- Anniversary: 100th ADAC GT Masters race at the Slovakia Ring
- Premiere: ADAC GT Masters guests in Slovakia for first time
- Title fight hotting up at penultimate race weekend of the season
The ADAC GT Masters is set to debut at the Slovakia Ring (13th to September 15th). This will be a very special anniversary for the League of Super Sports Car, since the two ADAC GT Masters races at the Slovakia Ring, not far from Bratislava, will be numbers 99 and 100. The ADAC GT Masters will put on a cracking title fight to mark this 100th event; the ADAC GT Masters semi-finals take place in Slovakia during the penultimate race weekend of the season, and the top four teams of Corvette, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are separated by only 16 points with just four races remaining.
Championship leaders Diego Alessi (41, Italy) and Daniel Keilwitz (24, Germany / Callaway Competition) have secured the most wins this season, notching up four victories in their Corvette Z06. Keilwitz is looking forward to the two races at the Slovakia Ring with keen anticipation (Saturday and Sunday, live on kabel eins, from 12:00pm onwards): "We don't know the track, nor has the team ever tested there. I'm certainly not expecting an easy weekend." Robert Renauer (28, Germany / Tonino powered by Herberth Motorsport ) who, after his first ADAC GT Masters victory recently at the Lausitzring in the Porsche 911 has a deficit of just three points on the leaders, is also steeling himself for the challenge: "The Slovakia Ring is new territory for us, and we have had no practical experience of it whatsoever."
Dominik Baumann (20, Austria) intends to secure points at the Slovakia Ring. The Austrian achieved his first victory in a GT sports car there two years ago and aims to reach the top of the table in the BMW Z4, along with Claudia Hürtgen (41, Germany / PIXUM Team Schubert). The BMW duo are currently in third place, tying with Mercedes- Benz drivers Maximilian Buhk (20, Germany) and Maximilian Götz (27, Germany / Polarweiss Racing). "I know the track very well and think that we will be among the front-runners at the Slovakia Ring," said Baumann optimistically.
Christopher Mies (24, Germany) and René Rast (26, Germany / Prosperia C Abt Racing) also hope to do well at the Slovakia Ring in the Audi R8. Rast won the professional class at an FIA GT Series race there four weeks ago, gaining plenty of experience of the 5.922km track. Rast: "The circuit is great and should really suit our Audi R8. There are plenty of fast and medium-speed turns, but the Slovakia Ring won't be easy and it's very likely that the competition will be quick there too."
Ex-Formula 1 driver and FIA GT1 World Champion Markus Winkelhock (32, Germany) can also call on previous experience of the Slovakia Ring. He will be lining up in the Audi R8 along with Christer Jöns (26, Germany / Prosperia C Abt Racing). They have already secured two podiums together this season. "I don't think our Audi will do too badly at the Slovakia Ring. I suspect that the cars that were strong last time out at the Lausitzring will be back on top," predicts Winkelhock.
Two ADAC GT Masters veterans in line-up for 100th race
Two drivers who were on the grid at the Nürburgring for the premiere of the ADAC GT Masters on June 8th 2007 will also contest the 100th race. Christopher Haase (25, Germany) won the first ADAC GT Masters race from pole position in a Lamborghini and intends to achieve a podium to celebrate the anniversary in the Audi R8, along with former DTM driver Rahel Frey ( 27, Switzerland / Prosperia C Abt Racing). And ADAC GT Masters veteran Toni Seiler (55, Switzerland/ Callaway Competition), who competes in the Gentlemen class and is with 94 race starts the most senior driver in the series, will be aiming to notch up a class victory in his Corvette at the 50th ADAC GT Masters race weekend, along with co-driver Mike Parisy (28, France).
Local driver Sladecka in Audi R8
THE BOSS YACO Racing have beefed up their team for the Slovakia premiere by calling on the services of local driver Filip Sladecka (22, Slovakia), who guested in the ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring. He will be at the wheel of the outfit's Audi R8 in his home fixture, along with Philip Geipel (26, Germany).
Battle of the Porsches in Gentlemen category
The fight in the Gentlemen category is also coming to a head with just four races remaining until the end of the season. Christina Nielsen (21, Denmark / Farnbacher Racing) is placed second in the standings. She took points out of championship leader and fellow Porsche driver René Bourdeaux (38, Germany / Tonino by Herberth Motorsport) recently by securing her second win of the season in the Porsche 911. Nielsen lines up at the Slovakia Ring with a new team-mate, sharing the Porsche for the first time with Kuba Giermaziak (23, Poland), who has already won two ADAC GT Masters races. However, the two Porsche drivers will have to be on their guard; Remo Lips ( 31, Switzerland), placed third in the Corvette he shares with ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Lennart Marioneck (24, Germany / Callaway Competition), has been doing really well of late, taking two class wins from four races.