The ADAC GT Masters title contenders have no time to relax. Less than one week after the races at the Lausitzring, the Super Sports Car League will be staging its grand finale in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, 6th – 8th November. It will definitely be a very exciting affair, since no less than ten drivers from Audi, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche still have a chance of securing the drivers’ title. Last year’s champions Patric Niederhauser (29, CH) and Kelvin van der Linde (24, ZA, both Rutronik Racing) are the ones to beat again at Oschersleben. However, the competition led by Porsche drivers Robert Renauer (35, GER, Precote Herberth Motorsport) and Christian Engelhart (33, GER)/Michael Ammermüller (34, GER, both SSR Performance) intend to stop the Audi drivers in their bid to mount a successful title defence. The races will take place in the absence of spectators and in accordance with the latest biosecurity guidelines while following measures developed by the ADAC GT Masters and approved by the authorities to prevent the spread of infection and promote good hygiene.
The favourites
A maximum of 50 points will be awarded over the weekend at Oschersleben. 50 points that will dictate who is going to be delighted and who will be deeply disappointed and every single one of those points will ultimately be decisive in the championship fight. The reason for that, of course, is because for the 13th time in 14 ADAC GT Masters seasons, the title will be decided at the season finale. Audi drivers Patric Niederhauser and Kelvin van der Linde lead the overall standings by five points. Their big dream is to become the first to mount a successful defence of the Super Sports Car League title, but their most formidable rivals are within striking distance. Porsche driver Robert Renauer is only five points adrift after a strong Lausitzring weekend that saw him claim two podiums. His partner in the ‘911’ this weekend has yet to be confirmed. Fellow Porsche drivers Christian Engelhart and Michael Ammermüller are the only ones to have achieved two victories so far and are a further two points behind. They intend to clinch their first drivers’ title in their outfit’s first year just like the pairing occupying fourth place in the championship, Mercedes-AMG drivers Luca Stolz (25, GER) and Maro Engel (35, Monte Carlo, both Toksport WRT). After achieving their first win of the season on Saturday at the Lausitzring, Audi drivers Max Hofer (21, AUT) and Christopher Haase (33, GER, both Montaplast by Land Motorsport) in sixth overall also still have a chance on paper of winning the title.
Battle for title in Pirelli Junior class
At Oschersleben, a battle for the title will also be fought in the highly competitive Junior class of the ADAC GT Masters which has some 20 drivers or so in its ranks. Lamborghini driver Tim Zimmermann (24, GER, GRT Grasser Racing Team) is currently the front-runner. The German series newcomer has achieved two wins in class so far and has been at the top of the points rankings since Hockenheim. His main rival is 21-year-old Porsche driver Jannes Fittje (Langenhain, Küs Team75 Bernhard), who is 31.5 points adrift but could score a maximum of 75 points at the weekend. Fittje clinched his second win in class of the year this last time out at the Lausitzring. The winner of the Pirelli Junior classification will receive 22 sets of Pirelli tyres for next season.
The circuit
The Motorsport Arena Oschersleben is one of the tracks that traditionally feature on the ADAC GT Masters calendar, and the Super Sports Car League has raced there ever since its inaugural season in 2007. Once again, drivers will go head-to-head on the 3.66-km configuration of track where the first corner forms an S-bend. Racing at Oschersleben is always close, and the circuit is a level playing field with equal chances for everyone. Seven different brands have won there in the previous ten races. Audi and Lamborghini are the most successful brands at Oschersleben with five wins each in total. Apart from the ADAC GT Masters, the ADAC GT4 Germany, ADAC Formula 4, ADAC TCR Germany and the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland will also be staging their final rounds at the weekend.
Spectators are not allowed to attend the finale according to guidelines currently in force. Fans who have already bought tickets online in advance will receive an e-mail in the next few days with instructions about how to return them for a refund. Tickets bought from ADAC branches or from Eventim advance booking offices should be returned to where they were bought.
ADAC GT Masters eSports Championship powered by EnBW mobility+
The ADAC GT Masters eSports Championship powered by EnBW mobility+ will also hold its grand finale this weekend. Entrants will compete against each other on the virtual Oschersleben circuit in two consecutive races on Saturday, kicking off at 18:30 CET. Williams Esports driver Jack Keithley will start the final rounds as favourite to win the title of the ADAC eSports series with its prize pool of 80,000 euros. Last Saturday, the British driver clinched his third victory in the sixth race of the season and leads the overall standings. Last year’s champion Moritz Löhner (Mahle Racing Team) and Néstor García (Red Bull Racing Esports) are next in the standings equal on points. The two races will be broadcast live on youtube.com/adac and adac.de/motorsport.
Comments in the run-up to the race weekend
Kelvin van der Linde (Rutronik Racing, Audi R8 LMS): “Our goal is to win, of course. Oschersleben is actually a good track for Audi, but that was before new tyres were introduced this season. It will be extremely important not to make any mistakes at the weekend and to have a good quali, because overtaking there can be tricky. I think it’s going to be exciting to the very end and that the title will not be decided until Sunday.”
Robert Renauer (Precote Herberth Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R): “We are the best of the rest, and therefore, have nothing to lose. Oschersleben should really suit the Porsche, so I feel very optimistic, knowing that we can play our part in deciding who lifts the title. We have everything well sorted and delivered strong performances recently both at the Red Bull Ring and Lausitzring. We will fight to the end.”
Source. ADAC GT Masters
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