Claudia Hürtgen recruited to the RWT Racing ADAC GT Masters squad

• Hürtgen is to be co-driver to team regular Sven Barth
• RWT are set to continue with the Corvette C7 GT3-R
• Team boss Gerd Beisel: "We aim to be challenging for race wins"

Munich: RWT Racing have announced a new driver pairing for the 2018 ADAC GT Masters. Joining team regular Sven Barth (37, GER) is new signing Claudia Hürtgen (46, GER). The team will once again be pinning their hopes on a Corvette C7 GT3-R, the same make and model which won the championship in 2017. The opening fixture of the Super Sports Car League is at the usual venue of Motorsport Arena Oschersleben (13th - 15th April). All races will be shown live and in full on SPORT1.

Team boss Gerd Beisel is sounding upbeat now that his driver line-up is sorted out: "Obviously, we're hopeful of doing quite well now that we've signed Claudia. I think that we've taken a step in the right direction, one that will take us forward. I also believe we can be in contention for race wins with this driver pairing."

Based in Eberbach near Heidelberg, RWT Racing will be contesting their fifth ADAC GT Masters campaign in 2018. In 2013, the team made its debut with a Corvette Z06.R GT3. One year later, they notched up a maiden win at the Nürburgring. In 2017, they entered a Corvette C7 GT3-R, a US-designed car built by Callaway Competition, claiming a podium spot in the third race of the season at the Red Bull Ring. This is the same model of GT3 sports car in which Jules Gounon won the ADAC GT Masters championship in 2017.

Sven Barth, who has been driving for RWT ever since he graduated to the ADAC GT Masters, is clearly impressed by his new teammate: "Claudia has over 30 years of motorsport experience and has won no fewer than seven races in the ADAC GT Masters. That says a lot."

Hürtgen has been heavily involved with BMW in recent years, playing an important role in the development of the Z4 GT3 and M6 GT3 models as well as completing numerous tests and racing assignments for Schubert Motorsport - including in the ADAC GT Masters. She had her best season so far in the Super Sports Car League in 2014 when she finished fourth in the drivers' championship with two outright race wins. Claudia is the most successful woman driver in the history of the series, with a total of seven victories. "I have watched the performance of the Corvette over the last two years and was there for its launch in late 2015 at Hockenheim," says Hürtgen. "It's a great car and, with its 6.2-litre naturally aspirated engine, an absolute dream to drive. Obviously, we aim to win the Trophy class and to get as many good results as possible."