RNW Staff

A rollercoaster ride for GRT Grasser Racing Team in the season opener of the ADAC GT Masters 2020 at the Lausitzring. After a long wait and intensive preparations, the three Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVOs prepared by the Austrian outfit were back in action last weekend. The Knittelfeld-based team come away from the first round of the season in the Super Sports Car League having seen signs of promise yet with regret about what might have been. Thanks to impressive pace and a great display of teamwork, the squad scored points for all three cars in the first race. By contrast, Sunday did not go as hoped.

The season opener of the ADAC GT Masters at the Lausitzring was a real scorcher. BWT Mücke Motorsport lined up to race at the 3.47-km circuit in temperatures of more than 30 degrees. The BWT Audi R8 LMS #26 was driven by experienced team member, Stefan Mücke, and young Ricardo Feller. Two newcomers to the series, Igor Walilko and Mike Beckhusen, were at the wheel of the BWT Audi R8 LMS #25.

Multiple Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe race winner Stuart Middleton is to head Stateside for the second half of 2020 after today, Monday, 3rd August, confirming an eleventh-hour deal with top team Wayne Taylor Racing to contest the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America.

A run that was gaining momentum at Road America for Heinricher Racing came to an early end on Sunday. The Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 was looking to capitalize on its strong pace in wet conditions after an intense rainstorm rolled through the area. Instead, the No. 57 Acura went off track and into the wall—ending the race for Alvaro Parente and Misha Goikhberg.

A lap record in qualifying, pole position, and a commanding lead in the race: despite this, the dream of claiming the maiden victory for the latest generation of the Porsche 911 RSR in the IMSA SportsCar Championship at round four of this year’s North American series remains unfulfilled. After a strong performance from the number 912 vehicle driven by Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Earl Bamber (New Zealand), which culminated in a 20-second lead, torrential rain threw a spanner in the works about 50 minutes before the end of the 2:40-hour event. Bamber spun and slid from the track. At the wheel of the No. 911 Porsche, Frédéric Makowiecki (France) and Nick Tandy (Great Britain) at one point advanced to first place in the chaotic weather conditions, however, when the race restarted behind the safety car the vehicle had to pit. In a last-ditch effort to fight for class victory from third place under difficult conditions, Tandy slid from the track in the rain with no visibility. He and Makowiecki finished on fourth, with the sister car on fifth.

BMW Team RLL gave a much improved and more competitive performance in this afternoon’s two-hour-and-forty-minute IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar race at Road America, finishing third in the GTLM class with the No. 24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE of John Edwards and Jesse Krohn. After spending much of the race in a top-three position Connor De Phillippi and Bruno Spengler finished sixth in the No. 25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE following a rainstorm that came in the last 40 minutes of the contest and turned everything upside down.

United Autosports make their way to Spa Francorchamps in Belgium this week for round two of the 2020 European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup (7-9 August).

WeatherTech Racing drivers Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.) and Toni Vilander (Kankaanpää, Finland) finished fourth today in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship race at Road America.

It was a wet and wild race to the finish at Road America for the IMSA SportsCar Weekend on Sunday. Meyer Shank Racing drivers Matt McMurry and Mario Farnbacher had an outstanding run from dry to wet conditions to place the No. 86 Acura NSX GT3 second on Sunday.

WRT from Belgium have got their ADAC GT Masters challenge off to magnificent start. The Audi outfit, which already has an illustrious record in international GT racing, has chalked up a maiden ADAC GT Masters victory on its very first competitive outing in the series. After Dries Vanthoor (22, BEL, Team WRT) booked pole position in the tightest qualifying session in the history of the ADAC GT Masters, the Belgian and his co-driver Charles Weerts (19, BEL) were also on unbeatable form in Sunday’s race at the Lausitzring. The duo put in a commanding performance to secure a lights-to-flag victory. Second place went to the previous day’s race winners Luca Stolz (25, GER) and Maro Engel (34, Monte Carlo, both Toksport WRT). Robert Renauer (35, GER) and Sven Müller (28, GER, both Precote Herberth Motorsport) in the day’s top Porsche joined them on the podium in third. “That was a great race for us,” said a jubilant Vanthoor. “I am delighted that Charles and Team WRT have been able to celebrate a victory on their very first race weekend in the ADAC GT Masters.”

Scorching temperatures greeted the return of Porsche Carrera Cup GB as the 2020 season got underway at Donington Park with two Friday Practice sessions. Porsche GB 2020 / 2021 Junior Harry King (Team Parker Racing) topped both sessions, fighting off the advances of teammate – 2014 champion and former Porsche GB Scholar – Josh Webster (Team Parker Racing) in first Practice, and Ross Wylie (IN2 Racing) in the afternoon’s second Practice session. Esmee Hawkey (Team Parker) showed strong pace to head the Pro-Am category, finishing in the top six overall in both sessions. Reigning category champion, Justin Sherwood (Team Parker Racing), was Friday’s fastest Am driver.

The fourth round of IMSA action brought the series to one of the longest tracks in North America — the 4.048-mile road course at Road America. Misha Goikhberg drove the No. 57 Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 to eighth in Saturday’s qualifying session.

The Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R piloted by Ryan Briscoe will start the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Road America from row three tomorrow.

Defending champions Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Earl Bamber (New Zealand) take up round four of the IMSA Sportscar Championship from pole position with the latest Porsche 911 RSR. With a time of 2:00.590 minutes, qualifying driver Vanthoor also set a new lap record for the GTLM class (GT Le Mans) on the storied Road America racetrack. The sister car shared by Frédéric Makowiecki (France) and Nick Tandy (Great Britain) tackles the fourth race of the season from the sixth grid spot. In the GTD category (GT Daytona) for vehicles complying with the global GT3 regulations, the 500+hp 911 GT3 R driven by Ryan Hardwick for the Wright Motorsport customer team posted the ninth quickest time in the final 15-minute session. The American shares the cockpit with his compatriot and Porsche works driver Patrick Long.

Daniel Harper enjoyed a superb debut outing in a BMW M4 GT4 as he secured a class podium finish alongside his BMW Junior Team stablemates in the fourth round of the 2020 Nürburgring Endurance Series on Saturday (01 August).

WeatherTech Racing drivers Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.) and Toni Vilander (Kankaanpää, Finland) will start the IMSA WeatherTech Championship race at Road America from the third row in GTD.

Following limited laps in practice due to a mechanical issue with the No. 25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, Bruno Spengler made the most of his very first laps of Road America in this afternoon’s qualifying session. His 2:01.155-minute lap around the classic four-mile circuit was only .565 seconds behind the class pole and scored the 2012 DTM champion the fourth starting position. Spengler will co-drive the all-red M8 GTE with Connor De Phillippi in tomorrow’s two-hour-and-forty-minute race. Jesse Krohn qualified the No. 24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE in the fifth starting spot with a 2:01.202-minute lap – only .047 seconds from his teammate. Krohn will co-drive with John Edwards tomorrow. The duo shared this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona victory with Augusto Farfus and Chas Mostert. The entire six-car GTLM field qualified within .715 seconds.

The 2020 ADAC GT Masters got off to a fast and furious start at the Lausitzring. In a breathtaking race characterised by several changes in the lead, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Luca Stolz (25, GER) and Maro Engel (34, Monte Carlo, both Toksport WRT) emerged victorious at the end of 43 thrilling laps. Only 0.7 seconds behind in second place were Porsche drivers Michael Ammermüller (34, GER) and Christian Engelhart (33, GER, both SSR Performance). The remaining place on the podium went to the Audi R8 LMS pairing of Max Hofer (21, AUT) and Christopher Haase (32, GER, both Montaplast by Land Motorsport). “I’ve finally got my first race win in the ADAC GT Masters,” said a jubilant Maro Engel. “I’m delighted that it’s worked out this time. What a great start to the new season!”

On your marks, get set, go! The 2020 ADAC GT Masters has begun with FP1 at the Lausitzring. The best time of the practice session was posted by Corvette driver Markus Pommer (29, GER, Callaway Competition). Three other brands made it into the Top Four – Porsche, Audi and Mercedes-AMG.

The resumption of international motorsport across the globe has signalled the start of the 2020 Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy as the British luxury sportscar manufacturer continues to uncover the next generation of GT endurance superstars.