Showdown in Hockenheim: Three-way fight for ADAC GT Masters title

• Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche drivers battle for title
• Titles decided in all three standings at final weekend
• ADAC GT Masters debut for ex-DTM champion Bruno Spengler

Hockenheim. Two young bloods from Austria are battling the sons of two German racing driver legends for the ADAC GT Masters title. That’s how things stand before a thrilling Super Sports Car League finale in Hockenheim on the weekend of 2nd to 4th October. In the run-up to the finale, Luca Ludwig (26, DEU) and Sebastian Asch (29, DEU/Team Zakspeed) in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG are 31 points clear of rival Dominik Baumann (22, AUT/BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert) in the BMW Z4. The Austrian will have the support of a well-known BMW driver in the title fight. Since regular partner Jens Klingmann (26, DEU) has to miss the finale due to other commitments, Baumann will be partnered at Hockenheim by former DTM champion Bruno Spengler (32, CAN). Klaus Bachler (24, AUT/GW IT Racing Team Schütz Motorsport) in the Porsche 911 has an outside chance in the finale. He is 37 points adrift in third place but intends to turn the drivers’ championship battle in his favour with the help of Martin Ragginger (27, AUT). 50 points are still up for grabs for the winners in the final two races. There’s also a tense situation before the finale in the team and Gentlemen standings which will also be decided in Hockenheim. SPORT1 will broadcast the two final races from Hockenheim live and in full length on Saturday and Sunday at 13:00 CEST.

Asch intends to write ADAC GT Masters history

Asch could write a piece of ADAC GT Masters history at Hockenheim. The 2012 champion has a chance of becoming the first driver to win the ADAC GT Masters drivers’ standings twice. “Our lead of 31 points is solid, but we saw last time out in Zandvoort how quickly a lead can evaporate,” said the son of touring car legend Roland Asch before the finale. “Anything can happen in Hockenheim. Things can change really quickly. I won the title in a dramatic showdown in 2012 when we were placed third before the final race weekend.”

Ludwig agrees with his team-mate and is just as determined to secure the title at Hockenheim “We’ve put our stamp on this season and aim to be a force to be reckoned with once again in the finale. It’s looking good on paper, and I had a decent showing last year at Hockenheim when I took pole and stayed in the lead for a long time. I want this title at all costs.”

Baumann knows only too well what it feels like to be in the hunt for the title just before the finale. He’s already had a chance of lifting the championship before the finale in the past two years and has a relaxed take on the situation. Baumann: “I’ll try to remain calm before the finale. Being realistic, it won’t be easy to make up this big deficit, because the Mercedes-Benz will be fast in Hockenheim.” Spengler will make his debut in the ADAC GT Masters alongside Baumann. The Canadian will become the first driver currently racing in the DTM to debut in the Super Sports Car League.

Bachler in third place on 37 points still aims to turn the tide his way in the drivers’ championship at Hockenheim. His team, GW IT Racing Schütz Motorsport, proved last year that what he proposes is not impossible. Last year, the outfit from nearby Bobenheim-Roxheim started the final weekend with a 37-pointdeficit and was on course to win the title until a mistake at the pit stop ended their hopes.

Not only will the three-way battle between Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche ensure plenty of excitement at Hockenheim. After their sound performance in the second half of the season, Bentley are just as keen to secure another victory as the strong Audi teams, kfzteile24 MS RACING, C.Abt Racing and YACO Racing who have won three of the last six races. The double Hockenheim race winners from 2014, local driver Andreas Wirth (30, DEU) and Daniel Keilwitz (26, DEU/both Callaway Competition), will also be on the attack. The Corvette drivers are still without a win this season and want the Corvette to bow out in fitting style in Callaway’s home race. The Corvette will be replaced for the 2016 season by the new C7, which will celebrate its world premiere at the ADAC GT Masters at Hockenheim.

Close three-way battle in team rankings and in Gentlemen class

The fight for the team championship at the finale in Hockenheim is just as nail-biting as the battle for the drivers’ championship. Team Zakspeed are on top ahead of the finale, followed by BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert with a mere twelve-point deficit. GW IT Racing Team Schütz Motorsport is 38 points adrift and only have a chance on paper of winning the team title.

Similarly, four title contenders in supercars from three different manufacturers are competing for the Gentlemen crown. With his double victory recently in Zandvoort, Andreas Weishaupt (42 DEU/C.Abt Racing) in the Audi R8 has drawn level with championship leaders Dominic Jöst (37, DEU)/Florian Scholze (42, DEU/both MRS GT-Racing) in the Nissan GT-R. Remo Lips (32, CHE/RWT Racing Team) at the wheel of the Corvette is only nine points behind and has turned a straight fight for the Gentlemen title into a three-way battle.

Tyre management will play a big role in the title fight

Exclusive tyre partner Pirelli can also look back on a successful debut season in the ADAC GT Masters at the finale in Hockenheim. Pirelli Trackside Engineer Anna Playford said: “We obviously know Hockenheim really well, not least from Formula 1. This technically demanding circuit has fast, twisty turns and a number of fast straights. There are also some hard braking points where tyres are put under extreme loads. The tarmac is relatively smooth and we anticipate low tyre wear in view of the mild weather conditions expected.”

Looking ahead to 2016: New super sports cars and ADAC TCR Germany

Fans in Hockenheim will get a glimpse of the 2016 season when many new supercars make their debut. The new Audi R8 LMS, the BMW M6 GT3, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and the Porsche 911 GT3 R, plus the Corvette C7 GT3-R, which celebrates its world premiere on Saturday, will be on show in the Hockenheim paddock. There will also be a preview of the new ADAC TCR Germany, which gets under way in 2016 within the context of the ADAC GT Masters.

ADAC Formula 4 title will also be decided in Hockenheim

Not only will the ADAC GT Masters title be decided in Hockenheim, the ADAC Formula 4 will produce its first champion in Hockenheim. Plenty of racing action on Saturday and Sunday will also be provided by the GT and touring cars contesting the Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy (STT), by drivers in the one-make Renault Clio Cup Central Europe and by the young aces from Formula Renault 2.0 NEC.