Holzem twins secure their first ADAC GT Masters race victory

Schubert Motorsport has won the first race of the ADAC GT Masters at the Lausitzring. Sandro Holzem and Juliano Holzem took the chequered flag in Torsten Schubert’s team’s BMW M4 GT3 on the circuit in Brandenburg. This is the Holzem twins’ first win of the season. It is also their first victory in the ADAC GT Masters in their third season together.

Second place went to Tim Zimmermann and Leyton Fourie, who have thus reduced the gap in the championship standings. At the end of the race, they were 3.141 seconds behind their Schubert Motorsport team-mates.

Max Reis and Emil Gjerdrum, driving for Haupt Racing Team Ford, completed the podium.

As was the case before the DTM race, heavy rain set in around the Lausitzring ahead of the ADAC GT Masters race, setting the stage for some thrilling racing action. The drivers had to complete two formation laps to adjust to the tricky conditions. However, the rain had already stopped before the race started, so the track was already drying out as the drivers set off on the first of the two 80-minute races. Some cars started the race on wet tyres but quickly fell far behind.

After around 30 minutes of racing, Niklas Kalus, driving the Haupt Racing Team Ford Mustang GT3, crashed into the circuit’s concrete barrier following a driving error. Although the Duisburg-based driver attempted to bring the Ford back to the pits, he was forced to retire the wine-red car as the rear-right suspension broke on impact.

With 15 minutes remaining, the safety car was deployed after Leo Pichler ran out of fuel at the pit lane entrance. Following a miscalculation by the Austrian razoon team, the Porsche ran out of fuel.

ADAC GT Masters Lausitzring Race 1 results (Top 10):

1. Sandro Holzem/Juliano Holzem – Schubert Motorsport – BMW M4 GT3

2. Tim Zimmermann/Leyton Fourie – FK Performance Motorsport – BMW M4 GT3

3. Max Reis/Emil Gjerdrum – Haupt Racing Team – Ford Mustang GT3

4. Felix Hirsiger/Finn Zulauf – LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler – Lamborghini Huracán GT3

5. Storm Gjerdrum/Fabio Rauer – FK Performance Motorsport – BMW M4 GT3

6. Mark Kastelic/Pavel Lefterov – razoon – more than racing – Porsche 911 GT3 R

7. Robin Rogalski/Simon Connor Primm – HGL Racing – Audi R8 LMS GT3

8. Joseph Ellerine/Alain Valente – FK Performance Motorsport – BMW M4 GT3

9. Baudouin Detout/Jamie Day – Comtoyou Racing – Aston Martin Vantage GT3

10. John Paul Southern Jr./Jonas Karklys – LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler – Lamborghini Huracán GT3