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Exciting season opener for ADAC GT Masters at Oschersleben

© Markus Berns

The abbreviation “GT” stands for “Gran Tourismo”, but during the start of the ADAC GT Masters season at Oschersleben it also stood for “Großes Theater”, German for “great show”. Exciting door-to-door fights, fascinating wheel-to-wheel battles and breathtaking overtaking manouvres characterized the race. At the season premiere, Sebastian Asch and Niclas Kentenich crossed the finish line first in their a-worx Porsche 911 before the Mühlner Porsche with Frank Schmickler/Kevin Estre and the Callaway Corvette of Toni Seiler and Christian Hohenadel.

The first half of the race until the driver change was dominated by the s-Berg Racing BMW-Alpina of Martin Matzke. The Czech driver started from pole. Behind him, it was a battle for second position between Sebastian Asch and the Leipert Ascari of Norman Knop. Asch pushed hard and

After a curious race Albert von Thurn und Taxis managed to take fourth position. Caused by a collision during the start Von Thurn und Taxis lost the hood of his Reiter Lamborghini. Nonetheless it was possible for him to drive the car to a fourth spot together with Dutchman Peter Kox.

At least as exciting as saturday’s race, race 2 unfolded itself sunday at Oschersleben. With some parts of the track still damp at the beginning of the race, and light rainfall later in the race, the ADAC GT Masters showed the public exciting Motorsport. Tim Bergmeiser und Rene Rast in their #10 Mühlner Motorsport Porsche 997 GT3-Cup S improved their performance thanks to a clever tire strategy. Despite their retirement on saturday this lead to a victory on sunday.

“The conditions were already quite difficult at the beginning of my stint”, said Bergmeister, titleholder in the ADAC GT Masters of 2008. “But in the end it all worked out well and we won the race.”

Second position went to Kuba Giermaziak and Jens klingmann of Team Abt Sportsline, also running on slicks. Third place was earned by Sebastian Asch and Niclas Kentenich. They leave the track in the “Magdeburger Börde” as leaders of the new season. The amateurs category was again won by Toni Seiler in his Callaway Corvette.