SPORTSCAR

From the Alps of Austria to the undulating Sachsenring: last weekend, GRT Grasser Racing Team were competing in the penultimate round of the ADAC GT Masters in front of more than 20,000 spectators. The 3.64km circuit near Chemnitz is considered to be a drivers’ delight and therefore an ideal arena for the team’s six Lamborghini Huracán GT3 drivers to parade their skills.

There were two surprise winners at the Sachsenring on Sunday, as the championship took yet another twist ahead of the grand finale at Hockenheim in two weeks’ time. The Audi duo of Elia Erhart (30, GER) and Pierre Kaffer (41, GER, both EFP by TECE) exploited one of many safety car deployments in Sunday’s race to make a tactically well-timed pit stop and claim a maiden ADAC GT Masters victory. With Sheldon van der Linde (19, ZA) and Kelvin van der Linde (22, ZA, both Montaplast by Land-Motorsport) in the runner-up spot and Jeffrey Schmidt (24, CH) and Stefan Mücke (36, Berlin, both BWT Mücke Motorsport) finishing third, the podium ceremony was monopolised by Audi R8 LMS drivers. Meanwhile, fourth place for the Porsche partnership of Robert Renauer (33, GER) and Mathieu Jaminet (23, FRA, both Precote Herberth Motorsport) was enough to take them to the top of the championship table, with only one more event remaining on the calendar. “Magnificent,” said a jubilant Erhart. “I’m actually speechless. It was such a tough fight towards the end. It became clear to me that racing is all about what’s going on in your head, and my head really wanted to win.”