Zimmermann and Fourie lead home BMW one-two in Zandvoort

• Zimmermann/Fourie and Coseteng/Hanses produce breath-taking finale
• Maiden win for the BMW M4 GT3 Evo and first one-two for FK Performance Motorsport
• Engstler drivers Karklys and Gjerdrum celebrate Pro-AM class win

Zandvoort. There was excitement right down to the finish line as FK Performance Motorsport claimed a one-two in race two of the ADAC GT Masters at Circuit Zandvoort. After fighting it out for several laps, it was eventually Tim Zimmermann (28/Langenargen) and Leyton Fourie (19/RSA) who emerged victorious, taking the chequered flag 0.285 seconds ahead of their team-mates Eduardo Coseteng (21/PHL) and Julian Hanses (27/Hilden). This was the BMW team’s fifth victory in the ADAC GT Masters and its first one-two. “There are no words to describe how I feel. So much work has gone into this. I have wanted to drive a GT3 car for so many years. I am so happy to have won now – and to do so with such a great team makes it all the better,” said rookie Fourie, who celebrated his maiden win in the ADAC GT Masters and the “Road to DTM” competition. “It is like I have erased any memory of my stint, but my heart was really in my mouth watching Tim battling at the end.” For team-mate Zimmermann, this was success number three in the ADAC’s GT3 series: “We had a difficult start to the season, and I am relieved that we now have good pace and can thus pick up good results. If we can now up our game a bit in qualifying, I will be absolutely happy.” Completing the podium were Jonas Karklys (35/LIT) and Emil Gjerdrum (18/NOR/Liqui Moly Team Engstler by GRT) in a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2. The duo won the Pro-AM category for the second time this weekend. A total of 32,000 visitors watched the ADAC GT Masters races in the Netherlands over the course of the weekend.

With conditions dry and temperatures around 13 degrees, Finn Zulauf (20/Königsstein/Paul Motorsport) was initially able to defend his pole position. Meanwhile Fourie, who started from fourth, gradually worked his way towards the front of the field. After a battle lasting several laps, the BMW driver eventually passed Zulauf’s Lamborghini on the outside of turn one to take the lead. Team-mate Coseteng immediately made up three places from ninth on the grid, and had slotted in behind Fourie by lap six. After the driver changeover, with Zimmermann and Hanses taking over at the wheel, the crowd was treated to an intense battle for the win, with Zimmermann and Fourie never assured of victory until they actually crossed the finish line. “The battle was really tough, but always fair. I did not find any real gaps, and you don’t want to go door-to-door with your team-mates,” said Hanses. “I was very happy with Eduardo’s stint, and mine. We had the pace to win. All that was missing was the overtaking manoeuvre. Thank you to the team for the great car.” Karklys and Gjerdrum in third place benefitted from a shorter pit stop, in line with regulations, which saw them climb from eighth place onto the podium. “It is nice to be the first Norwegian to stand on the podium in the ADAC GT Masters. The second-fastest time in qualifying on Saturday, and then third place and the podium on Sunday. I am really happy with our progress,” said Gjerdrum.

Saturday’s winners Zulauf and Simon Connor Primm (20/Großschirma) came home fourth, ahead of the Haupt Racing Team duo of Max Reis (18/Ramstein) and Niklas Kalus (19/Duisburg) in a Ford Mustang GT3. Alexander Schwarzer (36/DEU) and Alexander Fach (23/CHE/both Fach Auto Tech) started the race from second place. However, they were soon overtaken by a number of rivals. Their stationary time during the pit stop was also shorter, meaning they returned to the track as race leaders after the driver changeover. However, they then dropped back to sixth place over the remainder of the race. Jannes Fittje (25/Langenhain) and Moritz Wiskirchen (22/Euskirchen/both SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm) were seventh in a Mercedes-AMG GT3. Scherer Sport PHX drivers Nico Hantke (21/Hürth) and Denis Bulatov (26) fell back to eighth place from third on the grid in their Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo 2. Behind them, Dennis Fetzer (24/Gießen) and Jonathan Cecotto (25/VEN/both Haupt Racing Team) in a Ford Mustang and Porsche racers Leo Pichler (23/AT) and Simon Birch (18/DNK/both Razoon – more than racing) competed the top ten.

The next ADAC GT Masters race takes place from 11th to 13th July at the Nürburgring as part of the Internationalen ADAC Truck Grand Prix. Fans can look forward to two 80-minute endurance races there.