News

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.”