Paddock radar: ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring

• Red Bull motorsport adviser Dr Helmut Marko as guest at ADAC GT Masters
• ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Marioneck accumulating winner’s trophies
• Albert von Thurn und Taxis celebrates ADAC GT Masters comeback at paddock party

Visit from Formula 1: Dr Helmut Marko called in on the ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring on Saturday. The Austrian, who works as the motorsport consultant for Red Bull, was taking a particular interest in the progress of Beitske Visser (Netherlands) and Callan O’Keeffe (South Africa). The two drivers from the Red Bull junior squad are being supported by the energy drink manufacturer in their Formel ADAC challenge.

Motor racing excellence in Styria: In the context of the ADAC GT Masters weekend at the Red Bull Ring, ACstyria is organising a conference with the title Steirische Kompetenzen im Motorsport (Styrian expertise in motorsport). Various companies from the Styria region of Austria such as Pankl Drivetrain Systems, AVL List and TAGnology RFID are showcasing products that have already proved a success in the motor racing sector. The keynote speech at the event was given by ADAC Head of Motorsport Lars Soutschka.

Showrun: The ADAC GT Masters weekend got off to an early start on Wednesday with a taster event in nearby Fohnsdorf. Competitors in the Super Sports Car League laid on a series of demo laps on a specially prepared track at Arena Fohnsdorf.
Marioneck collecting trophies: 24-year-old Lennart Marioneck had probably the most successful day of his budding racing career on Saturday at the Red Bull Ring. The ADAC Sports Foundation protégé first helped Corvette co-driver Remo Lips to a maiden victory in the Gentlemen class, then climbed into the cockpit of a MINI John Cooper Works and won a race in the 2013 MINI Trophy.

Perspiration galore: The ADAC GT Masters teams were sweating profusely as they constructed the paddock on Wednesday and Thursday, with the thermometer registering temperatures just below the 40-degree mark.

Home race: The term ‘home race’ is often used rather loosely, but Grasser Racing, who are making a guest appearance in the ADAC GT Masters with two Lamborghini Gallardos, have given it a new, more precise meaning. The four drivers – Hari Proczyk, Gerhard Tweraser, Gottfried Grasser and Bernhard Auinger – all come from within a radius of five kilometres around the Red Bull Ring. All the crew members of the Knittelfeld-based outfit also come from the immediate area of the circuit. “We didn’t need to book a suite of hotel rooms here,” said team boss Gottfried Grasser. But a home race can also involve extra work: Grasser Racing welcomed more than 220 guests at the weekend.

Celebratory atmosphere: Albert von Thurn und Taxis, who is making his ADAC GT Masters comeback, wasn’t going to let an early exit from Saturday’s race after being hit by another car spoil his weekend. On Saturday evening, SaReNi United organised their traditional paddock party for drivers and principals in the ADAC GT Masters. SaReNi United is led by Hans Reiter and its Chevrolet Camaro GT is driven by von Thurn and Taxis and Peter Kox who won the ADAC GT Masters championship in 2010.

The ADAC GT Masters again has eight events and 16 races scheduled for the 2013 season. All 16 races of the ADAC GT Masters are broadcast live in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on free-to-air TV channel kabel eins, Saturdays and Sundays, beginning at 12.00 noon. Super Sports Car League drivers will line up for the first time on the Spa-Francorchamps Formula 1 circuit in Belgium and at the Slovakia Ring in Slovakia.