Zakspeed Mercedes AMG GT3
Photo: ADAC GT Masters

ADAC GT Masters Sachsenring Resources

Final outcome of race at Sachsenring yet to be clarified

Mercedes-AMG cars dominated Sunday’s ADAC GT Masters race at the Sachsenring. Luca Stolz (22, DEU) and Luca Ludwig (28, DEU, both Mercedes-AMG Team ZAKSPEED) were first to cross the finish line, followed by team-mates Nicolai Sylvest (20, DK) and Yelmer Buurman (30, NL, both Mercedes-AMG Team ZAKSPEED) in the sister car. However, both Mercedes-AMG GT3s entered by Mercedes-AMG Team ZAKSPEED were subsequently disqualified, not only from the Sunday race but also from round 11 contested on Saturday.

The reason given was failure to comply with GT3 homologation. Because Mercedes-AMG team ZAKSPEED have lodged the intend to appeal against this decision, and until the case is heard before the DMSB appeals committee, there can be no official winner and runner-up for the race on Sunday and no second-placed contestant on Saturday either. The other cars finishing the race do not automatically move up the classification, and the results for these two rounds of the season remain provisional. Sebastian Asch (31, DEU) and Edoardo Mortara (30, ITA, both BWT Mücke Motorsport) driving yet another Mercedes-AMG GT3 took third place in Sunday’s race.

Mercedes-AMG quartet comfortably in front

Four Mercedes-AMGs reigned supreme on Sunday afternoon. Pole-sitter Yelmer Buurman stayed ahead at the start, and, right up until the pit stop, defended his lead from Maximilian Götz (31, DEU, Mercedes-AMG Team HTP Motorsport), who was being pursued by fellow Mercedes drivers Mortara and Ludwig. The AMG-Mercedes, now driven by Buurman’s partner Sylvest, remained in front after the driver handover. To Sylvest’s rear, Ludwig’s team-mate, Luca Stolz, fought his way up into second place leaving both Sebastian Asch (31, DEU) and Patrick Assenheimer (25, DEU), who had taken over from Mortara and Götz, trailing in his wake. Stolz took the lead from Sylvest on the last lap and crossed the finish line first.

Asch and DTM driver Mortara took the remaining podium spot ahead of Götz and Assenheimer. The best of the Audi contingent were Jeffrey Schmidt (23, CH) and Christopher Haase (29, DEU, both Montaplast by Land Motorsport) who finished ahead of Philipp Eng (27, AUT) and Nicky Catsburg (29, NL, both BMW Team Schnitzer) in their BMW M6. Current championship leader Jules Gounon and partner Renger van der Zande (31, NL, both Callaway Competition) were forced to retire their Corvette C7 when its radiator was damaged by flying debris. Going into the grand finale next weekend at Hockenheim, Gounon’s lead over main rival Eng has shrunk to 20 points.

In P7 was the Lamborghini Huracán of Marco Mapelli (30, ITA) and Norbert Siedler (34, AUT, both Team HB Racing), followed by the Audi R8 driven by the van der Linde brothers, Sheldon (18, ZA) and Kelvin (21, ZA, both Aust Motorsport). Completing the Top Ten were junior Mike David Ortmann (17, DEU) and Filip Salaquarda (33, CZ, both BWT Mücke Motorsport) in another Audi and the pairing of Robert Renauer (32, DEU) and Sven Müller (25, DEU, both Precote Herberth Motorsport) in the best of the Porsche 911s.

Press Release: ADAC GT Masters