Red Bull Ring: Home race and season highlight for Grasser Racing

• Grasser Racing to fly the flag for Austria in the ADAC GT Masters
• Team from Knittelfeld – a stone’s throw from the Red Bull Ring – entering two Lamborghinis
• All four drivers from Austria

Grasser Racing are eagerly anticipating their home race when the ADAC GT Masters comes to the Red Bull Ring next weekend (6th - 8th June: both races shown live on kabel eins, with coverage commencing at 11:45 CEST). The team led by Gottfried Grasser and based in Knittelfeld, just a couple of miles from the Red Bull Ring, will be boosting the Super Sports Car League on its visit to Austria with the addition of two Lamborghini Gallardos. In what is literally a home race for the team, they will be fielding two local favourites – Hari Proczyk (38) and Gerhard Tweraser (25) – both of whom grew up in the immediate vicinity of the circuit. The second of the two Lamborghinis will be crewed by two more Austrians – Sandro Bickel (23) and Sascha Halek (25) – who are about to make their ADAC GT Masters debut.

Team boss Grasser just can’t wait for the two races to get underway: “The ADAC GT Masters is always a fabulous occasion that generates a great atmosphere. The weather forecast for the weekend is very encouraging, and we will have the pleasure of competing in front of the splendid backdrop formed by the new main stand at the Red Bull Ring. You couldn’t wish for more auspicious circumstances. All of our mechanics live within a five-minute radius of the track, and for the whole team, this truly is a home race.”

In his choice of drivers, Grasser has opted for a blend of experience and youth. As in last year’s equivalent fixture, Proczyk and Tweraser will be sharing one of the Gallardos, while the second Lamborghini has been entrusted to a couple of series newcomers, Halek and Bickel. Whereas Halek has at least been driving the 600-horsepower Lamborghini since the beginning of the year, this will be Bickel’s first race appearance in the GT3 sports car, although he is familiar with Gallardo version that competes in the single-brand championship. Team boss Grasser has this year given up his previous role as manager-driver, at least for the Red Bull Ring weekend: “I prefer to concentrate on my job as team principal on the pit wall. I thought that would be less stressful than driving the car myself, but as team boss, you’re even more nervous!”

The Lamborghini specialists are hopeful of achieving a decent result on their home turf: “In the season opener at Oschersleben, Peter Kox proved that the Lamborghini is competitive by qualifying for the front row. We think a realistic target is a Top Six finish in both races. Anyway, that would be a great result.”