates. Krohn also regularly competed at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) in the BMW Z4 GT3 in the second half of the VLN endurance championship season. He celebrated one victory and started from pole position at the finale. 

Krohn will receive support from his successor Delétraz, who was crowned best driver in the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme last year, at selected races in the ADAC GT Masters. After success in Formula racing, Delétraz completed his first 24-hour race for BMW Motorsport in Zolder (BE) in 2015, and gained experience in the BMW M235i Racing during the course of the year. He will take part in a total of four race weekends in the ADAC GT Masters. Both Juniors tested the BMW M6 GT3 for the first time together at the Lausitzring (DE) last Wednesday. 

Established BMW works drivers will support the BMW M6 GT3 Juniors' car at three race weekends in the ADAC GT Masters. Among them is Martin Tomczyk (DE), who will contest his 16th season in the DTM this year. He will compete alongside Krohn at the opening race in Oschersleben (DE). 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “The BMW Juniors have a long tradition. As such, it is great for us as a team to be entrusted with the continuation of this programme by BMW. After the successful 2015 season, in which we won the Team title and finished second and third in the Drivers’ Championship, we obviously want to back these results up in the ADAC GT Masters. We already know Jesse from last year, when he helped us out. I am pleased that we will be working with him again. Louis is one of the most talented youngsters in single-seater racing. I firmly believe he will adapt quickly to the GT3 car.” 

Jesse Krohn: “It is great that BMW Motorsport is offering me the opportunity to gain further experience in GT racing by competing in several series in 2016, and I am really looking forward to the season in the ADAC GT Masters. It is a very competitive championship and the races are always closely fought. It will be special to team up with Louis, as he is my successor as BMW Motorsport Junior of the Year. I have already raced the new BMW M6 GT3 in the US and have to say it is a very impressive race car. It is a fantastic car and I am convinced we will be competitive with it in the ADAC GT Masters from the word go. Schubert Motorsport is a very experienced team and knows the ADAC GT Masters very well. This makes me confident that we are well prepared for the season. We want to be involved in the fight for the top positions, and, from a personal point of view, I want to make the next major step in my development as a race driver this season.” 

Louis Déletraz: “I am already really looking forward to driving in the ADAC GT Masters with the BMW Motorsport Junior programme. It will be my first complete season of GT racing and in a GT3 car. I am excited, as it will all be new to me – not just the car, but also the format, with longer races than I am used to from single-seater racing. I am sure it will be a fantastic season, with the support of BMW Motorsport. I have already done some testing with the BMW M6 GT3. It is a fantastic racing car. The feeling in the cockpit is magnificent. The support of experienced BMW drivers is very important to me, as they can teach me a lot that will help me continue to develop. My priority for this season is to learn a lot. However, my goal is also to be quick and to achieve the best possible results together with my team-mates.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert has won the Team Championship in the ADAC GT Masters for the first time in the team’s history. After narrowly missing out on two titles, a fourth place and a third place for Dominik Baumann (AT) and BMW DTM driver Bruno Spengler (CA) on the final race weekend of the season at the Hockenheimring (DE) proved enough to catch and pass the Zakspeed team, who had come into the final weekend with a twelve-point lead. 

The Team title was consolation for the fact that Dominik Baumann was unable to reel in Sebastian Asch (DE) and Luca Ludwig (DE) in the Drivers’ Championship, despite fighting hard and producing a magnificent comeback on his birthday. In the end, the 23-year-old, who arrived at Hockenheim trailing the leaders by 31 points, came up just 13 points short with a season total of 186 points. Baumann’s regular partner Jens Klingmann (DE), whose outing for BMW Motorsport in the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) in Road Atlanta (US) meant he was unable to start in Hockenheim and was replaced by Spengler, ended the year in third place with 156 points. 

The weekend proved to be a miserable one for Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and debutant Niklas Mackschin (DE). In race one, Mackschin was forced to retire on lap one after a big crash, from which he fortunately emerged unhurt. The number 19 BMW Z4 GT3 was so badly damaged that it was unable to start on Sunday. 

Baumann had been able to call upon some top-class reinforcement in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI, in the form of BMW DTM driver Spengler. Baumann produced an impressive opening stint in Sunday’s final race to climb into fourth place and pull well clear of the rivals from Zakspeed. After the driver changeover, Spengler made up another position to earn a spot on the podium. 

Mere seconds separated horror, relief and new title aspirations in race one. Mackschin, who had turned 21 the previous day, was shunted by another car just metres into his debut and had no chance of regaining control of the car. He hit the crash barriers at speed before skidding back onto the track. There was huge relief among the team when Mackschin immediately climbed out of his BMW Z4 GT3, which was a total write-off. Just a few metres and a matter of seconds later, Baumann and the team’s chances of securing the title improved dramatically when overall leaders Asch/Ludwig collided with third-placed Klaus Bachler (AT). Both crashed out. Asch/Ludwig were subsequently relegated three places on the grid for race two. Baumann/Spengler finished fourth, meaning Baumann started the final race 19 points off the lead. In the Team competition, meanwhile, BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert pulled level on points with Zakspeed, but topped the overall standings due to a higher number of race wins. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “Winning the Team title is a great success for our team and a nice way to bid farewell to the BMW Z4 GT3. The fact that we came up just short of winning the Drivers’ Championship was not down to this weekend. We lost it at the start of the season. We scored heavily in the final races. We will now celebrate the team title and second and third place in the Drivers’ Championship for Dominik and Jens, who I am sure did not expect to end the season third. Bruno Spengler did a superb job. It was a great pleasure to work with him at a race for the first time.” 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “Today is tinged with a bit of disappointment that we were unable to pull off the impossible and still win the Drivers’ title, even though Bruno and Dominik did a mega job. However, I am sure we will all be pleased about our first Team title tomorrow – if not before. I would like to thank Torsten Schubert, who made this project possible, our drivers and, in particular, all our engineers and mechanics, who have done a very good job all year.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “The team thoroughly deserves this title, having missed out by a whisker twice in the past. It has been a season of highs and lows for me. Unfortunately the great weekend at the Sachsenring was followed by nothing but lows. The last two weekends were very disappointing. It is good that Niklas was not hurt in the crash. As soon as I saw his car flying through the air I left the garage immediately.” 

Niklas Mackschin (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “I obviously hoped my first race in the ADAC GT Masters would turn out differently and, above all, would be a bit longer. I actually made a good start and was well positioned until the impact from behind. After that, I had no chance to avoid the crash. I am very happy that I emerged from the car in one piece. Fortunately the car is built to be very safe. Thank you to the team, who made me very welcome. I felt right at home.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “For the team, the title is great confirmation that they have done a very good job all year. For a driver, the Drivers’ Championship is obviously the biggest goal. However, I remain realistic, as an awful lot more would have had to come together for me to emerge triumphant in that competition. Even if we had won the final race, it still would not have been enough. Congratulations to Sebastian and Luca, who were very impressive all season. Bruno Spengler once again added a few new ideas and fresh impetus. He was in very good form here, is ultra-professional and is a very nice guy.” 

Bruno Spengler (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “The Team title is the reward for the great work put in throughout an entire season. I would obviously have liked to help Dominik to the Drivers’ title. We tried everything, but in the end it was important to score points for the team. The guest appearance here in the ADAC GT Masters was very enjoyable. It is a great series with good drivers, and is very fiercely-competitive.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert is getting VIP support at the season finale of the ADAC GT Masters on 3rd and 4th October in Hockenheim (DE): BMW DTM driver Bruno Spengler (CA) will race alongside Dominik Baumann (AT) in the #80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI and support the Austrian as he battles for the drivers' title. Spengler is standing in for Jens Klingmann (DE), who will contest the season finale of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) in Road Atlanta (US) for BMW Motorsport the same weekend. Like in Daytona (US) and Sebring (US) at the start of the year, Klingmann will once again support his BMW colleagues in an endurance race in the BMW Z4 GTLM. 

Spengler, who won the drivers' title in the DTM with BMW in 2012, contested his first race in the BMW Z4 GT3 at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BE) this year, and delivered a strong performance alongside BMW DTM colleague Timo Glock (DE) and BMW brand ambassador Alessandro Zanardi (IT). A few weeks later, he visited BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert at the Nürburgring (DE) and had his first taste of the ADAC GT Masters. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “It is fantastic for us that Bruno Spengler, one of the most well-known and best BMW works drivers, will race for us at the season finale of the ADAC GT Masters in Hockenheim and stand in for Jens Klingmann. I have known Bruno for a long time and we have a great relationship. He has already shown impressively this year that he is also a very fast racing driver in the BMW Z4 GT3. BMW has given us an outstanding substitute for Jens.” 

Bruno Spengler: “When BMW Motorsport asked me if I would be able to stand in for Jens and drive the BMW Z4 GT3 at Hockenheim, I said yes straight away. I am really looking forward to working with BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert and Dominik Baumann. They are still fighting for the title in both the drivers' and the team standings. It goes without saying that I will do my best to support my team-mates. I have got to know the BMW Z4 GT3 quite well this season and the Hockenheimring is almost like my front room after all these years.”

The ADAC GT Masters is entering the business end of the season for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert. The seventh race weekend, and thus the penultimate act in the race for the title, will take place in Zandvoort (NL), on a track nestled in the dunes on the Dutch coast. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE), at the wheel of the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI, are hoping for good results to keep any chance of winning the championship alive for the team from Oschersleben (DE). 

In the Drivers’ Championship, Baumann and Klingmann have 130 points to their name and trail leaders Sebastian Asch/Luca Ludwig (both DE) by 31 points, second-placed Klaus Bachler (AT) by just eight points. In total, 100 points are still up for grabs in Zandvoort and at the season finale on 3rd and 4th October in Hockenheim (DE). The Team competition is even closer: BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert, for whom Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) will be hoping to contribute valuable points as well in the number 19 car, are just twelve points behind the leaders. 

To ensure they are ideally prepared for the demanding circuit on the North Sea coast, at which Claudia Hürtgen finished runner-up in 2012 and claimed a fourth and fifth place alongside Dominik Baumann last year, the team has been testing at the track. The results were not as positive as hoped, but did provide valuable base data and a basis, on which to improve. 

Saturday’s race gets underway at 13:30, with Sunday’s starting at the usual time of 13:15. Both races will be broadcast live by TV partner Sport1, who has extended its commitment to the ADAC GT Masters up to and including 2017. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “Given what we experienced during the test, this weekend could be a challenge for us. However, we can very much rely on the driver factor. Zandvoort is a driver’s track, and we have four drivers who are capable of making all the difference there. The title race is still open, and our goal is to reduce the gap to the leaders. The priority is to look after our own results, then we will see how the opposition has got on.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “Our test in Zandvoort was difficult and showed that the layout of the track does not seem to suit the BMW Z4 GT3 as much as expected. The circuit and its location on the coast are very nice, but the track is not the youngest. It is unbelievable how bumpy the surface has become. It desperately needs some new asphalt.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “The last race weekend at the Sachsenring was extremely good for us. We now want to continue in that vein in Zandvoort, with an eye on the championship. The circuit there is a good mixture of fast and slow corners. However, the weather often makes the conditions less than easy there. Rain can always be an issue.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert has its sights set on a return to the podium at the sixth race weekend of this year’s ADAC GT Masters, which would keep alive any hopes they still have of winning the title. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE), who are currently third in the overall standings, will need a better weekend at the wheel of the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI than they had recently at the Nürburgring, where they had to settle for one fourth place from two races. 

In their bid to catch the teams ahead of them, Baumann and Klingmann, who won for the team from Oschersleben at the Sachsenring in 2013, can count on the support of their team-mates Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE), who will be out to deny the opposition as many points as possible. The team’s mechanics have repaired the number 19 in time following Alzen’s big crash in the Eifel Mountains. 

A new challenge for all the starters at the weekend will be the trial run of a new qualifying format. The battle for grid positions for both races, which get underway at 13:15 on Saturday and Sunday and are broadcast live on Sport1, will this time take place on the morning of the respective race. From 08:00 on Saturday and Sunday, the drivers will have 25 minutes, in which to secure the best possible starting position. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “The Sachsenring is a circuit that quite suits our car. However, Audi is traditionally particularly strong there. We tested there at the start of the year and are optimistic going into both races. The circuit has a lot of blind corners, in which the drivers need to have a lot of faith in their car. The new qualifying format will be a challenge for everyone, and will take some getting used to. You need to get the set-up right nice and early, as you don’t have much time between qualifying and the race to make many changes. Also, you cannot afford to make any mistakes and damage the car in qualifying, as otherwise you could be cutting it a bit fine for the race. We have managed to put Claudia Hürtgen and Uwe Alzen’s car back together in time following the crash at the Nürburgring. Looking at the championship, we are just taking one race at a time. We will see where we end up in the table at the end.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “Uwe and I would obviously like to get a better result than at the Nürburgring, where race two came to a premature end for us. I am looking forward to the Sachsenring – as, I guess, are many drivers. The circuit is a bit like a ‘mini Nordschleife’. It is a superb natural racetrack, with many undulations, making it a real challenge for the drivers. I hope our car is fast enough to challenge for a place on the podium. However, the current Balance of Performance does not really work in our favour and will make it tricky for us. We are already getting everything possible out of our car. However, we will try to make the most of our package and want to support our team-mates in the race for the championship.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “I have very fond memories of the Sachsenring. I won here two years ago, when I made my ADAC GT Masters debut in place of the injured Jörg Müller. We actually set the existing qualifying record back then – and I am out to improve that this time round. You have to start from the front of the grid at the Sachsenring, as it is difficult to overtake there. It is a very technical circuit without many top-speed sections. The Sachsenring ought to suit our car. If it stays dry, I have a good feeling and expect a good result. Our goal for the weekend is to get at least two podium finishes.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert has its sights set on continuing its winning run when it returns from a five-week summer break in the ADAC GT Masters. After victories in Spa (BE) and at the Lausitzring (DE), the team from Oschersleben (DE) is now targeting more top results at the Nürburgring (DE). Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) are determined to continue their resurgence after two victories in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI propelled the pair to third place in the overall standings. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) in the number 19 car are hungry for more success after their first podium of the season at the Lausitzring. 

Three of the BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert drivers know what it takes to win in the ADAC GT Masters at the Nürburgring. Claudia Hürtgen and Dominik Baumann won a race together in the Eifel Mountains in 2013. Jens Klingmann climbed onto the top step of the podium in 2009, while the experienced Uwe Alzen has shown his class in many other races at the Nürburgring. The races will be held on the 3.629-kilometre Grand Prix Circuit with the F1 chicane. Saturday and Sunday’s races both begin at 13:15 and will be broadcast live on Sport1. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “The two wins on the last two race weekends have given us plenty of momentum as we head to the Nürburgring for the start of the second half of the season. We had a good test ahead of the recent VLN race, and gained valuable experience on the Grand Prix Circuit. Dominik Baumann and Uwe Alzen were in action in the BMW Z4 GT3 and contested the VLN race on the Nordschleife the following day. On the whole, we are very optimistic about the second half of the season. Given the gap to the top of the overall standings, only top results count for us if we want to have a say in the title race. We know it will not be easy, but we will do our best and hopefully pick up the odd win.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “There was no such thing as a summer break from the ADAC GT Masters for me, as I was in action and successful in the VLN. In the test ahead of that race, we tried out a few things with the BMW Z4 GT3. We will now have to see how that works on a race weekend, when we tackle the other chicane. I hope we have a bit of luck on our side, get the car set up quickly, and are in the right place at the right time.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “The test at the Nürburgring was good for us, as we detected and solved a minor electrical problem, which would otherwise have cost us a lot of time at the Nürburgring. We will have to wait until the weekend to see just how strong we are at the Nürburgring, but I am confident we will be up there with the front-runners again, having made great progress in the last two races. If it is dry and warm, there could be something in it for us. Qualifying will be important to us, as it will be difficult to overtake.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert is out to confirm its upwards trend on the fourth race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters. When the team from Oschersleben (DE) races at the Lausitzring (DE), it will have its sights set on following on from the success in Spa (BE), where Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) claimed the first win of the season for the team in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI. The duo is now looking to become the first pair of drivers to win two races this year. 

Last year, Baumann claimed victory at the Lausitzring with Claudia Hürtgen (DE), who is hoping to get back to winning ways with present partner Uwe Alzen (DE). The duo in the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3 is still waiting for its first podium of the year and, should everything come together, could become the seventh pair to claim a race win this season. As well as the extreme heat expected at the weekend, all the teams in the Lausitz region of Germany will also have to adapt from the longest circuit of the season in Spa, at a whopping seven kilometres, to the shortest track of the year (3.442 kilometres), which also features a particularly winding infield. The races on Saturday and Sunday both begin at 12:00 (CET) and will be broadcast live on Sport1. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We want to carry on at the Lausitzring where we left off in dry conditions on the Saturday in Spa. We still had a few problems in the rain, but the weekend in the Lausitz region looks like being a hot one. In the end, that could possibly be a problem for the tyres. All in all, the victory in Spa means we travel in good spirits to the Lausitzring, where Dominik Baumann and Claudia Hürtgen won last year.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “I hope everything will come together and we can finally lift the curse in Lausitz. Unfortunately, things have not yet played out as we imagined. However, it is all to play for again at the Lausitzring, and anything can happen there. However, the circuit does not really suit a flowing driving style and is not one of my favourites.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “Even after a win, you still start from scratch every weekend. Every circuit is different and you just have to do your job again. I am quite happy to cast my mind back to last year, when I claimed my first pole position and then won the race on Sunday. We are now hoping we might be able to find another tenth of a second or two.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert is looking forward to the third race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters with renewed confidence. The team from Oschersleben (DE) has fond memories of the iconic circuit at Spa-Franchorchamps (BE) in the Ardennes, Belgium. The last time the ADAC GT Masters visited this track two years ago, Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) were victorious. For Hürtgen, who this year shares the cockpit of the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3 with Uwe Alzen (DE), the races in Spa are a real home outing, as she was born just a few kilometres away in Aachen (DE). Baumann will drive the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI alongside Jens Klingmann (DE). 

The rollercoaster circuit in Spa suits the BMW Z4 GT3, particularly the legendary Eau Rouge corner and the flowing second section of the track. Furthermore, a new grading of the “Balance of Performance” (BoP), with 10 kg less, and an increase in the size of the restrictor from 70 to 80.6 mm should have a positive effect on the competitiveness of the car. The races on Saturday and Sunday both begin at 13:15 and will be broadcast live on Sport1. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We hope that the change to the BoP will allow us to take an important step back towards being competitive. Also, Spa is a track that has always suited the BMW Z4 GT3, as our win there two years ago showed. The long uphill straight is not ideal for us, but we believe we can perhaps open up a small gap before then in Eau Rouge. The rear part of the track, including Blanchimont, ought to suit us. The event in Spa is a home outing for Claudia Hürtgen, and that gives the entire team an extra boost of motivation.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “Spa is just 70 kilometres from Aachen. I always enjoy driving there and enjoy all the races, including our win there two years ago. I am really looking forward to this great racetrack. We could not have hoped for more than a few points from the Red Bull Ring. I hope we fare better again in Spa.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “Spa is one of the highlights of the season in the ADAC GT Masters. The circuit is like a little Nordschleife and by far the longest of the year. I have competed in the 24-hour race there twice recently, so I know the circuit well. Following the change to the BoP, our classification is a healthy one again. It gives us a real boost to be able to show what we are capable of again. The BMW successes here in the past are a positive sign of what is possible at this circuit, and maybe we can claim a spot on the podium again.”

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.”

ADAC GT Masters, 24h Nürburgring, 24h Dubai, VLN: Hinter dem Team Schubert liegt eine abwechslungs- und erfolgreiche Motorsport-Saison. Vor allem im ADAC GT Masters konnte das „PIXUM Team Schubert“ powered by Jochen Schweizer mit drei Siegen, neun Podestplätzen und dem dritten Platz in der Teamwertung die eigenen Erwartungen erfüllen. Bei den Langstreckenklassikern hatte Schubert Motorsport allerdings Pech.

Im Interview blickt Teammanager Stefan Wendl auf die Saison 2013 zurück und gibt einen ersten Vorgeschmack auf das Programm für das kommende Jahr.

Herr Wendl, wo würden Sie die Saison von Schubert Motorsport auf einer Skala von 1 (sehr schlecht) bis 10 (sehr gut) einordnen?
Stefan Wendl: „Ich würde ihr insgesamt eine 7 geben. Allerdings lässt sich die Saison 2013 aus unserer Sicht zweiteilen. Unser Jahr im ADAC GT Masters hat sicher eine 8 oder 9 verdient. Dort haben wir einen super Job gemacht und uns in unserer zweiten Saison sehr gut etabliert. Wir hatten zwei BMW Z4 GT3 am Start und konnten dank unserer starken Sponsoren viel mehr testen als im Vorjahr. Das hat uns in die Situation gebracht, dass wir bis zum letzten Rennen in der Teamwertung an der Spitze lagen. Leider hat es dann ganz knapp nicht zum Titelgewinn gereicht, aber im Nachhinein sind wir auch auf den dritten Platz stolz. Wir hatten eine sehr gute Saison, der leider das i-Tüpfelchen eines Titelgewinns gefehlt hat.“

Auf der Langstrecke lief es nicht ganz so gut…
Wendl: „Deshalb würde ich ihr auch nur eine 3 geben. Obwohl wir über das Jahr hinweg häufiger im ADAC GT Masters unterwegs waren, waren die 24 Stunden auf dem Nürburgring und in Dubai sehr wichtige Rennen für uns. Vor allem auf der Nordschleife zum zweiten Mal in Folge als von BMW werksunterstütztes Team an den Start gehen zu dürfen, war eine große Ehre für uns. Umso größer fiel unsere Enttäuschung darüber aus, dass wir es aufgrund eines Unfalls und technischer Probleme bei beiden Langstreckenrennen nicht geschafft haben, auf das Podium zu kommen. Eigentlich war es immer eine Stärke unseres Teams, geringe Ausfallquoten zu haben. Wir hoffen, 2014 wieder zu dieser alten Stärke zurückzufinden.“

Wie zufrieden sind Sie generell mit der Zusammenarbeit mit BMW Motorsport?
Wendl: „Wir arbeiten nun schon seit vielen Jahren sehr gut zusammen und sind stolz darauf, zum zweiten Mal in Folge Werksunterstützung bei den 24 Stunden auf dem Nürburgring bekommen zu haben. Wir haben gemeinsam hart gekämpft, hatten aber in dieser Saison leider nicht das nötige Quäntchen Glück. Die enge Partnerschaft mit BMW bedeutet uns sehr viel.“

Wie waren Sie mit Ihren Fahrern im ADAC GT Masters zufrieden?
Wendl: „Wir hatten zwei sehr positive Überraschungen im Team. Das waren unsere beiden Rookies Max Sandritter und Dominik Baumann. Dass Dominik stark sein würde, konnten wir nach seinem Gewinn des EM-Titels schon ein wenig erwarten. Dass er aber so stark sein würde, hat uns dann doch erstaunt. Die Leistung von Max, der als Nobody zu uns kam, muss man besonders hervorheben. Er ist von unseren erfahrenen Leuten im Team, vor allem auch von Claudia Hürtgen und Jörg Müller, Schritt für Schritt nach vorn gebracht worden und hat alles, was wir ihm beigebracht haben, glänzend umgesetzt. Das hat man dann auch an den Ergebnissen gesehen. Sein Sieg auf dem Sachsenring und die beiden weiteren Podiumsplätze hat er aus eigener Kraft herausgefahren. Ihm ist nichts geschenkt worden. Claudia hat gemeinsam mit Dominik ein sehr gutes Team gebildet und extrem viel für das Set-up des Fahrzeugs getan. Sie ist eine echte Konstante bei uns im Team. Jörg war leider durch seinen Unfall in Spa gehandicapt. Eine Zeit lang körperlich, aber später vor allem dadurch, dass ihm im Vergleich zu seinen Teamkollegen viele Testkilometer gefehlt haben. Er konnte sein Potenzial sicher nicht vollständig zeigen, hat sich aber mit seiner Erfahrung sehr gut ins Team eingebracht.“

Wie groß ist der Anteil des Teams am Erfolg während der Saison?
Wendl: „Unglaublich groß. Der Einsatz, die Moral – alles hat gestimmt. Wir haben kein einziges Rennen wegen eines Fehlers im Team verloren, obwohl wir gerade zu Saisonbeginn unglaublich hart gearbeitet haben. Die Jungs haben voll mitgezogen, und wir hatten immer eine gute Stimmung im Team. Dafür meinen herzlichen Dank!“

Wie sehen die Planungen für die Saison 2014 aus?
Wendl: „Unsere Pläne haben sich im Vergleich zur abgelaufenen Saison nicht verändert. Wir haben vor, wieder zwei BMW Z4 GT3 im ADAC GT Masters einzusetzen. Auch bei den 24 Stunden von Dubai werden wir wieder als Saudi Falcons Team Schubert mit zwei BMW Z4 GT3 starten. Mit dem BMW 320d möchten wir außerdem unseren Klassensieg aus dem Vorjahr verteidigen. Unser weiteres Rennprogramm werden wir bekanntgeben, wenn alle Details feststehen. Sicher ist aber schon jetzt: Wir freuen uns auf eine erneut spannende und hoffentlich erfolgreiche Saison 2014.“

While “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer still has a mathematical chance of winning the title going into the season finale of the ADAC GT Masters at Hockenheim (DE), the team from Oschersleben (DE) is not master of its own sporting destiny in either the drivers' standings or the team standings. 

In the drivers' standings Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) are in third place, 46 points off the top. To win the title, they would need to win both races and hope that their rivals don't finish. In the team standings “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer is in second place, 18 points behind the leading Audi team. 

Given the situation in the championship, the drivers and team management are focusing on finishing the season successfully. This will be helped by the 15 kilograms of extra weight, that has been slowing down the two BMW Z4 GT3s since the race weekend at the Slovakia Ring (SK) as part of adjusting the Balance of Performance, being removed from both vehicles. The two races in Hockenheim both start at 12:00 local time on Saturday and Sunday. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Principal Schubert Motorsport): “We're pleased that we can contest the two races in Hockenheim without the 15 kilograms of extra weight. Unfortunately it looks like those in charge realised that it was a mistake to change the Balance of Performance after the races at the Slovakia Ring too late for us in the battle for the championship. At least we now have a better chance of finishing our season with a good result. Since we can no longer win the championship by ourselves, we'll just do our best and see what happens.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Our chances of winning a title are minimal. That's why I'm pretty relaxed going into the race weekend. As far as teamwork, performance and consistency are concerned, we've had a good season overall, which we can be pleased with. It's important to recognise that those who win the title in Hockenheim have deserved it. My aim is to get another two good results.” 

Max Sandritter (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “We don't do giving up, even when we have to be realistic and see that our chances of winning the team standings are very low. However, since we have now offloaded the 15 kilograms of additional weight, I think that we will be able to get another two top ten results in Hockenheim, even if the track doesn't really suit our vehicle. We will definitely give it our all as usual.”

The penultimate race weekend in the ADAC GT Masters season at the Sachsenring (DE) is crucial for “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer. The team from Oschersleben (DE) is eager to follow on from the successes it had there last season and in doing so secure a good starting position for the title fight at the season finale in Hockenheim (DE). 

In 2013, the team achieved a one-two in the second race at the Sachsenring. Jens Klingmann (DE) – back then a guest starter for the injured Jörg Müller (DE) – and Max Sandritter (DE) were victorious, beating Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE). This time, in terms of the prospect of winning the title in the drivers' championship, the aim is to pick up as many points as possible in the car number 19 BMW Z4 GT3. Baumann and Hürtgen are third in the overall standings with 136 points, and are 19 points off the top. In the team standings, “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer has a narrow lead with 168 points. The two races at the Sachsenring on Saturday and Sunday both start at 12:00 pm CEST. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Principal Schubert Motorsport): “Our motto for this weekend is full attack. If we want to be in with a chance of winning the title in the drivers' championship, we need to get as much out of Dominik and Claudia's vehicle as possible. In terms of the team standings, it will also be important for our number 20 car to be up near the front. The track should suit our vehicle, but, as a result of the Balance of Performance, which means we will have 15 kilos of extra weight, I don't think we will be the clear favourites. The winding track also suits the Audi down to a T.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, number 19): “It's crucial for us to come to terms with the disappointment at the Nürburgring and go on full attack – without any lapse in concentration. From my perspective it would be a mistake to draw too many conclusions from our strong results last year. We've already seen that the balance of power can shift on the individual tracks a few times this year. We will definitely give it our all and see if that's enough to finish at the top.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, number 20): “Naturally I enjoy looking back on my guest start last year, which was extremely successful with a win and a third place. I'm really looking forward to returning to the Sachsenring and am extremely excited about the race. My aim is to repeat last year's victory. We'll have to wait until after qualifying to see whether that's possible.”

Following the successful ADAC GT Masters weekend at the Slovakia Ring (SK), “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer now heads to round six at the Nürburgring (DE) leading both the Drivers’ and Team Championships. 

After winning the race on Saturday and finishing third on Sunday in Slovakia, Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) now have 134 points to their name, putting them four points clear of their closest rival Jaap van Lagen (NL). Last year, Hürtgen and Baumann won one of the two races at the Nürburgring. This time, however, they will carry more than just the ten kilograms of additional weight as a result of their third place at the Slovakia Ring. A further 15 kilograms of ballast must be loaded on board their car as a result of an adjustment to the Balance of Performance (BOP). That makes an additional 25 kilograms of weight, which will have a clear negative influence on the performance of the BMW Z4 GT3. 

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE), in the second BMW Z4 GT3, will also suffer the consequences of the adjustment to the BOP. Despite this, they still have their sights set on continuing the positive trend the entire Schubert team has enjoyed in recent weeks. “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer tops the Team standings with 154 points. The two races at the Nürburgring both get underway at 12:00 on Saturday and Sunday. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “I am disappointed about the adjustment to the BOP. Over the course of the season, it has been clear to see that the success weight specified in the regulations already slows us down quite enough to ensure we are not in a position to win the following race. Therefore, I just cannot understand the decision to burden us with a further 15 kilograms on top of that. The good results we have enjoyed in recent weeks are in no way down to any technical advantage the car may have, but the hard work we have put in. We earned the good results thanks to partners like KW and meticulous work on the set-up of the cars. This kind of additional weight will undo all that hard work. However, we are on a good run at the moment as a team, and have fond memories of last year’s races here at the Nürburgring. We will once again work hard in the practice sessions, in order to make up for the disadvantage of the additional weight.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Firstly, I am pleased for the team that the last few weeks have produced the kind of success that they deserve for the work they put in over the course of the year. Despite our great weekend at the Slovakia Ring, the balance has shifted completely again. Given the new BOP, we can do nothing more than try to set the car up as well as possible, and to make the right decisions all the time.” 

Max Sandritter (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “After the good results of recent weeks, I am absolutely determined to continue this run at the Nürburgring. Unfortunately Jens and I can no longer challenge for the title in the Drivers’ Championship, but we will do everything in our power to win a race this season. Furthermore, we obviously want to help the team and our team-mates as much as possible in the title race.”

“PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer finished first and second in the ninth race of the ADAC GT Masters at the Slovakia Ring, near Bratislava (SK): Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) overcame temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius to clinch victory, just 0.637 seconds ahead of the second BMW Z4 GT3, driven by Max Sandritter (DE) and Jens Klingmann (DE). 

A late safety car phase just 20 minutes before the end of the race set up a thrilling climax. Despite the heat, Baumann kept his cool at the re-start and held on for victory. The one-two represents a perfect start for the drivers from “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer after the long summer break in the ADAC GT Masters. 

While Sandritter claimed pole position for Saturday’s race in qualifying on Friday, Klingmann will start from the front of the grid on Sunday – followed in second place by Baumann/Hürtgen. Going into the race from these promising positions, “PIXUM Team Schubert” definitely has its sights set on another good result tomorrow. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “It just doesn’t get any better than this. We knew that the Slovakia Ring was the kind of circuit that would really suit us. However, it is still surprising just how well things are working out. You cannot plan for this kind of thing. However, what you can do in motor racing is prepare meticulously for an event – and that is definitely what we did in the run-up to this ADAC GT Masters weekend. We could not take full advantage of the test day on Thursday, meaning we were not perfectly prepared going into qualifying. Given that, things went very well, with pole positions for both races. The first race ran extremely smoothly. Every one of our drivers produced very impressive performances. On top of that came our strategy, which worked perfectly. It was clear to us that we would struggle to overtake the Corvettes on the track, so we changed our tactics and pulled both cars into the pits early. It paid off, and we led the race with both cars again after the stops. In the end, the safety car phase made life exciting again, but Dominik and Jens were able to coolly complete the one-two. I am particularly proud to be Team Manager of this team today.”

“PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer travels to the fourth round of the ADAC GT Masters in Spielberg (AT) on the back of its first win of the season. The team from Oschersleben (DE) has a clear goal for the Red Bull Ring, which has been modernised ahead of the return of Formula One in a fortnight: to do considerably better than last year. 

Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) emerged empty-handed from both races in 2013, losing valuable ground in the Drivers’ Championship. This time the duo travels to the Steiermark region of Austria with the wind in its sails, following the first win of the year at the Lausitzring (DE) two weeks ago. However, they also have an extra 30 kilograms of weight on board the BMW Z4 GT3 as a result of their recent success. Despite this, the German/Austrian pair has its sights set on continuing the consistent form they have shown so far this season, and to add more valuable points to their total. Hürtgen and Baumann both currently lie third in the Drivers’ Championship on 82 points. 

Having endured a mediocre season so far, the priority for Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE) is to get through the weekend with as few problems and as successfully as possible in the number 20 cars. The BMW Z4 GT3 lines up with a new engine, after the previous power unit overheated in the first race at the Lausitzring. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “We had a very bad weekend in Spielberg last year. We also had 30 extra kilos of weight on board back then, and went too far in our attempts to compensate for that. We picked up penalties and also made mistakes out on the track. This year, we have tried out some options for coping with the additional weight ahead of the race weekend. Let’s see if we can implement them. It will obviously be difficult again, as the circuit is just as unsuited to our car now as it was last year. However, we have set our sights on continuing the trend so far this season, and finishing in the points with both cars – including our number 20 car, which has a new engine after the overheating issues experienced at the Lausitzring. That certainly promises to give us more performance.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Whatever happens, we want to do significantly better than last year, when we arrived in Spielberg leading the championship but then failed to score a single point. Although our victory at the Lausitzring, which was a real boost for the entire team, means we line up with extra weight on board, I am still confident that we can score important points towards the championship this time around. The key to our good form at the races so far this season is that we have been very consistent and not made any mistakes. We want to continue in this manner at the Red Bull Ring.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “I know the Red Bull Ring from my early years in the ADAC GT Masters. I have also been out on the track at a number of BMW events. I am really looking forward to the circuit and the facilities around it, as it is situated in a beautiful area up in the hills. I am also intrigued by the modifications that have been made to incorporate the return of Formula One to Austria. From a sporting point of view, I really hope our run of bad luck will finally come to an end, and that we can set our sights on the podium. We analysed the car after the weekend at the Lausitzring and found a few things that can hopefully help us take a step forward.”

The Lausitzring (DE) hosts the third race weekend of the season in the ADAC GT Masters: “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer heads to the EuroSpeedway with fond memories, as Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) finished runner-up in both races there last year. After a good start to the season, the same duo now has its sights set on picking up more valuable points at the Lausitzring. Hürtgen and Baumann are currently fourth in the Drivers’ Championship with 45 points each. 

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE) in the number 20 car are looking to continue the upwards trend they showed at the latest race weekend in Zandvoort (NL), when they came home seventh in the BMW Z4 GT3 in both races. Both races at the Lausitzring are set to get underway at 12:00 on Saturday and Sunday.  

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “We may indeed have had a perfect race weekend in Lausitz with the number 19 car last year. However, to assume from that that we will automatically be just as successful there this year would be a mistake. The strengths of our BMW Z4 GT3 do not come into play to quite the same extent at the Lausitzring as they do at other circuits. With this in mind, we must wait and see whether it is possible to repeat 2013’s results against our very strong opponents. However, we have tested there and come up with a very good balance for our cars. Therefore, we travel to Lausitz with great optimism.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Last year’s round at the Lausitzring was outstanding for us. However, I think there are even better drivers in our rivals’ cockpits this season, so we can assume that we will not be gifted anything. The circuit is not ideally suited to our car, but we should still do well. For me personally, the priority is to immediately get 100 per cent out of the BMW Z4 GT3 after my outing in the VLN on the Nordschleife last weekend. Every hundredth of a second counts on a track like the Lausitzring.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “I very much enjoy driving at the Lausitzring and compete this weekend with my sights set on finally claiming the first podium of the season. That will definitely not be easy: as well as needing a lot of traction, which the BMW Z4 GT3 has, the circuit also demands a high top speed. We will have to wait and see where we stand compared to our rivals in that regard. It would definitely help to have a good qualifying and start from well forward on the grid.”

“PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer is completing its final preparations for the second round of the ADAC GT Masters. Races three and four of the season will take place this weekend (10th and 11th May) in Zandvoort, Netherlands. The circuit, which is nestled in the dunes on the North Sea coast, last hosted the ADAC GT Masters in 2012. Team Manager Stefan Wendl’s outfit will once again compete with two BMW Z4 GT3s in Zandvoort. The number 19 car will be driven by Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT). Driving duties in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 will be shared by Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE). 

When the team’s home circuit of Oschersleben (DE) hosted the opening round of the season a fortnight ago, Hürtgen and Baumann finished third in Sunday’s race to claim their first podium of the year. The same duo had ended Saturday’s opening race in sixth place after an impressive fightback. Klingmann and Sandritter were unlucky at the season-opener: they had to settle for 20th in race one, after Sandritter was hit by another competitor. Klingmann was then involved in a pile-up as the result of a chain reaction at the start of the second race. Fortunately he was uninjured, but the BMW Z4 GT3 suffered some serious damage. He and Sandritter are now looking to get their ADAC GT Masters season off and running again in Zandvoort. The races on Saturday and Sunday at the circuit in the dunes on the North Sea coast of the Netherlands both begin at 12:00 local time. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “Firstly I must say a big thank you to our crew of mechanics, who have managed to return the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 to perfect condition following its crash. All the damage has been repaired, and the crash will not affect this weekend in Zandvoort at all. That was our most important job between the first two rounds of the season. All in all, we are very optimistic looking ahead to Zandvoort. As we have shown in the past, the characteristics of the circuit suit our car. We got the maximum out of the car in Oschersleben, and had not expected to pick up so many points prior to the race. Therefore, we should now also be able to put in a good performance in Zandvoort with the BMW Z4 GT3.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “We would obviously like to continue in Zandvoort where we left off in Oschersleben. I think Zandvoort is a good circuit for the BMW Z4 GT3. We have been strong there in the past. Sure, everyone will be starting from scratch again there, but we showed in Oschersleben that we can compete at the front of the field, and that should be our goal for Zandvoort too.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “I can still feel the effects of the crash a little, but all in all I was actually rather lucky that it was nothing more serious. We go into the race weekend with high expectations. As far as speed is concerned, we are definitely right up there. We were quick in Oschersleben too, but were unfortunately unable to show that due to the crashes. Because of that, I have a good feeling about Zandvoort. The circuit is far more suited to the BMW Z4 GT3, particularly as aerodynamics play a larger role there. I hope everything runs smoothly this time and that we end up on the podium.”