FIA GT Championship

FIA GT Round 7 - Oschersleben preview

After a superb edition of the Proximus 24 Hours of Spa and the summer break, the teams and drivers taking part in the FIA GT Championship will meet up again in Oschersleben, Germany for the seventh round of the 2005 season. And what a thrilling season that is!

Generally, the Proximus 24 hours of Spa are a turning point in the season where the Champions’ profiles have been drawn. After this edition, and with still five rounds to go, it is impossible to predict who will win the Championship this year!

The last round before the “exotic” races (Turkey, China, Dubai and Bahrain) will be the occasion for the Maserati cars to make the difference, on the circuit where they took their first victory last year. However, the leaders in the GT1 category, Karl Wendlinger and Andrea Bertolini, will carry a 100-kg penalty weight on board their JMB Maserati nª 15. “Our direct competitors for the title win will not be in a better situation than us… We are well prepared for this race, in which tactics will be very important?, Karl Wendlinger said. His competitors are Swiss driver Gabriel Gardel, who will again share the wheel of the Larbre Competition Ferrari 550 Maranello with Pedro Lamy and who will carry 70kg, and the German Vitaphone Maserati drivers, Michael Bartels and Timo Scheider, who will have 90kg penalty on board of their car.

The favourites could therefore be the second second JMB and Vitaphone Maserati cars who will carry less weight, but also the GLPK Corvette, the GPC Sport and the Russian Age Ferrari cars or the two Saleen cars entered by Konrad Motorsport, back in action after missing two rounds. The Lamborghini Murcielago driven by Peter Kox and Norman Simon will also seek to end the European part of the season on a high.

In the GT2 category, the situation is much clearer. Gruppe M Racing is leading the category, and after their victory in Spa, Marc Lieb and Mike Rockenfeller are leading the Drivers Classification. However, Collard and Sugden still have their chances should they have luck on their side in the remaining rounds of the season. German Porsche specialist, Wolfgang Kaufmann, will also be back in the Championship at the wheel of a Porsche 996 GT3 RSR from Dutch team, Lammentink Racing, and he will be aiming at a podium finish.

In the G2 class, Balfe Motorsport is set for the German round after missing the Proximus 24 hours of Spa. The Mosler will once again try to get among the best cars of the GT2 category.

what the drivers think?

“It is essential to have a car with good brake balance when entering turn one, which is followed immediately by a slow right hander. Second key point of the track is turn 4, very fast left hander with 2 or 3 apexes, you require good grip and down force. Another key part of the track is the chicane ; if your car allows it, you need to go straight through the chicane enabling you to carry speed for the long back straight, and the later part of the track is dependent on good mechanical grip.” Karl Wendlinger, JMB Racing

“I really like Oschersleben. It’s small but very challenging, there’s no time to relax, its going to be difficult with 75 kg? First key point is the triple left corner, it’s very fast (4th gear) and challenging, it is essential to have good down force, this part of the track generates the highest G forces. The Chicane is very fast again, you go over the curbs during qualifying but avoid this during the race, or else the car suffers too much. Second last right hander is another tricky corner, fast (4th gear) with pumps at the exit.” Marc Lieb, Gruppe M Racing

Timo Scheider, GTR star of the race at spa

At the end of the Proximus 24 Hours of Spa, all the press room held its breath when the leader, Timo Scheider, aquaplanned at the “Bus Stop” corner and nearly hit a Porsche which was in trouble in the same corner. It was close, but both cars were able to get back on track, troublefree.

After the incident, Scheider gave his best to keep his Vitaphone Maserati MC 12 on track during the last hour in spite of the heavy rain. He did a great job and managed to pass the finish line, in the lead, sharing his first important international victory with Michael Bartels and Eric Van de Poele. After three seasons in the German Formula 3 Championship, he started racing for Opel in the DTM in 2000 and he finished in 8th position respectively in 2002, 2003 and 2004. This year, at the age of 26, he switched to the FIA GT Championship where he is sharing a Maserati with his former DTM team-mate, Michael Bartels. Scheider showed a great potential in the first races of the season, and after his first victory in Spa, he is ready to fight for the title.

provisional handicap weights

GT1:
Nr 15 Maserati 100 kg
Nr 9 Maserati 90 kg
Nr 11 Ferrari 70 kg
Nr 10 Maserati 50 kg

GT2:
Nr 66 Porsche 75 kg

TV programming Oschersleben

Eurosport International:
FIA GT Race Highlights Sunday 28th August 19.15 / 19.45 cet

Eurosport 2:
FIA GT Race Sunday 28th August Live 11.30 - 13.00 ; Delayed 14.30 14.45

Sport Italia:
Sunday 29th August Start Live 15-30 minutes, Finish Delayed 30-45 minutes (TBC)

Timetable

Friday 26th August 09.45 10.15 Ferrari Challenge Free Practice 1
10.30 12.00 FIA GT Championship Free Practice 1
12.15 12.45 Mini Challenge Qualifying 1
13.00 13.30 Ferrari Challenge Free Practice 2
14.00 14.30 European Alfa Challenge Free Practice
14.45 16.15 FIA GT Championship Free Practice 2
16.30 17.00 Mini Challenge Qualifying 2
17.15 17.45 Ferrari Challenge Qualifying 1
18.00 18.30 European Alfa Challenge Qualifying 1

Saturday 27th August
09.00 09.30 FIA WTCC Free Practice 1
09.45 10.30 FIA GT Championship Qualifying 1
10.45 11.15 European Alfa Challenge Qualifying 2
11.45 12.15 Mini Challenge Race 1
12.30 13.00 FIA WTCC Free Practice 2
13.15 13.45 Ferrari Challenge Qualifying 2
14.00 14.45 FIA GT Championship Qualifying 2
15.00 FIA GT Championship Press Conference
15.00 15.30 FIA WTCC Qualifying
16.05 16.35 European Alfa Challenge Race 1
17.05 17.55 Ferrari Challenge Race 1

Sunday 28th August
08.20 08.45 Mini Challenge Race 2
08.55 09.10 FIA GT Championship Warm Up
09.20 09.35 FIA WTCC Warm Up
10.05 10.30 European Alfa Challenge Race 2
11.15 14.15 FIA GT Championship Race
14.20 FIA GT Championship Podium
15.15 15.40 FIA WTCC Race 1
15.45 FIA GT Championship Press conference
16.20 16.45 FIA WTCC Race 2
17.20 18.10 Ferrari Challenge Race 2